Tips For Eating A Healthy Lunch At Work

Most of us day laborers are scheduled to be at work for eight hours a day (or more).  This can make eating healthy somewhat challenging if you don’t have a framework or guidelines from which to operate.  And lunch is probably the one meal that most folks eat while at work, assuming a normal work day.  From going out for lunch out with colleagues to packing your own lunch, the choices you make at work will go a long way towards achieving your health and fitness goals. 

Before I get into the tips, let me say this.  I’m very much into efficiency and suggesting actual meals is not an efficient approach, in my opinion.  Everyone has different preferences, goals and cultural tastses to consider.  I find that when you teach folks general guidelines, they’re more equipped to make better food choices.  So, here’s a basic food framework that I discuss with my clients:

• Try to include protein with each meal (especially if you’re active…and you should be!).
• Unless you’re doing something active later in the day (you should be…notice a theme yet?), restrict the amount of carbs you consume.
• Forgo soda and juice for water -  this will prevent you from consuming unnecessary empty calories that can sabotage your goals.
• Consume foods that are as fresh and raw (veggies and fruits)  as you can tolerate – they are more nutrient-rich/bio-available and contain more enzymes.
• Most things are fine in moderation (although this seems to be what folks in this country struggle with).

So with no further ado, here are some tips to help navigate the meal minefield while at work:

1. Pack your lunch – Bringing your own lunch to work has a couple of advantages.  You’re not only able to monitor what goes into your lunch bag – you’re also able to control the ingredients and condiments. 
2. Stay away from appetizers – Unless you’re anti-social or literally chained to your desk, you’re bound to go out with your colleague(s) at some point.   Restaurants offer many decent choices these days, but appetizers typically aren’t one of them.  Most of them are fried or or use ingredients that don’t really support a healthy lifestyle.  Save those calories for a healthy entree.
3. Portion control at office parties – Unlike most restaurants, where you’re able to read the main ingredients of a meal, pot luck dishes at office parties are a hodgepodge of the unknown.  That green-bean casserole looks tasty and those barbecue meat balls may make your mouth water, but I’d recommend some self-control at these events.  Since the primary goal of the “chefs” is to impress colleagues with tasty food, you can bet that most of the meals include ingredients that willprobably sabotage your health and fitness goals.  And, there’s really no way to know what’s in all these dishes or the quality of the actual ingredients.  So you have two choices: 1) watch your portions or 2) be a food snob and pass on the dishes altogether.  And, I haven’t even gotten to desert yet.
4. Bring your own snacks – Leave the chips, pretzels and candy in the middle aisles of the grocery store where they belong.  Opt for things that will satiate your hunger like nuts, high-quality protein shakes, fresh fruit/veggies.  Inevitably, there will be times when your TPS reports will be due and lunch is not an option.  These snacks will help you avoid unhealthy choices or overeating at dinner.

I know there will be times when you deviate from any semblance of a healthy food choices.  That’s fine, just do it in moderation.  The problem is that this is where most Americans tend to struggle.

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