Healthy & Tasty Air Travel Trends

Daughter Katie is a master travel ninja with great carry-on style and savvy.

 Holiday air travel is notoriously challenging with throngs of passengers populating security lines, dealing with winter weather delays, jostling with fellow fliers to stow carry-ons, accepting an airline snack mix and eventually making it to their destinations.

Add hunger to the travel quotient and you’re really in for some unexpected turbulence. Happily there’s a renaissance in airport restaurant menus. I’ve been impressed with kiosks selling really good salads and sandwiches packaged to fly, sit down restaurants with freshly prepared foods and concourse newsstands with a nice selection of healthy snacks (even crudité of vegetables in the cooler with the bottled water.) And low and behold, if a sweet splurge is what it takes to make your travel day more bearable, A Piece of Cake has just landed on concourse A at Hartsfield –Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Now you can be the envy of the exit row while savoring a slice of red velvet cake with a carton of cold milk (fat free, there must be some digression). Atlanta based caterer Proof of the Pudding serves up on-the-go salads and sandwiches at two locations on concourse B and Wolfgang Puck’s (with locations in many US airports) kiosk is on concourse C.

The menus at E Bar on concourse E and A Bar on concourse A feature a terrific selection of cheeses and charcuterie with olives and whole grain crackers. Warning: fellow passengers will be impressed with your gourmet savvy so share a little.

Navigate Nutritiously

-Ask for OJ. The nutrients in orange juice help boost your immune system to give you a fighting chance to ward off cold and flu germs. Mix juice with sparkling water for a lower calorie thirst quencher.

- Snack Smart. Bag your own “sky trail mix” of nuts, dried fruit and granola. Sunbelt Bakery Granola is one of my favorites and is an excellent source of fiber. Healthy fats in nuts and stomach filling fiber in  dried fruit and cereals keep you keep going and if you make your own mixes they can be much lower in sodium than the airline’s salty snack mixes. Sodium plus sitting can lead to unwanted puffiness and ankle swelling.

-Easy Carry-on Cuisine. Granola bars and fruit & nut bars are easy to carry and even easier to eat when on the fly. Make sure to choose bars that just the right portion size; say under 150 calories. Sunbelt Bakery chocolate chip granola bars contain just 140 calories. 

- Concourse Cuisine. A salad is fine, but make sure it contains protein, such as chicken, turkey, ham, eggs or cheese to keep blood sugar on an even keel. Stress can drive blood sugar levels down way below normal.

Flight attendant! No, we are not dipping into our duty free vodka! 

- Alcohol at altitude. Your skin and your brain can get really dehydrated in a pressurized cabin. Alcohol accelerates dehydration. If it’s the end of long travel day and you want a drink to unwind, that’s fine. But make sure to double up on water with the wine.

Food on the Fly

Airport security rules prohibit liquids and “gel type substances” in carry-on luggage if over 3.4 ounces. (I always try to travel with a container of Greek yogurt but it usually ends up in the TSA trash.) Solid foods such as sandwiches, hard cheeses, crackers, fresh fruit and vegetables are allowed.

Holiday travelers take note that TSA rules state, “You can bring pies and cakes through the security checkpoint, but please be advised that they are subject to additional screening.” (Especially if it looks like a really good dessert.)

Healthy Holiday Snacking

Carolyn with Tracye Hutchins of CBS Better Morning Atlanta 

Ok, so the online power shopping you did this week was more fingertip than physical so you’re burning fewer calories than battling crowds at the mall.  Stressful hours spent in airports or on the highway often mean grabbing fast food on the fly or snacking in the car to keep boredom at bay. The holiday season is here and presents many challenges to eat right and stay fit. So, this may not seem like the most ideal time to start a healthier eating plan- but it can be.

Ask yourself, "Is it really any different from the rest of the year?" Every
season brings its own temptations from Super Bowl Sunday's nachos and beer to Fourth of July’s fried chicken and ribs. The best time to learn slimming strategies is when the landscape is fat with indulgent food choices.
Every Day’s a Holiday
Research shows that the most successful dieters — those who lose weight and
keep it off for the long haul — practice healthy eating and exercise habits all
year long. They don't make big New Year’s diet resolutions. Instead, set
a time limit or portion limit. "I'll eat fries only once a month." Or
"I'll eat ice cream in a small bowl." Or a holiday version, “I’ll enjoy a big dinner out with the relatives, but I’ll have a bowl of soup for lunch.” 

Healthy snacks are a Tasty Trio: protein, whole grains and fruit or vegetable

Healthy Holidays
There's no time like the present to begin new healthier eating habits even if you're headed to a party tonight.  Help your hips survive the holidays.

 Parties Galore and what they wore! Carolyn and her Atlanta gal pals ring in the holiday season. 

 1. Freshen up your food life. Keep fresh fruit and other healthy snacks such as whole-grain crackers, granola bars, nuts and fresh veggies on hand. 

Sunbelt Bakery chocolate chip granola bars are only 140 calories - perfect portion size! 

A handful of pecans or almonds before heading out to a party or dinner can calm your appetite so you don't dive in the minute you arrive. Look for healthier options on restaurant menus. While a friend chowed down on the bone marrow topped with quail eggs at The Spence the other night; I was delighted with a lighter plate of ravioli stuffed with wild greens and served with a small amount of pulled pork.

2. Recognize barriers. It's going to be tough to say no to holiday favorites
like chocolate fudge and that creamy cheesy hot artichoke dip. Know your
splurge foods and resolve to enjoy them in small quantities. Use a small plate
to serve yourself. Research shows that your mind will think it looks like a lot
more food than the same amount on a large plate. 

Martini glasses are the perfect size for a perfect portion of yogurt topped with granola and fresh berries.

3. Enjoy the taste of eating right. Deviled eggs, steamed shrimp, roast beef and chicken on skewers often served at holiday dinner parties are all diet-friendly, lean protein choices. Feel free to add low-cal flavor with mustards, horseradish, cocktail sauce and salsas. Look for lighter versions of holiday faves such as low fat eggnog. 


 4. Start new habits. Keep a list of what you're eating and drinking for a few
days. Be as specific as possible on types of foods and amounts. This snapshot will help you keep track of overeating. Write down your physical activity. Did you take the stairs instead of the escalator at the mall? That counts, too!

5. Have a plan. Eat breakfast. Schedule time to take a walk or go to yoga
class. If you're going to a potluck, bring the salad or vegetable side dish. If it's a three-hour car ride to Grandma's, pack fresh fruit and a
turkey sandwich so you don't have to stop at a fast food joint.
Save the calories to enjoy holiday treats when you get to Grandma's. Successful
long-term weight control is a balancing act.

Keep in mind that most people gain about one pound over the holidays. 

That doesn't sound like much, but if you don't lose it, 

after 10 years that's 10 pounds.

My Christmas Wish: to work out with Richard Simmons again!!