Office Detox

8. Pin point colleagues who want to hamper your attempts to detox your office life. If they take the Mickey or try to coerce you back to your old ways, resist the urge. They are doing it because they feel uncomfortable with your changes. In other words it is their problem, not yours. Wait for them to come round and if they do not, just humour them and keep up your healthy changes.

9. Avoid disastrous P.M munchies on chocolate and cakes by planning ahead. If you know you will be feeling peckish by 3.30pm and starving by 4 o’clock, have a snack to hand that will keep you going until supper time. A 40g bag of mixed nuts and fruit; a nectarine with a yoghurt, a banana with some oatcakes. All are low GI snacks which fill the gap and do not trigger the release of fat storing insulin.

10. If you can not beat them and get your office to change the culture of sweet filled vending machines, fat-packed canteen food and tea trolleys filled with high-sugar junk, then change your own point of view and train yourself not to be tempted. Always having healthy alternatives to hand will help get you through the hard part. It takes around three weeks to change your normal habits. Once you have conquered these first 21-days, the foods that once tempted you will simply lose their appeal".

Amanda Ursell

You can visit Amanda's website at www.amandaursell.co.uk