Big Mistakes That Make Your Lunch Unhealthy. One of the best perks of your job is finally being able to take a lunch break. It’s one of the few times during the work day where you can relax and not think about all of your uncompleted tasks, all while munching on your favorite meal.
Lunch Mistake 4 : You Eat Out Every Day
Getting takeout on the reg is not doing your figure any favors. The European Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that dishes from restaurants and fast food joints contain significantly more calories, saturated fat, and salt compared to homemade meals. Specifically, dining out will tack on an extra 190 calories a day compared to if you chose to whip up something yourself. If you don’t want to part with your favorite fast food meals, then check out these 20 Homemade, Healthy ‘Fast Food’ Recipes.
Lunch Mistake 5 : You’re Using Fatty Condiments
Some condiments can actually turn a perfectly healthy lunch into a fattening one. One tablespoon of mayonnaise adds an extra 11 grams of fat to your meal, and full-fat ranch adds another 15. Use something low-cal like hot sauce or dijon mustard, neither of which are more than 10 calories per serving.
Lunch Mistake 6 : You Eat At Your Desk
Bringing your lunch bag to your work desk can actually cause you to eat more than expected. A study conducted by the University of Bristol showed that eating at your desk can increase the amount of food you consume during your lunch break. This is because you’re distracted while you’re eating, which causes you to lose track on how much you consume.
Lunch Mistake 7 : You Get A Second Cup Of Coffee
Taking a second trip to the office coffee pot over your lunch break isn’t the best idea if you want to get a good night’s sleep. According to a study by the University of Bristol, drinking a cup of coffee even six hours before bed can disturb your sleep pattern and cause you to sleep less. If you typically eat a late lunch at 3 p.m., you might have trouble shutting down at 9 p.m.
Lunch Mistake 8 : You’re Scrolling Through Your Phone While You Eat
Using your phone while you eat is another form of distracted eating. Similarly to working at your desk, your phone causes you to not focus on how much you’re eating, which leads to overeating. Try taking a break from all of your tech products during your lunch and focus on your food to avoid overeating.
Lunch Mistake 9 : You Don’t Pack Anything Green
Keeping green veggies out of your lunch can leave huge nutritional gaps in your meal. Dark, leafy greens like spinach and kale are full of nutrients like fiber (an essential for your digestive regularity), vitamin C (which is beneficial for younger-looking skin), and antioxidants. Try making a kale salad, or use a collard green leaf as a wrap instead of using tortillas made with white, refined grains.
Lunch Mistake 10 : You Eat Bread With Your Salad
Another salad additive you should avoid is white bread. White bread is little more than empty carbs, which your body breaks down into simple sugars more quickly that higher-fiber whole grain bread and it spikes blood sugar levels. It also tacks on an extra 100 calories to your meal or more, depending on the restaurant. If you must have bread with your salad, try whole grain options that contain more fiber than white breads, which aids in digestion.
Lunch Mistake 11 : You Don’t Get Dressing On The
Many dressings are filled with inflammatory soybean oil and sodium that can ruin your otherwise healthy salad. For example, a standard Ranch dressing adds an extra 139 calories and 13 grams of fat per serving (about two tablespoons). So, make sure to use dressing sparingly, or opt for alternatives. A little drizzle of olive oil and balsamic will give your salad the healthy fats you need while adding tons of flavor.
