Your work lunch should fuel you for the rest of the day. But if you find yourself hitting an afternoon slump, your meal might be to blame. From hidden sugars to nutrient-poor choices, some common lunch habits could be sabotaging your focus and productivity. If you’re ready to stay energized and alert, here are 10 work lunch mistakes you need to ditch ASAP.
10. Too Much Refined Carbs
While you may think that carbohydrates give you enough energy to go through the workday, think again. Refined Carbohydrates strip off all the nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and minerals from grains which is why they’re considered as empty calories. As a result, your blood sugar may spike, followed by a crash, making you feel lethargic.
9. Consuming Hidden Sugars
It’s no secret that sugary snacks can leave you feeling sluggish, which is why you swapped them for a salad at lunch. But before you pat yourself on the back, take a closer look at what’s on your plate. That seemingly healthy dressing might be loaded with Hidden Sugars, setting you up for a crash. The same goes for many so-called “healthier” lunch options. Instead, opt for homemade dressings or olive oil.
8. Lack of Protein
A carb-heavy work lunch that offers no protein won’t sustain your energy. Why? Your stomach growling might be too distracting for you to stay focused on your task. As a solution, you can create a balanced meal of lean protein like grilled chicken and veggies. Doing this will save you time and keep the energy flowing throughout your work day.
7. Eating Too Much
Your meal might be too filling enough to make you want to slump over your desk. Consuming a heavy meal makes you feel sluggish as your body redirects energy to digestion. While some work days may be stressful, and eating becomes your way to cope, you must remove this habit. Instead, you can opt for smaller portions with balanced nutrients that are filling enough to make you ditch that combo meal.
6. Too Much Caffeine
Caffeine and work go well together. Everyone knows that the key to fighting that lingering tired feeling is consuming caffeine. Too much caffeine will lead to jitters and dehydration, which might make you lose your focus on what you are doing. You don’t have to give up fully on coffee, as the solution is to lessen it and balance your caffeine intake with a nutrient-rich lunch to sustain energy.
5. Fast Food
On-the-go or drive-thru meals are the perfect work lunch as they’re fast and easy to eat for work. However, it might be the culprit towards sluggishness because of the combined sodium and processed ingredients. Instead, you might want to pack your own easy-to-make lunches that are healthy and filling. The internet is basically free for you to look for meals for work!
4. Not Drinking Enough Water
That fatigue you are feeling might be more than just the stress that your job brings. It may be a sign of dehydration! Ask yourself if you drank enough water after eating that filling lunch. Or perhaps you consumed a sugary soda or juice, leading to the fatigue you’re feeling. Keep a tumbler or jug of water to remind yourself if you consumed enough water for the day.
3. Skipping Meals
No job is too much for you to skip a meal. While this may be a usual time-saver tactic, you might feel irritability or lack of focus from your growling stomach. The solution for that is to pack yourself a nutritious meal that you can multitask with if your work is too demanding to lose precious time.
2. Eating Too Fast
Fast is a word that’s been part of work culture, so it’s no surprise when we incorporate it with lunch. However, eating too fast causes a quick spike in our blood sugar. With this, your body releases a surge of insulin to lower it, leading to the feeling of sluggishness. If you can’t stop working for a quick bite, then learn to multitask by bringing a nutritious homecooked meal to your desk. Make sure to take a walk after you’re done to avoid sluggishness.
1. Consuming Too Much Sodium
Foods that we often see in office pantries, such as instant noodles, are high in sodium content. While they’re convenient and flavorful, they may make you feel bloated, which eventually leads to sluggishness. A homecooked meal seasoned with different herbs for flavoring beats the flavorful umami from foods full of sodium.