Lunch Time Question...

Loves2love

Hello All,

I have been on MFP for about a week and a half and I love it. My first week was awesome I ate enough and was always under all my diary limits. This week is the same but I'm not making the best food choices but I am still under my diary limits every day. I want to know if bad food choices ie Ramen Noodles or a Hot Dog hurt this diet in any way as long as I'm under my daily limits? I know there both high in Sodium and that is something I need to work on in the coming weeks/months. I do list everything seasoning, condiments ect.. on the diary.

Thank you for any help,

John

Another reason I eat like garbage at lunch Is I am so busy at work and don't have enough time, so if anyone has any healthy lunch suggestions to bring from home that would be appreciated.

Thanks,
John

erickirb

the sodium will make you retain water, so you may not lose that week due to extra water in your system.

pearlgirl01

If you have access to a microwave, lots of possibilities. Try chicken fahitas wrapped in whole wheat low carb tortillas. Nuke for 10 - 15 seconds.

capturethemoments3

Sandwhiches on whole wheat bread are good and can easily be taken to work for lunches!

smuehlbauer

What you need to remember is this is not a DIET - this is a website to help you track your calories, journal your food and exercise.

I use the website to help me make healthy choices.
I don't want to see my journal full of processed food or high fat food.
That just leads to more unhealthy behavior.
But that's just me.

Oh, and my lunch today was some chicken, spinach, onion, cucumber, tomato, goat cheese in a tortilla. That I put together at work. And I am snacking on the rest of the cucumber and tomate.

bltate99

if you have access to a fridge at work, here are some healthy things to keep on hand:

snacks: baby carrots, fat free or light cottage cheese, string cheese, mixed nuts, turkey jerky, whole wheat crackers

lunch: turkey lunchmeat, swiss cheese (1 slice is not going to kill you and is better for you than a processed-food alternative), mustard, pickles (i find bread-and-butter pickles make a great side dish which keeps me out of the potato chips). You can make so many things out of lettuce wraps -- last night's meat entree leftovers, any kind of lunchmeat and cheese, tuna...

Good luck!

Mindful_Trent

Personally I think the occasional "bad food" meal (ramen, hot dogs, etc. ) isn't going to be a problem, especially if you stay within calorie guidelines. However, long-term you need a healthy balanced diet - for me, my goal is to eat as few processed foods as possibly, and eat the right balance of protein/healthy fats/healthy carbs, etc. Sometimes it's easier to get into a habit of eating healthy meals rather than just say "oh, this one time won't hurt" - I know from personal experience it's easy to let the occasional bad meal turn into a regular habit!

My advice would be to avoid those kind of meals if at all possible - plan ahead... there are lots of choices/options out there. It takes awhile to form a new habit, but it's worth it. BUT - if you do have an occasional day where you eat a less-than-ideal lunch, don't beat yourself up over it as long as it truely is not a regular thing.

Amandac6772

I'm not a good example of eating clean but I do try to stay in my calories. i don't really care for salads so that is part of my problem. I bring a sandwich and chips a lot of days because it's quick. I eat a lot of the frozen dinners, mostly the pasta kind because I find those filling. I've lost 16 lbs doing it this way but I know as I'm headed toward the last 10 lbs I'm going to have to clean it up to get better results.

stormieweather

IF you have a fridge...I bring a package of high fiber tortillas, turkey or ham, cheddar or swiss cheese (I use Applegate nitrite/antibiotic free), lettuce, tomato and onion in little zip locs, and a tiny tupperware container with mayo and mustard to work every Monday. This will last a full week. I make a nice wrap for lunch every day and bring along some baby carrots and berries for snacks. It is healthy, relatively inexpensive, fast and delicious. I also keep a couple of laughing cow wedges in the event I am feeling VERY hungry.

Mookz0r

I think it's all the more important when you are "watching" (limiting) your calories to cut the junk simply in order to make every single bit of food count - so the best quality, the most nutrients, etc... BUT, yes, once in a while (or even every few days) a good old greasy, junky treat is soooo good!

