Avoid the Hungry Rush-hour Blues
How to make smart
food choices on the go
by Julie Ann Shapiro, Editor
It’s rush hour. Car horns
toot. Your stomach growls as you drive to your first appointment of the day.
You make a quick stop and grab a jelly donut with a cup of coffee. You
rationalize, “I need the energy. I’ll do better at lunch.”
We all know it’s not
healthy to load up on sugary, high-carb foods, but we do it anyway. Why?
Because they give us that needed lift. Unfortunately, later, we crash and burn.
In the midst of this up-and-down cycle, our moods become a roller coaster, not
a good thing for work or personal relationships.
Midday blues
As the day goes by, you
might experience a twinge of guilt over the breakfast donut. You have higher
hopes for lunch. But when pushed against the clock, you stop for a fish
sandwich at a fast food restaurant. It sounds healthy at first, but the fish is
fried. Plus, there are no veggies or fruit on the side.
Eat healthy on the go
With a nice, nutritious meal in your belly, you feel
better and have the energy to do what you do best. Smart food choices support your body; they don’t weigh you down.
Thankfully, many restaurants — even fast food
establishments — now cater to the health-conscious crowd with less fat, sugar,
salt and calories. Some offer organic produce. Others even provide nutritional
content information. Subway puts it on napkins. McDonald’s and Burger King
often advertise their nutritional content on posters and brochures. But let’s
face it, if you’re in these restaurants, chances are you’re in too big a hurry
to read the fine print.
So, how can you order in fast food restaurants without
skimping on your health?
Start the day with fruit and yogurt
Many fast food restaurants
do have fruit and yogurt on their menus. Unfortunately, most people ignore them
when they’re right next to the ready-made glazed donuts or the mile-high
breakfast sandwiches with eggs, sausage and bacon. If food and yogurt aren’t
available, look for the cereal on the menu, and opt for a low-fat granola or a
multi-grain cereal with fruits and nuts, like muesli, instead of the heavier,
sugary or greasy foods.
Choose carefully at lunch time
When lunch time rolls
around, your options widen. Look for grilled, broiled or roasted chicken and fish.
And, if you’re watching your calories, hold off on the mayonnaise and the
bread.
Some fast food restaurants
have a baked potato bar. If you’re on a low-carb diet, this might not be a good
idea. But in a pinch, a baked potato’s more nutritious than a bag of potato
chips. Instead of a dollop of cheese, butter or sour cream, add veggies to your
potato. Better yet, take a stroll over to the salad bar.
If a salad bar isn’t an
option, order a garden salad or a salad with a protein like chicken. Be sure to
ask for dressing on the side or a fat-free salad dressing. (A word of caution
about fat-free dressings: Many substitute the fat for high sugar and sodium
content.)
Want something heartier
than a salad or potato? Try a roast beef or turkey sandwich instead of a
burger. If there’s a sandwich shop in the neighborhood, consider a low-fat deli
sandwich. But hold off on the dressing, and select wheat bread, a pita or a
wrap (whole-wheat tortilla).
Limit your consumption of sugary drinks, liquid meal
replacements and sodas, too. And take it easy on the caffeine; it’s not a food substitute. When you get
thirsty, have a fat-free drink or, better yet, water.
Don’t skip meals
When you’re busy, food may
be the last thing on your mind. But, if you skip a meal, you’ll have less
energy and feel all the worse for it. In five minutes — the same amount of time
it takes you to go to the restroom — you can eat a snack, especially if you plan
ahead and pack something before you start your day.
Eat healthy snacks
Often, during a busy day
when exhaustion sets in, you need energy food. Instead of a candy bar, consider
nature’s candy: fruits and nuts. They help revive a tired body. (But be sure to
choose nuts that are low in sodium.)
And what about that old
standby packed in school lunches — celery and peanut butter? They’re still as
nutritious as ever. Or, you can improve on a good thing by using almond butter,
which has even less fat than peanut butter. Both are good sources of protein
and give you a fast way to feel nourished.
If you pack a snack that
requires refrigeration, put it in a small ice chest
in the car to keep it fresh. While you’re at it, throw a couple bottles of
water into the chest, too.
Here are some
other healthy snack ideas:
-
Energy and protein bars
-
Dried apricots, apples or other fruits
-
Low-fat granolas and trail mixes
-
Baby carrots and other prepared vegetables
-
Low-fat yogurt
With smart food choices, you can stay healthy and
satisfied even when you’re busy. And, instead of the rush-hour blues, you might
even find an extra smile or two at the end of the day that come from having
energy and feeling good.
*The sources consulted in
this article include: Mayo Clinic, iVillage and The Wellness Concierge.
Julie Ann Shapiro is a freelance writer in health, education, the arts and high tech.
She is editor of Higher Education Digest
and Benefits Broker Journal and will
be a contributing editor in the Healthy Gourmet book series published by
McGraw—Hill.
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