Susie Burrell: Pack your lunch and eat 50 per cent less calories

Dietitian Susie Burrell explains how packing the right lunch can lift your energy levels, cut your calories, and make you a better employee.

With many of us returning to the office, we are being reminded of the grind – long workdays coupled with commutes and a life that is just as, if not busier, than ever.

With up to half our total calories consumed while we are working, and an expectation to be productive for 10-12 hours each day, it will not come as a surprise that the foods we choose to fuel our brain and body play a key role in how we function cognitively and perform physically.

Yet with 20 per cent of office workers eating lunch at their desk, UberEats on speed dial and numerous trips to the coffee cart and vending machine, there is plenty of room for lifestyle improvement.

SUPERCHARGE YOUR NUTRIENT INTAKE

Forget a typical frantic day where you skip breakfast, grab a biscuit or two through the morning and find yourself ravenous at 2pm or 3pm, having barely eaten anything.

Optimising your nutrient intake, and as such energy and productivity, is about supercharging your consumption of both fluids and vegetables throughout the day. This means keeping a water bottle with you at all times, or a herbal tea if you prefer, to support hydration.

Factor in one salad or vegetable-based meal, juice or snack each work day to give your body a daily dose of antioxidants, dietary fibre and key vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, which are crucial for energy production and to support digestive comfort.

TAKE YOUR MEAL BREAKS

Meals eaten in front of a TV or computer fuel over-consumption, as we mindlessly consume calories and are more likely to overeat throughout the afternoon. Taking even 15 minutes for a lunch or snack break during the workday is a simple way to regroup, refuel, move a little and even catch some much-needed vitamin D.

Leading dietitian Susie Burrell with some healthy, back-to-the-office lunch options. Picture: Jonathan Ng

PACK YOUR LUNCH

Not only will taking your lunch save you a lot of cash, but nutritionally you will eat up to 50 per cent less calories when you skip the high calorie, high fat, fried food-court options. Planning and packing your lunch in advance means that you can tick the box nutritionally on key aspects of a well-balanced meal, which will help to fuel you throughout the afternoon, minus the sugar cravings that are common late in the afternoon.

Plus, having your lunch on hand makes it easier to set aside time to sit and enjoy it without the added pressure of finding the time to get out and grab something.

On average, you will experience a peak in energy an hour after a coffee.

GET YOUR CAFFEINE RIGHT

Whether you reach for a coffee, diet cola or energy drink, the trick to using caffeine the right way is to get the timing right.

While everyone responds differently to the stimulatory effects of caffeine, on average you will experience a peak one hour after consumption. This means if you find yourself reaching for a strong coffee on the way to work, you are unlikely to be at your best in the late morning. Or if you grab a soft drink mid-afternoon, you are still likely to experience fatigue before the end of the day.

Rather, use beverages with caffeine mid-morning, and then team your afternoon top-up with a protein-rich food such as nuts, cheese or yoghurt to keep you alert and energised until clock off.

FIGHT THE BOREDOM

Office workers frequently report feeling bored, and one of the characteristics of productive workplaces is that workers report feeling energised by the workplace environment. Food can play a significant role in keeping you both physically and psychologically energised throughout the day.

Initiatives that can help ensure lunch is a meal you look forward to include inviting lunchrooms, or lunch clubs where you share a break and a meal with co-workers; novel food days and having mealtime snacks and rituals that are pleasurable.

These help to break up the work day while creating daily enjoyment or even excitement simply by having meals and snacks you can look forward to as part of the work day.

Eating a healthy lunch at work can boost productivity.

SUGGESTIONS FOR A PACKED LUNCH

● Leftovers or a sandwich, salad or wrap

● Vegies to snack on

● A piece of fruit

● Protein-rich snack such as yoghurt, nuts or cheese

● Water to drink

TOP PROTEIN-RICH SNACKS

● Small latte

● Cheese and crackers

● Protein yoghurt

● Nut snack bar

● Edamame beans.

Originally published as Susie Burrell: Pack your lunch and eat 50 per cent less calories