You may not think it, but it's absolutely possible to stick to your healthy diet when you're travelling on business. We're living in a time of accessible healthy choices and the breakfast buffet at your hotel is a great example of the abundance of healthy foods on offer.
I believe it's important for each individual to try different things in the morning and see what works for them. I'll tell a client to consider the day ahead when thinking about the best food choices to make when they're travelling on business. What improves your cognitive function and keeps fatigue at bay? How long until you're next feeling hungry after breakfast? How is your first meal making you feel? These are the questions to think about when figuring out which breakfast choice is working best for you.
I like to start my day with a high-protein breakfast - it leaves me feeling far more satiated first thing in the morning. I always load up on poached or fried eggs, teamed with some bacon and toast. I like to have mushrooms, tomatoes and some greens as well - it's a great way to get veggies in where I can. And remember, the portions don't have to be small!
Try and load up on veggies for fibre to keep your digestive system regular. A good source of carbohydrates is also always important at breakfast - if you're travelling on business, you don't want to be lagging in energy when rushing from meeting to meeting.
When you're travelling for work, changes relating to the structure of your day can affect your hunger levels and how you feel. If you're getting up a lot earlier, you need to make sure you eat really well at breakfast because you're going to feel hungrier. For me personally, I definitely feel like if I have an early breakfast I'm probably going to snack more. So I always make sure to pack healthy snacks with me to stave off hunger between meals.
When you're starting out the day at the breakfast buffet, eat mindfully. Try not to rush your food so that you're really acknowledging what you're eating and allowing yourself to feel that sense of fullness.
I also recommend that people avoid their phone and other distractions at breakfast - try to focus on your eating, otherwise you might not acknowledge that you're feeling full as quickly. At the breakfast buffet, instead of finishing and immediately rushing back for a second course, wait 10 minutes and see how you feel.
I don't believe there are any foods in life we should completely avoid. That doesn't mean I'm going to have pastries for breakfast every day, but I believe there's a time and a place for everything. My favourite indulgent breakfast from the hotel buffet? Pancakes.
If I have time I like to start the day training, but it really depends on what the day ahead is like. If it's quite an active one, then I might do a light walk rather than a heavy training session. But if I have a day that will involve a lot of sitting down, I'll try to get some form of movement in before breakfast, just to wake my body up and feel a bit more alive for the day ahead!