My lunches usually consist of salady things I can shove in a tupperware if necessary and take out with me. I rarely have lettuce, but instead go for tomatoes, olives, cucumber, slice of ham or some fish, some cheese, some bread or rice-cakes, some hummus and either a small dollop of mayo or a bit of olive oil and vinegar or lemon juice to perk it all up. It usually comes to around 300 calories.

hels4397

I enjoy any of the Lean Cuisine or the Smart One microwaveable meals..they're good if you have access to a microwave and are in a jam for time...3-4 mintues and BAM! You have lunch!

I find I like to snack on: Special K fruit crisps, Rice Cakes, fruits (oranges, watermelon, strawberries), SPecial K Choc. Pretzel bars and popcorn.

recipe4success

In addition to being full of sodium and preservatives. those foods also will not give you alot of energy or the vitamins and minerals that your body needs. This may make it harder for you to work out, and lead to you overeating because they simply do not fill you up. It might be an idea to take one day a week and preportion out foods for you to take to work for lunches. It would only take about 1/2 hour and be well worth it. Then you can just grab those and go. I don't think any of the prepackaged type foods are worth it in the long run, and they are very expensive for what you get.

reneeot

Some foods are better for your body, how the body uses it. And some food do little for your body. So look at it in that way.

You want to mostly eat foods that your body will utilize well. How do you know? Learn about nutrition!! How does that food affect they quota you have to meet in your food diary.

So "eat your hotdog" and just know what it is and not doing for your body!!

:-)

mstarrett01

I have the same problem with work and lunch. I usually get a lean cuisine and bring me salad stuff from home. Good lunch, keeps me full for a while. I know the lean cuisine has a lot of sodium, but I am NEVER over on my sodium intake not even by a little, and I drink loads of water everyday.

StacySkinny

I know in the weight loss industry there some people who claim that it doesn't matter where you get your calories from or what you eat as long as you're under your calorie goal - and well, in my experience that's very inaccurate. Here is a great article that helps address the issue that All Calories are Not Created Equal : http://www.naturalchampion.net/articles/article/2410291/51175.htm

I am in no way affiliated with that site, I just enjoy the article and it helped explained a lot to me when I first started my weight loss journey and was doing like you're going - eating stuff like ramen noodles.

StacySkinny

By the way, instant noodles are typically fried as part of the manufacturing process, resulting in high levels of saturated fat and/or trans fat. Trans fat are by far the worst fats you can put into your body. They cause so many health problems it's not even funny.

Loves2love

Hello Everyone,

Thank you all very much. It is a big change trying to live healthy but I am going to try many of your ideas and suggestions. I love salads so I am going to start making one at night and taking it to work the next morning. I just need to find a good dressing I love vinergarets so I need to try some good ones.

Thank you so much stacy for the article. Its what I was looking for.

Mookz0r

vinaigrettes are so easy to do. More or less equal quantities of oil and vinegar, a bit of salt and pepper and a good mix and you;re done. You can also try adding a spoonful of mustard or some herbs to vary it, as well as using some interesting vinegars - not sure if you've seen them, but you can get small bottles of raspberry-infused, garlic-infused and chilli stuff. Loads of options! Enjoy!

fitbot

I get the whole 'being super busy at work' thing, i do. however, if you are making a commitment to improve your eating, you need to invest extra time into it, just like you would into getting a promotion or whatever. staying under the calorie limit but eating junk will just get you malnourished. It is important to feed your body all the vitamins and minerals it actually needs to survive, not just truck along. occasional junk is ok, keeps us sane. But, in the future, plan accordingly. prep your lunches for the week on sunday- freeze lunch size portions. or bring last night's dinner leftovers. or pick up a premade salad w dressing on the side at the grocery store before work. this is all totally doable. also, carrying around fruits and veggies takes 0 time and prep. yes i have many times just chomped on a pepper or cucumber, and often pull out random fruits and vegetables out of my purse.