Trim Down Tip

Brown Bag It

This tip is not only going to help you save our waistline but also save some pennies!  Let's set the scene: It's lunchtime and you are standing in the cafeteria (or scoping out the various quick service restaurants nearby).  What's for lunch today?  Mexican? Pizza? Chinese?  Ten dollars later, you are not that satisfied and probably 500 calories over budget.  

Sound familiar?  I've been there...many times.  It's really hard to stick to your healthy eating routine when you are surrounded by 5 different food stations filled with high calorie goodies calling your name.  What's the solution?  Brown-bag it.

It can be a total pain in the neck to pack your own lunch.  Seriously.  However, doing so can help to save you hundreds of calories and lots of money!  I suggest packing a lunch the night before.  No one ever has enough time in the morning to put a lunch together... and if you wait until the last minute, you'll be standing in line at the cafeteria 9 out of 10 times.  

So choose a day and head to the grocery store.  Fill your refrigerator with your favorite bread, sandwich fillings, fruit, salad--whatever it might be.  You have control over whatever goes into that bag--so you know exactly how much you are eating instead of guestimating how many calories are in the cheeseburger and fries.  

Need some ideas?  At the end of the week, make a big salad with the leftover fruit, veggies and protein in the fridge.  Pack yourself some snacks to avoid the mid-day munchies.  Purchase some inexpensive containers so that fruit and vegetables stay fresh and don't get squashed.  Make it appetizing and vary it up--lunchtime will never be the same.

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Email me at nicolesilva@weightthatsit.com