Why People Are Skinny Fat (and How to Fix It)
Are you skinny fat? Here are the three things you must do to fix it . . .
Read MoreEating a healthy lunch can be a challenge. We get so swamped at work that we grab some quick and unhealthy fast food or skip lunch altogether, sometimes without even realizing it.
I’ve forced myself to get in the habit of bringing my lunch to work with me. If I have lunch sitting in the office fridge, I’m less likely to overeat. And it’s a lot quicker to grab my pre-made lunch than figuring out where to order from. Plus, I seem to save more money when I bring my delicious leftovers from dinner.
All in all, it’s not hard to see why packing a healthy lunch is key to living a nutritious life.
The trick is getting in the habit of doing so, which takes a bit of recipe planning.
So in an attempt to garner more appeal for the most essential meal of the day (I think I’m sticking with this one), here are 7 healthy lunch ideas that will keep you powering through your day:
While researching ways to make healthier versions of foods I love, I came across these Clean Eating Power Meatballs over at He and She Eat Clean.
Instead of ground beef, this recipe calls for ground chicken or lean ground turkey. Choosing either of these options gives you lean protein to power through your day and keep you satisfied.
As Fit Day notes, both options will run you between 125-130 calories per 3 oz. serving, with turkey taking the edge for fewer calories. But both will net you 26 g of protein in that serving, which is a fantastic way to keep you going.
Plus, instead of using breadcrumbs, this recipe uses rolled oats. Since oats contain fiber to fill you up, you’ll be less hungry throughout the day.
And if you needed yet another reason to dig in, oats are also rich in folate, omega-3 fatty acids, and potassium.
This recipe makes 15 meatballs so you’ll have plenty for dinner and lunch the next day. Pair this with some tomato sauce and whole wheat pasta or even quinoa and you’re ready to go.
Here’s what you’ll need:
Here’s what you’ll do:
My love for eggs transcends just breakfast; I routinely make avocado egg salad on cloud bread for lunch and it’s an easy crowd pleaser for picnics.
I also like taking a page from the Italians who eat frittatas morning, afternoon, and night. This light and fluffy frittata marries perfectly with warm, hearty soup, or big cold salads.
I use Canadian bacon in this frittata.
Adding in the peas and broccoli for a little bit of protein and fiber rounds out this super healthful lunch option.
For the frittata you’ll need:
Instructions
It’s hard to resist ordering take out when you’re in the middle of a hectic work day, but I promise that you’ll be way more excited to look forward to this homemade noodle lunch instead.
Over at A House In The Hills, Sarah Yates Mora cooked up this soba bowl recipe that’s entirely vegan and gluten free.
A little known fact is that soba noodles are made of buckwheat, which is an essential grain. But they’re also naturally fat and cholesterol free. Just one cup of these noodles gives you 6 g of protein for only 113 calories.
This recipe makes about 2-3 servings, so you’ll have plenty to take to work for a few days. Trust me, you’ll need to keep yourself from devouring it all the first night you make it.
Not only is this noodle bowl good cold, but it also heats back up well in the microwave too.
Here’s what you need:
Here’s the directions:
These spinach quinoa patties combine two of my favorite healthy staples together. I like this recipe from Cassie at Back to Her Roots because it’s so versatile. You can make small patties and toss them in a salad for protein or snack on them during the day. You can also form them into larger patties and use them as vegetarian burgers.
Ingredients:
Directions:
Not only is this salad nutrient dense and healthy, but the colors in it are so beautiful you may be too busy Instagramming pictures of it to want to eat it. We can thank Megan at With Salt and Wit for this recipe.
Using superfood kale as a base provides us with essential vitamins, minerals, and even omega-3s. Kale is also packed with magnesium.
Your main source of protein in this salad comes from the chickpeas. One cup of chickpeas gives us 12 grams of protein.
Here are the ingredients for the salad:
Ingredients for the homemade Peanut Dijon Dressing:
Here’s how you make it:
These next two recipes feature avocado, a wonderfully healthy fruit I regularly praise.
This salad wins the award for delicious simplicity. In fact, you probably have all the ingredients for this one in your pantry right now.
Most vegetable salads rely on mayo as a binding ingredient, but not this one. By choosing to make your own vinaigrette, you’re adding healthy oil, lemon, and tangy Dijon mustard for flavor to the salad without adding a ton of calories.
Did you know that cucumbers fight off sugar cravings and even boost energy levels?
Both of those traits make me want to add cucumber to anything I eat in the afternoon, and they work perfectly in this salad.
The cannellini beans in this salad give you 14 g of protein per cup, plus their fiber will make this salad seem ultra filling. You can always add chicken if you’re trying to get more protein in your diet.
Here’s what you need for the salad:
And don’t forget about the dressing:
Here’s what you’ll do:
I love caprese salads; I can almost taste the juicy tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and fresh basil right now. YUM.
