weight loss

Food Guilt: 5 Ways to Cope with feeling guilty after “Overeating”

healthy living

Hey guys, welcome back to the blog, today we’re talking about food guilt. You’re probably familiar with the term and with the experience of the feeling as well. I would define it as feelings of shame and regret after consuming foods we deem unhealthy or after eating what we think is too much. This is something I’ve experienced far more times than I can count and it has to be one of the worst feelings I’ve experienced. The thing is, the food doesn’t even have to be unhealthy to trigger the guilt, sometimes you can be eating healthy and nutritious meals and still feel guilty if you feel like you overate. However, food guilt is something created by our own minds, it is as real as we make it. Often times I’ve found myself struggling with regret after a full day of eating simply because I thought I had too many calories or wasn’t healthy enough. It takes a while to snap myself out of that dark hole of shame and criticism sometimes, which is why I wanted to share some tips that may help you deal with food guilt. Before we get into it, this is a disclaimer that all of these tips are based off of personal experience and are not a replacement for professional medical advice. If you are struggling with mental health or what you think may be an eating disorder, please seek help or further advice, thank you.

#1. Know Your Triggers

If you feel guilty after eating, it may be helpful to know what foods or eating habits trigger that guilt. For some people it may be eating junk food, processed foods filled with sugar, or foods they just think is unhealthy. It might be binge eating, or eating late at night for you. No matter what it is, it’s important to know what does it for you so you can analyse why you feel guilty.

My food guilt is triggered when I eat foods I do not eat on a normal basis, especially if I’ve done so over the course of a few days. This comes from a fear of overeating, which comes from a fear of weight gain. Even though there is absolutely nothing wrong with gaining weight, we’ve grown up with the idea that weight gain is something negative. It’s only now that this mindset is starting to shift but it is still easier said than done. So triggers are often foods or habits that society has perceived as negative and any guilt resulting from that is also naturalised. But guilt after eating isn’t something that is supposed to be natural. Identifying what triggers your food guilt is the first step to deconstructing the reasoning behind the guilt.

#2. Write & Reflect

One method that always helps is to journal your food guilt, writing down what you did that day and your emotions throughout. Often times you’ll find that writing it down helps you feel more accountable of what or how much you ate, helping you realise it isn’t as bad as your mind is saying it is. However, this isn’t the same as calorie or macro tracking, you would only write down the emotions in that moment, not track every day. Writing down what you regret and then throwing that paper away can help you acknowledge the food guilt and be more mindful so that you can put it past you.

#3. Validate Hunger Cues & Cravings

One of the biggest struggles when it comes to food guilt is knowing when you are hungry. Often times we reprimand ourselves for hunger, but hunger does not always mean boredom, stress, or needing water. A lot of the times you’re hungry because your body needs nourishment and it’s important to acknowledge these cues as well.

We’ve cultivated this idea that cravings are wrong, but rather than suppressing your cravings every time, it might help to give your body what it wants. This doesn’t mean mindlessly eating foods which may not be the most nutritive. Instead, it means having the occasional bowl of ice cream or pizza. If you incorporate balance into your life and listen to your cravings every once in a while, you’ll find it much easier to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

#4. Move Your Body

Moving your body after overeating or when you’re feeling guilty doesn’t mean running on the treadmill for 3 hours as punishment. Often times we feel down or lethargic because we haven’t moved our body that day and that can lead to feelings of guilt. Moving your body can mean anything from 5 minutes of stretching or dancing to a daily walk. If you suffer from food guilt, move your body not to burn calories but to feel in control of your body in that moment.

#5. Do not Punish Yourself

My last and final tip is to never punish yourself for bingeing or overeating. If you feel like you overate, then you can feel content that you enjoyed your food or simply move on from it. If you overate at a family dinner, realize that a big part of these experiences with family are tied to the food you had. If you binge ate everything and everything at 2 am and you don’t even remember what or why, then realize that your body needs fuel and you can always put that to good use layer on.

I hope you found something useful here today. Although I’m not an expert, I’ve had my fair share of food guilt and know that it shouldn’t be naturalized even though it is. Food guilt can be a habit passed down from one person to the other, but it should never limit how you live your life. At the end of the day, when you look back on your life, you won’t even remember the guilt. So ‘if it won’t matter in 5 years, don’t stress about it for more than 5 minutes’ – Dekker. Thank you for reading, xoxo.

Getting Fit: Expectations vs Reality

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Getting Fit

Getting fit isn’t as easy as it seems and a lot of us have gone through that phase where we just can’t seem to get it right. I know in the last 5 years, I’ve made a ton of mistakes and it led to plateaus in my fitness journey. Keep reading if you want to find out whether or not you are falling trap to one of these common fitness misconceptions.

#1. The Fast Fitness Journey

The first fitness expectation I want to clear up is the idea of becoming ‘fit’ fast; most searches nowadays look for ‘ways to lose weight fast’ or ‘ways to lose 10kg in a month’. However, you should know that shortcuts don’t last very long and they will most likely drain you out. While that 2-week diet may work in the short term, you’ll find that it isn’t sustainable and you’ll lose all of that “progress” you made in the first place.

