There’s nothing like a full day of eating well. You finish the day with a smile on your face, your energy is up, you feel motivated and if you’ve exercised on that day, you get that extra endorphin boost, the feel good hormone. Today I thought I’d see in the weekend with a great plan for you to start on Monday. All of the recipes below are taken from the two new ebooks, The Lunch Box Diet: Breakfast & Dinner Cookbook and The Lunch Box Diet: 60 Tasty Recipes. If you use the code ’slim’ in the checkout up until the end of Jan, you can get a further 50% off the sale prices.
I’ve put together a combination which will give you loads of energy, pack your body full of nutrients and fire up your metabolic rate, so why wouldn’t you give it a try. What’s more, with the e-books pack you can mix and match everything, it’s like Christmas nutrition shopping at Boots. Ha ha (for those outside of the UK, we have mix and match presents in the shops)! A selection of treats that make you smile and you can use all year round! 
Also, I’m very excited that the next few weeks will see the launch of some amazing new software that will allow you to use my diet, completely tailored to you. You will be able to input your personal details, track your calories and fine tune it so it completely works in with your personal calorie requirements, which I know a lot of people have really wanted, it takes the diet to another level. While I don’t want people to count calories religiously, the software will teach you what portions are right for you, so you can really start understanding when you go over, and that has to be a good thing. What’s more you can suit the meals to yourself and invent your own boxes and add them to your meal plans. Oh and print off shopping lists and more! Watch this space…
So, here we go, a full day for you, your breakfast, lunch box and evening meal. Get started Monday and enjoy…
Breakfast
Spiced Oats with Fruit
Makes one serving
1 cup oats (preferably old-fashioned, not quick cooking)
½ banana, sliced
2 tablespoons raisins
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch nutmeg
2 tablespoons low fat yogurt
Cook oats according to package instructions. Stir in banana,
raisins and spices. Serve topped with yogurt.
Lunch Box
Scandinavian Picnic
Group A
1 generous handful spring greens
1 apple
½ avocado
1 cup red cabbage, sliced or shredded
½ cup red onion, sliced thin
Group B
Pork tenderloin roasted with allspice
Group C
Chopped salted pecans, crumbled blue cheese, snipped chives
Active Carb option
Whole grain, limpa or pumpernickel bread.
1. Rinse and dry greens. Add to box. Core and slice apple, and immediately toss
with lemon juice. Slice avocado and toss with lemon juice. Add to box. Top with
red cabbage and red onion.
2. Coat outside of lean tenderloin with scant teaspoon olive oil, finely ground
black pepper, allspice and salt. Roast until done. Cool, slice and add to box.
3. Top with about 1 tablespoon each pecans and blue cheese, and 1 teaspoon
snipped chives.
Evening Meal
Asian Salmon with Shredded Cabbage
Makes two servings
2 salmon steaks, 1-inch thick
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon ginger, finely chopped
Dash of Tabasco sauce to taste (optional)
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1½ cups shredded cabbage
1 tablespoon olive oil
Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Preheat
oven to 400 degrees.
Combine the oils, soy sauce, brown sugar and ginger.
Whisk together. Put fish in baking dish and pour sauce
over fish. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Cover with foil
and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until just done.
In small sauté pan, heat remaining tablespoon of olive oil
and add shredded cabbage. Turn cabbage with tongs,
heating until just barely tender, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle
with salt and pepper, transfer to two serving plates, and
top with salmon.
Like the sound of these? Head over to The Lunch Box Diet: Breakfast & Dinner Cookbook and The Lunch Box Diet: 60 Tasty Recipes and grab your 50% off the sale prices by entering ’slim’.
Picture the scene, you’ve had a rushed morning, dropped the kids off at school, just made it into work. Your morning begins with a hellish meeting and you’re starving, you launch down as much as you can find at lunchtime and by the time 3pm hits, you’ve almost bashed your head on the computer monitor due to tiredness or are at least increasing looking like a nodding dog. A prod from your workmate keeps you wide-eyed for a few seconds until you decide you must drink another gallon of coffee. Sound familiar? Well don’t worry, it’s a common problem but one that can be avoided. Here’s my guide…
Don’t Skip Breakfast
- The first and most important rule of all. By skipping this most important meal of the day you’re far more likely to keep hold of it during the afternoon as your blood sugar levels will be more regulated. Opt for an oat based cereal or something like wholemeal toast with a couple of poached eggs, as protein from the eggs will help to slow down the release of the bread’s carbs throughout the morning!
Get Out at Lunch
- Even if it’s for just 30 minutes, working up a sweat within your lunch break can seriously get turn your pm blues into fun. This in turn will boost your work and family relationships. Try asking your boss for an extra half-hour (to exercise) if you can but sell the benefits of what they’ll gain and you may be surprised at the response! At least get out at lunch as this will effect your afternoon performance by getting your blood flowing.
Little and Often
- If you find yourself gorging at lunchtime, don’t be surprised if the 1-3pm slump hits. Your blood sugar levels have just taken a battering. You know that sleeping on the job is a quick fire way to a P45, so graze your way to lunch (use The Lunch Box Diet) and this will give you more time for the lunchtime workout. Eat Low-GI foods and nibble on nuts and vegetables to keep you perked up all day!
Uppers and Downers
- A chocolate bar or sweets can seem like a great way to boost your energy, but this really will be shorted lived. Again, this plays havoc with those blood sugar levels to be sure to snack gradually on healthy foods instead of opting for the six-layer vending machine that haunts you on every trip down the corridor.
Thirsty Energy
- Coffee is seen as the first option to perk up a drowning face in front of the office screen but this will provide a rush that ends with a slump, so sip water gradually during the morning to take you through the day. Try and get through a 2 litre bottle by the time work ends. Hydration effects alertness. When the bathroom eventually calls, get a face drench of cold water to keep you on top of the game. If you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated.
Get More Sleep
- It seems like the most obvious one of the lot, but by simply getting to bed an hour earlier, you could dramatically improve your chances of being more alert for a larger portion of the afternoon at least. If you have trouble sleeping, try earplugs (www.earplugshop.com) to block out any unwanted noise or try some calming music on your mp3 player to help you doze off. You can also download hypnotherapy sleep audio files on the web.
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