Business Meetings? Conventions? Travels? Help!!!!

[natzzie]

Im having difficult time in integrating my program in attending business meetings and conventions, how do you cope in this situations without deviating?

[Collie]

Hi Natzzie,

This is a difficult one. I think it is workable, but life is just that bit harder with travel, meetings etc.

One of the biggest problems is corporate drinks, just because the company pay for them doesn't mean you have to drink them.........stick to your diet coke, sparkling water or diet gingerale. The good thing about gongerale is that it looks like wine a bit, so not as many questions are asked.

With food, you need to take it with you. Greeni had a great idea when she was doing it and that was to keep tins of tuna and tins of asparagus with you in your bag etc. It's better to guesstimate the weight than to blow it all out with carbs etc.

I carry with me also the packs of 4 at a time crackers. They are a great emergence snack.....or to add to your cheese for lunch if you're out.

When you go out for lunch, go to a steak restaurant......even the old hogs breath cafe do a plain steak and salad, and again, although your quantities may be a bit off, it's still much better than the alternative.

And if you really want to get serious, you could always get yourself a set of those miniature jewellery scales. They are tiny, about as big as an iphone, they weigh up to 500g and you could actually weigh out your food when you're out. Don't laugh, I've got a set...... about $10 off ebay, I don't use them very often, but if I'm at my mum's and I'm going to be eating unexpectedly, then I get them out and weigh my food. For me, it's better than the alternative.

And always have a water bottle with you. It helps to keep your hunger at bay!!!!

Sorry if none of them helped

[ozrockit]

I would like to add to BE PROUD when you are out drinking your mineral water/diet softy, speaking from a seasoned drinkers point of view I get heaps of double takes but wear the stigma of temporary tea totallaler as a discussion point to boost myself by explaining what I am doing and how far I have come . Funny how our mind thinks that we have to disguise our soft drinks..

Practiced social drinking is going to be needed for my future drinking outings, so I may as well start getting used to the "new moderation me" look right now.

[natzzie]

Thanks Collie & Ozrockit, I really appreciated the advise
As I get acquainted with my portion sizes, I try to stick to salads and lean meat during meetings as not to offend our clients and bosses by not eating their catered lunch. But sometimes if i can get away with it. I eat my packed lunch before attending corporate events! all is well and im loving the diet, no hunger pangs and no feelings of food deprivations...

[mcbell]

I am heading up to the North Island of NZ in a couple of weeks (from Christchurch, so just a short domestic flight). I arrive on the Thursday night and leave again on Monday afternoon. I was intending to take say 3 or 4 frozen protein portions, and maybe some matching vege packages - but then I thought maybe I should pre-cook them on the day (as I don't fly out till about 2pm). I should have ample opportunity to go grocery shopping during my stay up there, but the Friday will probably be a day trip to Rotorua so I should prep both lunch and dinner for them as I am unsure of my final plans.

So the question I ask is: take the protein raw and frozen, or precook it?
Cheers
M

[Collie]

What about taking some cheese......particularly mozzarella you can just cut up and weigh........no cooking......

Can you tolerate canned seafood......it would be much easier for you if you're able to mcbell........it might be less appetising but certainly easier!!!!

[mcbell]

Originally Posted by Collie

What about taking some cheese......particularly mozzarella you can just cut up and weigh........no cooking......

Can you tolerate canned seafood......it would be much easier for you if you're able to mcbell........it might be less appetising but certainly easier!!!!

Ha, as I was typing my post, I was thinking, "I should take tuna salad for Friday's lunch in Rotorua". Now that I have discovered balsamic vinegar, I am happy to go back to tuna salad (it was a common lunch choice for me in the first few weeks, but oh so dry - love the addition of balsamic vinegar!)

Hadn't thought of cheese actually - only have feta in the fridge at the moment - will have to buy some mozzarella if I want to take some.

Thanks Collie!

[Svenky]

I'm being sent up to Auckland from Invercargill in late August for a Local Government Conference, and I am planning to take premade frozen soups for lunch and dinner and my premade frozen egg "muffins" for the breakfast, as well as fruit and crackers, I have stated i'm on a "special" diet and require a microwave in my room, doesn't seem to be a problem at all. Good luck and have a fun trip!

