Wednesday, July 20, 2011

How to Travel, Low-Carb


Readers, you'll forgive me if I've allowed posts to lapse. This past month has been a whirlwind of travel for family and business. Some things had to make way, and counting points (and updating this blog) was one of them.

Still, I have been able to adhere to a low-carb style of eating, and I continue to lose weight and inches. Here's how I've done it.

Airplanes and airports

My home airport is Logan (in Boston) and I have flown JetBlue, Delta, and Southwest in the last month, into Orlando, Minneapolis and St. Louis. I often eat in the terminal right before the flight, and sometimes after.

Fresh City--farmer's market breakfast burrito minus the burrito--essentially a big plate of scrambled eggs with veggies and bacon.

Fresh City--low-carb smoothie

Wolfgang Puck--Turkey Club Sandwich, out of which I ate the filling. And a few fries.

Surdyk's--Cheese and Salumi plate with nuts, dried fruit and olives. You can also order nuts and olives separately as apps.

Starbucks--nut packs (sold at register), latte with skim milk, bistro plate (they have a very delicious Thai-style lettuce wrap chopped cabbage, peanut sauce, chicken and cucumber spears. Also a little square of dark chocolate!) high protein plate (though those usually have some kind of carby addition, like a scone or some crackers)

On the flight--all of these flights now just offer a basket of chips, cookies, pretzels or nuts. That's a pretty clear choice. I also travel with nut packs and sometimes cheese sticks if it's not too long a flight.


Driving

The best strategy driving, of course, is to pack food to take with you. Veggie sticks or spears (carrots, cucumbers, jicama, cukes), pickles, pork rinds, nuts, seltzer, cheese sticks or squares--these are all easy to pack and eat while you're driving.

Highway Rest Areas--when we stopped at these, I stuck either with skim lattes, or hunted around in the variety stores. Some of these have items like hard boiled eggs, beef jerky, veggies with dip and a variety of high-protein bars. I never really did eat at any of the franchises.

Restaurants

I've found it very easy to eat low-carb at restaurants. Here are some of the meals I've eaten along the way.

Deep-fried hot dog
Steak and eggs
Veggie and cheese omelet
Pate and cornichon sandwich
T-bone steak with sides of asparagus with hollandaise, broiled tomatoes, sauteed mushrooms
Coq au vin
Seared tuna sashimi with seaweed salad and pickled ginger
Charcuterie plate
Bison flank steak
NY strip steak
Seared tuna over greens
Salad with goat cheese, beets and walnuts
Baked flounder over greens, steamed veggies on side (cafeteria food)
Cobb salad


Cookouts

Some of my visiting was with family and the food was lots of cookout-style eating. You know, pasta salads, jello salads and so on. And although there weren't really ever any green salads, there were always lots of fixins for hamburgers--and so this was my basic plate, with variations:

Iceburg lettuce (meant for the burgers), torn up
tomatoes (meant for burgers)
cheeseburger/bbq/sausage/whatever else was on the grill
pickles/olives
coleslaw

I guess you could call that Cookout Chef Salad!


I'll try to be more diligent about posting, especially when I'm in high-stress or unusual situations. Anybody can follow an eating routine when they're at home, in a comfortable and controlled situation--it's when things get weird that our eating gets thrown off.

Do you have your own low-carb/low-sugar travel tips? Leave them in the comments.







Sunday, June 26, 2011

Sunday



Breakfast (1 point)

cold borscht with
1 tbsp light sour cream
black coffee
multivitamin
water



Lunch (4 points)

large salad leftover from Sunday with
romaine/arugula/spinach and
sliced carrots and
crumbled farmer's cheese and
shredded cold rotisserie chicken


Snacks (6 points)

Bittersweet chocolate tile with sea salt and almonds
Blue Diamond 100 calories almonds with sea salt


Dinner (15 points)

borscht with light sour cream
shredded rotisserie chicken
2 slices grilled pork tenderloin
green grapes
celery
fresh baby spinach

2 1/2 glasses pinot noir




Total Points: 26

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Saturday

Breakfast (11 points)

