A day in food

I have a few staple healthy meals so I thought I would share another trio of recipes.

These three dishes encompass a day of food in our household. Monday tends to be egg night so I have a few eggy recipes in my arsenal as they are quick, healthy and yummy. This particular one can also be served at breakfast or lunch and as it is such a popular choice between myself and Matt, it made the cut for this post.

There isn't a carbohydrate in the image but this dish needs one to compliment it really, a nice slice of wholegrain toast sat under this is perfect. We had a crumpet with it recently as that is what we had left over. But that's just another example of how flexible healthy eating can be.

The Stages of the Egg

These eggs are cooked in a yummy tomato base made up of with whatever you like really. Usually, I start with garlic and onions and throw in whatever veg we have, spinach and mushrooms is great and then tip in chopped tomatoes. I added a chopped up rasher of bacon too recently which was left over. As mentioned, this is such a flexible and versatile dish, you can make it your own!

Make some wells in the sauce and crack in some eggs, give them five minutes to cook through and bob's your uncle. I have to say, it may be yummy but certainly it isn't the prettiest dish to photograph.

I love salads. I hate when people perceive salads as the bog standard lettuce, tomato and cucumber -boring! I experiment with different ingredients and new recipes all the time. It isn't hard and doesn't take up any more time then any other lunch prep would. Often you can make enough to last a few days too.

This (almost) raw Pad Thai salad is one of my latest creations. I draw inspiration from various cook books such as Get the Glow (the most recent edition to my collection) and Jamie's Superfood (my current favourite) and make my own versions of salads based on something I see in other places.

Almost Raw Pad Thai

The Pad Thai combines wholewheat rice noodles with finely sliced veggies. Just choose your favourite it's easy! Then simply make a dressing, this had lots of lime juice, tahini and soy sauce. Ooze it over the salad and let the flavours come together. Yum.

All  ingredients and the final result of the overnight oats (including in a to go tub)

Overnight oats are one of our favourite breakfasts, perfect for those with a busy lifestyle who need a grab and go breaky. The best part is, it takes a matter of minutes to prepare the night before, and if you want you can prepare two days worth.

All you need is a banana, mash it up, mix it with oats and milk and let it soak over night. I often include other soft fruits, mainly berries when mashing up the banana. It is so tasty and if you have a sweet tooth (like me) add some extra honey into it too.

Then, when you wake up, grab it out of the fridge and eat it. Hey Presto!

I will put the full recipes up on my page here in the next couple of days.

Happy eating! <3

The power of Green Tea

Let's talk about GT, no not our favourite poolside tipple, the healthier option - Green Tea. 


It is no secret now that Green Tea is good for you, I am an avid drinker of the beverage and I really genuinely enjoy it.

I find it refreshing and thirst quenching and the knowledge that it is doing my body a bit of good makes me feel even better.

But how many people really know about the advantages of incorporating  Green Tea into your day?

The most commonly known benefit is that it acts as an antioxidant. This is due to a powerful phytochemical in the leaves called EGCG which fights free radicals in the body that can damage healthy cells and cause cancer. It also promotes the death of cancer cells, so while it obviously isn't a treatment for the big C it won't do any harm in helping you fend it off. 

The EGCG also increases the amount of oxygen that your body can use as fuel while you sweat so having a cup before the gym isn't a bad idea. 

Not only is Green Tea calorie free, it contains caffeine which is a known stimulant and another antioxidant called Catechin. Both can help burn fat as they increase the speed of metabolism. 

The caffeine helps to block fatigue-inducing adenosine which will help you work out harder and longer, so when pairing GT with a good workout regime you can say bye bye to belly fat and drink as much as you like without racking up the calorie count.  

A study published in 2013 from the European Journal of Nutrition found that regular green tea drinkers weigh less and have smaller waists, (just in case you wanted some evidence). 

There are other claims which suggest drinking Green Tea regularly can reduce cholesterol, combat cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer's disease and while there is no conclusive evidence for any of the claims, it can't hurt to add a couple of cups into your day anyway.

