Welfare

1 Working late?

– at this time you are looking for quick fix energy boosters so you are most likely to crave for high fat and refined carbohydrates foods and caffeine based drinks. These may help in the short term but you will feel awful in the morning and it could take days to get your energy levels back. Foods to avoid – snack foods high in additives and colourings so bags of flavoured potato and wheat snacks, strong coffee, and caffeine based energy drinks. Low fat no salt plain crisps, banana, dried fruit – preservative free, low fat instant hot chocolate or milk drink, hot water.

2 No time for breakfast?

– breakfast is the most important meal of the day after a long period with out food and drink the body is at its most acidic – potential muscular fatigue and not enough energy to sustain you for long so by 10/11 grab some giant muffin and a latte. Foods to avoid – giant muffin and a latte! – huge calories, cakes biscuits. If you don’t have time for breakfast put a couple of bananas and a small bag of almonds in your bag to nibble on – reduces acidity and provides energy, or try a smoothy – if you are not making your own go for ones with no added sugar, preservatives, additives.

3 Saturday night takeaway?

 – most takeaways are oozing with fat but have hardly any nutritional value so you have to eat loads to feel satisfied. Avoid – creamy Indian – like korma, Chinese deep fried – sweet sour pork – fried rice, pizza and dough balls, pie and chips, fizzy drinks. Go for tandori chicken, plain rice, stir fries, fish and chips but eat the fish which is delicious and get rid of the fat soaked batter, put the chip onto kitchen roll and dab off fat or better still cook your own oven chips, drink sparkling water with a dash of fruit juice.
 

4 Chocolate?

-  this often occurs when energy levels are not consistent so to avoid make sure you have breakfast and a good lunch low in refined carbs like white bread. Often choc break at 4 is just a habit –  often it is just because you are tired so a couple of minutes deep breathing, glass of water and a banana is much better energy booster. Avoid high sugar, milk, jumbo packs of chocolate, bags of sweets. Go for nuts, seeds, berries, dark low sugar chocolate – buy tiny more expensive but better quality bars.
 

5 Boozy lunch?

– not only is alcohol high in calories but it really stimulates hunger pangs – avoid things covered in rich sauces, pastry, baguette and masses of chips. Go for whole meal sandwich and salad, simple piece of meat of fish with new potatoes, veg stir-fry. Try and dilute your booze with fizzy water or alternate.

6 Late night dinner?

– there is this theory that eating late can make you fatter but it is more to do with the fact that you eat loads more because you are starving. Avoid piling your plate up, drinking alcohol before hand, 3 course meal, cheese and biscuits. Go for – have a light snack around 6 – banana, bowl veg soup, veg croutons with low fat dip. Meal – only have a main course, go for fish or seafood, lots of veg, forget pudding, and drink plenty of water before you eat.

7 Eating on the move?

– grab anything going – high refined carbs, fat, additives, salt. Avoid getting hungry and grabbing the first thing around – will probably be the nearest burger bar. Sandwiches stuffed with mayo, bags of sweets, cake, bags salty snacks. Keep a stock of fruit, nuts, seeds in your bag and a bottle of water. Go for whole meal sandwich with salad filling, plain prawns, and smoothies – natural ones. Make sure you sit down to eat a proper cooked meal once a day otherwise you will want to snack endlessly.

8 Drinks and nibbles?

– alcohol and salty fatty snack taste great together unfortunately but not the next day when you are dehydrated, tired and have a horrible taste in your mouth. Avoid salted nuts, crisps, pastry nibbles. Go for smoked salmon on a cracker, olives, veg batons.

9 Hang over fry up?

– energy is so low that urge to eat fat is huge but actually most of the ingredient of a fry up is good nutritionally – eggs, baked beans, bacon. Avoid frying anything, white bread, lashing of milky tea, sausages. Go for grilled bacon, poached egg, wholemeal bread, baked beans, and grilled tomatoes. Try drinking hot water with a slice of lemon – very stimulating and refreshing.

10 PMT?

- as losing blood and hormones all over the place urge to eat chocolate and yeasty sugar things. Avoid wallowing in a large box of chocolate, cakes, pastries, slabs of white bread. Go for things high in iron and vit B which is really what your body needs – lean steak for supper, nuts, marmite on rice cakes or whole meal toast,  lots of brightly coloured veg –peppers carrots – for antioxidants.