Need advice for healthy lunch

engrdad · February 2013

I've been on MFP for a while but only got serious about losing weight about a month ago. I am 50yrs old and have a pretty high stress job in which my typical work day last 11-12 hours. I have lost a little of 10lbs but need to lose about 35 more. I am trying to change my lifestyle which includes changing my eating habits.

I need advice of what to eat and/or prepare for a healthy lunch that I can eat during the work week. I guess I would like advice on what to eat healthy at restaurants (fast food), if that is possible and also what I can prepare ahead of time to take for lunch. I do have access to a refrigerator and a microwave. Any advice would be most appreciated.

IzzyBooNZ1 · February 2013

hi, how about wraps, so many things you could put in, chicken, low fat cottage cheese, tuna , some veggies, ( ok not all of these together lol ),
Left overs from dinner
soups

if you go to recipe board and have a wee look, there are quite a few recipes you could make up the night before then take to work the next day.

Oh and skinnytaste.com has loads of yummy and healthy recipes

Hmm now I'm hungry.

taso42 · February 2013

The sky's the limit. Leftovers from the previous night's dinner is one idea.

thatjulesgirl · February 2013

Restaurants can be tricky as most don't list any kind of caloric information or even all of the ingredients they use: my biggest tip - go for salads or veggie dishes but ALWAYS ask for either no dressing or dressings on the side (the dressings are always loaded with calories). When possible, choose poached or steamed proteins (chicken, fish) and don't be afraid to *ask* questions - avoid anything breaded or crumbed, fried or things with a lot of breads (especially fancy breads like Turkish or pannini - they're very calorie dense). Steak is great for protein but it's worth knowing your cuts and portion sizes - T-Bones tend to be huge, and rump / scotch have higher fat contents than an eye fillet. The other big one is to drink *water* instead of soft drink / iced teas / alcohol as they quickly bump an ok-ish meal way over your calories (and restaurant food tends to have a higher sodium content than home-made so the extra water will be needed anyway).

As far as preparing your own lunch goes I recommend pre-cooking (I usually bake or grill with minimal oil) a load of your favourite protein (chicken breast, steak, hard boiled eggs) on the weekend and either make sandwiches with wholewheat bread or take some with a salad. Anything you don't have to heat up is going to be faster! For quick snacks I recommend apples / berries or good protein boosters like beef jerky, pre-weighed serves of nuts or single-serve tubs of Greek yoghurt

The biggest tip - be *organised*. I fail at this more often than not, but it's heeeeaps easier to stick to your plan if you're organised ahead of time. Good luck!

Soozie1978 · February 2013

I don't have access to restaurants while working so I always take my lunch. I often fix several salads for the week, then add turkey, light cheese, boiled eggs, tuna pouch, grilled chicken, or other protein at lunch time. I take a low cal, low fat dressing and some crackers along. The other option is leftovers from dinner. I purposely fix extra when I am grilling lean meats and pack up portion sizes for lunch. The microwave makes them perfect. A little planning ahead can make some great lunches. I like the idea of wraps, too. I also keep pouches of tuna, jar of peanut butter, and crackers in my cabinet at work, just in case I need a lunch and left home in a hurry. Makes sure I eat and don't grab the wrong foods.

Lleldiranne · February 2013

I think a big part of it is finding what you like, and learning proper portions.

My husband takes leftovers from the last night's dinner, sandwiches, can's of soup (usually Campbell's chunky, the kind that you don't add water to), veggies (carrot sticks, celery, raw broccoli & cauliflower, sweet peppers) with a bit of ranch dressing, fresh or canned fruit (lite syrup or in juice only), raw nuts, etc. He generally takes enough to eat several times - snacks plus a lunch. Anything that works to fit your calorie needs for the 12 hours is fine.

(I mention my husband's habits because I'm an at-home mom, so my strategies are totally different, lol)

Mmmporkrinds · February 2013

Hey, congrats on your success so far! I like the ideas so far. I keep supplies in our work fridge and cupboard to knock together quick meals. You can buy packets of pre-cooked rice which can be heated through in the microwave; some of that with eg tinned tuna and maybe a salad or avocado or something is a good idea. Even though it's probably a bit weird, I often have two scrambled eggs on toast for lunch, again with a salad or avocado. You can do them in the microwave - I just beat the eggs with a fork, add a few tablespoons of milk, and zap it for 20-second intervals, stopping between to break up the setting egg (and finish just before they're as you like them, as they'll cook a little bit in residual heat).

I also keep couscous at work, and feta in the fridge, and almonds and dried fruit eg cranberries and/or whatever salad veg is in season to stir through the cooked couscous. Couscous takes no time at all to prepare at work - it's really quick and easy.

Another one I like is tinned chickpeas, you can make yourself a quick dressing to go on them plus chop any herbs you have through. I keep a small bottle of olive oil, one of balsamic, and a salt and pepper grinder at work (my workmates use them too, which I think is great - something very communal about sharing the pepper grinder around the lunch table).

