Tips for Healthy Lunches as We Head Back to the Office

A question I often get from clients is about how to keep lunch time healthy, especially for those that are working outside of the home. There are lunches that we get invited to, there are lunches that are brought into the office and then there are the every day “what’s for lunch” conversations that occurs just before it is actually time to eat. Of course, we are busy and hungry and just need something to eat that’s fast and tasty. All of these can be hurdles that we have to overcome, especially if we have weight loss goals. And having too much to eat or eating the wrong foods at lunch can take their toll on our waist lines!

So, here are some tips to help with the lunch time crunch:

1. We will start at the beginning, if you have to go into the office, bring your lunch with you. I am sure I have a big “DUH” coming my way, but hear me out. When we make our lunch either in the morning or the night before we are not starving and having cravings so we are going to make better choices that align with our goals. The important thing about this lunch is that it has to be yummy, pack something that you look forward to eating so you are not tempted by the lunch choices of your peers.

2. When you are attending a lunch out of the office try to get the details about which restaurant the lunch will be held at and look at the menu ahead of time so you can decide what you will have before you get there. Otherwise, you may show up starving and let your craving do the choosing. If you do not know ahead of time and there is any discussion about where to go for lunch, have a few restaurants that you know you can make healthy choices at and be the first to throw out a suggestion.

3. If you work in an office where lunch is brought in from time to time it can be hard to eat within your plan but I understand you probably don’t want everyone else to comment on your not eating. So, the best thing to do is stick to the protein and veggies. Just fill your plate with protein and veggies and you will eat with your office mates and enjoy a satiating meal that you don’t feel guilty about.

But what about all the tempting food smells and the sweets……how do we stop ourselves from grabbing something we love but is not a food we “should” be eating? Well, I have 2 answers to this dilemma. First, there is a mindset shift that has to occur for you to be able to walk away from foods that have always tempted you. Food is nutrition for our bodies. All the cells in our bodies are made using the food we eat. So, we have to ask ourselves, “do I want to build my brain, heart and muscle cells with Doritos and doughnuts or with nutritious whole foods like broccoli and steak?” It becomes easier to make good choices when you are doing it for your overall health. Second, and this might sound contrary to what I just said, but if you are feeling like you are depriving yourself of the doughnut that your co-worker brought in (and he got your favorite one!), eat it! You don’t have to eat the whole darn thing, take half or even a quarter of the doughnut. You have the taste on your tongue and you no longer feel like your healthy eating is ruining your life.

The big takeaway is having a plan, whether that is bringing a lunch, knowing some menus or being in the right mindset. A plan means that more often you will make better choices because that is what you are prepared to do. And remember that eating a bite of a doughnut or one of your friend’s chicken nuggets does not mean that you “cheated”, it does not make you bad and it certainly does not mean that you can’t stick to a plan. It simply means that you made a choice to do a thing, so do it and then keep heading towards your goals.

As always if you have any questions just reply to this email, I'm here to help.

Your Health Coach,
Simone