On-the-road nutrition plans

It is generally accepted that traveling typically adds a couple of pounds to the scale – but what is a traveling nurse to do when travel is essential to the job description? Whether driving or flying, healthy habits can be hard to maintain when a person is faced with the on-the-go fast food joints lining the destination path.

A traveling nurse must remember that maintaining a healthy weight comes down to living a lifestyle that includes healthy eating, regular physical activity and balancing the number of calories you consume to ensure that you don't exceed the number of calories you burn.

Food is a large component of experiencing a local culture. To balance a nutritious lifestyle and not feel bereft of being immersed in the culture, make a game plan to include the "must-eats" and healthy choices.

Start by researching online and through word-of-mouth gab sessions to determine which restaurants make the locals proud to call the location home. Keep a detailed record of what dish to eat where, skipping all-you-can-eat buffets and chains found elsewhere, and set a date to visit each one. Many restaurants feature their specialty dishes as appetizers, so selecting those instead of the full entree may save hundreds of calories and still allow for the experience. When not experiencing key destinations, make your meals at home, to save money and boost your nutritional intake.