You have surely heard before that “breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” but if you work full-time, lunch is definitely a close second, as lunch is the meal you will be eating at the halfway point of your day. You can end up going into the stretch run of the day feeling sluggish and tired if you do not eat the right foods at lunch; if, on the other hand, you are eating the right foods, you can experience an energy boost that will set you up nicely for the stretch run.

First off, you need to know the two specific things to avoid during the lunch hour: foods that have a lot of sugar in them, as these will give you a “crash” during the afternoon, and foods that are really heavy, as these will make you sleepy as your body works to digest them.

Fruit is a great option for lunch, as it is full of natural energy and other nutrients your body needs, and it is easy to digest without making you tired; in addition to fruit, you can try getting a smoothie for lunch, as you will be able to enjoy the ease of “a meal you can drink” while still getting all the benefits of fruit.

Another great source of natural energy is nuts; you can bring a baggie of mixed nuts with you, or you can pack some trail mix that will be tasty and easy to eat while giving you the energy you need!

For people looking to eat “something more substantial” during lung, you can still have that sandwich you are used to, but consider eating only half of it, instead of eating the whole thing; the main thing is that you should eat until you are “content,” but not until you are “full,” as eating until you are “full” will make you more tired!

You might still get stuck with that “2:30 feeling” partway through the afternoon, but when you make sure you are eating the right foods at lunch, that feeling will be a lot easier to deal with!