Your average grab-it-and-get-back-to-your-desk lunch contains over 800 calories, and 34% of people actually scoff down more than 1,000 calories! That’s not even including any sugary beverage or a sweet treat you allow yourself to beat the Monday blues – add that, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster. Buying your lunch at work can decrease your corporate performance, weight control, heart health and even lead to dementia. However, if you take your lunch to work with you, over the years you could end up saving thousands of pounds, as well as your wellness.
If you’re one of those who eats at their desk and carries on working, stop it this instant! When you stop and take a break for lunch, it stretches out your mealtime and lets your leptin hormone kick in. This hormone is associated with feeling full, and so it will prevent you from overeating. For the best results, have a snack of six walnut halves 30 minutes before you take your lunch and then go for a break with a colleague and eat together. Not only will the social interaction get your mind off those deadlines, but it also helps to reduce stress and boost everything from your work performance to your immune strength.
So that’s how you go about lunchtime but what do you actually eat? First and foremost, pack in some protein. Try baked chicken nuggets, or else canned salmon for a good dose of bone-building calcium plus heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Once you’ve got your protein in place, add in carbs that are 100% whole grain, like quinoa or brown rice, vegetables such as steamed broccoli or salad with red pepper, carrots, a splash of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and, for that mid-afternoon pick-me-up, try bringing a non-fat, no-added-sugar Greek yogurt with fresh berries to work.