Mid Morning Snack - A couple hours after breakfast you probably aren't hungry yet, but it's an excellent time to eat. If you eat before you start to get hungry, you're less likely to choose a binge food. Eating several small meals all day also helps keep your metabolism revved up.
Cut vegetables like carrots, celery, broccoli, endamame (fresh soybeans), red pepper slices or cauliflower are very low in calories but high in vitamins. If you like things creamy, one protein packed option is to mix them with fat free cottage cheese. Just don't cover them in sweet dipping sauces or drown them in cheese and dressing.
To keep it interesting, alternate between vegetables one day and fresh fruit the next. Apples, peaches, pears, nectarines, grapes and star fruit are all tasty choices. Make sure they're fresh though, not dried or canned.
If you can afford the calories, dry roasted nuts without salt are another option. To make sure you eat less, buy them in their shells. It takes longer to crack them open and you won't be eating a handful at a time. Nuts do have more fat, but it's generally the polyunsaturated fats that can help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol. Almonds, Brazil Nuts, Pecans and Walnuts are all good options.
Lunch - Prepare something in advance, or this meal can sabotage your day. If you're in an office with a refrigerator and microwave, Lean Cuisine or Healthy Choice frozen meals are two excellent choices. Some foods many seem healthy, such as the vegan or vegetarian options, but many are full of fat and sugars. Whatever you do, make sure to read the nutrition labels before you buy them.
If you can't heat it up, bring a sandwich. Make it with baked and sliced chicken breast, low sodium tuna, peanut butter and sugar free jelly or go vegan with sprouts, avocado, tomato and romaine. A medley of cooked vegetables stuffed in pocket bread is another healthy choice. For some spice add mustard, fat free mayo and pepper. Pack a fat-free, low sugar yogurt and mix in some fresh fruit for dessert.
