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Tips for Working Women on what to eat when you don't have time to cook
We all live incredibly busy lives in fact, much busier than we all want to be. There is even a "busy woman syndrome".
As a dietitian, people expect me to eat perfectly. The truth of the matter is no one eats perfectly all the time, including me. I eat fast food and leftovers. I rarely cook meals at home and I often eat on the run. I get tired of eating out but it's often a necessity. I try to pack my lunch and take snacks. The difference is "what I do eat when I eat out." Eating to maintain your weight is a balancing act. Eating in moderation is hard to do with the abundance of choices and large portion sizes around us. |
There are so many choices we face when we eat out. Often my clients tell me "there are so many choices please just tell me what to eat!" Here is the advice I give them.
BREAKFAST:
* Equate brand weight loss shake and Nature Valley Cereal bar and water. The Equate weight loss shakes taste better than Slim Fast and it's a good protein source and it's less expensive. I like the milk chocolate flavor the best.
* Peanut butter sandwich on wheat bread with a glass of skim milk. The type of peanut butter isn't important. Just shoot for about two tablespoons otherwise you will get hungry before lunch.
* Wheat English muffin toasted with one slice cheese and Canadian bacon with a glass of skim milk. This is a delicious meal and it is fast. Put the muffin in the toaster, when it pops up add cheese and ham, wrap it in a napkin and you are out the door. The trick is to put your milk in a container with a lid, or you will spill it in your car and it will really stink up the car in hot weather. Believe me.
* One cup all bran flakes with yogurt clusters and skim milk with a hard boiled egg. Bran cereal is generally gross, but this cereal tastes great and it provides 15g fiber. I add the boiled egg for some protein to prevent me from getting hungry. This is my favorite breakfast. When I'm at the hospital, I only eat one box, which is 3/4 cup, but at home I do not have enough willpower to pour only a cup. You can pick up cold cereal and an egg at any hospital, which means it is easy for me since I work in hospitals. If you work downtown, Kindred Hospital, provides a good breakfast and lunch that's inexpensive.
* McDonald's Egg McMuffin instead of Hardee's biscuit. Skip the hash browns and juice to save on calories.
* Yogurt with sugar substitute and _ cup trail mix with nuts. Only one handful of trail mix allowed, otherwise your calories will be comparable to fried eggs and bacon.
Lunch:
* Subway, of course is an excellent choice. Skip the high fat meats: meatballs, salami and pepperoni. Add spinach instead of iceberg lettuce to increase your calcium intake, which helps to promote weight loss. Any of the lean meats are okay. Split a bag of chips with a friend to save 50% of the calories. I order a diet drink. I fill it _ full and with diet and top it off with regular. That gives it a much better taste without all those calories.
* A Jr. Hamburger without mayo and cheese. Ask for extra lettuce and tomato. Wendy's offers several alternatives to fries that are good choice: salad, mandarin oranges, and chili. Be careful about the toppings on their new salads because they add the calories, and fat free dressing is a better choice. The regular dressing packages equal the fat content of the burger. You dramatically decrease your calories by ditching the toppings and regular dressings.
* All veggies at a restaurant: Pintos, sliced tomatoes, cornbread, chow chow and unsweet tea. I recommend Splenda.
* Piccadilly: all veggies with unsweet tea. They have plenty of choices for veggies and lean meats.
* Taco Bell: Bean burrito without the onions to sweeten your breath and chicken soft taco (without the sauce). The new ranchero sauce is extra calories and it tastes bad. If I have a snack before lunch, generally one of the two will fill me up.
Dinner:
* I split one service of chicken fajitas with my husband. Hold the sour cream, guacamole and limit the chips. On a good day I can avoid these items all together if I ask the waitress not to bring them.
* Captain D's has some low calorie broiled dinners that taste good and are good choices.
* Thin crust veggie or pineapple and ham pizza with fruit cocktail or a salad. If I do not add the fruit or salad I can eat half of the pizza easy.
* Protein bar and yogurt with sugar substitute.
* Carnation instant breakfast shake.
* 1 1/2 cup high fiber cereal greater than 3g fiber and skim milk.
* Any Lean Cuisine, Smart Ones, or Healthy Choice low calorie frozen meal.
* Tyson's stir fry chicken. All the ingredients are frozen in the bag.
Other tips for label reading:
Choice snacks with less than 30g Carbs, less than 125 calories and less than 3g fat.
Choose entrees with less than 10g fat per serving.
Choose breads and cereals with more than 3g fiber per serving.
Choose foods with less than 600mg sodium per serving.
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