But caprese salads are not exactly power lunch material…unless you’re using this recipe from Joyful Healthy Eats, which adds lean chicken for a major protein boost.
Bonus? It only takes 15 minutes to make two servings. Major score!
Ingredients:
Balsamic Vinaigrette:
Instructions:
All of these recipes have lean protein, healthy carbs, and tons of vegetables. By combining these ingredients, you’ll have perfectly healthy, power packed lunches to keep you going and satisfied until dinner.
"Dieting" doesn't have to suck. You CAN eat foods you like and have the body you want!
Click Here to Learn HowWhat if I told you that just about everything magazines and trainers “teach” you about dieting is wrong?
What if you could build muscle and lose fat eating “naughty” foods every week?
What if you didn’t have to suffer through low-carb dieting to get lean? In fact, what if you could eat all the carbs you wanted?
And what if you didn’t have to gorge yourself just to gain muscle and didn’t have to put on pounds and pounds of ugly fat, either?
In short, what if I told you that proper dieting--whether you want to maximize fat loss or muscle growth--is much simpler and more enjoyable than you’ve been led to believe?
Imagine eating delicious, filling meals every day...never feeling starved or stuffed...having great energy levels and workouts...and watching your body respond exactly as you desire, dropping fat or adding muscle each and every week.
And imagine finally understanding how proper dieting really works, never again falling for the BS, tricks, and gimmicks pushed by “gurus” and other shysters.
Well, I have good news.
All these “fantasies” can be a reality...if you know how to do a handful of “little” things correctly.
You see, when you know how to diet properly--and this doesn’t mean learning to eat boiled chicken and raw broccoli six times per day--getting lean and muscular becomes simple, convenient, and dare I say...enjoyable.
And this book will show you the way.
Are you skinny fat? Here are the three things you must do to fix it . . .
Read MoreIf you want big, strong, round delts that pop, you want to do these shoulder exercises and workouts.
Read MoreLearn what muscle groups to train together and how to train each one optimally.
Read MoreOr in other words, the best cardio workout for people who don’t like cardio . . .
Read MoreNo matter what you decide to buy, you're always protected by our ironclad, 100% money-back guarantee that works like this:
If you don't absolutely love our stuff for whatever reason, you get a prompt and courteous refund. No forms to fill out or hoops to jump through.
That means you can say "yes" now and decide later. You really have nothing to lose.
Many companies use shipping and handling fees to increase their profit margins, but here at Legion, we hate profits so our shipping is 100% free!
Okay, we do dig on profits, but we also go in for happy customers, and free shipping works like gangbusters.
So, if you live in the United States, your order ships free regardless of order size, and if you live anywhere else, your order ships free when it’s over $199.
Why the restriction on international orders? Unfortunately, shipping abroad is very expensive, and if we didn’t require a minimum order size, we’d lose a lot of money.
That said, as most international customers spend about $200 with us each time they shop, this setup is a win-win.
And no matter what you decide to buy, you’re always protected by our ironclad, 100% money-back guarantee that works like this:
If you don’t absolutely love our stuff for whatever reason, you get a prompt and courteous refund. No forms to fill out or hoops to jump through.
That means you can say “yes” now and decide later. You really have nothing to lose.
Great ingredients aren't enough to make a great product—you also need correct doses.
That’s why we use the exact doses of every ingredient that have safely produced the desired benefits in peer-reviewed studies.
Where your supplements are made matters, because rules and regulations regarding quality and purity differ from country to country.
And if you want to ensure the supplements you’re swallowing every day are safe and effective, you want products produced in the USA.
That’s why all of our supplements are made in America in NSF-certified and FDA-inspected facilities that operate in accordance with the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) regulations.
We pay a premium to work with the best manufacturers in the country, but it’s the only way we can also produce the best all-natural sports supplements.
Did you know that studies have shown that many supplements contain dangerously high levels of toxins like lead, arsenic, and cadmium?
Not ours.
Every ingredient of every supplement we produce is tested for heavy metals, microbes, allergens, and other contaminants to ensure they meet the strict purity standards set by the FDA.
While artificial sweeteners may not be as dangerous as some people claim, studies suggest that regular consumption of these chemicals may indeed be harmful to our health and that more research is needed.
That’s why all of our supplements are naturally sweetened and flavored and contain no artificial food dyes, fillers, or other unnecessary junk.
Unlike some supplement companies, we don’t sell dubious white labeled or off-the-shelf formulations.
Instead, our custom and unique formulations are the result of extensive reviews of the scientific literature to discover the most effective ingredients for each.
Split your entire online purchase into 4 interest-free payments, over 6 weeks with no impact to your credit.
25%
today
25%
2 weeks
25%
4 weeks
25%
6 weeks
Shop and add items to your cart as normal!
Choose Sezzle at Checkout! You’ll be redirected to Sezzle to Sign Up or Log In to complete your order.
