Health and Wellness

Take a Break for Lunch to Refuel and Recharge

Deadlines and work pile up. Meetings are scheduled. Emails keep coming in. All in a day’s work. So where does lunch appear on your list of to-dos?

For many people, eating at their desk or workstation or not eating at all during the day is a regular habit. Taking that time to get more work done may seem like a good idea, but a lunch break can be important for both your physical and mental health.

Why Break for Lunch?
Taking a break during lunch can help reduce stress. It can even give you a chance to recharge and feel more productive and creative when you return to work.

When you stay and eat at your desk or workstation, you are not getting a real break from work. This can also lead to overeating, since you may not be paying attention to how much and what you’re eating.

Skipping lunch altogether is even worse for you. Taking a break from work to eat lunch re-energizes your body and can raise blood sugar levels to help with focus and concentration. Feeling tired? Eating even a small lunch can renew your energy.

Eating lunch can help keep your metabolism active, too. Going too long between meals or skipping meals can make your body go into starvation mode. Your body needs food for energy and strength.

When you don’t eat, your body relies on stored fat for energy and the nutrients. This might sound like a good thing if you’re trying to lose weight. But if you go too long without food or skip meals on a regular basis, your body begins to break down muscle for energy.

What Makes a Good Lunch Break?
When choosing what to eat for lunch, avoid sugary or greasy foods. A nutritious, well-balanced meal will help decrease stress and boost your energy. Aim for eating low-carb foods high in natural fat that help maintain blood sugar levels and minimize stress.

Consider taking time at lunch for walking, working out at a gym or even finding a quiet room to practice yoga or meditation. However you fill your time, it’s best to take a break of at least 35 to 45 minutes.

Take your lunch with you during busy times so you can have healthy food handy. Keep an extra supply of peanut butter, whole grain crackers, unsweetened applesauce or dried fruit for when you need to put together a lunch quickly.

Need some more information on joining the pack-a-lunch bunch? Look for this month’s Quick Bites: Out to Lunch article for a recipe and more sandwich tips.

Sources: Mainstreet.com, Livestrong