6 lunchtime MISTAKES you could be making!

Breakfast may be the most important meal of the day but lunch is definitely the second most important. It’s what keeps you going between breakfast and dinner time.

Plus, if you’re working, it’s essential you fuel your body so you stay focused, alert and perform well.

Here are 6 lunchtime mistakes many people often make when they’re trying to lose weight…

6 of the worst lunchtime mistakes to make

1. You’re grabbing lunch out

While this is fine to do once in a while, it’s not a great on your waistline or your purse! When you eat out, you tend to opt for calorie-high meals, you may also have bigger portions than normal – especially if you have a pub lunch.

Try making your lunch the night before or packing your leftovers from dinner.

2. You’re eating too fast

Are you eating at your desk or wolfing down food in between meetings? The best thing you can do is try and step away from your desk, sit down, switch off and eat slowly and mindfully. This stops you from overeating.

3. You’re drinking too many soft drinks or coffees

Stepping out for a coffee or to grab a soft drink in order to get a quick break at lunch? The problem with these types of drinks are they are filled with calories and sugar.

Try staying hydrated by filling up on water at the office cooler. If you do want to step out of the workplace to buy a drink, go for coconut water.

4. You’re not snacking enough

Are you ravenous by lunchtime? If you’ve skipped breakfast or eaten before you’ve got to work, then you may be starving by the time lunch comes around. That’s if you’re having lunch on time and not a late lunch.

Pack your bag with some health snacks, such as fruit or nuts. If you are really in a hurry, you can drink our Healthy Mummy Smoothies to keep you going.

5. You’re eating the same meal everyday

If your job is hectic, you may keep a heap of cereal bars, tinned tuna cans or rice packets at your desk for a quick and easy meal. Or maybe you go to the same cafe every day and order the same ham and cheese panini or even order in Uber Eats.

It’s time you break up your monotonous lunchtime habits and try mixing up what you’re eating.

6. You’re not eating enough

Is the salad you made not cutting it? If you’ve had breakfast at 7am and you’re not leaving the office until 5pm and not having dinner until 6pm, then a small salad at 12pm isn’t going to keep you going.

If you aren’t eating enough for lunch then you may find yourself eating more at dinner because you feel so hungry.

If you’re making your own salad, you could try bulking it out with good carbs such as sweet potato, pumpkin and quinoa. It’s important that you don’t starve yourself and that you’re getting enough healthy snack options throughout the day.

Lunch meals to make and bring into work

Healthy Mummy Vanessa Barbara has shared with us her favourite 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge meals and snacks to pre-make and take into work with her.

“As a part time working mum, my life is pretty busy! And this busy lifestyle has led me to make some pretty poor food choices in the past,” says Vanessa.

“Before The Healthy Mummy, I used to resort to takeaway burgers and chips and chocolate to keep me full.

“I never felt full for long and I would also feel sluggish.”

When Vanessa came across The Healthy Mummy’s 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge, she found she could make a HEAP of healthy recipes and snacks to take into work with her – and it saved her lots of money too!

“The night before I go to work, I make sure I prepare my lunch and one or two snacks for the day,” she says.

1. Tuna Salad and Hummus Pita Bread

The easy pita pockets that are perfect for lunch when you’re short on time but want something healthy and nutritious. This recipe is only 395 calories per serving. Vanessa used a beetroot hummus for this recipe.

This recipe is available for Challenge members and can be found on the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge recipe hub.

2. Sweet Potato Pumpkin Soup

This is a healthy, warming soup that is easy to eat at your office desk on a cold winter afternoon. This recipe is only 269 calories per serving.

You can also find this recipe on the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge recipe hub.

3. Bacon and Zucchini Slice

Get the older kiddies involved in helping you the night before when you make this one – as it involves a lot of grating! This works out at 353 calories per serving.

Find this YUMMY recipe on the  28 Day Weight Loss Challenge recipe hub.

4. Ricotta and Pesto Rolls

A typical spinach and ricotta roll from a bakery or frozen section of the supermarket has anywhere from 400-500 calories per serve, compared to ours which is 230 calories.

Get this recipe here.

5. Lean Ham and Salad Sandwich

A quick and easy lunch when you’re short on time and on the go. You can even replace the ham with turkey or chicken breast.

This recipe can be found on the  28 Day Weight Loss Challenge recipe hub.

6. The Healthy Mummy Smoothie

It takes approximately half a minute to add a scoop of this smoothie powder to milk or water and stir- and voila, an instant and nutritious meal replacement!

Purchase your Smoothies here.

5 Healthy snacks Vanessa takes to work

1. Hummus and Veggie Stick Snack

When choosing a hummus from the supermarket, look for one that is preservative free. Carrots, broccoli or cauliflower florets are great for dipping. This snack is 154 calories.

This recipe is on our 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge recipe hub. If you want to try making your own hummus, find out how to here.

2. Banana, Raspberry and Choc Chip Muffins

For a healthy snack under 100 calories, these Banana, Raspberry And Chocolate Chip Muffins are perfect. Vanessa decided to mix this batch up and left out the choc chips.

Get this recipe here.

3. Cheesy Popcorn

A delicious, savoury snack that is great to make for the whole family’s lunchbox snacks! This snack is 150 calories per serving.

This recipe is available for Challenge members and can be found on the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge recipe hub.

4. Boiled Eggs

Hard boiled eggs are a great budget friendly snacking option. They are full of protein and convenient to prepare in advance. This snack works out to be 126 calories per serve. Check out these Egg Salad Cups recipe here.

5. Bliss Balls

Whether it’s Nutella Bliss Balls, Weetbix Bliss Balls or Coconut Blissballs – they all taste amazing and are PACKED with protein. They work out to be under 100 calories per ball.

For 10 delicious Bliss Balls recipes, click here.

“All of these options, not only taste amazing but can be prepared in advanced. And they are easy to transport and eat at work,” says Vanessa.

“Having sooo many options to chose from offers variety to keep me interested. I am so grateful to have found The Healthy Mummy and will be a healthy mummy for life!”

Vanessa’s impressive 25kg weight loss story

Since following the Healthy Mummy’s 28 Day Weight Loss Challenges Vanessa has lost an incredible 25 kilograms.

Despite her major weight loss, Vanessa feels as though she achieved much, much more.

Vanessa says: “25kg down and so much more gained. A new found happiness. A new found love of me that’s been missing for a long time. A new found love of exercise and new found love of healthy food.

“I’m a healthy mummy for life.”

Inspired to join Vanessa on the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge?

Our Challenge is designed by mums FOR MUMS – to help them reach their goal weight and tackle their health and fitness.

The Challenge is home to customisable meal plans, 24/7 social support and realistic exercises mums can do AT HOME.

Our Challenge entails:

• 28 days of at home exercise routines (no gym needed) – with video instruction
• Customisable and breastfeeding friendly meal plans
• Time-efficient exercises for busy mums – under 30 mins
• Challenge combines Pilates exercises with interval and circuit training (HIIT)
• Suitable for basic to advanced fitness levels.
• Home to thousands of EASY-TO-MAKE recipes.

To find out more on the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge click here.

*Images and references to kilograms lost are as supplied by the individual in the story. The Healthy Mummy assumes information and photographs supplied to be true in nature and is not responsible for any false misrepresentations or claims relating to their programs or products.