The Traveling Caveman

Since making this change to my dietary lifestyle, I have been on a few business trips that required me to make choices.  For those of you who follow the 80:20 rule (80% Healthy, 20% Whatever), this really wouldn't be much of an issue for you if you only traveled occasionally.  But, what about the hard-core Paleo enthusiast or the road warrior who travels much more than 20% of the time?  There were three options that I went with while on the road, but the first thing you must do before you are sitting down looking over the menu, is determine:

What Are My Non-Negotiable Menu Items?

That is going to be vastly different from one person to another.  One may have a gluten intolerance that doesn't allow him/her to eat it at all.  Another may have a CAFO hatred so severe, that he/she would NEVER eat meat that is not grass-fed.  However you determine your non-negotiable items, it doesn't matter.  That is a personal choice that should have zero outside influence.  My non-negotiable items are:

1.  Wheat - I will not consume any wheat/gluten knowingly.  The main reason is that I just don't like the the way I feel when eating it.

2.  Refined Sugar - I will avoid all items I believe to be sweetened with sugar.  If it happens to be and I didn't know it, I won't stress, but I do my best to avoid it.

That's it for me!  I travel so infrequently, that I don't feel the list needs to be any longer.  If I ever start to travel more, I think the list may grow, but we will cross that bridge when we come to it.  Once you have your travel plans made, you will then be able to determine if you can...

Buy Your Own Food

On one trip, I stopped at Trader Joe's and grabbed some healthy options that were Paleo friendly and made my own food at the hotel.  Now, this will only work if you are traveling alone and if you are lucky enough to be staying in an extended stay hotel.  I purchased organic free-range eggs, uncured pastured bacon, organic spinach, organic cheese and some raw nuts.  I made myself some eggs and bacon with sauteed spinach in the hotel before going out for the day.  That beats the pastries and dry cereal you get in the hotel lobby.  At minimum, you can start your day well.  This is the least likely option, but, it is an option that I have exercised and felt good about.  If you can't make your own food, another option is to...

Fast

This one can be a slippery slope!  Again, opportunity is key here.  If you are in an all-day meeting and/or you are out with a group of people and they are serving boxed lunches or pizza, fasting may be your only option depending on your non-negotiable menu items.  Don't draw attention to yourself and politely decline food that is offered to you when people notice you aren't eating.  This is not the time to talk about why.  If you want to tell them you are fasting for personal reasons, you could do that.  Most people will avoid extending that conversation any further knowing the potential religious consequences.  This option only works for "working" lunches where you have access to your laptop or tablet to conduct work while the rest are eating.  You can also leave the room to "make a phone call" and just avoid it altogether.  Just remember, you may be missing out on some networking opportunities any time you skip a meal.  If you don't want to miss out, you should...

Get What You Can And Don't Stress

The quickest way to make a bad impression on a business trip is to be a damper on the mood.  Most of the people who are traveling for business are looking to enjoy themselves because it takes them away from the stress of everyday work and, for some, the stresses from home.  Not only that, it's a chance to socialize.  Let's face it, once the real world rears it's ugly head, socializing is at a bare minimum compared to the time period immediately before!

Actually, CAFO meat will kill you!

So, don't stress about your food choices and be a "Debbie Downer" for the rest of the group.  Take your non-negotiable list with you (in your head, of course) and make smart decisions.  Don't talk about how 90% of the menu items are crap.  Don't gross people out with facts about CAFO's and what that food is doing to their bodies.  Just order food you know you can live with and have a good time!  If you want to have a drink or two, please do!  Since one of my non-negotiable menu items is wheat, I chose wine over beer.  It's really that simple.  Nobody is going to judge you except for the meat-heads at the table who think they still are in college.  That's fine!  Smile and shrug it off and have a good time anyway.  They are the ones making a bad impression, not you.

Conclusion

Traveling for business usually accomplishes one or more of three things: 1) Networking, 2) Professional Development, 3) Business Development.  None of those can be accomplished with a bad attitude.  Remember why you are there and get the most out of your time.  Acting too good for everyone around you and/or climbing into a Paleo shell will only cause you grief in the end.  You never know who will be making decisions about your next promotion/job opportunity.  Do you think they will promote/hire a mopey introvert who can't make personal connections with people, or the person who is confident in their choices and takes the opportunity at hand to network and have a good time?

The only time to talk about why you make the choices you make is if someone asks.  If you are passionate like me, this will open the flood gates.  Keep the conversation simple and leave the door open for them to conduct their own research.  In the end, you will not convert them with your words.  They must convert themselves.  Don't be a Paleo evangelist.  Evangelists are annoying!  Just give facts and talk about how it changed your life.  You will be respected for making such a tough decision for your future.  And, respect is always an important thing.