10 Diet Pitfalls At Airports

The joys of sitting at the airport watching the hours while away as your flight continues to be delayed are few. To curb hunger pangs and growing frustrations, it's natural to take your health-conscious diet and throw it out the window as you stand in line seeking cinnamon-and-sugar comforts. Staying healthy in an airport is no small task, what with sweet scents wafting from gate to gate and snacks that are disguised as healthy (with protein boosters and fruits) packing in unexpected calories.

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It's (not always) easy to avoid pitfalls we're familiar with, like family-sized bags of Doritos, McDonalds cheeseburgers, and Dairy Queen frozen, blended shakes. But walk firmly past the alluring, candy-colored counters and reward your restraint with a small cup of frozen yogurt — you're still satisfying your sweet tooth, but not totally ruining your day's diet. You'll thank us later.

Avoiding obvious fast food temptations is step one, but you've got to pay even closer attention to the fat-filled snacks masquerading as healthy treats. Filled with fruits, energy boosters, and soy protein, it's hard to see smoothies as unhealthy. But they're not as friendly as they seem, with sugary ingredients added in that rack up the calorie count. Orange juice, even bottled ones in a pinch, and pomegranate juices are better for you and still satisfy that fresh, fruity craving. The same can be said for trail mix. Although this mixture of granola and fruit seems ideal, after three hours of wait time, you might find yourself with an empty bag, and over 700 unnecessary calories.

Eating healthy in an airport is no small task, but ask yourself: is the back of an airplane really the place you want to feel sick and sluggish from all that extra sugar? Take a few extra minutes to peruse the options around you, and don't forget to check the nutrition facts. Just because it looks healthy, doesn't mean it actually is.