I know Green Tea isn't for everyone so if you can't bare the flavour you could squeeze some fresh lemon into your daily brew. This is something I do every morning and the addition of lemon only adds to the health benefits.

If you have a sweet tooth, squeeze in some honey (moderation please) to help you sup the full cup or alternatively there is a huge variety of flavoured Green Teas to try now, so experiment and find a favourite? 

I cannot sign off without first saying, whatever you do, don't go out and buy those stupid Green Tea pills. They don't work and they are full of extra ingredients and chemicals that your body will not understand. These supplements make people believe that swallowing these tablets daily will be the answer to all their problems. Not only are they expensive but they do not work.

Nothing beats a healthy, balanced diet and active lifestyle. Enjoy having a brew knowing it will AID (being the key word) you in your healthy living journey. But do not ever rely on just one thing to change your life. 

Whey or "no Whey"!

Supplementation when it comes to exercise is a complicated industry.

Protein powders, creatine, BCAAs, what should everyone be taking? (Definitely not the latter - BCAAs are an unnecessary drain on finances.)

Right now I want to focus on protein powders, these come in a variety of forms, whey (the most popular), hemp, pea.... Generally, people who take whey protein get plenty of the macro nutrient from many other products. So is supplementing protein necessary? The answer could be slightly different for vegans and vegetarians who have to get their protein from sources other than meat but for now let's focus on the carnivores.

As someone who does enjoy a protein shake, this is a tough one for me as I know the answer really is no.

Generally, the average person should aim to eat 46g (women) and 56g (men) of protein per day. Unless they are active individuals, then the recommendation is around 1g protein per kg body weight. This changes slightly the more active you are. For example, those who partake in long distance, high intensity cardio exercises could benefit from upping the intake to 1.3-1.6g per kg body weight and body builders or those who take part in heavy weight training sessions should up it again to 1.6-2g per kg body weight. Again this is all speculative and is very dependent on how truly hard you train.

If you go to the gym and don't really break much of a sweat, don't think you need lots of protein just because you have been exercising. It is also worth mentioning here - that most people think that carbohydrates are the enemy, when in fact, they are our main source of energy and it is carbohydrates which should be taken for recovery as they break down faster and replenish the depleted ATP stores in muscles.

On average, most people are getting enough protein, more than enough in fact, of all the macronutrients, protein is usually the only one that isn't insufficient.

To give you a rough idea, 100g of chicken has approximately 27g of protein, so that isn't even a full chicken breast and that is pretty much half of the recommended daily intake for someone of my size (59kg) who exercises regularly.

One egg has 13g of protein which is about one quarter for me. So if you consider what you eat on a day to day basis - chances are, you're okay on the protein front.

Protein options for vegans and vegetarian are plentiful eg: beans (26g/100g) Chickpeas (19g/100g) nuts (6g/28g), however, these are not necessarily foods that are eaten at each meal - in which case, vegetarian and vegan protein shakes could be an excellent substitute.

I don't want to completely disregard protein shakes. For some people, they are a lean and convenient snack both pre and post work out. If combined with milk then the carbohydrates are also included and the protein can slowly get to work repairing muscles while carbs do the immediate work.

Often, when we come home from the gym my partner and I share a shake to give us some energy while we wait for dinner to cook. Our particular brand has 21g protein per 25g scoop. He has probably two thirds and I have a third. Those 7 grams are unlikely to do me any harm, considering I have just finished at the gym. It is also worth noting, that if I know I have had a protein heavy day, then I don't even have a sip.

Protein should be eaten at every meal, as should fat and carbohydrates to support a healthy, balanced diet.

This week's simple smoothie

This is achievable if you manage the amount of protein. Eg, I might want a smoothie for breakfast, adding a scoop of protein powder helps make it more filling and substantial, and generally more tasty.

So what should we do about protein shakes? I don't think we need to chuck away our latest bag, but I also don't think we need to rely on them daily to help with "gains" (MYTH ALERT) or "repairing muscles". Protein shakes can be a convenient snack or food when necessary and if we have a lower protein intake one day. But generally, natural food based sources win every time, in every aspect not just protein, as you get a full round up of fibre, nutrients and other benefits.

