Surely most of you experienced it: the tail end o f a business trip when the all those rich restaurant meals, hotel snacks and beverages, airport sandwiches and alcohol-infused “entertaining” nights churn inside of your exhausted body. Maybe the sniffles start, some sneezing or just general malaise, and your regular routine beckons from afar.

On CNN Health’s Web site, Dr. Melina Jampolis, a physician nutrition specialist, tackled this problem of maintaining a healthy diet while on a lengthy business trip.  Among her tips are many preparatory ideas:

Checking with the hotel about breakfasts or other meals they offer, as well as any appliances in your room, such as fridge or microwave.  Upon arrival, find a local market and stock up on healthy options, she advises. This means stocking any room fridge with yogurt, milk and whole-grain cereals; oatmeal packets can also serve as a good breakfast, as most rooms have a coffee maker, which offers hot water. Other fare for your grocery shopping include fruits, nuts and low-sugar energy bars, which can serve as pre-meal snacks that prevent you from showing up at the restaurant (work/client dinners) with a huge appetite.  Another neat tip is to tuck some plastic sandwich bags in your luggage to use for your purchased snacks, as on-the-go nibbles.

For meetings and other events that serve a meal, try to find out ahead of time what will be served and if there is an option to ordering a healthier meal (vegetarian option, kosher, etc.). She suggests suc h meeting meals are good events to pack one of your snack baggies, helping to supplement what may be a less-than-healthy served meal.

When dining out, Jampolis recommends you choose lean protein, vegetables and whole grain foods, while limiting high-fat choices that involve frying, sautéeing and breading. Be extra cautious of hidden calories in sauces and dressing, perhaps asking for them “on the side.” Another trick is to choose two or more healthy appetizers or sides as a meal, if the main entrees offered are not healthy enough for your diet. In the end, try not to over-indulge in bread, dessert and alcohol. This last tip is the hardest to follow, in my opinion. I rarely eat dessert except for dinners at trade shows or other work-related events.

Of course, exercising is great if you have time to hit the hotel gym during the busy show or conference schedule. I think walking a huge show floor like at SupplySide West in Vegas for three days is a fair amount of exercise. Then think of the retailer or consumer shows, where it isn’t uncommon for one to lug bags of info and samples around the floor all day.

All in all, there are ways to make your business travel healthier, especially when it comes to diet. It’s all in how much you really want to keep things healthy vs. enjoying the richness of the gastronomy in whatever decadent locale the business event takes place (thinking Vegas, again.)