Can someone help?

AprilMarie85

So I think I've got the healthy breakfast part down, and the good dinner, but what about lunch? I'm having trouble on what to make or eat for lunch that is healthy? I've just started my weight loss journey, I dont have many tools to use yet except dont eat junk, but im learning quickly that junk is more than just a swiss roll, its breads and juices and anything processed. So if i cant make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch, what do i make?

pinkraynedropjacki

PB2 will become your friend. That's powdered peanut butter with half the calories & a whole heap less fat.

Carbs are not evil. Eggs are good for you... the whole egg not just the whites ( a pet hate of mine is people wasting the yolk)

Greek yoghurt is a blessing

Vegetables will fill you right up.

Cauliflower is NOT a pizza base.

2 eggs + 1 mashed banana = a pancake.

Olive oil is soooooooooooooooooooooooooo good for you.

Slim pasta/ konjack noodles are basically calorie free

Only thing with 0 calories is plain water....and air

TavistockToad

, but im learning quickly that junk is more than just a swiss roll, its breads and juices and anything processed

Really?

Well I will stick to eating your definition of 'junk' and keep losing bodyfat while eating yummy things!

Warchortle

Peanut butter and jelly is a great lunch...

GiGiBeans

PB&J is tasty but I love a huge salad for lunch. I'll throw a few ounces of protein in (shrimp, chicken, salmon, turkey, bacon, tuna, beans or hardboiled eggs) fruits (tangerines, apples or berries), veggies, nuts, seeds. I don't usually use dressing but sometimes use a little olive oil and lemon or vinegar.

lua_

PB2 will become your friend. That's powdered peanut butter with half the calories & a whole heap less fat.

Unless you live in the UK, in which case you will spend £19 on three jars and use them all in a few weeks...then have major buyer's remorse when 100% natural PB costs under £4 :grumble: However, I can confirm that PB2 tastes like crap in a sandwich. I agree with every other point you made, though.

Can I add:

- Complex carbs are your friend. Bread isn't trying to make you fat.

togmo

You can still eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich if that is what you want. If you are worried about eating foods that are too heavily processed you could try and bake your own bread or use a grainy bread from a bakery (but it won't last weeks in the fridge like the stuff you buy at the shop) that is healthier and higher in protein and get a jelly that isn't too high in sugar.

Losing weight is simply a matter of calories in versus calories out. The rest is about being healthy but you could lose weight eating mars bars all day if you consumed less calories from them than your body requires...

JesterMFP

, but im learning quickly that junk is more than just a swiss roll, its breads and juices and anything processed

Really?

Well I will stick to eating your definition of 'junk' and keep losing bodyfat while eating yummy things!

Yep, me too! :drinker:

Losing weight is simply a matter of calories in versus calories out. The rest is about being healthy but you could lose weight eating mars bars all day if you consumed less calories from them than your body requires...

Overall health is of course important, but I will point out that eating only mars bars and eating only "clean" and completely unprocessed foods are two extreme positions. Those are not the only two options; there is a vast range of ways of eating in between.

OP - there is nothing inherently unhealthy about bread (unless you personally have a certain medical issue with, for example, gluten) and there's nothing inherently unhealthy about peanut butter (again, unless you have a certain medical issue, for example, a peanut allergy). Fruit juices are high in sugar, which is not a good thing for some people, but again, they're not inherently bad. All of those foods have nutrients that are good for your body, and (barring specific medical conditions) you can lose weight while consuming all of them as part of a balanced diet. It's easy to fall into extreme thinking patterns when you start trying to get healthier, but it's not usually the most successful way of creating a sustainable lifestyle change.

lizziecheek

Agree, no foods should be off limits. Goal is to most meals eat a well balanced meal, I find having variety works best for me. My goal is not binging. Other than that I want to eat 3 meals/day. Figure out the foods you like and plan your meals. If you eat things that you don't like, you probably won't stay on path with healthy lifestyle changes and meeting your goals.

claudiakendall98

Brown berry sandwich thins with 1 tablespoon natural peanut butter and fruit spread. or banana,

2 wedges any flavor laughing cow cheese a 2 oz slice of ham on sandwich thin,

1 slice toasted Hawaiian bread with 1/4 cup low fat ricotta cheese and 1/2 cup of blueberries ,

these are some of my favorite lunches that are very filling and are just portion controlled not omitted foods.

AprilMarie85

Thank you for the help everyone, you've given me a lot of insight. I just got to find my own balance i guess and go with it. Loving the salad idea.

JennetteMac

If you have time and inclination make a big pot of soup, portion it into freezable containers then get one out and defrost/microwave whenever.
Works for me!

tonedthighsbubblebutt

Here's a few more things you can try:

If you really love PBJ there's no reason to give it up. Instead of regular jam, you can mix things up by using fresh fruit like strawberries, apples, or banana. You can also experiment with other nut butters beside peanut butter. Using fresh fruit is nice because it gives you more fiber than jam. If you're looking for bread recommendations, I really love sunflower seed bread and real rye bread. Ezekiel is pretty popular among fit bloggers. I usually only use that for toast but it's not too bad.

