What To Do If You're Hungry For Lunch By 11am Every Day

“If I pack my lunch for work, I eat it by 11am Why do I do that—and what’s the solution?” We put the question to registered dietician. 

Assuming you’re eating a breakfast that includes a little protein and a high-fibre carbohydrate, such as oatmeal with a tablespoon of nuts, it sounds like knowing your lunch is an arm’s length away is triggering you to think you’re hungry—when what you’re experiencing may not be true hunger at all. Many of us spend too much of our day thinking about food (Instagram doesn’t help!), and because of that, our bodies (and minds) get tricked into thinking we need food.

Learn to evaluate what I call your “hunger quotient”: Stop and ask yourself if you’re really ready for a meal or snack or if you’re neither ravenous nor full, for instance. Once you learn to be more tuned in to your body, you’ll know when your real appetite strikes—and if that’s at 11am, so be it!

Sometimes, you’re just really going to want a mindless snack, and that’s okay. Try keeping cucumber salad stashed in the office fridge. Or if you find that your body simply prefers mini meals throughout the workday, try spacing out a green salad with four ounces of roasted chicken, Greek yogurt with a tablespoon of chopped nuts, and an apple with a tablespoon of peanut butter. That should power you through until you can get home for a healthy dinner.

This article originally appeared on Women’s Health

Source: Read Full Article