The tweak sheet

Tweak week 1

Nasi Goreng

Carrot, coriander and chick pea soup

Smoked mackerel paté

Baked jacket potatoes

Smoked chicken fillets and Squashed!

Tweak week 2

San Choy Bow

Meatballs and tomato sauce

Asian Spiced Salmon

Baked jacket potatoes

Winter coleslaw

Chilli

Tweak week 3

Pulled chicken

Spie

Baked jacket potatoes

Chicken stir fry with noodles

Couscous

Ratatouille

… Lets do lunch – and supper too

You all know how much you multi-task, juggle balls in the air, split atoms – any of the above - indeed my second post was called Multi-tasking Morning (MTM). So, I am taking for granted that things haven't changed too much and you still spend some time in the kitchen at the weekend so here's another MTM for you, not too tasking I hope you'll agree!

Your MTM list :

Tweak week 1

Nasi Goreng

(“Culinary Lucky Dip”)

Carrot, coriander and chick pea soup

(“Thoroughly Thrifty Thursday”)

Smoked mackerel paté

(“Canapés”)

Baked jacket potatoes

Honey roasted beetroot

(“Kitchen investments and Wednesday supper”)

Smoked chicken fillets and Squashed!

(“By the way”)

Gives you lunches and suppers for your first 4½ days :

Monday:         CCC soup                                          Nasi Goreng

Tuesday:        Paté and rice cakes                           CCC soup & dumplings

Wednesday:   Nasi Goreng                                      Smoked chicken & Squashed!

Thursday:     Jacket potato                                     Paté and pasta

                      & tuna filling

Friday:        Smoked chicken                                 Weekend – hurray!

                     & Squashed!

In an office it really depends on variables – do you have your own office or are you sharing space with others – what sort of facilities are available - a microwave would be very helpful!

Home based is easier in some ways in that you have access to your own kitchen. In other ways it's more difficult – by that I mean that you won't give yourself any time off, so, work as if you were in an office and take an hour!

That's your first tweak week options - have a look at the tweak sheet in the following posts, there's more!

Neat pieces of kit

I would never recommend spending dosh unless I felt it was worthwhile and good value.

Here are three pieces of kit that are worth a look.

Treat yourself to a posh water bottle – a filter version is also available – portable, cheaper than buying small bottles of water on the run. I've said previously very often we mistake hunger with being dehydrated. What is also true is that if you have a bottle of water with you - you can take a slug or two and it becomes a really good habit.

Whichever of the work/life categories you fall into the water bottle is a must for everyone.

Treat yourself to a soup mug – if you're a soup lover, or casserole for that matter, have a look at Sistema mugs. I've attached a photo to illustrate. These mugs are easy to source. They come in fab colours and, as you can see from the lid they have really tough clips to secure properly and a microwave vent that is easy to use. You can freeze your soup in the mugs if you wish, so it's a “pull from the freezer” and go!

Crock-Pot Food Warmer Lunchbox – this “does exactly what it says on the tin” – in other words you can re-heat home cooked food. It holds 600ml of food – enough for one person. Have a look at the photo. It has a travel lid and a handle. Plug the lunchbox in when you arrive at work – hot lunch will be ready and there are no food aromas driving your work colleagues crazy. The inner pot removes for easy dish washing. Now for the good bit - £24.99 – I bought one for a Christmas gift and was so impressed with it I ordered one for myself. I don't think it matters whether you use this at the office or at home – it still saves time, effort and money.

… and your stall out!

How much coffee or tea do you consume – how much sugar do you take? Boot camp this is not – whatever your intake try and halve it or at least reduce the number of cups or mugs you drink – use a smaller one. Whilst this suggestion might sound ridiculously simple it all helps.

These days there are all sorts of fancy herbal/fruit teas if that's your bag. Me, I'd rather drink water – don't think me virtuous – I'm not remotely civil until I've had two small mugs of strong coffee in the morning - try anything more complicated than “good morning” at your peril!

Unless there's a good reason I don't drink tea or coffee after 12 noon – water only, until the sun goes down – metaphorically speaking I mean – I'm not suggesting I hit the bottle at 4pm!

If you have a problem with drinking straight water then buy Hi Juice low sugar cordial to add some flavour.. If you have to commute to your office you can buy tiny bottles of cordial which stash very conveniently in the portmanteau or briefcase you carry.

Alcohol has to be the top of the Achilles' heel list, equal probably with the other usual suspect, chocolate. Once again, only you know what you've consumed. If you're really strong willed then you won't consume any for the 4½ days and then only moderately for the remaining 2½. Set your own rules and if you like, keep a record of what you do eat and drink and then compare it with the original list you made.

The snack attack

I mentioned hunger pangs in Setting the scene – usually occurring 4pm or thereabouts.

If you must snack then think ahead and have a supply of a healthy version in your handbag, briefcase or car – by healthy I mean a small box of raisins – a handful of Brazil nuts or almonds. There are really good nutrition bars out there – have a look at Perkier – perkier.co.uk or Trek – naturalbalancefoods.co.uk. Please note - a bag of crisps – kidding yourself that because they are reduced fat it's ok – it's not! Do what you like at the weekend (within reason) but if you want this to work then you've got to play the game properly – you're only deluding yourself.

