Remember Ruth? The clean living city girl who, last month left London for Wales, unpacked her tech and trainers and shared with us her very first steps into the world of remote working.

After a full 4 weeks of flexible working under her belt, we caught up with Ruth again to find out what she’s up to and what hurdles she’s clearing.

The Home Worker’s Diet

By all accounts – and if this research is to be believed – becoming a home worker should result in a drop in a dress size or a notch in on your belt loop. When you’re working from a home office there are a lot less birthdays, duty free post holiday spoils and tea rounds where a cookie is as good as compulsory.

But what’s the best way to stay in tip top condition when you’re working from home? Definitely an area close to my heart as one of my main reasons for home working was a total change in lifestyle as I return to college to study to become a nutritionist.

Here’s the home working diet the Ruth Walters Way.

Breakfast

Under absolutely no circumstances should you skip this meal. Ever. It’s your lifeline to the day ahead. A single cup of coffee just ain’t gonna cut it. So much research has gone into the benefits of protein first thing. Don’t ignore it. Embrace it. You don’t have a commute to grapple with any longer so make the most of being closer to the kitchen and preparing something you really enjoy.

Here’s a selection of my fast breaking staples and a post I wrote a little while back on why they hit the spot.

Slurp, sip, hydrate

Without the excuse to head to the water cooler to hunt out the best gossip, there may be less of an incentive to get your fill of H2O. Staying hydrated is essential for a clear mind to help you blitz the ‘to do’ list for the day ahead. I love, love, love coffee. So much so that my husband knows he really can’t speak to me in the morning until I’ve had my first cup. That said, too much coffee can make me jittery when I’m sat at a desk and really affects my ability to knuckle down and concentrate. I find these guys a real treat when it comes to coffee alternatives.

Lunch

Now, this is where some real self discipline needs to come into action. In an office you’d often pop out for lunch – albeit to buy something, fulfil an errand, catch up with a friend, the list goes on. Even if you were an ‘Al Desko’ eater generally lunchtime symbolised getting away from it all a bit. Well, make sure you’re doing the same at home. GET AWAY FROM YOUR DESK! I tend to actually block out a lunch break in my Outlook diary. Of course this is flexible and is rarely the full hour but it signals to myself and others that I plan to take some time out and come refreshed and raring to go for the afternoon shift.

This is possibly my favourite home working lunch hour to date – a sunshine fuelled workout in the garden , followed by a slap up lunch that balanced another awesome portion of protein, plenty of leaves and a piece of fruit.

An hour really whizzes by if you head out and about, but at home you’ll be amazed how much you can fit in that’ll leave you feeling like you’ve had a real break from the morning grind.

If you’re not as mental as me and would rather a more relaxing break, why not make some effort to pull together a lunch to be proud of. My proudest home working lunch to date? These prawn and avocado boats – with homemade mayo no less.

Dinner

I’ve always been a firm believer that how good your dinner is can often be determined by the length of your commute home. As a general rule, the longer something is gently bubbling away for, the more flavoursome it’s going to be. I’ve definitely made the most of clocking off at 6pm and putting something on to slow cook in time for supper. This slow roasted lamb being a particular triumph

What do you tend to eat when you’re working from home?