Are you already stressing today about what you'll do for lunch tomorrow? Here's an idea: Pass on the temptation to eat out -- it's much healthier and much more affordable to brown-bag it -- and consider throwing some of these items together. Don't wait until the craziness of morning arrives, though -- do it today so all you'll need to do as you head out the door for work is grab your lunch and go.

• Think fruits and vegetables, and drop a few servings in your lunch box. Portable fruits, like apples, oranges, and bananas, are great for snacks throughout the day.
  
• Top sandwiches with cucumbers, tomatoes, and spinach.
• Work in some whole grains but vary your choices from day to day so you don't get bored. Try popcorn, whole grain crackers and bagels, rolls, pitas, and tortillas.
  
• Consider making extra portions of healthy dinners so you can pack up leftovers for work the next day.
  
  

The message here: Plan ahead to beat the lunch rush -- and eat well too.

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Summer's almost here. But that doesn't mean school's out for everyone -- think daycare programs, summer camps, educational field trips -- which means there's still reason to pack kid lunches long into June, July, and August. For all you lunch packers out there, may I suggest this: Go organic.

If you've not already gone organic for your kid lunches, let this post inspire you. And if you don't have a kid in a summer program this year, use this inspiration to plan ahead for Fall. Practice at home and you'll be set for a healthy school year ahead.

Why organic for your kiddos?

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Fitzness Fiends is a section devoted to you, the reader! We all have learned so much on our path to becoming more fit, and now it's time to learn from and inspire each other! Fitzness Fiends are constantly working to better themselves. Some are perfect, some are not. All have health on the mind. Please send Fitz your answers to these questions with a photo of yourself. Time for you to be the motivator!

Name: Robyn Ackerman

Age: 45

Occupation: Insurance Adjuster

How often do you exercise? I'm now aiming for five times a week. Just getting back after several set backs health-wise.

What type of exercise do you do? Kickboxing, running and some weights.

What gets you to workout, even when you're feeling lazy? The thought of you Fitz. Knowing that I've let you down by not doing what I should be. I'm also encouraged by my husband who is trying hard to support me.

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When I was 17, I sneaked into a tattoo shop and had some really badly done ink put onto the back of my left shoulder. Fortunately, I don't see it every day because of its location, but still I know it's there, serving as a constant reminder of how much of an idiot I actually was in my teens. Barring repeat laser surgeries (which may not even remove the tattoo in its entirety), I'm pretty much stuck with this manifestation of youthful impetuousness.

Fast forward to present day. Had I been someone getting a tattoo now, I may have at least given myself a fighting chance to have it later removed if I was so inclined. This is because there is currently an FDA-approved ink being developed (by scientists at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard, Brown, and Duke universities) which can be completely erased with a single laser treatment.

Known as Freedom-2 (www.freedom2ink.com), this brand of ink is a combination of dyes and polymer, which means that it can't be absorbed by the body, thereby making its removal by laser much easier than traditional tattoos.

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I know, I'm springing this quiz on you with no prior warning. You had no time to prepare or study and for that, I apologize. But that's the whole point of this little test, to determine just how off-the-cuff savvy you are about a few health matters. Are you ready? Here goes.

True of False: The term "fat free" means a food contains no fat.

True or False: Feed a cold, starve a fever.

True of False: White sugar and brown sugar have the same nutritional value.

For the correct answers, click below.

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FitSpirit explores the mind-body connection and the intangible benefits we gain from our efforts to stay physically fit.

You know that sinking feeling you get in your gut when something happens the way you don't want it to happen? Ever felt completely deflated because things just don't go according to plan? I have. It may be a not-so-pleasant interaction with someone, a job disappointment, or a family insecurity that dashes our spirits and leaves us feeling a little lifeless. Sometimes it's our very own body image that puts us in a spirit-less mood.

My spirit has been dashed on many occasions. And I admit, sometimes it's body issues that send me spiraling downward. I know it's not just me. People everywhere, and especially women, have long battled with shame related to their appearance. In fact, body image is one of 12 areas author Brené Brown has identified as the most vulnerable for women. She calls it a "universal trigger," so powerful and so deeply rooted in our psyches it affects the shame we feel in other areas, like sexuality, parenting, and health. The sad thing is that body image is just that -- an image. Our pictures, thoughts, and feelings about our bodies have little to do with our actual appearance, says Brown, who has interviewed nearly 400 women about the topic.

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Here's an interesting thought -- maybe the colour of your tablecloth can affect your eating habits. According to this post on Fitsugar, tablecloths in bright shades of red, orange and yellow are conducive to overeating, while tablecloths that are navy, coffee-brown or forest-green help curb your appetite, supposedly because they are unappetizing colours (I don't know if I agree with that, however. Brown reminds me of chocolate.)

I've hear that colours can affect your mood and behaviour but honestly, I think this is going a bit far. What do you think?

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Have you ever wondered if you were wearing the best makeup with your glasses in mind? I wear them pretty regularly but had never really thought about how they specifically affect my makeup, so it was interesting to read this article from Prevention where famous makeup artist Bobbi Brown specifically addresses it in a Q&A. Tips she gives include "less is more" when wearing glasses and eye makeup, and keeping your brows neatly plucked and groomed since glasses often draw extra attention to that area.

She also mentions ideas for nearsighted and farsighted situations, and tips for different skin tones. Now, if I can only get her advice on picking out the glasses themselves! For me, that's the hardest part.

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Not only is the sea calming for our souls by watching the waves coming in and going out and helping us unwind and relieve stress, but it is a provider of that fun summer vacation to soak up the sun we need and the exercise we need by walking, swimming, or biking.

But we need to look to the sea a little more often for the thousands of types of sea vegetables that we can eat. Sea vegetables are classified into categories by colors of brown, red or green. Each having a distinct shape, taste and texture. The sea cucumber sounds like one of our favorite salad foods but it is not a plant or vegetable. But here are some sea vegetables that are an excellent source of iodine, vitamin K, folate, magnesium and are a good source of calcium, iron and tryptophan. These are some of the most popular types of sea vegetables.

Nori is dark purple almost black in color and turns phosphorescent green when toasted. It is famous for its role in making sushi rolls. You can also slice nori into small strips and sprinkle on top of salads. Kelp is light brown to dark green in color and most often is available in flake form. You can sprinkle on salads or add to water to make a delicious broth. Hijiki looks like small strands of black wiry pasta and has a strong flavor. Kombu is very dark in color and generally sold in strips or sheets. It is used mostly as a flavoring for soups. Wakame is similar to kombu and most commonly used to make Japanese miso soup. Arame has a lacy, wiry look and this sea vegetable is sweeter and milder in taste than many others. Dulse is soft and chewy in texture and a reddish brown color.