When dieting, you may tend to get stuck in the rut of eating the same types of food every day. Week after week of eating nothing but salad at lunchtime may make you feel bored and resentful, and may eventually cause you to abandon your diet. Mix up your routine a bit and choose a variety of healthful, low-calorie foods to keep your interest up and your weight down.
Be Creative
Instead of your standby of lettuce, tomato and cucumber salads, consider other ways to fill up on healthy fare. Try chopping various raw vegetables, such as mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach and avocado, and spreading them, along with some low-calorie salad dressing, in a tortilla. Add a bit of reduced-calorie cheese for flavor and to help keep you satisfied, and serve with air-popped popcorn and a piece of fresh fruit. If you have access to a refrigerator at your workplace, buy or make a vegetable tray, a package of low-fat turkey lunch meat, whole grain bread and low-fat mayonnaise to make sandwich assembly easy and convenient.
Bringing In Take-Out
Some mornings, you might not have time to make lunch. Instead of planning to hit the vending machine or the local fast food eatery, make a quick stop at the grocery store. A fresh sandwich from the deli will be lower in calories than a burger or a chicken sandwich from a diner or drive-through. If you don't have time to shop, consider going to a salad-and-sandwich restaurant for takeout. These are often open early in the morning, and usually have nutritional information available.
After-Lunch Snacks
If you ate a low-calorie lunch, chances are good that you will begin feeling hunger pangs before it is time for you to go home. Plan ahead and pack some nutritious snacks to tide you over until dinner. Aside from a selection of fresh fruits or vegetables, stock your work area with whole-grain crackers or pretzels, low-fat yogurt and small packages of nuts. Although nuts are high in calories, they provide a good dose of protein and they tend to have staying power.
Other Tips
Skipping lunch or not eating enough in the afternoon hours can cause you to binge later in the day. Keep your energy up and your blood sugar levels stable by eating regularly throughout the day. Save calories by avoiding soft drinks and sweetened iced tea, and by drinking water or nonfat milk instead. If you have an hour for lunch, use some of that time to take a brisk walk. This will help you burn calories as well as distract you from mindless eating during your downtime.
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