Bon chance!

Setting the scene

How snug are your jeans – this is the burning question.

The jeans – or a similar favourite piece of clothing - are the key. There's no need to bother with scales – an inanimate piece of intimidation – that sounds so weird – how can a pair of scales intimidate?

If “BC” (before Christmas) you were happy with your eating habits then it's just a matter of reverting to your previous routine. However, the brain plays tricks – very quickly we get used to all that rubbish i.e. sugar and fat and we like it. It's all the more difficult therefore to get a grip.

Have you done the dirty deed as suggested in Coming next … tweak week! And written down what you've consumed in the last week? When you read it did you think “ouch – did I really consume all that?”. I promise you that no-one can hear you so an expletive or two is permitted under the circumstances.

There ain't no magic to this – try and eat three meals a day – if you can't or you know that you're going to struggle because you've got to drive three hours for a meeting or you've got to take your child to an appointment slap bang in the middle of the day then plan for it. There are products out there that will do the job or, if you prefer and have the time to make a lunch-box either for yourself to pop into the car or for yourself and your child – make it an adventure and you get to share – it ain't rocket science, it just needs a little thought, planning and prep.

If you need any encouragement then remember you're going to be sensible for 4½ days!

A few preliminaries :

Think about your daily routine – are you :

home based

office based, commuting daily

in the car for long periods

and a few questions :

Do you eat breakfast

Do you take a lunch-break at a regular time

Do you get hunger pangs at the same time

every day – commonly referred to as a “snack attack”

That should keep you pondering for a while!

Lets begin …

Spend time choosing a breakfast, a lunch and an evening meal that fits in with your working day. Your choices need to be practical to suit you – it's no good choosing scrambled egg on a piece of toast for breakfast if you know you have to drive to the station to catch a train and are not good at getting up in any event – you'll be heading for the nearest fast food outlet before you can say “chocolate bar”.

By the same token some of us can't face eating breakfast at 6am in a hurry – then don't – choose a portable option that you can eat on the bus or train or when you arrive at the office. If you have to drive a distance then sorry – get up a little earlier so that you can eat before you leave home.

Breakfasts :

Home based

If you're at home then the world is your lobster! If you like a cooked breakfast and have the time, try good old fashioned baked beans on a thin slice of wholemeal toast – quick and easy.

You can tweak and create the “full English” by using Quorn based products like bacon or sausage, scrambled egg, mushrooms cooked in stock and grilled tomatoes.

If porridge is your bag and you make your own with either skimmed milk or water then great – if you don't like the faff check out Perkier as mentioned previously – they make porridge in conveniently sized pots, just add water.

If it's cereals that you love, Shredded Wheat or Bran Flakes are the most nutritious – try shredded wheat with warm milk and a sprinkle of sugar substitute.

Fresh fruit and plain yogurt is fab – sprinkle with Bran Flakes.

Office based – commuting

Probably the most awkward to cater for – limited space on public transport, be it bus or train. If you need or prefer to eat en route then a bar like Perkier or Trek is probably the best option. Add a piece of fruit – the banana being the original fast food cos it comes in its own wrapping.

At the office the instant porridge pot is a strong contender.

If you are a devotee of the “continental” breakfast you could make a sandwich using thin sliced wholemeal bread – cut off the crusts if you are feeling really committed. Fill this sandwich with Quorn wafer thin ham or chicken slices – no butter or spread – substitute with a trace of Branston sauce or HP or Dijon mustard or, if you're in the “love it” gang – yeast extract!

If you love fruit and grapefruit in particular, you can buy segments in juice – not syrup – ready to eat so no fuss and performance. Easily transportable in small pots.

Ditto the fresh fruit and yogurt sprinkled with Bran Flakes – note to self – keep the flakes bagged separately otherwise they'll be very soggy by the time you get to the office – yuk!

Coming next …tweak week!

I'm going to give you my two pennyworth as to how you can “tweak” and its got nothing to do with limp celery sticks and ships biscuits – in truth I have absolutely no idea what a ships biscuit tastes like but it don't sound too appealing!

The trouble with January is that it's winter-time and so with that season you want comfort and warmth – do not despair, it just takes a little planning.

The aim will be to get back into sync – you've just spent so much time food shopping for the festivities that “normal” has long since disappeared into the ether.

Part of your tweak has to be an inspection of your food cupboards. If you have treats leftover from the holidays either freeze them if possible or bite the bullet and give them away. New broom sweeps clean and all that!

So, as well as back to the saving time, money and effort mantra, you'll reduce your waistline at the same time.

Here's a small task – if you've a mind to – write down what you eat and drink for a week – be truthful and keep your notes. You may want to compare with your new regimen.

The idea then is that if you are strict for 4½ days you can relax a little at the weekend and may be have a treat or two – not to be confused with consuming vast quantities of alcohol or chocolate or whatever your Achilles' heel might be.

It won't be as difficult as you think!