[briters89]

I just left my house in a hurry, because i woke up a little late. I left without eating any breakfast (It is not even 7 am here) and did not pack a lunch. Any suggestions of how to get through the day, and what to eat? I do have many breaks in the day going from work, to 4 classes, and back to work. I will be home at dinner time. I'm so frustrated with myself for sleeping in that extra 20 minutes!

[sprklemajik]

There's plenty of odds and ends things you can get while out: have a salad at a fast food resturaunt, get grilled chicken on it and no croutons or crunchy things on top. Check the calories of the dressing and order a light dressing. Or at a gas station buy some fruit, or go to the grocery store and buy some fruit or something on your plan. McDonalds has a fruit parfait or an english muffin (not the sausage one) that are low calorie just know that eating the processed food will probably cause a water weight gain not fat gain.

Good luck! You can do it if you're vigilant!

[AnnieDrews]

I don't know what type of plan you are on. I don't know what is close by for you to get something. But here are some suggestions.

McDonald's yogurt parfait has 160 cal. and 2 grams fat.

Around here, the 7-11 convenience stores usually have a basket of fresh bananas and apples to choose from.

Does your work or school have a cafeteria or snack bar? You could get some cheese and maybe 1/2 bagel or english muffin. Or a tossed salad....or a plate of veg.

Most fast food places have at least one reasonable choice on the menu. Arby's Ham and Swiss melt has 275 calories and 6 grams fat. I had one the other day and added their onions and banana peppers.

Good luck!

[Glory87]

Can you share a little more info about where you are and what food options are open to you?

Is there a Starbucks, I know they sell oatmeal for breakfast with some nuts and dried fruit to top it with.

For lunch, would recommend some place like Subway or Panera. Get a 6" sandwich with mustard, tons of veggies and a lean protein. At Panera, I love their low fat black bean soup! I get soup and half a turkey sandwich. They also have apples, so grab one for a snack later (they are kinda small, so maybe you'd want 2).

[Renwomin]

I'm not much of a morning person or a planner so I still end up eating out for lunch every day when I'm at work. I'm calorie counting with no restrictions, though I typically try to eat wholesome foods. Some people have already suggested the sort of things I regularly eat.

Sandwiches on whole wheat bread, no cheese, lean meat, lots of vegetables, low calorie spread.
WARNING: Watch the calorie content of the spread you use. Some of the spreads that seem like they should be "light" aren't.

Salads with no croutons or cheese (or very little), lean meat, low calorie dressings
WARNING: Some dressings that should be "light" aren't especially vinaigrettes.

Fruit - whole fruit, fruit and yogurt parfaits, fruit salads
WARNING: Some yogurts have a lot of sugar and make sure the fruit salads don't have added sugar or syrups.

Veggies - carrot sticks, baby carrots, celery
WARNING: The sauces or dressings served with can have a lot of calories.

Baked Chips - Bagged, so I can see the calorie content.

Lean Meat and Vegetable Plate Chicken, shrimp, lean pork with a steamed vegetable.
WARNING: Restaurants like to smother their food in fat and sugary sauces.

I feel safer getting food closer to "raw" so I don't have to worry about how something is prepared. I also tend to get anything high calorie on the side so I can control how much I eat - cheese, spreads, and dressings.

Also, don't be afraid to send something back if you don't get what you anticipated or they smothered it in something fatty!

[Kae]

Some grocery stores have a salad bar... you could put together a nice salad with fruit and such there. Or, when all else fails, I like Subway. Just skip the mayo and you're good to go...