Overachiever syndrome, TATT (tired all the time), social anxiety disorder ... here's another health problem you didn't know you had - afternoon apathy syndrome. According to an ICM survey commissioned by Ryvita, 40% of the UK workforce has it. Blimey, at that rate we should all get siestas on the national health. But just in case that's not forthcoming, Jeff Archer from The Tonic personal training consultancy (the-tonic.com) has some advice for those among us who experience a sharp downturn in enthusiasm levels in the hours between lunchtime and clocking off: 'Avoid heavy, high-carb meals at lunchtime, such as jacket potatoes and pasta, because these can leave you feeling sleepy,' he says. 'And drink a glass of water before you eat - even mild dehydration can make you feel tired. Finally, take in some air at lunch. A brisk walk gets the metabolism going, which makes you more alert, and is also an excellent way to de-stress.'

Weights and measures

Body fat monitors are nothing new - they've been blowing our excuses about being 'big-boned' out of the water for a good few years - but this new Tanita model doesn't stop at revealing your body fat percentage. It also tells you your body water percentage (a useful measure of hydration), muscle mass and basal metabolic rate (BMR) - the number of calories your body needs to 'tick over' each day - thereby crushing the 'I've got a slow metabolism' excuse, too. Surprisingly, it doesn't tell you how you can use this information. If you multiply your BMR by 1.4-2 (depending on how active you are, 1.4 being for people who are attached to a chair most of the day, 2 for lumberjacks), you'll find out how many calories you need to consume to stay at a stable body weight. The Tanita UM-072, £59.99, 0800 731 6994 (tanita.co.uk).

Perfect motion

I first met Malcolm Balk, a Canadian running coach and Alexander Technique (AT) teacher, seven years ago, and his unique approach revolutionised my running both in terms of performance and of injury prevention. Even now, I rarely hit the streets without one of his coaching points ringing in my head. Balk has now co-written a book to guide you through his take on running - Master The Art Of Running (£12.99, Collins & Brown), which is out next week. Balk will also be visiting the UK in May. Catch him with Steven Shaw, AT teacher and creator of the Shaw method of swimming, on a two-day Swim Long, Run Tall workshop at Champneys in Tring, Hertfordshire (artofswimming.com), or in Cumbria at the Natural Running weekend (01524 844299).

Health and safety

I really hope that whoever came up with the idea for the Silva Pedometer Alarm got a promotion - everyone should have one. Clip it on and you can clock up your 10,000 steps in the secure knowledge that you have a 105-decibel panic alarm at your fingertips. It measures and stores info on steps, distance and calorie expenditure, and is also backlit for night use; £24.95, from Essential Fitness, 0845 838 5363 (essentialfitness.co.uk).