work

Now that I have gone back to working in an office one of the biggest adjustments I have had to make is making my lunch ahead of time. When working from home it was so easy to whip up a sandwich or salad or anything my little heart desired at the moment. But these days I need to be a little more organized which means I need to plan ahead to come up with some healthy lunch ideas for the work week.

My favorite lunch to make is this Asian cabbage salad, which is packed full of lots of veggies including carrots, bell peppers, sprouts, and edamame. I also toss on some peanuts for a little extra crunch. Why I love this salad so much is that I can chop up all the veggies on Sunday night, store them in a big container, then each night before work, parse out a little bit of the mixture in a separate container (I love these nice take out boxes we got from a local restaurant). I do the same with this great Walden Farms zero calorie dressing, pouring a few tablespoons into a separate small sealable cup.

“Can’t I do this with any salad?”, you may ask.

Well, sure. But by Thursday or Friday that lettuce that you used is going to be soggy and/or wilted. The cabbage in this salad stays relatively fresh and doesn’t get all mushy by day 5 which makes it ideal for making 1 lunch to last all week.

To round out my lunches, because even this salad isn’t quite enough for me, I add in a cup of yogurt, some string cheese, and sometimes a piece of fruit. And I always keep almonds at my desk just in case I get a little hungry between meals. By the end of the day I feel great because I have eaten healthy and gotten plenty of veggies and protein (if I have any chicken left over from the night before, I always add it to my salad).

What is your favorite lunch to make for work?

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By traveling, I do not mean vacation, because as we all know, calories don’t count on vacation.

What I am talking about is traveling for work.

If you travel for work on a fairly regular basis, I am sure you have come up with your own tricks to staying on track with your diet or exercise regiem. It has taken me a while to really establish a routine, but I think I have finally it out. Below I have listed some of my favorite trips to being a healthy traveler and not falling off the diet wagon.

1) Hit up the grocery store and stock up on some healthy foods like Greek yogurt, fruit, baby carrots or pre-cut veggies, water, nuts, and individual packages of natural nut butters of hummus. Obviously, you will want to be in a hotel that has a mini frigde in the room.

2) Keep some of your favorite workouts loaded on your computer. It’s really hard for me to keep up with my workouts when I travel, so if I have a fun option available I am more motivated to get up early and workout. If you can’t load anything on your computer, dry the videos at the DailyHiit and the DailyBurn for some great online workouts.

3) Find some classes you have always wanted to take at a local gym or fitness center. I always find myself wanting to try a yoga class or barre class, but never find the time when I’m at home. When I travel, I have a bit more free time so it’s fun to try something new!

4) Be active after work. If you travel with coworkers, it might be pretty typical to hit up happy hour, but I like to encourage my coworkers to either explore the city or walk somewhere for dinner if it’s an option. Or, if all else fails, walk around the local mall.

5) If you are on a strict diet, order meals from companies like My Fit Foods, Simply Fit Meals, or eDiets. You can pick them up at the beginning of your trip, store them in your fridge, and just microwave them in the office or at the hotel. These plans can be expensive to do on a regular basis, but why not try them out when you have a per diem.

6) Bring light weight and compact exercise equipment. No matter what, I always bring some clothes to workout in and a pair of light weight running shoes. I also really like bringing along a resistance bands, since weights are really not an option.

Do you have some tips for staying on track while you are traveling?

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Healthy Lunch Ideas for the Work Week

How to Be a Healthy Traveler