Everyday Systems

Taking suggestions for my upcoming trans-Atlantic flight. 6 extra hours in the day, with possibly some sleep in the middle -- children permitting -- airplane/airport food only, and painfully sedentary. Has anyone done this? I want to stick to my good habits, and don't want to waste my S-day on metallic-tasting Chicken-curry-in-a-box.

Wow, that's a long day! I would say just try to eat lighter foods like salads and fruit and drink lots of water. I know I never drink enough when I travel and it really helps. Seems like someone on the internet has a video about exercises you can do while in a plane but I can't remember who. Mayne you can go ahead and look online at the restaurant choices in that particular airport. Just do the best you can and not beat yourself up if you have to switch things up. I'm sure one out of the ordinary Fay won't undo all your hard work. Keep us posted!

You might also consider ordering the airline special meal. A vegetarian, Asian, or Indian dish might be a better option and be more flavorful than the standard offering.

They also usually have a low-cal/low-fat option that might be worth looking at too.

Snacking would be my issue on flights - no diversions, you just want to much. I agree with the other poster, drink lots and lots of water to help mitigate some of that.

MaggieMae, great point about water. It's so hard when they confiscate it at security! My home airport has bottle refill stations after security, but the one I'll be flying out of leaves you the choice of filling from the questionable taps in the washroom, or paying through the nose for bottled tap water at a shop near the gate. (Actually most people, I've noticed, buy the sugared drinks at the shop, some of which are actually cheaper than the water!!) I think I'll grit my teeth and buy bottled H2O.

13 (may I call tou 13?), I can't believe I didn't think of the special meals. I'll check if it's too late to do that. Great idea!

I travel between the US and Africa a couple of times per year. That involves at least one 8 hour and one 6 hour flight, if I go through Europe. For me it is well worth using my NWS days for that, because then I can eat the deserts on my trays and the schedule isn't a source of eating worry for me. I do pretty much like airplane food, but I guess I'm in the minority there, heh.

I'm in the minority, too. I think it's gotten a lot better. So has airport food in my experience.

Honestly, I would still try to keep to three meals in any one 24-hour period with relatively normal overnight "fast", but then I tend not to get hungry overnight even though I often wake up and can't get back to sleep.

And you CAN have beverages, often even between meals on long flights, as long as they're not specialty ones.