Alternative Health Blog

Lunch is part of what Ami Karnosh calls her self-care plan. She estimates packing her own lunch about 75 to 90 percent of the time.

“I almost always bring lunch with me,” said Karnosh, who operates the Seattle-based Karma Nutrition counseling service (www.karmanutrition.com). “It’s a commitment. But I think lunch is critical to give you energy for the rest of your day. We are trained that dinner be the biggest meal of the day, when it definitely should be lunch.”

Sheri K. Mar, a nutritionist with offices in the Belltown and Ballard neighborhoods, puts it this way for clients: “I talk about putting fuel in the car before you go. You are more likely to burn calories from lunch than dinner.”

Another reason to fortify your lunch: Mar said people who consider not eating mid-day as a healthy weight control measure are in fact setting up for “out of control eating” during the evening hours.

Deciding to eat lunch more regularly? Easy enough. Making sure it is both filling and healthy? Harder, but far from implausible.

“You can even eat a healthy lunch at a fast-food stand if you focus on the right choices,” said Karnosh.

Those choices should focus on getting enough fiber into your midday meal. That means plant foods—vegetables, fruits, grains, beans, nuts, seeds.

“People are getting better at making sure they have protein in their lunch,” said Karnosh. “But there is no fiber in animal foods. And there is basically no fiber in processed grains and other processed foods, either.”

Some fiber-rich suggestions from Karnosh: Three-bean or vegetaran chili, minestrone or lentil soup., black bean burritos with whole wheat tortilla (fish and chicken too), rice and beans with “tons of veggies.”

If you choose a lettuce salad, Karnosh recommends at least two cups of greens plus other vegetables, then adding almonds, cashews or tuna for the protein and healthy fats to balance out the fiber. You will feel satisfied without feeling too full.

Some of us get hungry long before the appointed lunch time. Mar said if you are hungry at 11 a.m. or even as early as 10, then dipping into your lunch bag (reusable, please) is more than OK.

“Pay attention to your hunger rather than look at the clock,” said Mar. “Some people are up early or don’t eat as much breakfast as they should.”

Mar recalled a client who was adding lots of healthy foods to her daytime eating, committing to each both breakfast and lunch rather than raid the pantry at night. Trouble was, she wasn’t losing any weight or dropping a clothing size.

“She was eating too many almonds and other nuts,” said Mar. One serving is a handful and that’s about right,” she added.

For her part, Karnosh shared her own sandwich choice in that “self-care” lunch that she prepares.

“I go back to the basics on what to put in your lunch bag,” said Karnosh.  “What you would pack for kids is what can work for you. A peanut butter-and-jelly sandwich is great. Just use a natural brand of peanut butter without any added sugar or oils [or trans fats].”

Bob Condor blogs for Alternative Health Journal every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.