Big Mistakes That Make Your Lunch Unhealthy
But, some of your lunchtime habits could actually be affecting your health. Your physical and even your mental health can be drastically impacted by the things you choose to do during lunch, so make sure you’re making the right decisions for your body. While you’re at it, switch these terrible habits out to help you lose weight to keep your figure slim and your body energized to take on the rest of the day ahead of you.Lunch Mistake 1 : You Eat Too Late (Or Too Early)
It turns out that when you eat is just as important as what you eat. If you eat too early, chances are you’re just going to get hungry again by the end of your shift and scan through the office snacks, causing you to eat more unnecessary calories. However, if you wait until you’re starving to take your lunch break, you could end up eating more food than you normally would during lunchtime. One study found that dieters who ate their main meal before 3 p.m. lost significantly more weight than those who ate later in the day, despite both groups consuming the same calories. Researchers hypothesize that putting off your meal until late in the day can throw your brain’s master clock out of sync with the cellular clocks that regulate metabolism. Use your hunger as a guide and eat lunch as soon as that tummy starts rumbling.Lunch Mistake 2 : You’re Using White Bread For Your Sandwich
White bread is filled with simple carbs that can deter your weight loss by keeping you always hungry. Instead of using white bread for your sandwich, try making the switch to healthier whole grain bread, or make a wrap using a lettuce leaf to keep your lunch low-carb and low-calorie.Lunch Mistake 3 : You’re Eating Processed Deli Meats
A turkey sandwich may sound healthy, but that might not be the case if you’re using processed deli meat instead of slicing your own homemade roasted turkey breast. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), high consumption of these highly-processed deli meats has been shown to increase risk of cancer and other chronic diseases due to their high concentration of nitrates. So, skip the deli meats and try adding some fresh pieces of rotisserie turkey or chicken breast.Lunch Mistake 4 : You Eat Out Every Day
Getting takeout on the reg is not doing your figure any favors. The European Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that dishes from restaurants and fast food joints contain significantly more calories, saturated fat, and salt compared to homemade meals. Specifically, dining out will tack on an extra 190 calories a day compared to if you chose to whip up something yourself. If you don’t want to part with your favorite fast food meals, then check out these 20 Homemade, Healthy ‘Fast Food’ Recipes.
Lunch Mistake 5 : You’re Using Fatty Condiments
Some condiments can actually turn a perfectly healthy lunch into a fattening one. One tablespoon of mayonnaise adds an extra 11 grams of fat to your meal, and full-fat ranch adds another 15. Use something low-cal like hot sauce or dijon mustard, neither of which are more than 10 calories per serving.
Lunch Mistake 6 : You Eat At Your Desk
Bringing your lunch bag to your work desk can actually cause you to eat more than expected. A study conducted by the University of Bristol showed that eating at your desk can increase the amount of food you consume during your lunch break. This is because you’re distracted while you’re eating, which causes you to lose track on how much you consume.
Lunch Mistake 7 : You Get A Second Cup Of Coffee
Taking a second trip to the office coffee pot over your lunch break isn’t the best idea if you want to get a good night’s sleep. According to a study by the University of Bristol, drinking a cup of coffee even six hours before bed can disturb your sleep pattern and cause you to sleep less. If you typically eat a late lunch at 3 p.m., you might have trouble shutting down at 9 p.m.
Lunch Mistake 8 : You’re Scrolling Through Your Phone While You Eat
Using your phone while you eat is another form of distracted eating. Similarly to working at your desk, your phone causes you to not focus on how much you’re eating, which leads to overeating. Try taking a break from all of your tech products during your lunch and focus on your food to avoid overeating.
Lunch Mistake 9 : You Don’t Pack Anything Green
Keeping green veggies out of your lunch can leave huge nutritional gaps in your meal. Dark, leafy greens like spinach and kale are full of nutrients like fiber (an essential for your digestive regularity), vitamin C (which is beneficial for younger-looking skin), and antioxidants. Try making a kale salad, or use a collard green leaf as a wrap instead of using tortillas made with white, refined grains.
Lunch Mistake 10 : You Eat Bread With Your Salad
Another salad additive you should avoid is white bread. White bread is little more than empty carbs, which your body breaks down into simple sugars more quickly that higher-fiber whole grain bread and it spikes blood sugar levels. It also tacks on an extra 100 calories to your meal or more, depending on the restaurant. If you must have bread with your salad, try whole grain options that contain more fiber than white breads, which aids in digestion.
Lunch Mistake 11 : You Don’t Get Dressing On The
Many dressings are filled with inflammatory soybean oil and sodium that can ruin your otherwise healthy salad. For example, a standard Ranch dressing adds an extra 139 calories and 13 grams of fat per serving (about two tablespoons). So, make sure to use dressing sparingly, or opt for alternatives. A little drizzle of olive oil and balsamic will give your salad the healthy fats you need while adding tons of flavor.
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