Thread: Long hotel stays

Hoping to pick the brains of all you low-carb experts here!

So; normally I work from home but once a month I spend a week in my office and that involves 5 nights in a hotel. I don't tend to go and eat out because, unless there's someone around to tag along, I feel a bit of a pillock eating alone in a restaurant

Before low-carbing I simply used to go to the nearest store (there's an M&S food, a Waitrose local and a Tesco express nearby) and get cold noodle salads, sandwiches, crisps () and other mega carby stuff.

I'm off next week and now I'm suddenly panicing about what to do for breakfast, lunch and dinner each day! I'm on a room-only, so no hotel breakfasts. It's city-centre so there's just about every chain restaurant and fast-food joint you can think of.

I could really do with your wonderful brains to give me some suggestions on getting through next week!

I used to travel a lot for work and it isn't the easiest.

This is what I used to do:

B: Atkins shake the premixed ones.
L: crayfish salad from pret a manger
D: room service: steak or m&s ready done chicken with salads. Or if getting something to take back to room the hot rotisserie chickens.

It isn't the easiest thing to do though. I always thought about taking a george foreman type grill but never had the space.

I buy lots of chicken when i travel. Cold chicken legs from tesco make great snacks, or hot deli chicken. Salami/pepperami. Pubs are usually good places for me when out and about as they nearly all serve steak or similar, chicken or something, just ask them to add salad intsead of chips. Same for most restaurants, just order a meal without sauces unless you know the carbs in their sauce, and replace potato/chips for a salad/veg. The best 'fast food' place for me is KFC, original chicken - take the coating off (or if you eat it don't do so on more than about 1 or 2 pieces, i believe it has around 7g of carbs per piece). For breakfast go for a cooked breakfast, yummmm, cheap greasy spoon cafes are great for this stay away from the sausages though (and toast obviously). The hardest thing i find when travelling is getting enough of the right veggies in, which is a bit of a problem.

Soroya - oooo now I've never been into a Prett a Manger (sounds odd, but I live in the sticks) and I know there's a few of them nearby so I'll keep an eye out for the crayfish salad.

Losingit - I've often thought about the 'steak in a pub' option but never had the courage to go in and eat on my own. Now this is where it gets really odd.....because I have no problem going into a pub on my own to have a drink and read a book, but for some reason I simply can't eat out alone....it's awful but I start obsessing that everyone around is thinking "Look at that fat bird on her own stuffing her face"

I think I'll be getting lots of cold chicken!

I'm just thinking that maybe I should copy the Dutch for breakfast ideas; get sliced cheese and ham slices.

I hate being seen eating too, but I can't eat in public easily but then I went to Catholic school where you got punished for eating in the street in school uniform!

Where is it you're going to be? Is it always the same town? If it is we could scout out some nice cafe type places and if you got comfy there you could have somewhere people know you to go. Besides soon people will be thinking 'how does she eat all that and stay so slim' not knowing that bacon and eggs are a secret Atkins elixir to slimdom.

I also take chicken tikka to my room or a kebab with just a salad no pitta... I have no probs eating out but prefer the hotel room with a movie while I slob on the bed... Love that! Lol ... And a bottle of wine from supermarket lol x

Ive never had a problem with eating a meal on my own - THAT is how much my belly rules me ... so what if they are looking, im'a'nomming !!!

Pret is AMAZING - the salads are absolutely beautiful and the dressing comes in a little pot so you can check out the carbs before you drown your salad. I love the chicken and bacon one - grilled chicken breast and bacon just like M&S strips. They also do lovely soups some days and are really helpful about what is in their food - there is nutrional info everywhere.

One tip - but I guess it is a bit of a waste is for breakfast you could always have the McDonalds "big breakfast" dump the hash brown and the muffin .. if you can .. and just have the scram egg and sausage patty - it also comes with a pat of butter so you can mix that in with your eggs. I don't know what Ronald does with his eggs but I think they are lovely (probably comes out of a ruddy tetra pack!!)

Subway do salad bowls now - you can pick from whatever the salad is on offer, pick your meat (loads of salami etc up for grabs) grated cheese and then your dressing - go for their mayo - but again nutrional info is all over the place in there.

Finally M&S have offers on their salad bowls at the moment. I got a ceaser salad and just gave Matt the croutons and sprinkled it with ready cooked chicken and those gorgeous bacon slices ... lovely

xx

I worked in McD's when i was a teenager at college... the scrambled eggs do indeed come out of a tetra pack, lol, ready mixed.

Funny a little while ago my hubby went into morrisons cafe to have breakfast and they told him they had run out of scrambled egg. When he asked how that was possible when they were inside a supermarket they told him it came in packets. He was furious and walked out in utter belief . He has never gone back for breakfast when I am away !

mmm ready mixed egg ! It's probably why I like it to be honest - sometimes I find egg ... well ... too eggy, so if I make omlettes etc - anything where the white is involved I add an extra yolk to counteract the eggy taste! I HATE egg white - such a waste, im a dipper only !

I never eat eggs other than those from my own hens. I'm fortunate that I'm able to keep chooks that provide me with lovely fresh, organic, free range eggs every day.