Avoid Weight Gain. Eat A Good Lunch

Eating a good lunch is vital, especially for people who skip, or eat a very small, breakfast. Lunch should replenish the body and provide enough energy to get you through the afternoon. Just that, and no more.

Choosing the wrong sorts of food for lunch can make us tired, irritable and hungry later in the day, leading to over-eating in order to compensate. That's why it's important to choose foods which release their energies slowly. Which means those low on the glycaemic index (GI).

These foods are not only nutritious and low in fat, they help keep you feeling full for longer and less likely to snack throughout the day. You are also less likely to be starving hungry by dinnertime and therefore much less likely to overeat.

So what kind of foods should you be looking out for? Without a doubt vegetables and fruit should be high on your list, as should multigrain bread or grainy (wholemeal) crackers. Add some low fat yogurt or cheese, and you will have the basis of a meal that will satisfy your hunger and keep you going until dinnertime.

Avoid things like pastry, sugary drinks and meals high in saturated fats such as fried foods and burgers. Remember, food is fuel for the body and what you don't burn off as energy will be stored as fat.

If you're active all day every day then you'll naturally need more fuel and your body will tell you when you need it. But if, like most people, you lead a fairly inactive life even at work, you need much less fuel and eating the right kinds of food becomes critical.

If you are an office worker, it's important to get out of the office during your lunch break and go for a walk. Have your lunch out and in the open air if at all possible. Staying inside tends to lead to overeating, possibly to counter a certain level of boredom. Walk around. The exercise will do you good as well.

Don't forget that there are ways to fill up quickly if you do want to have a light lunch but find it difficult to limit yourself. One of the simplest is to drink lots of water before eating. This has the added bonus of helping to keep you hydrated and your digestive system in good working order.

Another is to eat a piece of fruit or some salad and if you should feel a little peckish later you can eat as much of these as you wish without having to worry about putting on weight or eating too much sugar.

The golden rule is to look for foods with low GI and then eat only as much as you need. This means, stop eating when you feel satisfied and don't feel guilty that you can't finish what's on your plate. If you don't need it, leave it.