Eating Out

[Supertheory]

One of the things I have the most trouble with in my quest to shed some pounds is the fact that the only places for lunch near my work are fast food type places.

I'm sort of lucky (I guess) that the closest for me is a Wendy's, where I can get a grilled chicken salad, or a grilled chicken snack wrap with a small side salad and Fresca. Still, the same thing over and over for lunch is getting kind of tiring. And I'm sure the caloric content of that chicken and the dressing they use is disgustingly high (even the low fat ranch is 9g of fat).

However, I have a huge problem bringing my lunch to work. I hate carrying it, I hate making it in the morning, and I hate shopping for the groceries I need to do so. Salads go mushy, sandwiches aren't that healthy (Hello processed meats and bread! Get in my belly!). I also really hate bringing back my empty dishes.  

[Iconised Ghost]

i would be wary of the Wendy's salads, they are probably better than the burgers but how little difference could be surprising. Definately check the nutritional information

I know what you mean about taking lunches and them going less than appertising. Maybe when you make dinner the night before, you could make a little extra that you can take with you in a container to heat up. That means that you dont need extra grocery shopping trips, you just add a little when you would normally go. Bread isnt bad for you in moderation, and bread with lots of grains is yummy! You could also look at Lemon's weight loss journal, she does Bento lunches and there are lots of cool ideas in there  

[Lady Schist]

Really it's not all that hard, it depends on what you take.

Mushy sandwiches? Buy sprouted whole grain bread, that stuff will take mayo with a vengeance and still hold it's togetherness. Processed meat? Do without it. You don't NEED meat on a sandwich. Try some leafy greens like Kale or spinach, or mushrooms. Cheese is really the only thing you need on a sandwich. Or grilled eggplant. Mmm.

Salads don't usually go mushy if you keep the dressing separate, or better yet, try Divash's Isreali salad or greek salad, those travel GREAT! Dressings? Raspberry vinaigrette is wonderful, and sometimes you can get it with lime. And there's honey dijon too. Don't skimp on dressings. Pay the money, get the good stuff. Seriously. Gourmet salad dressings are wonderful in every way.

The best thing for lunches is to just take what you had for dinner the night before if you can. Rice and sautee'd vegetables? Travels great. Pasta and sauce? Also a great traveler.

Buying your lunch at work is something I have no patience for and no pity for either. It's stupid, it uses up your break with rushing and hurrying to cram nasty food you paid way too much for into yourself. It stresses ME out, I'm not sure about others. It's EXPENSIVE!

At the very least it's probably around 7$, but let's be conservative and say 5. I'm not sure how often you work, so I'm going to say you work 4 days a week or so. That's 20$ per week. That's 80$ per month or so. If you spend any more than 5$ per day on your lunch you're spending a good portion on your income on something that.

A) Doesn't have proper nutrients.
B) Takes up time on your lunch break.
C) Is hurting your quest to become thinner and healthier!

You're spending almost 100$ a month to gain weight.  

[Iconised Ghost]

or you can make your own dressings, then you know exactly what is going into them. Im partial to lemon juice and olice oil...its so tangy 4laugh