Bye bye excessive exercising!

We have all done it, spent one or two hours switching from cardio machine to cardio machine in the gym in an attempt to erase last night's pack of biscuits.

This past year has taught me a lot in terms of exercise, by no means am I an expert but after two years of religious one hour 30 minute gym sessions, five times a week with no change to my body, I began to feel a little fed up.

A combination of three things turned my plateau around. Weight training with my other half, extensive research and reading on my part, and a friend of mine gaining more and more qualifications as a personal trainer and using me as a guinea pig ahead of new classes such as GRIT.

One way to sum up what I learned this year is - longer doesn't always mean better. I got really fed up of not getting home until 8.30pm and not being able to sit down until I had washed, eaten, washed up and prepped the next day's lunch.

And so the shorter more intense bursts of exercise were born. I realised I didn't need to do cardio every day, in fact, I now only do cardio two to three times a week (two more often than three). And in this last year I have seen a bigger change in my body then I did in three years of mindless rowing and running.

Swimming, running or sprint intervals on the treadmill are my new go to cardio workouts. Swimming, as I have more than likely mentioned before, is very relaxing for me, even at a fast intense pace and running shorter distances has really helped my limbs recover from the damage I was doing constantly pounding the pavements - a marathon runner I am not. 20 minutes of intervals on the treadmill of 30 seconds sprint, 30 seconds jog, really makes me work hard and it has a better after burn affect than jogging for an hour.

I also do weight training a minimum of three times a week, targeting a different area of the body each time e.g. back and shoulders / legs and biceps (routine courtesy of the boyfriend). Sometimes I do a GRIT weight class which targets the whole body and incorporates body weight training too which is probably the most effective of them all.

Strength training is the key to building muscle which in turn burns more calories. But you must make sure your form is right and that you engage your core during every exercise to really feel the benefit and prevent damage. If that means a lighter weight, then that means a lighter weight! Don't let your self-confidence get the better of you, more reps with a lower weight done well will end in much better results than a strained rep with a heavy weight.

I now find myself at the gym for one hour three times a week and fit in two to three 30 minute cardio sessions. I get more time at home to relax, my clothes fit better and I don't have the constant fatigue five mile runs used to bring.

A healthy mind makes for a healthy body

About 18 months ago, I wrote a blog raving about a calorie counting app that I swore by.

This blog is actually going to contradict that a little bit as I am going to talk about why I will not use it, or any other cal counting app, anymore.

I absolutely agree with counting calories when you need to lose a significant amount of weight, I mean at least more than half a stone - which at one point, I did and the app helped. But once you're at a healthy weight I believe Kcal counting may be a little unhealthy, and I am talking from first hand experience here.

I inputted my food and drink intake as well as my exercise routine religiously every single day. This worked for me at first as this app in particular (I can't speak about any others) was great at showing me how many calories I was consuming. Not only that but it showed me my macro intake. With this app I could see the balance between carbohydrate intake, fat intake and protein intake and it helped me find a balance.

But, after a year or so, maybe even less, I had taught myself the basics to good nutrition and I had a rough idea of what foods were high in calories, as well as carbs, fat and protein, so I had a good idea of what I was eating and putting into my body.

I firmly believe that once you are at this point you have already achieved success, whether you are looking to lose weight or gain more energy. By then you should be in a habit that will keep fueling you with the right type and amount of food you need without having numbers staring you in the face.

There may come a point when your body needs more than 1,200 calories (based on my needs not everyone else's) because you have more lean mass, and you can up your intake using the right foods without gaining weight.

However, if at this stage you are still calorie counting, chances are you haven't revisited your ideal calorie and macro nutrient intake. This is where the problem lies.

I was feeling hungry a lot, so when I was updating my daily diary I was beginning to see I had gone over my "requirement" according to the app.

This led to a vicious circle of self loathing, punishment through starvation and then binging due to stress and angry feelings.

I was beginning to feel very negative about myself, believing I was greedy and out of control.

