Surviving the Office Lunch

In the world of business, lunch is not simply afternoon nourishment. Dining out with a client can be the key to closing the deal and nabbing the next big account. Breaking bread with your manager may help you win that primo assignment that puts your career on the fast track. And chowing with co-workers at a local restaurant could be the key to helping you survive offce politics. Sound like a recipe for a potbelly? It doesn’t have to be. “Patients tell me all the time that the offce lunch sabotages their weight management,” says D. Milton Stokes, R.D., a registered dietitian in Connecticut. “But with a little proactive planning, you can get through it.” His advice:

1. ALWAYS GRAB BREAKFAST

Skipping your morning meal or mid-morning snack may seem like a way to offset extra calories at lunch, but in reality, it just leaves you so hungry that you’re bound to overeat once you get a plate of food in front of you. Instead, opt for high-protein or high-fiber foods that will stick with you as long as possible—think things like eggs, peanut butter, oatmeal, and fresh berries.

2. STRATEGIZE YOUR MEAL

 Ordering the “wrong” food at lunch is usually the result of being rushed and distracted. It can be hard to concentrate on a menu when you’re trying to conduct business. The solution? Before going to lunch with a client or your boss, check out the restaurant’s o��erings online and make some decisions before you go. (If the menu isn’t available online, most places will be happy to fax one over.)

3. START OFF WITH SOMETHING BULKY

 Green salads or vegetable soups add bulk to your stomach, filling you up with a minimum of calories—and helping you eat less of your main entrée before you feel stuffed.

4. AVOID LIQUID CALORIES

 Your brain has a harder time knowing how many calories you’ve taken in when you drink something compared to when you eat. That means a zero-calorie cup of water is just the same to your gut as a cup of pure sugar water. So stick with diet soda, unsweetened tea, and water. Don’t forget to skip the sugar and reach for a low-cal sweetener when it’s time for that post-lunch cup of coffee.

THE BOTTOM LINE: Remember, the offce lunch may be all about business, but it’s really nobody’s business what you eat. If you don’t want a roll, just pass the bread basket along without comment. Besides, if you stick to talking business, you’ll wind up with plenty of bread in the end.