One of my Online Coaching clients Tim asked a great question this week. Tim is a director of a large business in London, who’s goal is to lose 13kgs before his big trip to the USA for his daughter wedding next year.
At the start of his Outer Strength Fitness journey, I asked Tim what potential barriers may prevent him from achieving his goal. His reply: “Lunch meetings with Colleagues and Clients.
Long lunch meetings are very common in the corporate world and usually extend long into the afternoon.
Lunch with your colleagues or clients are quite tempting, with lots of food and alcohol ready to be consumed. It can be a big roadblock to your health and fitness success if their lunches are a regular occurrence. It will become very difficult to make the healthy choices you want to make when your colleagues/clients are dieting like you.
Luckily, there are some great strategies that will make your lunch meetings healthier so you don’t feel left out in front of your colleagues and clients.
You order a burger or a steak and what will it most likely come with. Deep fried chips. Not the best option is it. The best option for you Is to opt for a side of salad or steamed veggies. I know that may sound boring to you, but if you are like Tim, this is a great healthy alternative that you won’t feel bad about.
Long lunches mean a lot of food will most likely be eaten. You are going to start with a few pre-meal nibbles to have with your freshly poured beer or wine. Common pre-meal nibbles include Garlic bread, salted nuts, chicken wings, meatballs. These are just too high in unwanted calories. The best choice that you can make is to completely stay clear of any small snacks, but if you must, reduce your portion size and has 1 small pre-meal nibble.
Great choices that you can have as a pre-meal nibble are: Soup or Salads
Let your colleagues/clients think you have taken the initiative to book the lunch venue yourself but deep down you know it’s because you feel that the venue can cater to your health and fitness needs. Being able to read the menu beforehand on a restaurants website is very handy when It comes to healthier lunch meetings before you even set foot in a restaurant.
Reading the menu before your lunch meeting is extremely helpful. Preparing a plan of attack before you leave the office will enable you to stay on track towards achieving your goal by making the right food choices.
Have you ever felt full and then didn’t want to eat another thing for a while? Well, this is what happens with a high protein and vegetable meal.
There are so many benefits of consuming a high protein meal. One of these is that protein keeps you fuller for longer as it is the hardest macronutrient for the body to digest. Vegetables are quite high in fiber, again helping you feel fuller for longer. Having a satisfying meal helps with the next tip that usually breaks most people.
Lastly, dessert is where most people struggle. You can taste the sweet chocolate brownie with a side of ice cream in your mouth by just reading the menu. But, this will set you back over 600 calories just for this small dessert. Is it really worth it?
Intermitted fasting is a relatively new concept that involves a prolonged period of time in a fasted state (Have not eaten in more than 12 hours). The most common method of intermitted fasting is the 16/8 method. This means you are in a fasted state for 16 hours followed by an 8 hour window of eating.
If you allow your lunch meeting to be the first meal during you 8 hour window, you are more likely to be able to stick within your caloric limit for the day, (Unless you go wild). By using this method you can still get to eat the foods that may be on the unhealthy side, but make sure it’s in moderation.
Lunch meetings are there to be enjoyed, but they can have an impact on your health and fitness goals as it can be quite hard to make healthy choices.
By using the 6 simple tips for a healthier lunch meeting tips will allow you to still enjoy food with friends while remaining dedicated to your diet. Additionally, these tips can be used immediately with little to no change in your life.
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