Packing Weight-loss Lunches for Work

 
One of the goals of eating healthy is to help lose weight. Shedding extra pounds during the workweek may be easy for some people and difficult for others. On the negative side, high-stress or fast-paced jobs may tempt you to grab a fast high-calorie lunch or snack to keep you going. On the positive side, jobs that keep you busy and stick to a tight schedule give you the opportunity to plan and control your meals. Either way, packing a healthy lunch can help you stick to your weight-loss plan while you're at work.

As we've already mentioned in this article, the key to packing a healthy lunch for work is planning. For weight-loss plans, this includes preparing recipes in advance so you can carefully select the ingredients and track the calories and fat. Plus, when you pack your serving-size containers, you can control the portion size to prevent overeating.

One expert in weight-loss eating on the go is Weight Watchers International. If you're following a Weight Watchers plan to lose weight, one of the most important things you need to do is track what you eat [source: WeightWatchers.com]. Planning, making and packing your lunches make it easier for you to track your food. If the only thing you eat during the workday is what you take with you, you can add that to your journal before work, instead of remembering to write it all down throughout the day.

You can lose weight by lowering or controlling your calorie intake and exercising to burn off the stored energy in your body. Even if you're cutting calories, though, make the most of the calories you consume by combining your weight loss goals with other healthy tips. Consider foods that are good for your heart health and that help you keep your energy up during the day.

Packing Heart-healthy Lunches for Work

If one of your health goals is to improve your heart, select heart-healthy foods when you pack your lunch. Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States [source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]. As a result, you can find hundreds of well-researched articles on heart-healthy foods on the Web, and in books and magazines. You can find hundreds of heart-healthy recipes, too.

Like weight-loss lunches, heart-healthy lunches include less fat and usually, more fiber. Unlike weight-loss lunches, though, heart-healthy lunches also include ingredients that target improving your circulatory system. This includes whole grains and foods that are high in Omega-3 fatty acids, which help reduce the amount of plaque in your arteries from bad cholesterol.

If you're preparing food to pack for lunch, look for ways to adjust your recipes to cut back on bad cholesterol and saturated fats. You can also substitute ingredients for heart-healthy alternatives, such as whole grain pastas in pasta dishes. The following list includes some heart-healthy foods you might include in your lunch plans along with some lunch ideas to consider:

•   Salmon -- Grill and chop salmon in advance, then pack the salmon and some seasoned pasta to mix together for lunch.

•   Tuna -- Grab a can of tuna (packed in water), salad greens (including heart-healthy spinach), some apple slices and a light red-wine vinaigrette. When you're ready for lunch, toss them together for a tasty salad.

•   Almonds and walnuts -- Pack a small snack bag of sliced almonds or chopped walnuts to add to pudding, yogurt or salad.

•   Brown rice -- Pack a microwavable brown rice pouch and a sandwich bag with some pre-chopped heart-healthy veggies like broccoli, carrots and red bell peppers. Heat the rice and veggies, then stir them together for a filling vegetarian dish.

•   Sweet potato -- Microwave a sweet potato in a sandwich bag, then add pineapple bits from a commercial serving-size cup.

•   Black or kidney beans -- Cook and cool the beans, then toss them with a light Italian dressing. Pack this to eat as a cold side dish or salad topping.

•   Flaxseed -- Look for prepared foods such as breads and chips that feature flaxseed, and incorporate those in a healthy sandwich or chip-and-dip combo.

•   Dark chocolate -- Buy a bag of individually wrapped bite-sized dark chocolates, and drop two or three into a snack bag to pack with your lunch.

For more information on healthy eating, visit the links on the next page.

For more information on Health & Wellness Visit website Spartan IQ

Posted in: EQ, Intelligence, IQ, Motivation, Spartan IQ