[Busybee9]

Hi. Just to go back to talking about drinks...I always drink my water in a wine glass when im out. It makes it feel a bit more special and why shouldn't one have a nice glass just because they are drinking water?

[bails]

i'm the same with busybee... water in a wineglass works wonders!

i just had 3 weeks of working lunches and survived on feta or mozza, spinach leaves, red onion and basil.

lol, all my meals these days seem to be based around those ingredients (substitute feta for prawns or calamari for dinners!).

i have discovered that japanese restaurants are the best for catching up with friends for dinner - sashimi is great!

[Collie]

Interesting, I have never given japanese a thought while on this program.......just might. Found a nice looking japanese place that sounded really yummy just last weekend.....

And the water......yes yes yes, I drink mine out of a wine glass too. It not only makes you feel special, but it tastes a whole lot better too!!!!!

[kiwimumof1]

Hi.

I'm going to a 2-day workshop to present to a client (flying domestic within New Zealand). They will provide all the food. Not sure how I can tell them that I have my own food without offending them? They would probably have catered lunch like sandwiches, quiche and the like. what do i do?

For brekkie and dinners, I am thinking of bringing my own food. working lunches will be my biggest problem.

look forward to hearing ideas from you all

thanks!

[Ciors]

you could always ask what food will be catered to see if it fits with the plan, or you could tell them that you have particular dietry constraints and provide them with your plan options and let them come up with something for you....it's quite common to ask for special dietry requirements for such things

[Dezzy]

The food allergies thing is another trick to pull so that you can take your own.

If the food is cohens compliant, you could always find some teeny tiny portable scales and weigh as you go. The only problem is all the hidden spices and seasonings and sauces that are used in catered food.

Much safer to take your own! And in the end its your health that has to be more important than their sensibilities.

[LouBean]

I've got a 21st birthday on the 1st of March, a hens doo on the 2nd of March and a wedding on the 9th of March. I'm quite happy not to drink any alcohol etc at those doos - alcohol is easy to give up. I also won't indulge in any desserts. I'll be choosing lean meat options and roasted veggies/salads as my veggie options. It's going to be tough as I truly do LOVE food. So very trying but I am optimistic.

[Relles]

I have a business meeting next week involving staying away from home, catered meals, business luncheon, dinner out etc... i was slightly freaking out until I bit the bullet and contacted my RM.
I said I had "allergies" he said get me a list of what you can have and we will get them to sort it out for you.
I listed the simplest meats, all the veg and breakfast options. I felt instantly happy!
I got a look at the menus and lunch one day was Chicken Snitzel, gravy and chips, then Roast pork and the trimmings. I wasn't going to have been able to eat any of that!
I think just get organised as much as you can. I am taking my fruit and crackers to have instead of morning or afternoon tea.

[Miss_Emma]

I spend about half of my life in airplanes & hotels. I find working lunches the hardest to navigate, because they're often catered or on the run in between meetings so you never know exactly where you'll be.

I'm resound to the fact that with my work, there's going to be times when I need to compromise.

[Monsoon]

Just want to say that, thanks to this space, I found the assertiveness to ask the organisers of a conference I am due to attend next week whether they could cater for my Cohen needs for the conference dinner. They were completely unfazed and will provide me with a portion of lean protein, no sauces, and a green side salad, no dressing. I can easily bring my own crackers, and voila'!

A big thank you to you all on here, because without having read this post I would probably have been too shy to ask, and then found myself in a much more difficult situation.

[toothfairy]

Great info posted by everyone, this has always been a weakening time for me and also very difficult to ask for your own special menu. Good to read that others do ask, I will next time.

[happyloser]

Hi, everyone. Here's a link to my sister's blog, where she discusses traveling on the COHEN Weight Loss Program and how to stick with it. She's the person who persuaded me to try COHEN's, and I am so glad I did! Have a look at what she did on a trip to Singapore and Bangkok, and how she lost three pounds that week and did NOT deviate at all:

http://nodoors.blogspot.com.au/2012/...avel-tips.html