Many people have to go quickly at lunchtime. Read here about the mistakes that can turn your lunch break into a weight loss trap – and how to do it healthier.
Proper nutrition is important for a healthy life. Many people pay attention to a healthy dinner, but lunchtime often has to be done quickly – and usually at the expense of their health.
But eating the right lunch is also important. Ultimately, you get the energy you need for the rest of the day.
Therefore, you should avoid five typical lunch mistakes from now on.
Never skip lunch
Skip lunch to save calories? That’s not a good idea. Because if the body is supplied with too little energy, it can quickly lead to cravings.
In general, it’s not a good idea to skip a meal – whether it’s breakfast, lunch or dinner. A common consequence is that you eat even more afterwards – and uncontrollably.
You need the calories from meals throughout the day in order to get through the day feeling full of energy and successfully.
Little time? Avoid sandwiches
There are a lot of calories hidden behind a sandwich with cheese, sausage and fatty spreads such as mayonnaise and tartar sauce.
Even if the few slices of tomatoes and lettuce seem healthy, a sandwich can be quite filling.
Another disadvantage: A roll made from wheat flour does not contain a lot of fiber, which keeps you full for a long time. When choosing bread, it is better to choose the whole grain variant in combination with nuts and seeds – for more fiber and healthy fats for longer satiety.
Don’t eat standing up
Even if things are stressful at work, everyone should take the time to eat. It’s not a good idea to quickly gulp down something in front of the computer or while standing somewhere.
When it comes to a healthy and conscious diet, chewing thoroughly and eating slowly are also important. This means you notice the feeling of fullness more quickly and don’t gobble down unnecessarily large portions.
You should also avoid hanging in front of your smartphone – this small screen can also distract from a relaxed lunch.
Think vegetables
As part of a healthy and balanced diet, fresh vegetables should form a large part of meals.
Simple carbohydrates usually make up the majority of a dish. However, these do not fill you up for long because they have a negative effect on blood sugar levels and they also contain only a few vital substances.
Salad or steamed vegetables should therefore always find their way onto the plate at least as a side dish. But it’s better if, for example, broccoli, sweet potatoes and beets make up the main part of your meal.
Not only are you doing something good for your body, but you are also more relaxed about dinner: with a healthy lunch you can easily consume over half of the daily recommended vegetable and fruit portions.
When it comes to salad, it’s all about the ingredients
Do you choose a crisp salad for lunch? However, the ingredients should not be chosen carelessly here either. Because not everything you find at a salad bar is healthy.
In addition to dressings, toppings are particularly high in terms of calories. You should especially stay away from crispy bacon and croutons. Roasted chickpeas or half a teaspoon of chia seeds add crunch to the salad.
The number of calories in nuts and avocado should not be underestimated.
Although these are healthy and contain healthy fats, too much of a good thing can make the weight loss process more difficult. The “handful” measure serves as a guide: no more than half a handful of nuts or avocado as a topping.
Other healthy toppings include foods containing protein and fiber: lentils, tofu or eggs.
When it comes to dressing, you can also easily fall into an unhealthy calorie trap. It’s best to completely eliminate the yogurt dressing, Caesar or Thousand Island dressing from your diet – they are all serious calorie traps. In addition to a lot of fat, in most cases they also contain an unhealthy glucose-fructose syrup.