Top Tips for a Healthy Diet during the Working Day

Anne is a registered nutritionist with over 17 years working in the food industry. Anne offers her top tips to maintain a healthy diet during the working day and to help you with your weight loss plan!

Lose pounds walking the long way around, save pounds avoiding the high street shops!

  1. Don’t skip breakfast

Some people may think skipping breakfast helps lose weight but in fact missing meals just means you miss essential nutrients. The great news is research shows eating breakfast can actually help control your weight! Eating breakfast means you won’t get the mid-morning hunger pangs and you are less likely to snack on junk food!

Keep a stock of foods easy to grab on your way out the door, such as bananas, apples, satsumas or slices of fruit bread. If you work in an office keep a box of nutritious cereal, a bowl and a spoon by your desk. Try a ‘packed breakfast’ – leftover fruit salad from dessert the evening before is perfect in a container for breakfast the next morning.

Be aware of breakfast bars and biscuits! They’re convenient but can be high in fat, sugar and salt so always check the label before buying.

 

  1. Eat plenty of fruit and veg

We all know that we should be getting at least 5 portions of a variety of fruits and vegetables every day! Fruit and vegetables are low in fat and calories yet high in fibre – essential for successful weight loss! Aim to fill half your plate with vegetables or salad, and for those of us who are time poor, frozen varieties and canned (without added sugar or salt) are a really convenient way to helping you achieve your 5 a day! It only takes a few minutes to microwave frozen peas and add them to your evening meal. Fruit juices and smoothies also count, but try not to drink more than 1 glass per day!

 

  1. Don’t ban foods

If you ban the foods you like, chances are you will crave them all the more. Instead, try restricting to an occasional treat or reduce the amount you eat in one serving. Diets that recommend banning one or more food groups are often extreme and nutritionally unbalanced. In contrast, studies show that people who use smaller plates tend to eat smaller portions but are still satisfied! It takes time for the stomach to tell the brain it’s full, so try eating more slowly and leave at least 15-20 minutes before deciding to go back for seconds!

 

  1. Get more active

Regular activity provides numerous benefits including helping you get rid of extra pounds and keeping them off! Aim for a minimum of 30 minutes daily of moderate activity. Look for easy ways to get more active during your day-to-day routine. Try standing up when using the phone, take the stairs instead of the lift, go for a brisk lunchtime walk and discover parts of the town/city you don’t usually visit. Lose pounds walking the long way around, save pounds avoiding the high street shops!

 

  1. Read the food labels

Most food and drinks are sold with the traffic light style colour coded nutrition information on the label. This makes it really easy to check and compare products at a glance even. Use the nutrition information to work out if your food fits into your daily calorie allowance whether you are losing weight or not! The ingredients list is written in weight order, so if the first 5-10 ingredients are high fat or sugary ingredients, then the food or drink itself will be high in fat or sugar. Understanding nutrition labels and your diet requirement will help you choose healthier options!

Anne offers a variety of nutritional support and services to businesses who invest in the health & wellbeing of their employees at www.abfoodnutrition.co.uk

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