Meals at Home or on The Run Part 3

“Brown Bagging it”

If you pack your lunch, the “what to pack dilemma” quickly becomes tiring. Most people tend to pack more or less of the same food every day and end up with yet another turkey sandwich, salad, or bagel. If you are content with what you choose, fine. However, if you are tired of the same thing, consider these suggestions:

• Strive for at least 500 calories (even if you are on a reducing diet) from three types of food groups at lunch. This could mean choosing from foods such as a bagel, yogurt, banana, salad, turkey, or pita. Pairing a bagel and salad together, for example, may provide enough fuel. However, just a bagel or just a pita is likely too little fuel.
• Remember peanut butter. Peanut butter is an outstanding sports food – even for dieters – because it is satisfying and helps you stay fueled for longer. Yes, it has 200 more calories than a standard turkey sandwich, but a satisfying peanut butter sandwich allows you to nix the afternoon cookies and snacks that would otherwise sneak into your intake for the day if you are still hungry.
• Pack the planned leftovers from dinner and heat them in the microwave. They are preferable to the cup of noodles or frozen lunches that cost more than they are worth and have little to no nutritional value.

If you are lucky enough to have a cafeteria at work or to participate in a business lunch, take advantage of the opportunity to enjoy a hot meal. Eating a hot meal at lunch

• Fuels you for a high-energy after-work exercise session
• Simplifies the whole, “what’s to eat for dinner’ routine because you will feel less hungry and may feel content with a bowl of cereal or a sandwich
• Reduces the hungry horrors that you might otherwise fight if you were to eat a light lunch. Why not enjoy a substantial meal? You are going to eat the calories eventually, so, you might as well honor your hunger and eat now when you are hungry to avoid crashing or over-eating later.

In our next installment, we will cover lunch for dieters and super salads.

Thomas Sampson CFL-3, USAW-2, Sports Nutritionist

International sports science association. Sports nutrition. 5^th edition. 2018 carpinteria CA

Nancy Clarks Sports Nutrition Guidebook. 4^th edition. 2008 champaign IL

Kelly D. Brownwell LEARN Program for Weight Management, 10^th edition. 2004 Yale University