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It's never too late for eating healthier!

It was Buddha who said, "To keep the body in good health is a duty, for otherwise we shall not be able to trim the lamp of wisdom, and keep our mind strong and clear. Water surrounds the lotus flower, but does not wet its petals." For many of us, that "lamp of wisdom" is an essential part of each work day, though it's not always easy to keep the lamp lit. But as Buddha explains in this proverb, one of the easiest ways to keep your flame burning is to keep yourself healthy. And what's on great way to stay healthy? Eat all the right things! Well, maybe not all the right things all the time. But here are some easy hacks on how to keep your lamp fueled throughout a busy work week.

1. Pack a Lunch

This one may seem simple but it's often a loathed task for many busy adults. Packing a lunch is something we associate with grade school or going on a field trip, but it's an easy way to manage what you eat and how much you eat of it. Packing a lunch doesn't have to mean PB&J sandwiches (though that's certainly an option); it can instead mean bento boxes with fresh greens or a salad jar with all your favorite salad extras. Packing a lunch is like a choose-your-own-adventure and the road on that adventure is nutritious.

2. Meal Prep

Maybe packing your lunch every night is what's getting you down. Not to fear! In an age of bulk stores an bulk book buying, there's also the option of bulk food prep. At the start of each week, pick out a meal that sounds particularly yummy and then make a whole bunch of it! This can be a pasta, some chicken and vegetables, or even a large salad with all the ingredients ready to be mixed in your break room. This will not only free up time for you on weeknights, but you'll be known as the leftover king or queen in your office. Not to mention, bulk cooking — like bulk book buying — is a great way to keep the coins in your purse for when you do want to splurge on a meal out or even that next relaxing vacation.

3. Schedule Days to Eat Out

While cooking or preparing a meal at home is rewarding in its own right, it's okay to take a break now and then from your prepacked and prepared diet. Schedule some days ahead of time when you treat yourself to a healthy and delicious meal at a restaurant to an eatery near your work. Try inviting a coworker you've been meaning to catch up with or one you haven't' gotten to know yet. Eating healthy doesn't just mean what's on your plate; it's about enjoying the company you share while nomming.

4. Eat Snacks

One of the simplest ways to control your diet is to bring along some snacks to munch on throughout the work day. Portioned meals are great, but they might not always be realistic for getting you through a day that could mean hustling to different meetings or pumping out your latest and greatest project. Snacks like hummus and carrots, a cup of yogurt, or a granola bar are good standards snacks for keeping you focused until your lunch break or clock out time.

Check out some of these great cookbooks to help guide or inspire you through your work week meal planning:

The Fast Days Cookbook by Laura Herring

Food writer Laura Herring shows you how you can avoid entering the hanger zone on your fast days by helping you plan what to eat and when. She shows you that fast days do not have to be a punishment. It's about being clever with ingredients and focusing on flavors that give you a maximum satisfaction for the fewest calories.

Everyday Detox by Megan Gilmore

This healthy guide to detoxing naturally, throughout the year — no dieting, juice fasting, or calorie counting required — improves digestion, quality of sleep, and will have you feeling. It features 100 properly combined recipes for every meal!

Eat to Live Quick and Easy Cookbook by Joel Fuhrman

Too busy to shop? Too tired to cook? Not sure what's healthy? This best-selling author offers 131 super delicious, easy-to-prepare, incredibly healthy recipes! Get the no guilt, no-fuss, just amazing food that's good for you.

Cook Lively! by Laura-Jane Koers

Need simple vegan, raw, or raw-inspired recipes that are satisfying healthy meals with just 10 ingredients or less? Laura-Jane Koers offers great vegan recipes that don't require trips to specialty stores and long hours in the kitchen. This book of amazing recipes using staple ingredients that can be found all year round, or might already be in your kitchen, is the go-to cookbook when you're hungry for something wholesome, delicious, and quick.

Super Natural Every Day by Heidi Swanson

Heidi Swanson's approach to cooking whole, natural foods has earned her a global readership. In this cookbook, Swanson helps us make nutritionally packed meals. She shares a sumptuous collection of nearly 100 of her own go-to recipes. This stylish cookbook is equal parts inspiration and instruction, showing us how to create a welcoming table filled with nourishing food for friends and family.

This post was written by Sydney Moorhead, the product specialist at BookPal. She is currently reading Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech.