World Cup blimp?

Watching the World Cup for the next few weeks? The only thing getting a workout will be the sofa. Right? Here's how not to turn into a blimp.

Beer belly blunder

Sport and beer – the two go hand in hand. So what now? You don't have to become a teetotaller, but just keep it in the back of your mind that beer has a lot of kilojoules – don't flatten one for every point that is scored. That goes for other alcoholic drinks as well.

Snack attack

The more tense the game is, the faster you eat the biltong or chutney-flavoured chips and peanuts. They are fat-laden, salty and send your kilojoule-intake skyhigh and your waistline into XX-large. Don't eat snacks as a reflex action when the tension runs high. Rather snack on fruit or something else that's healthy.

Exercise exodus

Make a habit of going for a walk or a run during brfore or after watching matches. Even a quarter of an hour is much better than nothing. Get that circulation and that digestive system going – weeks on the couch is hard work for your body - but it's no workout.

Pizza power

Right, who feels like cooking during this time when you're glued to the screen? And what's more convenient than having a pizza delivered to your door? You don't even have to look away from the TV as you hand the money over at the front door. But remember pizza is probably fine once in a while, but if you realise that the biggest decision you've had to make regarding food choices in the last month has been Four Seasons or Hawaiian – there could be a problem. Cook some decent food in bulk, freeze it and microwave it when you get hungry. It's also cheaper.

Smoke signals

Your team needs to score badly and time is running out. You're flattening a packet of cigarettes without even thinking about it. When you get to the point where you light one cigarette from the previous one, trouble is looming – and what with current legislation you cannot even blame it on subliminal advertising around the field.

Save time with online shopping

This takes a few minutes as opposed to standing in queues for hours. Fill in your list online, send it off and wait for delivery – it's not like you're going to be out any time soon. Remember the fruit juice, the Rooibos tea, the fresh fruit and vegetables.

Microwave miracles

Unless you have a TV in the kitchen, chances are the next few weeks are not going to be taken up with time-consuming cooking experiments. But you have to eat. Nothing can be simpler than defrosting precooked food in the microwave – or popping in a few vegetables.

Back to the basics

If you're going to be spending a lot of time sitting or lying down, best you get as comfortable as possible. Get a comfortable chair that does not resemble a stadium bench – heavens, how far do you want to take reality TV? Rather sit up than slouch, as you could be putting a lot of strain on your back.

(Susan Erasmus, Health24, updated August 2011)