The Perfect Day of Eating: Lunch

11:30 am to midday: Water, a Vitamin, and a Walk

Finish your glass, refill it and swallow your multivitamin. Then get up and stretch at your desk. Do a few stretches to help keep energy up, so you’re not tempted to snack out of boredom or fatigue. Plus, some movement before lunch jump-starts your digestive system.

1 to 1:30 pm: Lunch

Start with dark, leafy greens and pile them high with a mix of colourful vegies, protein and good-for-you fats. Try tomatoes, carrots, capsicum and mushrooms for a healthy mix of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Add 1/4 cup of avocado for healthy, monounsaturated fat, and 1/2 cup of protein, such as tuna, grilled chicken, turkey, beans or lentils. All of the nutritionists gave their okay on using dressing, but don’t drown your salad in it, and choose a light version or an olive-oil–based one. Wash down your meal with water.

2 pm: Water and a Walk

Doing this now helps you make a sensible choice when those 4 o’clock cravings strike. “If you don’t get enough light in the day,” says Dr Andrew Thornton from the Royal Adelaide Hospital, “you’ve blurred your body’s clock, and you will tend to be sleepy.” Boost energy levels with a little sunlight instead of looking for a cupboard pick-me-up.

Click here to see what our experts recommend in the evening