LET'S DO LUNCH!

Many people start the day off with a nice healthy breakfast, but they forget to snack mid-morning and are famished by lunchtime. Then, they go out for fast food, eat too much & feel sluggish the rest of the day. Don't let that happen to you!

If you're lucky enough to be home at lunchtime, you have the luxury of making your lunch: sandwiches, salads & soups are all great choices.

If you are at work during the day, the best option is to make your lunch the night before and bring it with you. This puts you in total control of your midday calorie counts (and saves you money).

Here are some good choices for a brown bag lunch:

• Left-overs from dinner the night before
• Sandwich (we like turkey on Ezekiel bread with lettuce, tomato & mustard)
• A piece of fruit & light string cheese
• A small bag of raw veggies with hummus or peanut butter
• Yogurt or cottage cheese with a few nuts & berries

If you pack enough, you can divide it up into a small mid-morning snack, satisfying lunch, and small mid-afternoon snack. When you get home in the evening, you'll feel great and ready for a healthy dinner. (Much better than arriving home tired, grumpy & hungry!)

Of course, you may want to eat out with co-workers or friends occasionally. That's fine once in a while, as long as you watch out for the hidden calories in the lunch entrees.

Here's a great strategy suggested by one of our BootCampers: bring your lunch & eat it early. Then go out with the gang to socialize. While they order a full lunch, you can order something light like a cup of soup or side salad.

What are your lunchtime strategies?