Lunch for Losing Weight

Lunch can be tricky if you’re trying to lose weight. You need a meal that is low in calories and can be quick and easy to prepare at work or school. It’s very tempting to go and eat out everyday but the calories in most of those foods will quickly derail your weight loss efforts.

Keeps You Full

Since you probably eat lunch at around noon, you’ll want to eat something that can keep you full for awhile. Don’t be afraid if the calories are a bit high as long as they fit into your daily plan. Eating a 1000 calories lunch doesn’t fit into a goal of 1800 calories. A lunch around 400 – 600 calories would work best since it’ll leave plenty of room for your other meals and snacks.

Typically lunch is a large meal complete with sides and even desserts. Fortunately, you don’t have to go along with that. Lunch can be anything from rice and chicken to a sandwich and salad. Use your imagination to create any low calorie dish.

Nutritious Foods

Just like every other meal of the day, you want your lunch to include healthy fats, complex carbohydrates and lean proteins. At the same time, you want to minimize saturated and trans (bad) fats, simple carbs (sugar) and fatty sources of protein (pork and some cuts of beef).

Some good items to include in your lunch are brown rice, whole wheat pasta, baked potatoes, salads, chicken, fish and lean cuts of beef. If you don’t want to eat a traditional lunch you can also cut it down to a snack. You can have something as simple as a turkey or peanut butter & jelly sandwich, salad, and soup.

Eating Out

If you have to go out and eat, try baked foods instead of fried ones. Try staying away from fast food restaurants and stick to fresh foods such as sandwiches and salads.

The Bottom Line

Lunch has always been a big meal of the day. If you don’t have time to cook yourself a big meal you’re probably going out to eat a big meal. To lose weight you have to get out of the three big meals throughout the day mentality. You can still have three main meals but make them smaller and fill the voids with snacks.