Power TRIP

When business executive and frequent flier Vaneet Chhibber told his friends he had a severe stomach ache one day, they thought one of his many business trips was to blame.
Chhibber, after all, was out of town on work more often than he was at home. And eating in strange places 20 days out of 30 would make even a stomach lined with iron protest.
As Chhibber's friends were fussing over him, he broke it to them. He was in pain not because he ate out all the time, but because he had eaten at home after days of travelling, and his stomach had just given up.
Many more business trips down the line, Chhibber and his friends still laugh at the memory. But all business travellers will recognise Chhibber's story as very similar to their own.
For them, eating erratically, neglecting exercise routines, overdosing on tea and coffee and piling on the pounds while on the umpteenth business trip has become a way of life. Nobody gives it a second thought.

But it does not have to be that way. It is possible to eat healthy, stay fit, follow an exercise routine and sleep reasonably well while on the move. FOOD FOR THOUGHT It is a truth universally acknowledged that airline or hotel menus are no substitutes for home-cooked food. So what does a business traveller do?
"I try to pick a salad or something close to home-cooked food. But that is not available all the time," says Chhibber, senior-vice president with one of India's largest exporters of spices.
Sorabh Mistry, national retail operations manager with a leading watch firm, knows that feeling. Travelling for at least 15 days a month, Mistry has given up eating on domestic flights and sticks to curd-rice in hotels because eating out constantly has played havoc with his system.
For those who blanch at the thought of curd-rice every day, relax. There are other ways to eat right. Start by asking for it, says nutritionist Naini Setalvad. "Don't get intimidated. All hotels have health options. You just have to ask," she says.
For meals, instead of the usual club sandwich or the tempting but heavy spread at the buffet – both of which can bring you a couple of years closer to a heart bypass – Setalvad recommends soups and salads of light-sautéed fresh vegetables with non-fat dressing.

Non-vegetarians should choose fish over meat, says fitness instructor and nutritionist Leena Mogre. Not fried, but grilled, baked or steamed fish.
And if there is only enough time to grab a sandwich, make sure it is made with whole grain bread, maybe with an egg-white or paneer or grilled chicken filling. "This is a good balance of protein and carbohyDr.ates," says Setalvad.
Avinash Kumar, a filmmaker who travels at least 20 days a month, has a golden rule. "I never miss breakfast. It can keep me going the whole day if necessary," he says.
If you feel hungry, do not snack on biscuits and cups of tea and coffee – available in abundance at corporate meetings. "Biscuits are full of white flour, sugar and saturated fat," says Setalvad. And one does not need to be a nutritionist to know those are very bad for the health.
Instead, carry a small packet of dry fruits and nuts for those in-between hunger pangs, says Setalvad.
And instead of downing copious amounts of tea, coffee and alcohol that dehyDr.ate the body, drink a lot of water, especially on flights. "Many times, fatigue is just thirst," says Setalvad. So if you feel tired all the time, check your water intake.
Also avoid both fresh and packaged juices, says Setalvad. "Energy derived through fresh juices is used up quickly because there is no fibre