1. Heading Into Action
You're dashing out of town for a day or afternoon of high-energy fun.
You Need: Sustained fuel, which means a lot of everything. Aim for a breakdown that's 50 percent carbohydrates and 25 percent each protein and fat.
Beware: High-fiber breakfast cereals that offer only a low-calorie dose of carbs—you'll end up bonking after a few hours. Also, be careful with yogurt and especially greasy meat, which can be tough to digest and slow you down.
Meal Plan: Get waffled. Or pancaked—both are loaded with carbohydrates and fat. To assemble an ideal power breakfast at IHOP, Denny's, or any diner: 1. Go light on the syrup. 2. Skip the extra butter. 3. Say yes to fruit and nuts. 4. Order your eggs poached. 5. If you must have breakfast meat, make it ham.

2. Eating for Recovery
You're drained after six-plus hours of intense play and need a quick refuel before the long drive home.
You Need: Carbs—the most important part of a recovery meal—followed by protein, then fat. All three are necessary for replenishing energy stores, repairing damaged muscles, and keeping you alert.
Beware: Loading up on fat that will fill you up before you get enough carbs and protein. Make this mistake and you'll need three to four days to recover instead of one or two.
Meal Plan: Big-picture issues aside, burger chains provide what your body needs. At Wendy's, order two hamburgers, a baked potato with chili, and a small Frosty. This Shaq-size meal is just 1,250 calories, with only 29 grams of fat... that is, if you can bear to hold the mayo on the burgers and cheese sauce on the potato.

3. Traveling Light
You're stuck eating an entire day on planes and in airports.
You Need: Lighter foods that are filling enough to keep you from being tempted by a (fluffy, delicious) Cinnabon.
Beware: Greasy gut-loaders (pizza, chow mein, and burgers), which are packed with calories and fat that you don't need on an inactive day. Also avoid in-flight sodas and salty snack mixes, which will leave you bloated and thirsty.
Meal Plan: Look for pre-packaged salads and deli sandwiches... Wait a minute, you arrived three hours before your flight, so why are you rushing? Sit down at TGI Friday's for the Bruschetta Tilapia, with rice and broccoli, or at Chili's for the Guiltless Chicken Platter, with rice, corn on the cob, and steamed veggies. But skip the 20-ounce latte, which has 270 calories—260 more than black coffee.