Eating on the Road

One of the hardest challenges for any athlete is having to eat out of the comfort zone of one's own kitchen. In all honesty, this is a skill to develop and takes time, so be patient.There are two kinds of travel one can run into: traveling in your country and international travel. I'll cover both.

Delicious pastries from Paris to splurge on

When traveling on the road in one's own country, It's important to learn how to see through the tempting food and understand that you are here to compete and need to choose healthier options. Something that has helped me is using a "Eat This, Not That" book. The Restaurant Guide book works the best. If this isn't something in your best interests, that's fine too.
Now that you are looking at your menu, let me give you some quick pointers as to what to choose.

• Quick fix: change your side! No french fries or mashed potatoes; go for baked potatoes, veggies, and salads
• Your main dish should be carbohydrate based. Pasta, salad, and sandwiches are great for this. Watch out for cream sauces, thick dressings, and multiple sauces on sandwiches.
• Choose juice and water instead of sodas and sugary drinks. Soda can dehydrate you faster.
• Overeating can lead to a painful stomach, so eat until you are comfortable. This takes some understanding of your own stomach. Never stuff withing 3 hours of a game or practice. Just snack.

Eating internationally is a different story. We get thrown into a different environment and are forced to eat out of our comfort zone. It is still possible to eat well, but it requires a lot of attention. Here are my tips:

• Read through a menu, and get translation help if you need. Ask a ton of questions to the cashier or server.
• Follow the same guidelines as above for eating in your own country.
• It can be fun to try new foods and have fun, but make sure you do so in safety as to not upset your stomach. I almost ordered tartare while in Paris, I'm glad I didn't (wikipedia it, and you'll understand).
• If eating from a food service becomes too difficult, find a grocery and get some foods that are something you like to eat. This way you have a little more control over what you eat.

So there you have it, hopefully these tips help all of you throughout the season. Just a reminder, this takes practice, try to stick with it and understand you can splurge when competition is over. Oh and here's a great pic of what the Rice Krispies elves look like in France:

Kinda freaky...