1 small summer squash sauteed in
1 1/2 tbsp butter with
2 eggs scrambled and
1 oz dill havarti and
1 oz smoked salmon


Post-Karate Snack (6 points)

CareOne Whey & Soy Protein drink (Rich Chocolate) with
PB2
skim latte from Starbucks

Late Lunch (10 points)

Starbucks Snack Plate--Protein (1 hardboiled egg, a few grapes, a few apple slices, a few slices cheddar cheese, small multigrain/dried fruit scone, packet of honey peanut butter)


Dinner at Mom & Dads! (40 points)

Popchips
Artichoke/Black Olive hummus
cheddar cheese
Saga Blue Cheese
Gin on the rocks

Salad with fresh greens from Beth's garden (romaine, arugula, spinach) and
slivered baby carrots and
crumbled farmer's cheese

shrimp sauteed in teriyaki sauce
swiss chard sauteed with minced spicy pork sausage

rhubarb custard pie with vanilla ice cream (just ate the rhubarb filling)

3 glasses red wine


Total Points: 67



Friday, June 24, 2011

Friday

Breakfast (3 points)

miso soup made with
water
2 tbsp miso
softened dried seaweed (chung jung won sea tangle)
2 oz cubed firm tofu
splash soy sauce
splash mirin
splash dry vermouth
minced scallion

black coffee
multivitamin
water

Lunchbox (10 points)

1 cup plain Greek-style yogurt
1 oz pine nuts
baby carrots
Philadelphia mini
V8 juice

black coffee
sugar free gum



Pre-and Post Karate Snack (3 points)

CareOne Whey and Soy Protein Drink (Rich Chocolate)



Dinner (17 points)

borscht with
1 tbsp lowfat sour cream
crispy bacon bits
3 oz grilled pork tenderloin

2 martinis


Total Points: 32

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Thursday

Breakfast (5 points)

CareOne Whey/Soy Protein Shake with
2 tbsp PB2
black coffee


Lunchbox (10 points)

Trader Joe's Omega Trek Mix
lime seltzer
celery sticks
2 tbsp sunflower seed butter

black coffee
water


Lunch from The Boardwalk Cafe (9 points)

Bodacious roll-up (roasted veggies, melted cheddar cheese, roasted tomato spread, grilled chicken) with out the wrap part


Post-work drink (3 points)

3 oz white wine over ice

Dinner (14 points)

Gravy made with 2 tbsp bacon grease + 2 tbsp half white flour, white wine and chicken stock
6 oz bacon, sliced and cooked crispy
sliced onions, shallots and celery
shredded rotisserie chicken
over
Steamfresh California Blend frozen veggies
4 oz white wine over ice


Daily total: 37 points

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Wednesday

Breakfast (4 points)

salad plate made with 1/2 sliced tomato and
1 oz ribboned capocollo and
1/3 cup part-skim ricotta cheese and
6 anchovy stuffed olives and
ribboned fresh basil

black tea
multivitamin
water


Lunchbox (7 points)

celery sticks
2 tbsp sunflower seed butter
low sodium V8 juice
1 oz smoked gouda
2 cups black coffee

multiple pieces sugar-free gum


Celebration at Soma! (25 points)

Mussels in broth with French Fries
Tuna Tartare with house-cut potato chips and aioli
2 Champagne Mojitos


Post Karate Snack (3 points)

CareOne Whey and Soy Rich Chocolate Protein drink

Dinner (3 points)

Two mouthfuls rotisserie chicken


Daily Total: 42 points

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Tuesday

Breakfast: (6 points)

sliced mushrooms sauteed in 1 tbsp butter with
wilted fresh basil and mint
3 eggs fried in Pam cooking spray
2 cups black coffee
water
multivitamin

Lunchbox (12 points)

2 Laughing Cow mini babybel cheeses
low sodium V8 Juice
1/2 cup pistachios in shells
half tin smoked oysters
half pint cherry tomatoes
2 Hershey's Mini (Special Dark)

2 cups black coffee
water
multiple pieces sugar free chewing gum

Dinner (14 points)