Your order will be shipped out right away* and your payments will be split up over 6 weeks.
*shipping times subject to merchant shipping policy
Shop directory. Reschedule payments. Plus more!
In consideration of being allowed to participate in the activities and programs offered by M4L, Inc. and to use its nutrition programs and supplement and training advice, in addition to the payment of any fee or charge, I do hereby waive, release and forever discharge and hold harmless M4L, Inc. and its consultants, officers, agents, and employees from any and all responsibility, liability, cost and expenses, including injuries or damages, resulting from my participation in any activities, or my use of any programs designed by M4L, Inc. I do also hereby release M4L, Inc. its consultants, officers, agents and employees from any responsibility or liability for any injury, damage or disorder (physical, metabolic, or otherwise) to myself, or in any way arising out of or connected with my participation in any activities with M4L, Inc.
I understand that M4L, Inc. and its consultants, officers, agents, and employees are not healthcare professionals. The services I have received from ML4, Inc do not provide or offer and are not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis, or treatment (“medical advice”). While ML4, Inc. believes that the information provided through our services and the site is current and reliable, ML4, Inc. cannot and does not make any such guarantee or warranty.
I hereby agree that before using our services, you will consult your physician or other health care provider for medical advice, particularly if you are at risk for problems arising from changes in your diet or lifestyle. The services provided by ML4, Inc. are not intended to be used by minors or individuals with health conditions that makes the kind of changes to diet or lifestyle suggested by our services unsafe or inappropriate. Furthermore, I hereby understand that ML4, Inc. shall have no obligation or responsibility to monitor my health status or health condition or to contact or alert any medical or emergency professional.
I understand and am aware that strength, flexibility, and aerobic exercise, including the use of equipment are a potentially hazardous activity. I also understand that fitness activities involve a risk of injury and even death, and that I am voluntarily participating in these activities and using equipment and machinery with knowledge of the dangers involved. I hereby agree to expressly assume and accept any and all risks of injury or death related to said fitness activities. In addition, I certify that I am 18 years of age or older.
I do hereby further declare myself to be physically sound and suffering from no condition, impairment, disease, infirmity or other illness that would affect nutrient metabolism or prevent my participation or use of equipment or machinery except as hereinafter stated. I do hereby acknowledge that M4L, Inc. has recommended to me that I obtain a physician’s approval for my participation in an exercise/fitness activity or in the use of exercise equipment and machinery. I also acknowledge that M4L, Inc. has recommended that I have a yearly or more frequent physical examination and consultation with my physician as to physical activity, exercise and use of exercise and training equipment so that I might have his/her recommendations concerning these fitness activities and equipment use. I acknowledge that I have either had a physical examination and been given my physician’s permission to participate, or that I have decided to participate in activity and use of equipment, machinery, and programs designed by M4L, Inc. without the approval of my physician and do hereby assume all responsibility for my participation and activities, and utilization of equipment and machinery in my activities.
I understand that all diet and training programs, nutrition and supplementation advice, and any and all other forms of information obtained from ML4, Inc. are not meant to treat or manage any health condition. I understand the need to consult with a healthcare provider prior to adjusting current lifestyle or eating habits or beginning any new diet and/or training plan.
In addition, I hereby represent and warrant that I am currently covered by an accident and health insurance policy. With my purchase of products or services from ML4, Inc., I understand that results of any sort are not guaranteed and agree not to hold M4L, Inc. staff liable for any outcomes or a lack thereof. With my purchase of any ML4, Inc. products or services, I understand that they are only guaranteed to work in software designed for a PC computer such as Microsoft Excel. I understand that I am purchasing having known that beforehand and understand that using any other application besides Microsoft Excel might result in the products not working with 100% functionality.
Please click the checkbox below. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Our scientific review board of nutritionists, dietitians, molecular biologists, doctors, and other accredited experts is responsible for reviewing every article, podcast, and video we produce to ensure they’re evidence based, accurate, trustworthy, and current.
Thanks to their connections, credentials, and academic experience, this team of MDs, PhDs, and other professionals has access to a wealth of research published in the largest and most prestigious journals in the world.
This allows them to not only review individual studies but also analyze the overall weight of the evidence on any and all topics related to diet, exercise, supplementation, and more.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, misleading, out-of-date, or anything less than factual, please let us know in the comments section of the article in question.
We follow a detailed, rigorous, multi-step process to create content that meets the highest standards of clarity, practicality, and scientific integrity.
First, our research associates provide our editorial team with accurate, up-to-date, proven scientific evidence.
Then, our editorial team uses this research to draft articles and outlines for podcasts and videos.
Finally, our scientific review board reviews the content to ensure all key information and claims are backed by high-quality scientific research and explained simply and precisely.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, misleading, out-of-date, or anything less than factual, please let us know in the comments section of the article in question.