Struggling to get your diet on track now that you’re back in the office? Leading Australian weight-loss expert Susie Burrell shares her top tips for healthy eating, just a handful of helpful advice from her new book
The Monday to Friday Diet, which hits stands this month.
Rule 1: Week days= alcohol free days
Burrell recommends keeping Monday to Friday clean of alcohol. In her new book, she explains this is a “good way to balance your lifestyle, calorie intake and weight.” If you’ve got a mid-week after-hours soiree, opt for a glass of sparkling water so you’ve got something to sip on and don’t feel tempted to indulge.
Rule 2: Choose must train days
“This is where the mantra ‘no excuses’ needs to kick in,” writes Burrell. It’s difficult getting used to your work schedule again but take advantage of the fresh start and schedule in a minimal number of training sessions that will be non-negotiable. Burrell stresses that this doesn’t mean you have to train every day. It just gives you an opportunity to consider what number of training sessions you’d consider adequate each week, and sets a benchmark for the year ahead.
Rule 3: Bring lunch to work four days a week
Simply packing your own lunch four days a week has a host of benefits, Burrell explains. Firstly, it gives you complete control over your food selections and an awareness of what goes into each meal. This means you can make a concerted effort to increase your veggie intake and will have pre-packed nutritious snacks on hand for those 3pm cravings.
Rule 4: One coffee a day
Burrell argues that coffee is often the undoing of many diets and that our reliance of that steaming mug needs to be addressed if we’re to attain good health. She doesn’t believe we need to cut coffee out of our diet altogether, but rather limit intake to one cup. Think of it as your indulgence and enjoy every sip.
Rule 5: Compensate when you’ve overdone it
There will always be unforseen times when you’ve had to eat that birthday cake, or couldn’t get to the gym. Burrell says it’s important to compensate and be honest with yourself if you know you’ve let a rule slip.
For more of Susie Burrell’s nutrition tips
click here or check out her new book
The Monday to Friday Diet, $27.95.