Chelsea Lyster

Chelsea is an Edmonton-based personal trainer

Navigating the truck stop buffet

You are cruising the open road, chewing up miles like nobody's business, when hunger strikes like a 427 AC Cobra. You haven't stopped for hours, so you scope the sea of billboards for a place to eat.
 
Suddenly the pink neon word “BUFFET” appears on the horizon, like a beacon, and you instantly hit the turn signal, seduced by visions of an all-you-can-eat Shangri-La to tame the tiger in your belly.
  
A mere hour later, after making two, three, four trips up to Barney's Big Buffet tables, you find yourself uncomfortably stuffed, with a bout of heartburn coming on. Disillusioned, you pay your tab and lumber back to your truck in search of Alka-Seltzer. You can barely keep your eyes open.
    
All at once, the mouth-watering piles of fried potatoes, battered prawns, creamy cacciatore and banana-splits you devoured like a kid in a candy store, start to spell out “A VERY BAD IDEA.”
   
You swear off buffets - again. But it doesn't have to be this way.
   
 “When hunger strikes on the road, truck-stop buffets are a very enticing option, because they offer limitless quantity and a selection of food at a very reasonable price,” explains Edmonton-based Personal Trainer Chelsea Lyster. “But endless choice can seduce you into over-eating and filling up on high-fat, empty calorie foods that leave you sluggish and tired.”
   
The health-and-wellness coach offers these tips for navigating truck-stop buffets:

Walk the line: Take a walk around with your plate and make note of what you like and what you can live without.

Go green: You don't have to be a tree-hugger to load your plate with leafy greens, colorful veggies and non-creamy dressings. Oil and vinegar or light vinaigrette are your best options. Nuts are great for a little crunch.

Portion patrol: To avoid overeating, only fill your plate half-full on your first trip down the buffet line. Eat slowly, and if you are still hungry, then go back for more.

Wash it down: Water is your best friend. It will not only keep you hydrated, but help you feel fresh mentally and physically, too.

     Over-eating will not only leave you feeling lethargic, it can also cause obesity and lead to high blood pressure, heart attacks and stroke, explains Lyster. Healthy choices at mealtime, combined with regular exercise, will help drivers feel strong, satisfied and road-ready!