5 oz Sangria
1 1/2 steamed artichokes with
1 1/2 tbsp melted butter/lemon
leftover veal scallopini/asparagus
3 oz white wine

32 total points for the day

Monday, June 20, 2011

Monday

Monday

Breakfast (5 points)

2 eggs fried with Pam over
1 slice diced Canadian ham and
bed of fresh baby spinach
black coffee
water
multivitamin

Lunchbox (11 points in addition to leftover bfast)

Birds Eye Green Beans and Lightly Toasted Almonds
1 oz Saga Blue cheese
lime seltzer
Trader Joe's Omega Trek Mix
Roland Smoked Oysters (half tin)
celery
2 cups black coffee
water
sugar-free gum

Pre-Karate (5 points)

1/2 oz Pork Cracklins
1/4 cup Philadephia Italian Garden Cooking Cream

90 mins karate (16 activity points)


Dinner (10 points)

1/2 chicken, asiago and roasted garlic sausage
1/2 smoked adouille chicken sausage
mustards!
Steamers veggie mix
jicama spears
fresh baby spinach
5 oz dry vermouth over ice

Total points for the day: 31

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Sunday

Happy Father's Day!

Breakfast (2 points)

1/2 cup lowfat cottage cheese
black coffee
multivitamin
water

Snack (3 points)

Low Sodium V8 Juice
1 oz Saga Blue cheese

Snack (3 points)

CareOne Whey and Soy Protein drink (Rich Chocolate)

Lunch at The Grog in Newburyport (12 points)
(fyi--The Grog has a Gluten-Free menu. Good to know!)

Gluten-free baked seafood casserole (5 small scallops, 3 oz filet white fish, lobster knuckles baked in butter and lemon juice)
Steamed broccoli
Steamed sugar snap peas
Bloody Mary

Snack (2 points)

bittersweet chocolate, about 1/4 oz.
salted Marcona almonds, a few
black coffee


Dinner (12 points)


Salad Plate consisting of:
.5 oz pork cracklins
tiny amount of Provolone/salami roll stuffed with sundried tomatoes and basil (from the cheese section of supermarket)
2 anchovy-stuffed olives
mixed greens
baby spinach
.5 oz goat cheese

3 oz martini



Total Points: 35

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Saturday

Breakfast (3 points)

1/2 cup chicken livers and
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms fried in
1 tsp olive oil
black coffee
multivitamin
water


Post-Karate Snack (3 points)

CareOne Whey & Soy Protein drink (Rich Chocolate)

Late Lunch (8 points)

I cup Chobani nonfat plain yogurt
Trader Joe's Omega Trek Mix

Pre-Company Snacking (5 points)

1/2 oz. pork cracklins
1/4 cup guacamole

Dinner (24 points)

.25 oz pork cracklins
3 tortilla chips
.5 oz Blue Diamond Bold Salt and Vinegar Almonds
Provolone/salami roll stuffed with sundried tomatoes and basil (from the cheese section of supermarket)
7 anchovy-stuffed olives
Scallop Mousse with Ginger-infused Veloute*
2 servings Classic Sangria (6 oz total)
1 glass pinot noir (3 oz)


Total Points: 44

*If you don't mind spending two or three hours with a fiddly French recipe, this is a showstopper for low-carb entertaining. Epicurious doesn't list it but I'll be blogging about it soon at Melissa Cooks Gourmet and will post the link then.

Friday

Breakfast (8 points)

2 eggs fried in Pam on
bed of fresh baby spinach topped with
1 slice diced Canadian ham and
1 oz soft plain goat cheese
black coffee
multivitamin
water

Lunchbox (10 points)

3 oz grilled chicken and
about a cup mixed veggies (leftovers from dinner earlier in the week)
1/2 cup lowfat cottage cheese with fresh chives (growing on deck!)
1 oz Blue Diamond Bold Salt and Vinegar Almonds
box of organic cherry tomatoes (didn't eat these)

Beer Friday! (4 points)

(most of a) Rye Ale


Pre-dinner Nom (4 points)

