Studies show that if your idea of a diet is to skip meals, your body can begin to run on ‘starvation mode’. In this mode your metabolism can begin to slow down and start storing proportionally more fat from the little food consumed in comparison to eating healthily, regularly. As discussed by Shereen Jegtvig in her article Don’t Skip Breakfast (http://nutrition.about.com/od/nutrition101/a/breakfast.htm), set meals such as ‘breakfast keeps your metabolism running higher’. It is much better to eat smaller portions regularly and in a solid routine in comparison to cutting out meals altogether.

That being said it is still of prime importance to watch what you are eating, be sensible with your food shop and write a meal plan for the week so to stock all your ingredients in one go. Planning ahead cuts out the last minute habit of turning to convenience food which can lead your diet astray.

Lunches

If I was to say to you that in your lifetime you could be looking at spending £90 000 of your wages on lunches at work, how would you feel?

That figure looks rather large, but even breaking that up to a daily figure of £7.81 spent on lunches on average by the working person in the UK- it is still a considerable sum of money.

Often you will find that the food available at short notice (as well as coffees), are not offering the nutrition that you could be getting from a weekly meal plan. A trick is to try and pre-pack your lunches the night before. Chopping raw vegetables in bulk and storing them in air-tight containers in the fridge, as well as preparing salads, pre-boiling eggs and making healthy sandwiches from rye bread can really make a difference in just one week.

 The study founded by the Daily Mail in 2013 (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2285644/A-lifetime-lunches-cost-90-000-Typical-worker-spends-7-81-day-sandwiches-snacks.html) also suggests that people who pre-pack their lunches spent on average £1.50 a day at work.

Being organised for your week ahead can mean that you eat healthier and more fulfilling food for less than half the price, even when factoring in the cost of buying the products at the supermarket.

Dinners

After a busy day it is common to feel that the clock is ticking and you do not have the time to prepare 5* meals. Yet steaming vegetables, cooking brown rice, quinoa and grilling chicken, or turkey (especially in a George Foreman grill), does not take longer than cooking many bland processed frozen foods in the oven; yet the health benefits are endless.  It is just about planning ahead. Decide what you will eat in the coming week, and even reheat your dinner as a lunch for work the next day. You will be surprised at what amazing dishes you can create with healthy ingredients. Feel inspired by our recipes at https://newyouescapes.com/recipes.

Snacks

There are many websites which suggest great ideas for certain foods to always stock. Shape magazine ( https://www.shape.com) suggests almonds are a healthy snack alternative to the usual predators such as crisps. A small handful of certain nuts can keep you much fuller for longer, while providing you with various key minerals (http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/benefits-eating-almonds-daily-5007.html).

Or how about a few squares of Dark chocolate for when you’re being stubbornly guided by a chocolate craving? Numerous studies are now revealing the benefit of dark chocolate (with a high natural cocoa content). As the article by Fit Day suggests, dark chocolate is shown to be high in vitamins and minerals (including iron and magnesium) and be full of antioxidants (http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/6-health-benefits-of-dark-chocolate.html#b).

Do be weary however, as although it is proven to have certain benefits- more than a couple of squares for a treat once or twice a week may imbalance its benefits as there is still 600 calories in a regular sized bar, and higher amounts of sugar than what is found in other natural snack options. A handful of berries are also a clever snack alternative.

Try planning a week ahead and see how preparation can make a difference to your health and lifestyle.