Hot nuts, Diet Coke with lime, and why I miss Ted….

Lucky- Spending a lot of time (seated) on an airplane can make it difficult to get the right amount of exercise. I don't do MR's, so most of my travel isn't "optional"; it's either for work or for vacation. What I have found: #1: Wanting to exercise and following through on that is key. That's more than half the battle. #2: Always pack (minimal) exercise stuff. I always carry everything on, but it is my priority to always have running shoes, running shorts (which double for bathing suit), and wick-dry t-shirt, exercise socks & head band. This all fits in my carry on with all my other stuff. My flight are generally in the early afternoon (when I leave), so I try to exercise at home before getting on mainland-bound flights. I stay at a chain that generally has reasonable exercise equipment (Hiltons, etc). Also, I try to find good, safe place near by my hotels in which to go running. Just like when at home, I have to work to make my exercise fit into the day. Generally I succeed, but one can't always be 100%. #3: On the plane, I stick to drinking water, black coffee/tea, & wine, I avoid eating (very many) fatty foods (like someone posted about picking around the nuts). I generally order a special meal (Hindu or low-fat/low colest. or similar). I avoid the deserts (but will sometimes indulge in a fresh cookie). I don't eat the rolls & butter. I do eat the salads, and I avoid the creamy dressings (ask for a leamon for the juice sometimes). #4: Just because food is available doesn't mean you have to eat it (e.g., they are serving another meal, or there are lots of goodies at the IFL or RCC). This one is maybe the hardest! So, don't avoid travel, but try to arrange your flights/stays/days to incorporate some exercise. And watch what you eat!

Lucky, You are a young man. Enjoy your life, your travel, your cookies, your omelets and your hot nuts. In moderation. Every other flight? Every third flight? When your age (I believe) doubles and you're almost as old as I am, that's the time to pass on the wrapped brownies. Do the gym in moderation too. You'll be healthier not only physically, but mentally as well. "No I Can't" taken in too many large doses tends to have opposite of the intended effect in the long run. I love your blog. It always makes my day.

@Craig, you apparently don't believe in erring on the side of caution when it comes to artificial sweeteners but do with soy. Seems inconsistent. @Lucky, I would recommend fruit bars like the Nectar bars from CLIFF. Being a vegetarian, I took a whole bunch of those while visiting Japan. As the Japanese do not understand the concept of vegetarianism. But I agree with someone else's recommendation on eating fruits. I prefer bananas. I also prefer to be more self reliant then to depend on finding the "right" hotel for working out. You can do simple things like push-ups, sit-ups or crunches, or some yoga poses (asanas). But as someone else pointed out, walking and using stairs can be good substitutes. As for the hot nuts, eat the walnuts and almonds, leave the rest. Walnuts can be a good source for OMEGA-3's and almonds supposedly help increase HDL cholesterol (the good kind). As for the salt, drink plenty of water :) Artificial sweeteners I avoid like the plague. If you need a sweetener, use a natural sweetener like Stevia, the Japanese and the South Americans have been using it for a long time. The FDA is in bed with industry when it comes to things like artificial sweeteners and flavor enhancers (like MSG). They are the "safest" thing in the world according to them. In most cases, if the ingredient list on the product you are about to consume takes up half the wrapper, it is most likely bad for your health. Anyway, you can stay without "protein" on the flight. Best to eat fresh once off the plane. Your body does not require vast amounts of protein unless you want to build muscle mass while sleeping in C but then you may end up visiting the bathroom often ;)

Congrats on sticking to the exercise plan...unless you're on of those rare individuals who truly enjoys exercise, as someone who went from 300 pounds to 185 (and have kept it off for years), I know it's not easy! A few suggestions: * I'd avoid making Luna bars, or any bar that uses soy protein, a staple in your diet - there's a growing body of evidence that suggests younger men should not eat large amounts of soy, as it contains isoflavones that can mimic estrogen and could affect hormonal balance in men. Jury's still out on what level of soy intake could lead to these problems, but personally I err on the safe side and avoid soy for the most part. (That said, there's no evidence that infrequent use of soy leads to any testosterone issues, so don't be paranoid about it either.) Unless you're lactose-intolerant, there are plenty of bars that use whey or casein protein (or a blend of the two) that will do the trick. * Nothing wrong with eating the nuts, as long as you do it in moderation - one of the little servings of hot nuts in FC a day should be fine. Nuts give you a good service of protein and heart-healthy fats. * I wouldn't worry about the Diet Coke too much, the general consensus at this point is that aspartame, in typical consumption quantities, is safe. That said, it is a documented migraine trigger in some individuals. I drink...rather a lot of diet soda, and have no problems with headaches, etc. The charge that aspartame causes insulin resistance (and thus could lead to weight gain) has not been substantiated. (There are aspartame-free diet colas - Pepsi One and Diet Coke with Splenda - as well.) * Working out is the key, though, and that's where your hotel choices are critical...a good workout room will really help you stay on track, although I'd point out that working out every single day, in the long run, is considered excessive, so planning the occasional "off day" or two to coincide with travel days shouldn't affect your overall results and will help avoid problems with tendons, ligaments, etc.

Congrats on cutting the Diet Coke down to one can a day. It really is a challenge! As you probably know the aspartame is the real danger. If you can switch to water I suspect you'll be very pleased with the results: weight loss and fewer headaches, better memory and mental clarity. Hopefully if enough consumers boycott this poison the drink companies will stop using it. Good luck!