How to start eating healthy food, especially lunches

If you are an extremely busy professional, chances are that you struggle with eating healthy meals, especially lunches.

And if you are a man, then it gets worse. We are the kind of people who don’t carry anything to work in our hands.

You would:

1. Rather be rained on than carry an umbrella to work.

2. Rather feel cold than carry a jacket or sweater to work.

3. Rather skip lunch than carry packed food to work.

Recently, a colleague told me that he would rather eat a half loaf of bread and soda from the supermarket, than carry packed food from home for lunch. The bread and soda (full of carbs and sugar) gives him energy, lies to his stomach that he is full, so that he keeps working and eats dinner when he gets home at night.

1. Because his wife is too busy and can’t pack a meal for him.
2. And as a man, he can’t go to the kitchen to cook and pack lunch.
3. His wife will complain to the in-laws that he cooks his own food in the kitchen!
4. And he doesn’t like doing the dishes.

I know what it’s like. As a busy assistant sales manager, I struggled with eating healthy meals, especially lunches.

Therefore, I often skipped lunch.

And when I felt so hungry, I rushed to buy street food, mainly ugali/beef or chapati and tea. Or bought soda, cakes and biscuits from supermarkets.

I sometimes rushed to a popular fast-food restaurant in town to buy pizza, chips, soda and or processed chicken for lunch.

Then I added weight, and my blood sugar levels went up.

My doctor prescribed a lifestyle medication (diet and exercise) to reverse my pre-diabetic condition.

As I began my journey to healthy living, my wife and I spent time to research and design a personalized low carb meal plan to help me eat healthy home cooked food, lose weight and manage my blood sugar levels.

I had to become carbs (nutrition) aware: The kind of person who checks, knows and tracks the macronutrients in food, and makes informed eating choices, especially regarding carbohydrates (carbs) intake.

My wife bought me a lunch box and a 2L water bottle.

Therefore, I started packing and carrying home cooked food to eat at work or on the go.

Lacking the place to warm the food, when out in the field, I would eat the cold food and sometimes it would go stale.

A man who carried a lunch bag to work.

One day, while in a client's parking lot, I saw a middle-aged man, probably in his 40’s carrying a professional looking lunch bag.

I knew I wanted to become that person. A person who carries a lunch bag with home cooked healthy food to work. I quickly searched on Google and discovered that an insulated lunch bag could keep food fresh, warm/cold for about 6 hours (enough time for me to eat my packed lunch while still fresh).

And the following day, in another client’s parking lot, I saw six men stroll out of the office at lunch time, without anything in their hands, but their phones. I assumed they were headed to buy lunch from a street vendor or fast-food restaurant. Because it was lunch break, and they did not seem to carry any packed lunch.

And there were four women who walked out of their offices, with a lunch bag in their hands. They headed to the parking lot and proceeded to eat their delicious home cooked food.

My insulated lunch bag experience

That day, I ordered my insulated lunch bag from an online baby shop.

Day 1: Packed and ate at my home meal.

On Valentine’s Day, 14 February 2025, I packed my home-made food in my insulated lunch bag.

Per serving (net carbs per food)

1. Sugar free milk tea 4.8 g

2. Greek yoghurt 5 g

3. Cabbage with grated carrot 5g

4. Goat meat 0g

5. 1 orange 8 g

6. 1 apple 13 g

7. Small portion brown rice 35 g

Total net carbs = 70.8 g

And I ate the food in my client’s parking lot as I waited to collect my due payment (I work in sales, so I sell and collect). The tea was warm, the food and fruits very fresh and delicious.

And I enjoyed my first healthy, delicious and fresh meal for lunch on the go.

Day 2: Packed and my home meal at the office.

On Saturday, 15 February 2025, I packed my lunch in my insulated lunch bag.

Per serving (net carbs per food)

1. 1 brown chapati made at home 24 g

2. Cabbage with grated carrot 5g

3. Sugar free milk tea 4.8 g

4. 1 apple 13 g

5. 1 orange 8 g

Total net carbs = 54.8 g

And I ate my home packed food for lunch at my office desk!

I am thrilled that I found a solution and that I can keep a fresh, healthy-looking lunch at the office and on the go!

Now,

1. I have more control over my food portion sizes.

2. I get to choose what foods to pack and eliminate for lunch.

3. I get to eat healthier food.

4. I get to eat what is delicious and satisfying to me.

5. I have a variety of low carb food options to choose from with all the macronutrients to eat a healthy, tasty, delicious and balanced meal at work and on the go.

Do you want to build healthy eating habits that last, but don’t know where to start?

Do you want to become the kind of person who packs and eats home prepared food, especially for lunch, but you aren’t sure where to start?

Can I help you?

Sign up to our weekly newsletter for tips and insights on how to eat healthy meals for lunch at work or on the go.

Get started today: https://quest-writing-newsletter.kit.com/d54bd22822