Avoid these common pitfalls for a more convenient and satisfying afternoon meal that actually holds you over until dinnertime. 

1. You eat lunch at noon. Chances are, noon comes a few hours after breakfast — but dinnertime won't come for another six or seven hours at least. In terms of appetite management, this makes zero sense because you teach your body to expect a meal every few hours, then starve it the bulk of the day. It could explain why you feel hangry and unfocused in the afternoon, and why you eat anything and everything in your path the second you get home from work. Instead of eating your second meal of the day so soon after breakfast, start your day with a bigger breakfast that includes a good source of protein, like Greek yogurt or eggs. Then eat a small snack at noon, and have your real lunch a bit later in the day. Bye, hunger!

2. Your lunch is mainly carbs. Common lunch foods — like sandwiches, chips, and leftovers like pasta and rice — tend to be carb-heavy. But filling up on carbs leads to an energy crash and food cravings around mid-afternoon, explains New York-based registered dietitian Katherine Harris.

Ideally, Harris says, non-starchy vegetables (like dark leafy greens and colorful vegetables like red cabbage, carrots, bell peppers, and zucchini) should make up 50 percent of your meal. Another 25 percent should be made of lean protein, like fish, poultry, or rice and beans. The remaining 20 percent should be starchy vegetables like butternut squash, yams, sweet potatoes, peas or corn) or whole grains (think quinoa, brown rice, farro, barley), and the last 5 percent should be made up of heart-healthy fats, like sliced avocado, olive oil-based dressing, or nuts.

3. You eat your lunch in T-minus two seconds. Slowing down will help you feel more satisfied and prevent indigestion that can make you uncomfortable all afternoon.

4. You drink your lunch. You might not even mean to — but when you wash down your sandwich with juice or regular soda, you flood your system with calories from sugar without making you feel full. Instead, sugary drinks just spike your blood sugar temporarily, ultimately leaving you with an XXL appetite shortly after your afternoon meal.

5. You eat yogurt, soup, or a smoothie. These foods all lack variety in texture. Crunchy foods that require extra time to chew give you a chance to enjoy the mouth feel and flavors of whatever you're eating. They also stop you from wolfing down your meal, which gives your body a chance to register the calories you've eaten and helps you walk away from lunch feeling especially satisfied.