The Office Diet

For me, and my UK readers, this is a bank holiday weekend – a whole three days off work! The mood in the office was distinctly cheery this afternoon, and even the boss took off early.

A long weekend makes it easy to catch up with friends and family and enjoy a late brunch, meals out, cinema trips, a lazy afternoon in the pub … but these can quickly add up to dieting disaster.

So here’s five easy ways to boost your health and weight-loss this weekend:

1. Get out in the fresh air
   Whether it’s an early morning jog to give you a great start to the weekend, or a long walk in the countryside with your partner, fresh air and exercise is the perfect combination to guarantee a smile. Drive away any lingering winter blues, and let spring in!
2. Crack on with neglected chores
   Have you been meaning to clean out the attic, wash all the windows or give the kitchen and bathroom a really good scrub? Set aside a couple of hours over the weekend for a cleaning blitz – get the whole household involved, and make a game or competition of it if you can… You’ll burn calories, and have the satisfaction of a cleaner, less cluttered house.
3. Stock the cupboards and fridge
   If ready-meals have become the weeknight usual rather than occasional treat or emergency standby, replenish your stores this weekend. Sit down and make a shopping list for the (healthy, no doubt!) meals you’ll be eating next week, and next Tuesday – Friday will be all the smoother for it.
4. Cook a special meal
   One of the nicest things about the long weekend is being able to relax and enjoy cooking, rather than seeing it as yet another chore to cram into a busy day. Enlist some help with veggie-chopping, take your time, then have a leisurely, fun family meal together. And make sure someone else does the washing up!
5. Catch up on your reading
   There’s always something new to learn about health, nutrition and exercise. If you’re a new reader, why not spend some time browsing The Office Diet – you can find a list of all the posts on the Archives page, or just use the handy search box on the top right to find whatever interests you most.If you’re in need of a bit of a kick start (especially if you’ve lost motivation, or feel that you never had it in the first place), try these in-depth articles:
   • The weight-loss secret
   • How to stop making excuses and start making changes

Have a great weekend – we’ll be back on Tuesday, with a Week 3 and Week 4 update from Anna…

(Image above by bob gamble)