Mid-afternoon boost
At about three o’ clock every afternoon my concentration goes and I start to feel really hungry. My instant reaction is to reach for a chocolate bar. What can I do to get through the afternoons without going for a sugar rush?
If you are feeling hungry and in need of a boost at 3pm, it probably means you haven’t eaten enough at lunch. You also need to make sure you are drinking enough. Its easy to confuse thirst and hunger. And if you are dehydrated it will also make it more difficult to concentrate. Try having a large glass of water with your lunch. And if you are still hungry mid-afternoon, a healthy way to beat sugar craving is to eat dried fruit.
Just desserts
Should my family avoid desserts completely or is there a sensible way to include them in our diets?
Good news, there is absolutely no reason to avoid sweet treats and desserts, particularly if you make sure the rest of your meals and snacks are healthy. It’s probably a good idea to stick to healthier puddings like fruit or yogurt midweek and save the more indulgent desserts as a treat at the weekend. For a quick and easy dessert, simply place some strawberries in a saucepan with a little elderflower cordial and gently heat until the berries are soft. Use as a filling for pancakes or serve hot or cold with ice cream or Greek-style yogurt.
Night shift food
My job involves shift work and I’ve worked in this way for several years now. I am about to change this long-standing routine and start working 12-hour night shifts. I’d like to maintain a healthy diet but I also need to keep up my sugar levels to get me through the night without falling back on chocolate bars.
Shift work can play havoc with your eating patterns. It’s important to try to establish regular meal times and stick to them. Try not to fall into the trap of grazing. If you have a microwave at work, you could take in a healthy ready meal or some soup to cook while you’re there. And always take plenty of healthy snacks such as packs of dried fruit, ready-prepared fruit salads, yogurts and smoothies.