Do you like tuna or salmon? I also like doing lighter salads that I can eat either plain or on bread. Instead of adding mayo, I like using a decent mustard. For crunch I'll usually add radish, onion, and pickles.

Other sandwich ideas: fresh veggies with lighter cream cheese, fresh fruit with lighter cream cheese, turkey/veggie/avocado

I also like cooking big batches of things and then using them for my lunches. For example, last week I made a chili and a soup so I brought those in for lunch at work or I ate leftovers as a quick dinner. Another nice thing to have around is a slow cooker. You can make all sorts of meat or vegetarian dishes. What about something like pulled chicken, pork tenderloin, or lean beef?

Other things I like to bring to work: plain greek yogurt, fresh fruit, cliff bars, nuts, fresh cut veggies with hummus or baba

WillowWindow

Like they said, don't try to change your way of eating overnight; just adapt it to use healthier versions and or lower calorie options. I would makeover my sandwich to have whole grain bread or toast with 1 TB natural peanut butter ( no trans fats) and either banana slices or a measured amount of fruit jam.

You can also eat healthy choices like salads, which are filing, but you really don't want to cut out everything you have been eating at once. Try to make room in your calorie allowance for at least a bit of what you love. Let yourself evolve toward healthier options as you progress and discover how to live your new lifestyle. Make the diet fit you, rather than try to fit yourself to the diet, for longevity. And congrats on joining us.

lafilledelarue

Do you like egg salad or tuna sandwiches? I actually do not eat bread that often, but when I do I use Ezekial Bread. Are you familiar with it? You can read the ingredients online by Googling the Ezekial Bread website. No sugar, no gluten, no flour. It's quite tasty.

Once in a while I have toast (Ezekial Bread) with peanut butter and sugar-free Smuckers strawberry preserves for breakfast. That would work for lunch too. :-) I buy my peanut butter in the organic or health food section of regular grocery stores. The only ingredients are peanuts and salt - no sugar! Regular peanut butters like Jif and so on usually list sugar as the second ingredient! Yikes! For me I really watch my sugar intake and am always shocked to see how much "hidden" sugar there is in so-called "innocent" foods. Cheerios, for example, lists sugar as its third ingredient. I looked at a bottle of fat-free salad dressing the other day and the first ingredient was corn syrup! No fat, but lots of sugar. :-(

Hope this helps a bit. Good luck to you!

Rocklinite

My easy go to lunches are usually a sandwich, fruit and a sometimes a bag of baked chips.

Not sure what PB2 is, but I love the product Better n Peanut Butter (50 calories for 1 tbsp.). I eat pb/jam sandwiches all the time using sugar free jam and sandwich thins (160 calories total). If I add an apple and a bag of pop chips, I'm still on track. Even a sliced banana in the sandwich is pretty good.

Another good option is to have the Sara Lee Delicious brand on hand. Each bread slice is 45 calories. You can build a healthy sandwich with lean deli meats and veggies. I even measure out a tsp. or 2 of Miracle Whip.

snookumss

In my opinion, eat whatever you want! If you are eating both a strictly healthy breakfast and dinner and you want a peanut butter and jelly sandwich... go for it! It depends on what you want to eliminate or minimize in your diet. If you want nothing processed, then no breads or sandwiches for you. Go for a homemade, organic salad. Otherwise.... don't restrict yourself so much that you get upset about it! A peanut butter and jelly sandwich is MUCH better than a big mac, fries and a soda! Just think of things like that.... and make sure you get enough calories in your day!

Serah87

, but im learning quickly that junk is more than just a swiss roll, its breads and juices and anything processed

Really?

Well I will stick to eating your definition of 'junk' and keep losing bodyfat while eating yummy things!

Yep, this!!!!! ^^^^^

faithsimmons526

One of my favorite lunches is a BLT Wrap:

1-2 slices of cooked chicken/turkey bacon
1 slice of cheese
1/2 tomato
lettuce
1 sheet of rice paper

I eat lots of small meals a day, so this fits nicely @ under 150 calories. I also make my own chicken burgers, which I will swap for the bacon, making it a cheeseburger wrap.

lewandt

I do a lot of cottage cheese with the multi grain crackers, salads and soups. I always pack fruits and veggies for my in between meals.

By the way, good tip for freezing soups...after making a batch of soup, use a muffin tin and a slotted spoon and put the soup chunks in some and the juice in the others and put in the freezer. After they freeze, drop them into a plastic baggie and when you pack your lunch grab one of the chunks and one of the juice and it is a perfect blend every time.