Healthy Body/Healthy Wallet

My co-worker once told me: The best thing you can do for your body and your wallet is to pack your lunch.

That’s an important lesson! You may think, “I have a job now! I can go out to lunch just like I see high-powered office workers doing on TV!” While you certainly can do that, it’s probably better not to.

First, some quick points that most of you should be familiar with:

• Meals you make yourself are usually, if not always, healthier than what a restaurant makes. You control how much salt, butter, and processed junk goes into the meal you make yourself.
• If you have an office job, you’re sitting all day, for at least 8 hours. That sedentary lifestyle burns very few calories. Most office workers gain weight during the first year on the job (and continue doing so.) It’s like the freshmen 15 all over again! (Did you ever lose that freshman 15?)
• As cheap as that lunch may seem, you can always make it cheaper yourself.

Now, some basic math:

1. Let’s say you buy a cup of coffee every morning plus a bagel/croissant for breakfast. Assuming a basic cup of coffee (none of that latte frappuccino crap) you’re spending $3 for breakfast. The average worker has 5 workdays per week, and 50 workweeks per year. $3*5*50=$750 on breakfast in the year.

2. I work in a big city, in the financial district. While I can get a Subway sandwich for around $3, most lunches here are $7-8, some even as high as $12, for just a salad or sandwich! Let’s assume between big and little cities, you can find lunch for $6. $6*5*50=$1500 for lunch.

3. Most of my co-workers leave the office at 3pm for their afternoon pick me up: another cup of coffee. I am assuming a slightly fancier cup this time: $2*5*50=$500.

Summary: If you buy your breakfast/lunch out while at work, you’re spending $2750 a year or $229 per month. That doesn’t include your dinner, snacks, your weekend meals, and going to restaurants with friends for special occasions. (For comparison, the average person can live on $200 of groceries per month.)

How many calories are you consuming? A ton. A morning bagel/croissant has 200-300 calories, all processed carbs. This is not good for you or your waistline. A restaurant sandwich is probably bigger than what you’d make yourself, has more mayo, and most likely is more processed. Estimate 500-1000 calories. And it may surprise you to learn that Subway is, in fact, junk food junk food. Even a restaurant salad is not necessarily healthy because the dressing, croutons, and cheese are piled on. The average person should consume 2000 calories per day. This assumes a normal level of exercise. If the only physical activity you get on a regular basis is clicking the mouse for 10 hours, your caloric needs are less than that.

What should you do? Follow my lead. I am lucky enough to work in an office with a refrigerator. I bring my lunch-making supplies for a few days at a time, and quickly make my lunch in the office kitchen each day. We also have hot water, coffee, and tea (which I assume most offices provide.) If your office does not have a refrigerator or kitchen, you can bring food for one day at a time. It will not spoil in the few hours till lunch time. Trust me! (And if you’re that worried, invest $20 in a small soft cooler and a couple of ice packs.)

1. For breakfast, I have a cup of healthy Greek yogurt. Sometimes I mix in honey or granola. I follow up with a piece of fruit. I drink the office coffee, which I admit is higher quality than most offices provide. You can always buy some quality coffee at home and let it brew while you’re getting dressed for work and invest in a reusable travel cup/thermos. Daily cost is $2, or $500. (Greek yogurt is the Cadillac of yogurts; you can save even more by getting the plain traditional yogurt variety, but PLAIN, none of that pre-mixed crap with artificial flavors and way too much sugar!)

2. For lunch, I make a salad: mixed greens ($0.75/serving), carrots ($0.25), avocado ($1), edamame ($0.50), and hard-boiled egg ($0.25.) Lunch cost is $2.75, or $687.50 per year. A sandwich would be similar. Bread and tuna are cheap!

3. For the afternoon snack, I usually skip coffee. I bring fruit. $0.25-$1, $156 annual average.

Summary: I spent $1,343 per year, or $112 per month, on my office meals. That’s HALF of what it costs to get your meals out.

And the calories? I used to buy lunch at work 3 days a week. In the first year when I transitioned to brown-bagging most of my meals, I lost 10 pounds. I was 125 to start out with (in the normal range for my height/body type) so the weight loss was a lot! I did not significantly alter my workout habits.

What should you do with that extra $100+ in your wallet every month? Put it towards your financial future goals. Your employer-sponsored 401k is a good place to start. (Look out for a future post on that!)

And just to be clear: I always advocate treating yourself. The occasional afternoon caramel frappuccino, lunch with a dear friend, or satisfying a craving for a cupcake are all ok. The key here is moderation. These should be special, one-off ways that you reward yourself. Remember: if you have it every day, it no longer feels special and you do not appreciate it as much. So, when you do have that fancy salad from next door to the office, you’ll really enjoy it instead of wolfing it down like you do now. Bon apetit!