That familiar 3pm slump can make another coffee or something sweet, feel like the only reasonable answer.
But before blaming your willpower, it may be worth looking at what you have eaten earlier in the day.
Many busy women unintentionally run on very little. Breakfast may be coffee grabbed on the way out, followed by a light lunch that looks healthy but does not provide enough energy to carry them through the afternoon.
By 3pm, your body is not misbehaving.
It may simply be asking for fuel.
A satisfying meal does not need to be complicated. Try including a source of protein, some carbohydrate, fibre and a little healthy fat. This might look like chicken and salad in a wholegrain wrap, eggs on toast with avocado and tomato or leftovers from dinner.
If lunch needs to be quick, think about what you can add rather than what you should remove. Could you add tuna and cheese to crackers? Yoghurt, seeds or nuts to fruit? Chicken or chickpeas to a salad?
And yes, toast can absolutely be part of a nourishing meal. What you put on it can determine whether it keeps you going or leaves you searching for something else half an hour later.
Food cannot fix every reason for feeling tired. Sleep, stress, health conditions and changing hormones may also play a part. But eating enough and eating regularly, is a sensible place to begin.
Before reaching for another coffee, pause and ask: Have I given my body enough to work with today?
