I work a day job at an IT company 5 days a week from 8:30am to 5:30pm. Most of my life is spent there. I have been working there for the last 6 years and every day I come across the same problem. What's for lunch? I'm sure a lot of you feel the same way with your job. Sometimes it can really be a burden when trying to stay on budget and healthy. Let me share my experiences with you and see if it helps you out this week.
The hardest thing to avoid during lunch is fast food. It's fast, it's cheap, and you have a fairly wide selection to choose from (especially me being near Westheimer). I could just go to McDonald's or Taco Bell and get a few small items low in calories and I should be good. Well, I eat lunch at noon and if I was to only eat a few small calorie items, I would be starving by the time I got home at 6:30pm and would eat a feast for dinner. The other option is to go to a restaurant and get something a little more fresh, but a lot more money plus tip. It seems that the food industry is making us fat by offering these horrible choices, knowing that most of us sit at our desk for 8 hours a day and can't afford to eat high fat and calories.
Here are a few things that I have learned to do. The best option is to make a dinner the night before, and make enough so you have leftovers for lunch. No matter what you cook for dinner, it is most likely healthier for you than fast food or restaurants, and it cost a whole lot less. I also might bring a fruit with me for when 4pm hits and my tummy rumbles a little bit. You don't want to get home and be starving so that you eat your face off for dinner.
Another option is to research all the restaurants and fast food around you and figure out what has the best bang for your buck. I go to a place called Shawarma King when I don't have leftovers. There I get a chicken sandwich that is made fresh daily and much more healthy than any hamburger or taco place. It has about 500 calories, 30g of protein, and maybe about 30g of carbs from the pita. Fat content is low and sodium level is acceptable. It is also only $5 and is enough food to hold me over. When you find a meal that works, it can really save you. I try to find 3 or 4 places that I can go and eat a good lunch for a low price and won't make me bloat up.
Don't make the mistake some people do, and not eat lunch. Doing this is just wrong. You can't go a full 8 hours working with no fuel for your body. At the very least, eat a fruit bowl from the grocery store or small salad. You also don't want to overeat because you will head back to work wanting to take a nap. A good rule I follow is don't go over 500 calories for lunch. This leaves you enough to have a good breakfast, dinner, and snacks in between.
In conclusion, eating lunch during the work week is something that is tricky to do when staying healthy, but it is far from impossible. Research, cook your own meals, or go light and you will have more energy the rest of the day and will stay on track with your diet.
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