As the New Year dawns, we all want to kick things off in a healthy way. We start new exercise routines, join the gym or running club. We decide to try and look after our bodies after a fun-filled festive season. One of the easiest ways to ensure an optimal state of health is to look at what you eat.

Ever heard the phrase, “You are what you eat”? What you eat determines your overall state of health and wellbeing and it also has a huge role to play in how your energy levels fluctuate, how you feel about yourself and how you cope with certain situations. Eating well needs to be a decision made for life and it starts with a few small changes that soon become big transformations in your overall health and wellbeing.

A good place to begin is with workplace lunches. We spend a good portion of our lives at work and often neglect to think about what we put into our bodies during that time. Buying food every day also gets expensive, so in a bid to be healthier, spend less and enjoy increased energy levels, here are some goal-setting ideas to help you prepare healthier work lunches in the New Year.

Setting Nutrition Goals

First, you need to decide what your goals are. Ask yourself the following questions in order to determine the direction of your goals:

• What is your nutrition goal?
• When is your goal start date?
• What calendar milestones, steps, and reminders can you create to make the process easier?
• When do you want to achieve results by?
• What will contribute to you reaching your goal?
• What are the steps you need to take in order to reach your goal?
• What could get in the way of you reaching your goal? List your obstacles.

Fill the answers out on a piece of paper and stick it somewhere you can see it. These serve as your reminder of the process of goal setting and everything that could possibly get in your way. They also serve as a reminder of everything that can contribute to you achieving your goals.

Here are some examples of what could contribute to you achieving your goals.

Choose Simple Lunches

If your lunch ideas are too complex, you might not be able to create them in a timely manner. This could lead to you choosing to leave your lunch, buy something in its place or opt for something unhealthy instead. The simpler, the better.

Meal Prep Your Lunches

Prepare aspects of your meals in advance. You can boil rice or grains and keep them in the fridge. You can chop vegetables or fruits in advance. You can pre-pack dried fruit, nuts and seeds into portion packs.

Always Eat Breakfast

Whether you eat it at home or at work, make sure you have a healthy, well-rounded breakfast. Include all the macronutrients (a type of food required in large amounts in a diet): protein, complex carbohydrates, and fats, as well as a serving of fruits or vegetables.

Stock Up On Easy To Grab Foods

Apples, bananas, pears, grapes, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, cereal bars are all examples of foods that are healthy and easy to grab on the go. When you’re pressed for time, make sure these are on hand to grab as you run out the door.

Devise A Weekly Meal Plan

Put together an idea of meals that can be added to the weekly meal plan. Choose meals that are home-made with fresh ingredients. Opt for meals that are colourful and full of different nutrients. If you have a plan of action, it is easier to stick to.

Shop For Ingredients In Advance

If you have all your healthy ingredients on hand from the beginning, it will be easier for you to stick to your goals. Only buy what you need to create healthy, nutritious meals so that you are not tempted to cheat or eat unhealthy, fast food or quick-fix options.

Buy Different Sized Food Containers

If you have multiple containers to put your food and meals into, you have no excuse but to transport them to work. Buy different sized containers so that you have something for each item, from nuts to salads, to rice dishes to sandwiches.

Implementing your goals needs to be a practical process that is both calculated and measured. Keep track of each step and each milestone. Staying in control of the food creation portion will help you manage the process much easier.

Photo by Caroline Attwood on Unsplash