Topping off a slice of pizza consisting of
some cooked hamburg
some melted shredded mozzarella
tomato sauce
crappy jarred minced garlic


Dinner (15 points)

Salad plate with
mixed greens
baby spinach
cherry tomatoes
3 green grapes
celery
Trader Joe's Tuna in Red Panang Curry Sauce
2 2,5 oz gin over rocks


Total Points: 41

Friday, June 17, 2011

Thursday

Breakfast (7 points)

1 cup chicken livers sauteed in
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup grape tomatoes and
1 oz Friendship Farmer Cheese
black coffee
multivitamin
water


Lunchbox (8 points)

1 styrofoam tray fresh snow peas
can lime seltzer
1/2 oz Macs Fiery Hot Pork Cracklins
Blue Diamond 100 cal Sea Salt almonds
2 mini babybel light
black coffee
sugar-free gum

Post-work snack (3 points)

6 small anchovy-stuffed olives
3 oz white wine over ice

Dinner at Lat 43 (16 points)

Iceburg wedge salad with tomatoes, blue cheese dressing and bacon
(about half a crock of) Chili con carne with melted cheese and sour cream
4 oz red wine

Wednesday

Breakfast (7 points)

2 eggs fried with Pam cooking spray
1 small summer squash, sauteed with fresh thyme and
2 slices diced Canadian ham in
1 tsp olive oil
1.5 cups black coffee


Lunchbox (8 points)

small can low sodium V8 juice
2 mini babybel light
bag Steamready California Blend (broccoli, cauliflower and carrots)
1 oz Blue Diamond bold salt and vinegar almonds
sliced raw jicama
2 cups black coffee
1 cup mint tea
multiple pieces sugar-free gum

Pre Karate Snack (6 points)

1/4 cup lowfat cottage cheese
Trader Joes Omega Trek Mix

90 mins karate (16 activity points)

Post Karate Snack (3 points)

CareOne Vanilla Whey Protein drink

Dinner (11 points)

Veal Scallopini made with
thin-sliced Veal breast with a sauce of
sauteed onions and
Philadelphia Cooking Creme
asparagus
Martini (2 oz gin, 1 oz dry vermouth)

Tuesday

Breakfast: (6 points)

1 cup raw chicken livers fried in 1 tsp olive oil
1 sliced tomato
2 cups black coffee
water
multivitamin

Lunchbox (9 points)

2 oz chicken breast + veggies from last night
Trader Joes Omega Trek Mix
V-8 juice
1 oz dill havarti
bunch of radishes (that I didn't eat)

2 cups black coffee
1 cup herbal tea
water
multiple pieces sugar free chewing gum

Dinner (15 points)

green beans/almonds (frozen)
1 oz semisoft goat cheese
2 slices proscuitto
5 oz white wine
85% dark chocolate 1 oz

30 total points for the day

Monday

Monday

Breakfast (8 points) (can't eat it all! packing the rest for lunch)

leftover salad (lettuce, cukes, celery, fennel, avocado) no dressing, about 2.5 cups
omelet made with 1/2 cup eggbeaters,1 slice diced canadian bacon, 2 wedges laughing cow chipotle
2 cups black coffee
women's multivitamin/water

Lunchbox (5 points in addition to leftover bfast)

(leftover breakfast, added 1/4 tomato)
Blue Diamond 100 Calories almonds (sea salt)
6 celery sticks
PB2 (2 tbsp)
small can V-8 juice
1/2 cup lowfat cottage cheese
2 cups black coffee
water
1 cup herbal tea
4 sticks cinnamon sugar-free gum (chewed 1/2 at a time)

Pre-Karate (5 points)

Trader Joes Omega Nut/Fruit Mix

90 mins karate (16 activity points)

Post-Karate (3 points)

CareOne Creamy Vanilla Whey Protein Drink

Dinner (8 points --not very hungry, didn't finish plate)

2 oz grilled chicken breast
Trader Joes Cauliflower/Green bean/Pesto veggie mix
Fresh tomato and basil salad
2 jiggers gin

Total points for the day: 30