How to 5:2 your mood, money and clutter

KATE Harrison lost 13 kilograms and two dress sizes doing the 5:2 diet. So she looked at how to apply what she learned to the rest of her life. Here are her secrets.

Author Kate Harrison.

KATE Harrison lost 13 kilograms and two dress sizes doing the 5:2 diet. She decided to apply the 5:2 principle to the rest of her life, and she’s never looked back!

Yesterday, Kate taught us how to apply 5:2 to your fitness, desk job and home life. Today, she’s sharing how to 5:2 your mood, money and clutter.

Catch up on the story here

But first: How to 5:2 …

1. Carve out time in between the chores: each activity takes between 10-25 minutes — easy to do when you’re picking up the kids, or commuting to work.

2. Work against the clock: working at speed for 10 or 20 minute bursts feels energising and helps you make an impact in a short time. It cuts the boring jobs down to size.

3. Be selfish: change is hard so reward yourself for progress and stay determined if people try to sabotage your efforts. Give yourself treats, or join an online group where people support each other round the clock and round the world.

5:2 YOUR MOOD

• Keep a good things diary — this simple act can boost your mood and help you learn what makes you happy. Just jot down three positive things at the end of each of your two days. It could be three things you feel grateful for — the perfect latte in your favourite cafe, a great book, a refreshing shower on a hot day. Compare notes with your partner or friend.

News_Rich_Media: Get Happy, Get Healthy Get Slim: Kate Harrison explains the idea behind 5:2 Your Life.

5:2 YOUR MONEY

Do you have a drawer full of bills, bank statements and finance agreements you’re pretending don’t exist? They won’t go away, however hard you wish. So break it down into manageable 5:2 chunks:

• On one of your two days, assess your finances by gathering all your financial information into separate plastic wallets — including statements, bills and receipts. Once you’ve studied them and have an overview, you can start working your way through the following options — tackle one per 5:2 day:

• Hit loans and mortgages first — you want to pay the lowest rates going …

• Then look for the highest rates for your savings: check the rates on old accounts which probably aren’t competitive

• Then 5:2 your spending. Write down what you spend on a typical day — then on your 5:2 day, give yourself a budget of just 25% of what you’d normally spend — and seek out ways to enjoy yourself for free, like joining a movie advance screening website for free cinema tickets, or mystery shopping to get free meals!

Put what you save aside to fulfil your dreams, whether it’s a great holiday or a new home.

5:2 YOUR CLUTTER

We don’t all want minimalist homes, but messy space makes your brain feel messed up too. The problem is where to start? On a 5:2 day, start anywhere!

• Set a timer for 20 minutes. Pick your least favourite room to spend time in — try to see it through fresh eyes, as though you’ve never been there before.

• Run through this checklist: how does the room look? Is it cluttered, are things in the wrong place? How does it feel — too hot, too cold, airless, even smelly? Does it do its job — a bedroom should be relaxing, a living room welcoming? Is it the family dumping ground? Do you use everything in the room? Write notes next to each question.

• Now list as many solutions to each problem — the crazier the better! For example, to bust clutter: could you sell it on eBay or should you just shut it in a cupboard?

Put it in a bag and set a date to take it all to a charity shop if you haven’t missed it. Maybe just build a big bonfire?

• Choose the easiest solution to all the problems — it could be as simple as lighting an aromatherapy burner in a musty room — and do it right now! Then schedule some of the other jobs for the next week.

News_Image_File: Kate Harrison’s book.

5:2 … anything you like — but never feel guilty

5:2 is a framework. If events stop you doing what you planned, never feel guilty. So many life-change plans end because we don’t keep up and up feeling like a failure.

Never do that — simply resolve to try again tomorrow. It’s about taking small steps — you’ll be amazed how far you’ll travel.

Kate’s new book, 5:2 YOUR LIFE: Get Happy, Get Healthy, Get Slim is available from Amazon — her previous books, The 5:2 Diet Book and The Ultimate 5:2 Recipe Book are published by Hachette Australia. For more information, go to the5-2dietbook.com

More: The 5:2 diet group

More: The 5:2 Your Life group

Twitter: @katewritesbooks and @the52diet