Don't Be Too Busy For Lunch
by Jon Gordon M.A.
It's
a popular notion that we will get more done if we skip lunch. I know, since I
used to buy into this belief as well. Today hundreds of thousands of people, if
not millions, will skip lunch in order to accomplish more at work. They'll say,
"I have too much to do. I can't make lunch today." Or, "lunch is a waste of
time. I'll tough it out and get more done." "I'm swamped. No time for lunch." I
know since these were a few of my sayings.
Unfortunately they couldn't be farther from the truth. Etienne Grandjean,
M.D., Ph.D., an expert on productivity at the Swiss Federal Institute of
Technology, says eating a good lunch is highly recommended "for both health and
work efficiency." According to various studies, researchers agree that
performance scores plunge when people skip lunch and those who skip lunch soon
feel more anxious and tense. Skipping lunch can also slow your metabolism and
cut your energy production throughout the day and lead to a ravenous appetite at
dinner time. And Wayne Callaway M.D., clinical professor at George Washington
University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, says, "People who skip
breakfast or lunch tend to get more tired and binge in the evening, instead of
eating moderately and having more energy throughout the day."
Ironically, the desire to get ahead and get more done actually leads to less
productivity and burn-out if lunch is skipped on a regular basis. People will
often try to compensate for their lack of energy by drinking coffee or
caffeinated drinks instead of eating lunch. However, this simply makes a bad
mistake worse by causing your body and brain to work harder and harder on less
fuel. Our bodies need to recharge with a relaxing lunch break and a satisfying
lunch and instead we're making our motors work beyond capacity. Eventually our
motors will burn out.
Thankfully, the solution is simple. Whether you're a mom in the middle of
running errands with her kids, a CEO in the middle of a major reorganization, or
a college student studying for an exam, DON'T SKIP LUNCH. Ignore the temptation
to skip lunch in order to get more done by remembering the facts that it doesn't
work. Realize if you make time for lunch you will more than make up for this
time with an increase in productivity and energy. Think of it this way. A
20-minute lunch will provide you with hours of energy. It's worth it.
EAT AN ENERGIZING LUNCH
So now you know that it's important to make time for lunch. Now the questions
are, how do I make lunch a habit and what should I eat? While the answers can be
an entire book in itself and many have been written, here are a few tips to help
you make lunch an energizing part of your day.
1. Plan your meals the night before. Experts say that we make between 20 and
30 food choices a day. If we make these choices when we are so hungry we can't
even think we are more likely to go through the fast-food drive thru than eating
a healthy lunch. Planning your meals the night before sets you up for success.
When planning decide whether you will eat outside or inside the office or home.
Decide what restaurant you will visit and what you will order. If you decide to
eat in the office or home, it would be a great idea to prepare your lunch that
night. That way when you get hungry, lunch is ready.
2. There's nothing worse than eating a huge lunch and then feeling horrible
the rest of the day. The key is to eat a big enough lunch to satisfy you but not
so big that you need a nap afterwards. I used to eat so much food at lunch that
I felt useless the rest of the day. Now I eat lunches that don't put me to sleep
and if I find myself getting filled up I ask for a to-go box and eat the rest as
a mid-afternoon snack.
3. Remember to eat whole foods. No matter what diet you may be trying, the
best source of fuel for our body and brain are foods from nature. Instead of
white processed bread choose whole grain bread. Instead off fat-filled processed
foods, choose whole grains, beans, legumes, fruits, and vegetables.
4. Nutrition experts also recommend we include some protein as part of our
lunch. Proteins such as turkey, chicken, fish, and lean meat take longer to
digest which sustains our blood sugar level and keeps us from being hungry again
soon after lunch.
5. Consider the case of the peanut butter and jelly sandwich when making
choices for lunch. For the bread you can choose whole grain bread instead of
white bread. For the peanut butter you can choose all natural peanut butter from
brands such as Smuckers instead of the processed peanut butter laden with
hydrogenated oils and sugar. For the jelly you can choose all natural fruit
preserves such as Palmer All Fruit instead of fructose corn-sweetened,
sugar-laden jelly. The little differences in these choices will make a big
difference to your energy and health.
6. Other energizing lunch choices include:
-
* Salad with low fat dressing and grilled chicken or fish
* Southwest Burrito with chicken or tofu, lettuce, salsa, peppers and
onions
* Turkey on whole grain bread with lettuce and tomato
* Sushi
* Fish with steamed vegetables and a side of fruit
* Tuna sandwich with mustard and lettuce
For more healthy lunch choices visit my favorite health and wellness Doctor,
Dr. Andrew Weil at www.DrWeil.com.
He is the co-author of
Healthy Kitchen and the author of
Eating Well for Optimum Health.
This
article was excerpted from:
 Energy Addict: 101 Physical, Mental, and Spiritual Ways to Energize Your Life
by Jon
Gordon, M.A. (originally published in hardcover as: "Become an Energy Addict")
Reprinted with permission of the publisher, LongStreet Press, Inc. ©2003.
www.longstreetpress.com
Info/Order this book (new paperback edition)
More books by this author.
About the Author
JON
GORDON is known internationally as The Energy Addict. His mission is to help you
fuel your life, energize your career and get addicted to positive energy. Jon's
seminars, newsletters, articles, radio and television appearances are seen and
heard by tens of thousands of people each week. Jon has infused energy into
organizations such as The PGA Tour, The Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Life,
State Farm Insurance, The United Way, The Children's Home Society, Cingular
Wireless and The Ponte Vedra Inn and Club. Visit Jon at his website:
www.JonGordon.com
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