How Are Your Food Habits?

What's the best way to stuff yourself without suffering good-hell consequences? Follow our lead.

Doughnuts for breakfast or no brekkie at all? It's drummed into us that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Why? It jump-starts your metabolism and prevents mid-morning huger. If you miss it, you'll probably grab something unhealthy later or overeat at lunch. But if your only choice is a doughnut, you're better off not eating. Doughnuts have a very high fat and sugar content. They won't fuel your body properly, so you'll still reach for the biscuits at 11 am.

Tip: Plan ahead. Keep nuts, fruit or cereal in your drawer at work.

Thai takeaway or a frozen meal? Thai dishes vary in kilo joule and nutritional content. Pad Thai can be high in carbohydrates, while green chicken curry is high in fat. But frozen food any healthier? I would always recommend fresh food over frozen food. Vitamins are minerals are lost during the defrosting process, so you'll never get the quality you could from fresh food.

Tip: Doing Thai? Get dishes with lots of fresh veggies plus chicken, meat or seafood, and don't pile the rice too high.

Skipping lunch or dinner? Skipping lunch is worse, but barely. You will probably eat a bigger dinner to compensate. You're also likely to have an energy drop in the afternoon and look for a sugary pick-me-up or coffee. You’re less likely to want stimulants if you miss dinner, but if you're substituting with alcohol, that's not any better. Eating every two hours is the only way to keep your body functioning at its best.

Tip: skipped lunch? Have some wholegrain toast with honey in the afternoon. It's a sweet but healthier quick fix.

Frothy beers or cocktails? It depends on what cocktail you drink, but it's the mixers that get you. Three White Russians (vodka, Kahlua and milk) have more than 4,500 kilojoules - that's almost your complete daily intake. Eight beers have around half of that.

Tips: Choose a cocktail that's got lots of fruit juice in it.

Chocolate or a biscuit? Good quality chocolate is better. Biscuits often have artificial colours and flavours. A small amount of chocolate in your diet is okay - heap isn't!

Tip: Opt for Belgian chockie, it's normally better quality.