3 tips for quick lunches by Kateřina Vomáčková

Since summer is approaching and the weather already suggests it some days, I decided to record tips for three quick lunches that are suitable for this season. In spring or summer it can sometimes be hard to get the calories we need, especially from less processed foods, because we may not always have the same appetite as we do in winter. But if we choose our meals wisely, it doesn't have to be a big deal.

For example, instead of the classic hot chicken and rice, we can choose a cold option, and it may be easier for us to consume the meal. Personally, I've taken a particular liking to salads on these warm days. When I prepare my meat and side dish, I add iceberg lettuce, tomato, cucumber, drizzle it with some omega 3 rich oil, or add avocado and ketchup (or Greek yogurt), and then I look forward to the meal that much more.

Kateřina Vomáčková at EVLS Prague Amateur 2023

Food should be fun. I think it's fine for athletes to see it primarily as fuel, but most of us also want to enjoy our food. If we have clearly defined fitness goals, whether it's form or performance, our diet should have some sort of order, because without that we would move slower towards our goals. But if we don't enjoy food and don't look forward to it, something needs to change, otherwise it won't be sustainable for us. People often go through unnecessary extremes because they may think that to lose weight they have to eat the same thing over and over again and that certain foods make you fat, but in practice it's not like that.

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Has anyone ever told you that you can eat anything even if you want to lose weight? If not, believe that it is true. Yes, it is definitely better if we don't eat primarily fast food every day. But our bodies respond primarily to calorie intake per day, so you can indulge in foods that most consider unhealthy as long as they fit into your daily intake. At the same time, you need to remember that forbidden fruit tastes best. So if we ban foods that we like, we may overindulge in them at some point in the future and feel guilty about it. However, if we incorporate a piece of our favourite chocolate into our diet every day, we may not overindulge.

And it doesn't have to be any different in the summer. So let's not divide foods into healthy and forbidden, but rather try to find a balance in our food, because we want to be healthy, and not just physically.