10 Smart Lunch Ideas for a Thinner, Healthier You

To feel energized and satisfied for three to four hours, try these tips from Keri Gans, MS, RD, CDN, author of The Small Change Diet: 10 Steps to a Thinner, Healthier You.

1. Have a piece of fruit for dessert. This helps fill you up and completes the meal.

2. Choose 2 slices of whole-wheat bread for your sandwich. Avoid rolls, heroes, or buns, which tend to have more calories and less fiber than sliced whole-grain breads.

3. Add protein (i.e., chicken, turkey, egg) to your tossed salad. Otherwise you will still feel hungry.

4. Don't turn a salad into a high-fat, high-calorie disaster. Avoid creamy dressings, as well as "extras" like bacon bits and oily croutons.

5. If you're still hungry, add a pickle to your meal.

6. Instead of chips or fries with your sandwich, choose vegetables or fruit.

7. Ask for dressings and sauces on the side.

8. Request light mayonnaise for your tuna salad, egg salad, or chicken salad.

9. Peruse restaurant buffets first without your plate, and then decide what you really want.

10. Build your sandwich with veggies, such as tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce, and onions, not high-fat cheeses, extra meats, or rich spreads.