Copyright Susie Burrell 2013. All rights reserved.

. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Copyright Susie Burrell 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Why weekdays are so tough

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People lose weight when they are removed from the demands of day-to-day life as soon as life returns to normal, things become a little more complicated.

Modern life is tough; not only do we have intense demands on our time and resources but when it comes to our health and fitness, we constantly find ourselves battling silent but powerful enemies. These enemies can be the environment, the people we spend our time with including friends and family, and work itself. But until we identify our diet and exercise saboteurs and manage them, taking control of our food, our bodies and our lives will continually prove challenging. The good news is that the simple act of identifying our own potential diet and exercise enemies and developing clear management plans for them will ultimately keep us on track with our personal health and wellbeing goals.

Work
Most of us have to work, some of us may even really enjoy it, but the truth is that the confinements of the working day, whether we work 9 to 5 Monday to Friday, shiftwork or casually at a local store or restaurant, rarely tend to be of help when it comes to weight control. Whether it is the time we spend getting there, the stress of the work itself, the people we work with or the long hours, the working day can see us eat far more than we need, be exposed to foods that we never usually would and have us miss our training session or gym class simply because we run out of time.
WHY WEEKDAYS ARE SO TOUGH

Copyright Susie Burrell 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Now, of course, when it comes to going to work and earning a living, no one is saying that we cannot work and keep our weight under control at the same time, but it is important that we remain aware of the challenges that work imposes on our lifestyle choices so we are able to develop strategies for coping with these limitations on a daily basis. In an ideal world, we would all have flexible working hours, gyms at work, healthy foods and snacks on hand, and workplaces that supported health, fitness and wellbeing 100%. Indeed, some workplaces do offer this, but until this scenario is the norm, we all have to work hard to make the best of whatever work situation we find ourselves in. The harsh reality is that if we dont, our health, wellbeing and relationships are ultimately what will suffer.

Colleagues
The people we work with may be well-meaning people who we love spending time with, or they may be people we can easily work with but we would never spend time with on the weekends, or they may be people we simply cannot stand. Chances are, they are a mix of these three groups of people and just as we did at school, we will like and prefer the company of some workmates over others. Now, whether we like them or not is largely irrelevant here; all we need to be aware of are the small but significant ways in which they can influence our food habits on a daily basis. Research indicates that in general we become like the people we spend our time with, so if your colleagues regularly indulge in high-fat fast food at work, snack often, drink much coffee, eat at their desks and rarely leave the office during the working day, statistics would suggest that you will adopt at least some of these habits long term. On the other hand, if everyone at your workplace stops for lunch, people eat only at mealtimes, celebrate special occasions
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THE MONDAY TO FRIDAY DIET

Copyright Susie Burrell 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

with food once a month instead of once a week and promote physical activity, chances are that you are going to be a whole lot healthier. Once you have identified that you are committed to weight control, managing the potential influence your colleagues food habits have on you is crucial. Just as we need to manage our relationships to maintain boundaries and self-respect, so too do we need to do this with our colleagues, no matter how well-meaning they may seem. At times this will mean saying no to extra cakes and biscuits, being the only person who does not participate in pizza day, or going for a lunchtime run when everyone else is working through their lunchbreak. But, ultimately, it will also mean that you are healthier and happier as a result.

Friends
Managing your own behaviour in the company of others is one thing, but being able to do it in the company of those closest to you is a whole other story. While our friends are often the people we turn to for support and guidance on a daily basis, they can also have a huge influence over the way we behave, particularly in terms of what we eat and how much we move. How many times can you remember vowing not to drink alcohol, or have dessert, only to be convinced to indulge a little by well-meaning friends who simply feel more comfortable doing these things themselves if you are doing it with them? The other issue that arises with weekdays is that we not only deal with the influence of colleagues but also the influence of friends, who we may meet for lunch, plan to go to the gym with, shop with at lunchtime or meet after work for a drink. These social influences add up, and before we know it our diet and training plans have been derailed several times in a single day.
WHY WEEKDAYS ARE SO TOUGH

Copyright Susie Burrell 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

The first step towards making sure that your friendship influences are positive rather than a hindrance in your quest for weight control is to become aware of the ways in which these interactions can be both positive and negative. Once we are aware of the ways in which daily decisions start to impact the long-term goals we have for ourselves, it becomes easier to make the necessary adjustments and changes and move forward. In the case of friends, this may mean altering the context in which you see them, stating your goals clearly, or even communicating the ways in which the interaction is hampering your attempts at weight control so your friends can make the choice to support you or not.

The environment
People come and go in our workday lives on a daily basis but the environment in which we find ourselves can play a massive role in influencing our energy levels, motivation and ability to eat well and look after our bodies. In more cases than not, the workplace environment is less than ideal and may require some serious changes or mental reframing to ensure it is conducive to weight control.

THE MONDAY TO FRIDAY DIET