It’s no secret that I have lost a significant amount of weight since my rookie season with the Bandits 2 summers ago. I tell everyone that losing the weight was the easy part, and that keeping the weight off has been a challenge. Last summer I gained 10 pounds throughout our season, and much of that was because of eating out on the road. It took me three months when I got back home to drop the 10 pounds I put on last season. It was a frustrating process physically and mentally because I was careless with food and it was a lot of extra work. Coming into this summer, I made a promise to myself that I would find a way to be better and continue to eat the foods I have control over and ones that I am comfortable putting into my body.
We have two types of road trips in the Pro league. Bus trips and airplane trips. The day before we leave for a bus trip, I write out a grocery list of things I will need to bring for every meal when we are gone. Breakfast and lunch items are easy, whereas dinner takes a little more work and prep beforehand. I put my dry foods into a big bag that is easy to carry and on and off the bus, and put everything else into a big cooler filled with ice. Here is a little preview of my grocery list and how I sort out what I am bringing and where it will be stored.
Dry Foods
- Oatmeal
- Cliff bars
- Peanut butter
- Rice
- Tortillas
- Apples & Bananas
- Cereal
Cooler Food & Drinks
- Rotisserie Chicken & veggies
- Deli Meat
- Cheese & Jelly
- Watermelon & Strawberries
- Milk, Gatorade, Water
Extras
- Plastic silverware
- Plastic plates & bowls
- Pyrex bowl to heat up food
When we travel on airplanes, things change a little with meal prep, but not much. The first thing I do when we are given our itinerary for the trip is call the hotel and ask if the room I’m staying in has a microwave and a fridge (Most do). Next I make sure to pack up my Dry Foods and bring those with me on the plane. (ATTENTION: Peanut butter must go in a bag under the plane, I learned that the hard way on my Europe trip last year) Then when we get there, I’ll make a grocery store run for the items that I couldn’t carry (all of the cooler items above).
As I mentioned, meal prep for trips takes a little more work than pulling up to a Fast Food restaurant and ordering food to go. But to me, it’s so much more rewarding and worth it. I’ve even talked my roomie Jill Barrett into prepping with me for accountability. Meal prep saves money, keeps me energized, and helps me stay on the right track for a healthy and happy life!
Sara Moulton is a current Pitcher for the Chicago Bandits of the National Pro Fastpitch League.
