How to Nourish Mid-Day When You Have Back-to-Back Meetings

A lot of people are constantly on the go. Even when we work remotely, our busy schedules mean that we can still be inundated with back-to-back meetings and deadlines that create a ton of stress during the day and we’re often too tired to cook at the end of the day. And sometimes, eating is the last thing on our minds.

The first thing I work on with most patients is eating every 3-5 hours regardless of the goal. This sets up a very important foundation that is at the center of a nutrition plan. Of course, it can be really difficult to figure out that deceptively simple foundation for several reasons: how your brain works, mental and decision fatigue, anxiety, depression, time constraints, etc. Here’s what I suggest:

How you can meal plan when you know you’ll be busy

First, try meal prepping one meal on the weekend to eat through the week. Review your week on a good day for you (doesn’t need to be Sunday) and see the times you need to block for lunch or a snack. Schedule your meals and snacks in your calendar so no one blocks it or schedules something at that time and/or set an alarm. Typically, lunch and either mid-morning or afternoon snacks or both are the main issues I see.

Create a list of meals you have each day to take the decision-making out of it. For example:

Monday - Sandwich

Tuesday - Salad

Wednesday - Order out

Thursday - Bento box

Friday - Order out

Now, you can put together meals.

Create a list of 3-5 meals you can choose from and make in under 5 minutes. What do you like and know you can make easily “anchor meals”? Two that I use are either a sandwich or salad with protein and fruit.

Sandwiches are generally 2-3 slices of deli meat (without nitrates/nitrites if possible), 1-2 slices of cheese (if you want it), and a vegetable. You can have these as rolls ups or with either whole grain or whole wheat bread. You can also do a snacky lunch if sandwiches aren’t your thing. Think bento box or a Starbucks protein box, which consists of a protein, whole grain, fruit, or vegetable.

Buy and use premade frozen proteins (chicken tenders, fish fillets, meatballs, turkey burgers, veggie burgers, etc.) and add grain/starch and vegetables if you’re short on time. Subscription based meals or pre-made frozen meals are also great. I recommend Factor because you can view/filter calories, carbs, protein, and fiber or you can get prepared frozen meals from the store. Look for a good portion of protein, vegetables, and whole grains. If it’s not filling enough and you are worried about calories, add a non-starchy vegetable side like a salad, broccoli, etc. 

When ordering out, include a meal with protein and vegetables, and choose whole grains where available. You can order out (schedule delivery before) or go out for a walk to grab lunch or dinner.

Between meals, I recommend snacks like premade shakes, DIY smoothies, or protein bars. The point is to take the hunger edge off between meals so you can enjoy your lunch and dinner (and avoid overeating). This is a great option if you are pressed for time or honestly, just tired of planning and putting a meal together and what something quick and easy. Using this type of “convenience” food is a great way to set up meal regularity and help meet your nutrient needs over the day. 

For shakes, aim for about 200 calories, 20g of carbs, 10g of added sugar, 10-30g of protein, and extra fiber. You can also get premade shakes like the OWYN (20g protein) or Core Power (26g protein). I know people will come at me for pre-made shakes for many reasons, but one would be the artificial sweeteners. They don’t contribute to your caloric “allotment” when you consume them, but they may stimulate sweet taste receptors. This could increase appetite and lead to a preference for sweet-tasting foods and lead to overeating of those foods. Some research suggests that they may alter the gut microbiome and contribute to glucose intolerance. There aren’t enough long-term studies to provide a definitive answer. 

However, in my opinion, if you aren’t consuming a large amount every day and initially using them to help stabilize a regular mealtime foundation, then it is worth it at least temporarily. Especially if it’s helping with meal regularity. Once regular mealtimes are settled then you can move on to think about different snacks you could have - one thing at a time to not drive yourself crazy. Play the long game. If you are too worried about it or want to decrease artificial sweeteners, choose one like OWYN. 

Protein bars are also an option. Aim for bars that are about 200 calories, 2-3g of fiber, more than 5g of protein, less than 8-10 g added sugar. Sugar alcohols and inulin might bother your stomach. I recommend Happy Belly protein bars, KIND bars, Nature Valley Protein Bars, Orgain Protein Bar, Simply Protein, RX Bars, THINK bars, and Kodiak Cake protein/granola bars.

Finally, if you are worried that eating more regularly during the day will cause weight gain, the first thing you may want to consider is reviewing your sweetened beverage intake. Add in non-starchy vegetables, buy leaner proteins like poultry, fish, or vegetarian proteins, and review portion sizes. Lastly, review your eating behaviors, like if you’re usually eating when you’re stressed out, hangry, etc.

These are the things we would work on together. If you’re in my local area (New York or New Jersey), schedule an appointment with me.