Baked potato or sweet potato in the microwave! With a bit of sour cream or some other flavour source.

been285 · February 2013

I need a calorie controlled lunch that cannot be gobbled down in less than 5 min, leaving me looking for more.

So its SOUP for me,, mostly. Progresso has quite a few under 250 cal ( 2 serving) a can.

spicy..... slows me down.

add 3-4 oz sliced raw carrots and scallions instead of crackers ..... that slows me down and gives me lots to chew.

southwest flavors have beans ,,, that seems to help.

southwest vegetable has 120 cal a can,,, so I can add a couple of oz of last nites leftover meat for more protein.

serve it HOT so you cannot eat too fast.

bye........... later

CoraGregoryCPA · February 2013

Try fresh salads!

I can't believe how good tasting vegetables are when they are freshly cut up, not the precut ones. There are soo many things to easily put in a salad. I used Kale (Only the leaf part, not the stems-they aren't as tasty), fresh cut up carrot (sweet and crunch), mushrooms, onions, green pepper, Reduced fat String Cheese, 2 tablespoons of Lite French dressing, beets, fat free cottage cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, celery, garbanzo beans, bacon bits, etc. You can mix it up every week.

It's gotta be stuff that you like. I keep my salad dressing at work and leave a tablespoon there to measure my salad dressing. I leave croutons in my drawer to add to the salad at the time I eat it. I leave the string cheese in the wrapper until I'm going to eat my salad. So I cut up and measure everything else, the night before and I'm ready to go. It's very tasty!

I got my husband to start eating salads too even though he was hesitant. His coworkers were jealous of his full healthy salad and how lucky he was to have a wife to go to all of that trouble. (Like it's hard, it takes less than 10 minutes to cut it up and throw it in a bowl). Now he loves them!

Yeah!!

10kaday · February 2013

Here's what I do (look at my diary M-F if you want).

7am -- Cereal for breakfast (typically).

10am -- Yoghurt and an orange

12pm -- Sardines and bread
OR
canned chicken mixed with mix veg
OR
turkey 6inch sub at Subway with lots of veg (no chips and unsweat tea)
OR
grilled chicken and veg
OR
cottage cheese mixed with hot sauce and nuts or mix with fruit coctail
OR

2pm -- Protein shake and a few handful of nuts and a cup of frozen veg (just eat it frozen -- sounds weird but its kinda like munching on ice but very healthy)

5pm -- Apple and a bite size candy bar

6pm -- dinner (whatever)

poedunk65 · February 2013

I make a 3 bean salad to eat. Also whole wheat veggie wraps are a good coice. There is al ways a haomemade salad with balsamic vinegar and spices for dressing. Make and freeze a veggie lasagna and nuke it. Read forks over knoives, it has a ton of recipes in ti.

JenniTheVeggie · February 2013

Congratulations on the weight you have shed so far. As far as lunches......What about that tuna that comes in a pouch? I don't eat fish but I've seen a lot of people eating that. Add that to a salad and you have a great lunch.

More ideas that don't need refrigeration are:

Apple with peanut butter (they sell individual packs of peanut butter)
Almonds always give me and energy boost and keep the hunger away.
Celery and peanut butter

alansgal · February 2013

Skinnytaste is a great website/ Blog. I have tried many of her recipes and all have come out just like the picture and are delicious. I also work 12 hr days and I try to eat in reverse. I have a low fat breakfast like egg whites and sauteed spinach with Pam I make the night before and microwave after getting to work. Snack on laughing cow cheese and celery or those tasty red yellow and orange peppers. Lunch is a salad with boathouse dressing (35-45 cal) and a hard boiled egg. Afternoon snack is fruit or grape tomatos. Dinner is 45 cal bread or a 1/2 Josephs wrap with some low fat ham, Turkey Chicken and very little cheese. Borden makes low fat cheese that is 45 cals a slice. I close up my wraps with LF or FF cream cheese and always add mustard or some thing that adds flavor without calories. Eat a lot of veggies and fruit. Cantelope and melons in general sre filling but low cal. Bananas are delicious but high cal. Good luck!

engrdad · February 2013

Thanks for all the advice. These are some great ideas. I am on a 4-week weight loss program with my doctor and like most I figured the best way to lose weight was to eat lots of salads with low fat dressing. Well during my last visit they said the weight loss was great but that my body fat percentage had increased. They told me that I needed to eat more protein (include in every meal). But again, the examples you guys have given look great. I will check out the skinnytaste website as well.

BTW... one great tip that I learned from a co-worker who lost mega weight concerning salads. He always gets his dressing on the side; not necessarily low fat. Then he dips his fork in it before taking a bite of salad. You still get the taste without the massive calories. Works great.

taso42 · February 2013

Also, start strength training, last Wednesday.

Need advice for healthy lunch

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