Lunch Suggestions For Weight Loss & Training
Choosing a Healthy & Nutritious Lunch Really Helps With Weight Loss
Lunch is one of those purely functional meals where you have to grab something quick and get back to work. As a result, it’s easy to make the wrong choice unless you plan in advance. It only takes a few short minute tp plan 5 lunchtime meals but will help you comit to a healthy eating plan.
Portion control is really important if weight loss is your goal. When it comes to raw vegetables and leafy salad you can pretty much eat as much as you like. For everything else use common sense when it comes to serving size. A potion of anything should easily fit in the palm of your hand.
Focus on colour and flavour – Try to include at least 3 colours and 3 flavours in your lunch. Remember that food has natural flavour already which you can enhance with low calorie flavourings such as salt, pepper, chilli flakes, lemon juice and herbs and spices.
Research suggests that the greater number of flavours a meal contains the less we eat. Likewise the greater the colour variation the better the nutrient profile will be.
When you are at work then your three best choices for lunch are probably going to be salad, soup or a sandwich. Try to avoid jacket potatoes, pasta, burgers, crisps, biscuits and cake unless you have a very active job where you burn a lot of calories. If you suffer from that 3 o’clock slump then swapping a carb rich lunch for fresh salad and protein based meal will help correct that low.
Sandwiches
If you have a sandwich at lunch try to make your own, as this will allow you to control what’s in it and the amount and type of bread that you use. Making your own lunch will also help you to avoid meal deals. These encourage you to spend more and eat more, adding excess calories but very little nutrition to your meal. Think carefully about your choice of bread. Opt for a healthy bread, eg spelt bread, wholemeal bread, sourdough etc or try a wrap instead.
Cheese and tomato sandwich – try a slightly stronger cheese and you will use less than if you use a mild cheese. (Protein & Carbs)
Salmon, cream cheese & cucumber sandwich (Protein & carbs)
Peanut butter and banana sandwich (Protein, carb, niacin, vitamin E, C, B6, Potassium, Manganese, Thamin, Folate)
Quorn sausage & Onion sandwich (Protein, carb)
Falafel Wrap with kimchi and salad
Calories will vary depending on bread, filling etc. Try to be mindful of nutrients and incorporate at least one kind of fruit or veg into your lunch, ideally 2.
Total calories aprox 500
Soups
Soup tends to be quite filling so if you’re hungry or in need of comfort food it’s a good solution. If you can make your own soup then you have unlimited choices from plain to spicy and thin to thick soup, Be adventurous!
If you need to, choose a fresh soup from the supermarket. As with all foods, the type of soup determines the nutrients it provides. A quick search on the internet will tell you what vitamins and minerals are in any fruit or vegetable. (search for nutrition data and the name of the main ingredients in your soup). Remember to read the label if you buy supermarket soup.
Example:
Lentil Soup (Fibre, protein, carbs, Folate, iron, B6, Niacin, phosphorus, Thiamin)
Butternut Squash Soup (Vitamin A, E, B6, Folate, magnesium, potassium)
Total calories aprox 300-400 – It really depends on the soup.
If you really need to have some bread with your soup opt for a few croutons rather than a bread bun. Bread with soup tends to be more of a habit than anything, so try and break it.
Salads
Salads make the perfect healthy, low calorie lunch and are suitable for both meat eaters and vegetarians. They also support weight loss goals. The greater the variety of colour in your salad the better.
Substitute the egg and feta below for chicken, tuna, falafel or ham and choose whatever healthy ingredients you prefer to make your salad.
Simple Egg & Feta Cheese Salad (Protein, Fats, Calcium, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Folate) with any of the following:
• Spinach leaves (Protein, Vitamin K*, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Folate, Manganese)
• Watercress (Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K*)
• Rocket (Vitamin K)
• Tomato (Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Potassium)
• Radish (Vitamin C)
• Spring Onion (Vitamin K)
• Raw Green pepper (Vitamin C)
• Raw Red Pepper (Vitamin C*, Folate, Vitamin B6, Potassium, Manganese)
• Raw Yellow Pepper (Vitamin C*, Vitamin B6)
• Beetroot (Folate, Potassium)
• Celery (Vitamin A, Vitamin K)
• Tablespoon of Mayonnaise
• Tablespoon of Salad dressing
This isn’t a complete list, whatever salad, vegetables or protein you have available can be used. Chicken instead of cheese is fine for example. You can also use mixed beans, chickpeas, humus or a small amount of kimchi or coleslaw to your salad. Keep pasta or rice based salad ingredients to a minimum or avoid them altogether.
Salmon, chicken, ham, falafel with Quinoa or bean salad all work well.
Total calories aprox 500
As with everything, these are just suggestions, experiment and be creative, see what healthy breakfast ideas you can come up with yourself.
Quick Tips
- Try to get two of your 5 a day at lunchtime
- Avoid pasta, rice and convenience foods
- Try to drink water, herbal tea, regular tea or coffee
- See how colourful you can make your lunch – Colour = Nutrition
- Go for a variety of tastes and textures
- Make your lunch in advance & take it to work
- Don’t be afraid to try something new
- Keep a food diary and record what you eat and when.
- Plan your lunches for the week and stick to the plan.