In the end I told myself to stop counting the calories because I didn't need to see those numbers every day they just made me feel bad. I knew roughly when to eat and how much to eat. I knew which foods worked for my body, would give me more energy and wouldn't make me pile on the pounds. So I just stuck with that.

More than six months down the line I feel better than ever (and that is including eating over the Christmas period). I eat well, and I eat when I am hungry. I occasionally eat bad food and binge but that is okay, because generally I eat good food and don't feel like i'm starving all the time. I enjoy my food now as I don't have any numbers staring at me and making me feel guilty.

I also believe that the more you think about the food, which you do a lot if you have to constantly update a diary, the more you want food. And often, you want to rebel against the numbers or get an attitude which says I don't care anymore, before reverting back to guilt.

I enjoy what I want when I want. The proof is in the pudding, I do not feel as low in myself anymore, I can look in a mirror and compliment myself, rather than grab a fat roll and tell myself it's because I had 150 calories more than my limit yesterday.

Like I said, calorie counting has its pros and cons. For me the pros were in the beginning and once I hit my healthy weight the cons came into play. If you are at a healthy body weight, then start taking care of your brain's health too. It will all fall into place then.

Deadlift or dreadlift!

Dreadlift! Or that's what it used to be. As someone who only really picked up a weight properly this time last year, I found there were certain exercises which I took to quite well and others that I erm.. let's say didn't like so much.

Often, I can be found having a little strop when my darling boyfriend makes me do certain weight exercises which I do not enjoy (flies) and once upon a time, deadlifts were my nemesis.

I think the problem is that the technique is important and that took me a while to master (meaning my impatience got the better of me). But once you have it, you realise how easy it really is.

The key is to keep you chest and bum sticking out. At first I thought I looked silly and then I realised, I looked like a pro who knew what she was doing. (That is the mentality you need in weightlifting - try it!).

Stand with your feet slightly further than shoulder width apart. Bend your knees whilst keeping your chest and bum stuck out and make sure your knees don't go over your toes.

Then use your back muscles to pull yourself and the barbel back up, keeping arms straight at all time.

It might be worth practicing the movement without weights to begin with. These photographs of myself and my lovely boyfriend Matthew, doing deadlifts might help.

Back straight

bum and chest pushed out at all times

still keeping back straight, bum and chest out, pull the barbel up using your back muscles.
Repeat

Stay in control of the barbel at all times. If you feel like it is pulling you down, lower your weight, try using hand weights instead.

Christmas left overs to revive you

Post-Christmas bloat is familiar to us all. Even for the nutrition and health conscious, the Christmas binge cannot be avoided. Some indulge more than others but never-the-less, pigs in blankets, tubs of chocolates and boards of cheese get the better of most of us.

I have to admit this past week I have barely touched any form of fruit.

So tonight I packed our dinner with a whole host of nutrient dense foods whilst using up left-over Christmas staples.

I had already made my own stock (known as bone broth these days) by boiling the left-over turkey carcass with some root vegetable for hours, I created my own, incredibly good for you stock. I do this with most left over meat bones, it really is worth it.There are more minerals and vitamins hiding in the bones than in the rest of the animal - so without the broth you would seriously be missing out on a fantastic nutritious hit.

"Bone broth"

Put it in a pan and cover with water, boil and then simmer for however many hours you have spare.

I used this stock to create a Christmas broth medley. Sprouts, herbs and pancetta were left over from the big day, so by adding chicken and some other vegetables that I always have in, I was able to make a delicious hearty tea.

Miscellaneous Veg

I added pearl barley, sage and thyme into the broth and let it cook away. While that cooked I chopped the pancetta, mushrooms and sprouts up and fried them in a little butter and olive oil until crispy. I added sage and thyme to the pan to cook and at the last minute added crushed garlic.

When I was about 4 minutes away from completion I added finely sliced chicken breast to the stock and pearl barley pot and finally, I threw in some spinach at the last minute.

Once everything was cooked and seasoned to taste I dished out the stock concoction and spooned the pancetta, mushroom and sprout medley on the top.

Finished dish

It was deep in flavour and full of goodness. I recommend it to anyone wanting to use up any left over foods from the festive season, or even for a quick evening tea.