15 Ways to Maximize Your Lunch
Hour
Don't let your break
become an extension of your already overburdened day.
Source: Reader's
Digest
Take a Mental or Physical Break
Although the lunch hour was
originally designed for just that -- lunch -- today we spend
our midday break running errands, pecking away at a computer
keyboard, or returning personal phone calls.
When we do actually sit down and eat, it's often to consume
whatever comfort food we can scrape together from the company
vending machine or cafeteria. Rather than spend the hour
stressing over what you still need to accomplish or quickly
inhaling fatty, salty, high-calorie foods, consider the following
advice.
1. Go outside. If you work in an office or a retail establishment,
you likely are stuck in the same building all day long. Now's
your chance to escape. Soak in the sun, watch the rain, or
feel the wind. Breathe some real air, and disconnect for
a moment from the job. At least once every workday you should
make the time to step outside, even if just for two minutes.
It will recharge your body and your mind.
2. Daydream for 15 minutes -- and then eat, run errands,
or return to work. "Creative daydreaming is not only
a way to get out of the daily lunch hour grind, but also
a way to put your creative juices to work," explains
Patricia A. Farrell, Ph.D., psychologist and author of How
to Be Your Own Therapist.
3. Nap for 10 to 15 minutes. Studies increasingly show the
value of short naps during the day…
4. Pack a frozen dinner. They're not just for dinner anymore.
You can pop your dinner into your break room microwave for
a quick-and-easy meal that allows plenty of time to run errands
or power walk during the rest of your lunch hour. Today's
frozen food aisles include organic, vegetarian, low-fat,
low-carb, and numerous other healthy food options. Look for
a frozen dinner that supplies fewer than 400 calories, 15
grams total fat, 800 milligrams sodium, and 15 grams added
sugars. It should contain at least 8 grams fiber and 7 grams
protein. The fiber and protein will give you staying power
during the afternoon, preventing the post-lunch refrigerator
raid. The protein will also keep you alert. Good options
include Amy's Country Dinner, Celentano Eggplant Rollettes,
Linda McCartney Southwestern Style Rice and Beans, Seeds
of Change Spicy Peanut Noodles…
5. Practice the art of quick-and-healthy
brown bagging. Packing your own lunch need not take a lot of time or creative
energy. Include a source of lean protein, fruit or vegetables
(raw carrots, celery, broccoli or cauliflower florets with
a bit of low-fat ranch dressing work great), and whole rather
than processed grains. Leftovers from last night's dinner
work wonders…
6. Pack ready-to-eat soup. Your grocery store stocks numerous
healthful soups sold in microwavable cartons. According to
research conducted at Pennsylvania State University, broth-based
soups weigh down your stomach, enabling you to feel full
on fewer calories. Toss a bean and vegetable soup along with
a cheese stick and a carton of skim milk into your lunch
bag. In just a few seconds, you'll have packed all the protein
and fiber you need to power your body and brain through the
afternoon.
7. Get away from your desk -- even if it's just for 15 minutes.
8. Choose smarter fast food. If coworkers invite you out
for fast food, you don't have to decline on the basis of
health considerations. Just choose wisely.
9. Create a sandwich-o-matic chart
and stick it on your refrigerator. This prevents the early morning haze from overcoming
your better judgment and allowing you to leave the house
without a packed lunch. In one category on your chart, list
your bread options ... In the next column, list your protein
options…In another column, list vegetable … Finally,
in the last column, list your condiments… You can
also include a list of accompaniments such as cheese sticks,
apples, oranges, yogurt, baby carrots, low-fat milk, and
ready-made soup. Then, every morning (or, even better, the
night before) pick one item from each column to pack. Voilà!
A quick and healthy lunch!
10. Mini-size your sandwich. When purchasing sandwiches
from a deli or company cafeteria, ask for a half portion.
In one study, participants presented with a 12-inch sandwich
ate the entire sandwich but felt just as satisfied afterward
as when they ate an 8-inch sandwich.
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