Here’s some advice and menu recommendations for how to eat more productively at your desk…
You may think that being out of the house at a nine-till-five job is a great way to kick-start your healthy eating plan, swapping freshly baked cakes for Pret super food salads – it sounds foolproof, right?
Wrong. We hate to break it to you but it turns out we actually consume up to three times more food at work than we do at home – yes really.
A sneaky croissant here, a blueberry muffin there – the struggles of office food temptation are very real.
Don’t panic. Here’s a productivity-boosting menu to keep you on the straight and narrow…
Breakfast: scrambled eggs on rye Five minutes’ cooking pays off, as yolks are a great source of chlorine – a B vitamin that charges your memory. Eat yours on rye toast and the complex carbs will power you through to lunch.
Back-up breakfast: Porridge If you don’t like eating first thing, cook a batch of steel-cut oats with whey protein on Sunday night and take a portion to work every day.
Coffee break Caffeine is mostly effective now, as it stimulates wakey-wakey cortisol. When you order, remember it’s the caffeine you’re after, not the hazlenut syrup. A black Americano or espresso will give you a lift.
Lunch: beef and broccoli stir-fry Prep your lunch the night before and knock up a quick stir-fry. Red meat, such as beef, is your best source or iron. Beef’s perfect partner is broccoli – rich in vitamin C, it helps your body absorb iron.
Beware of the office feeder Debbie from accounts gets a kick out of feeding others, but sugary snacks can make you restless. If you regularly experience afternoon cravings, save 15 minutes of your break and get outside now.
Go home Flying solo out of the office will boost your energy so much, you’ll forget the cravings that have haunted you all day.
Taken from The Feelgood Plan by Dalton Wong and Kate Faithfull-Williams (£14.99, Edbury Press)