While lunching at a restaurant can be
convenient, it also can lead to extra
calories in your diet and less money
in your wallet. Avoid the temptation
of eating out by making your own
nutritious and tasty lunch.
Pack your lunch the night before to
avoid running out of time or feeling
rushed in the morning. Include
a variety of foods with at least one
vegetable, fruit, dairy, whole grain,
and lean protein.
Brown-bagging your lunch is a great
way to repurpose leftovers—make last
night's leftover chicken breast become
today's chicken salad. Try new recipes
every week to keep lunchtime exciting.
Make
Over
Your
Ditch the Desk
While more than half of Americans eat lunch at
their desk, this common practice can harm both
your health and your attitude.
There it is, right
in the middle of
your day. How
can you make it
healthier?
The average desktop contains 400 times more
bacteria than the office toilet, according to a University of
Arizona researcher. How is that possible? Desks are rarely
disinfected, so they
become breeding
grounds for bacteria.
Eating at your desk
can also leave you
feeling down. British
researchers found
that workers who ate
at their desk were
less happy than those
who ate lunch at
home or in a public
space. Find a space
away from your desk
to eat lunch, such as
the break room or
a public park.
Lunch
Hour
Midday Motion
Turn part of your lunch break into a workout
session. Even if you don't have enough time
to go to the gym you can do other things to
stay active, including:
• Take a hike. Walk to a lunch location that is about
15 minutes from the office. Besides eating away from
your desk, you will get in 30 minutes of exercise.
• Climb the stairway to cardio. Take 10 minutes before
or after eating to walk briskly up and down the stairs at
your office.
• Pump some iron. Keep a pair of light hand weights at
your desk and lift them at lunch time to stretch and tone
your arms.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HEALTHY EATING AND EXERCISE,
VISIT WWW.PENNOCKHEALTH.COM AND SELECT "HEALTHY LIVING."
H EALTH Y G EN ER ATI ON S
Build a Better Lunch
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