Your fitness journey is more effective when it turns into a sustainable lifestyle and we should avoid promoting ideas of a quick journey. Most people are discouraged when they don’t see results quickly because they don’t realise how much time it actually takes. It’s been 5yrs since I started my fitness journey and I know it will never end because it has become a lifestyle. So the first step to your fitness journey doesn’t start in setting a number on a scale or pinning a ‘goal’ outfit on your wall. The first step is a shift in mindset. Realise that you want to achieve a sustainable, healthy lifestyle.

#2. Weight Loss vs Fat Loss

The second misconception is that weight loss and fat loss are the same thing. Let’s clear this up; fat loss has less to do with the number on the scale and more to do with changing your body composition. Weight loss can also mean muscle loss as people don’t focus as much muscle retention when trying to lose weight. While weight loss may be a better if you are at a certain point in your fitness journey, fat loss means you want to retain and build muscle and more muscle means a faster metabolism.

#3. The Ideal Body Image

There isn’t one. There is no secret to being fit because not everything works for everyone and because your definition of fit for your body, doesn’t necessarily match someone else’s. If you’re looking at someone and saying ‘I want to be fit exactly like him or her’ then get ready to change your whole lifestyle to match theirs (which is impossible) and even then you won’t be exactly the same because bodies are different. They’re supposed to be. Instead, find out what fit means to you, rather than picking someone else’s body, imagine your desired body and lifestyle onto your future self because that is the only person you should want to be.

#4. Everyone else Has Got it Handled

This is one is a personal favourite. I always thought fitness influencers and celebrities had it all handled. They were happy with their physique and had perfect healthy lifestyles. But we only thing that because that is what the media and social media shove down our throats. They show us the perfect selfies and bikini pics with perfect lighting and not one fault. So we automatically think that is achievable and then we wonder why haven’t we achieved it yet. But it’s not like that at all and I realised that after changing my exposure to media content. I followed people who I felt were truer to themselves and although yes they still posted perfect pics, they also acknowledged that they still struggled with their body image and criticism. So this is to tell you, even if you reach that goal weight or slim down to the ‘perfect size’ or build the perfect butt… you’re still going to struggle with your healthy lifestyle and body image from time to time. That’s simply because no one is as critical of ourselves as much as we are and because once you reach a goal it just isn’t enough. So my advice is to slow down, take a look at where you are and enjoy how far you’ve come for a moment without any judgement.

#5. Getting Motivated

My last fitness myth is a powerful one and it’s – relying on motivation to get things done. Let me tell you that motivation is a fickle thing and she will disappear on you on most days. Relying on motivation to get that workout in or make a healthy lunch will get you nowhere. Most of the time I don’t rely on motivation, I rely on a routine and habits. When your lifestyle is embedded with healthy habits you don’t question them, you just do it. Your morning workout shouldn’t be a question, it should just be a thing you do as part of your daily life. Of course you should plan around it and be flexible, but what I’m saying is that you shouldn’t expect to feel motivated to do it. In fact, you may be motivated once you start, so remember to just get started.

I hope you enjoyed today’s blogpost even though it was a quick one. Let me know what you think about it and if you have your own fitness misconceptions you’d like to share. Please follow and like for more posts and share with anyone you think needs to hear it, xoxo.

Check out this blogpost on 3 More Fitness Myths you need to know!

Crunchy Roasted Chickpeas Recipe

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For those times when you’re craving a salty, crunchy snack and you have a can of chickpeas just laying around.

Today’s recipe is a quick one but if you want a quick snack that takes minimal effort then keep reading!

Chickpeas are packed with fibre, protein and several vitamins, which make them filling and the perfect plant-based protein snack. I love including them in recipes for a vegan protein option and you can even add them to your salads. Chickpeas are a versatile ingredient and can be used in a number of recipes. When it comes to chickpea snacks however, it’s best to make your own at home. Store-bought snacks can contain a number of unnecessary ingredients so it’s best to avoid the processed kind. The best part is that you can make any flavour combinations you want depending on which spices you use to make this chickpea recipe your own.

Nutrition facts (1 Cup chickpeas)

  • Calories: 210
  • Protein: 10.7g
  • Carbs: 35g
  • Fat: 3.8g
  • Fibre: 9.6g
  • Sodium: 322mg

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 can of chickpeas
  • 1tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp chilli powder
  • 1/2 tsp thyme

Steps

  1. Wash your chickpeas well and dry with a kitchen towel. I like to remove the skin to get the extra crispy.
  2. Drizzle in your olive oil, (avocado oil is also an option) and add in your seasonings.
  3. Stir until the chickpeas are evenly coated.
  4. Bake in a preheated oven at 150ºC for about 1hr. Check on them and stir regularly to ensure they do not burn. Once they harden and turn golden brown they’re done.
  5. You can store them in an airtight container for about 3-4 days.

Are Hidden Calories Hindering Your Weight Loss?

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If you’ve been diligent with eating healthy and tracking your calories for a while now, yet you still haven’t lost any considerable weight or fat, then hidden calories may be the reason why. We often think that when we’re eating ‘healthy’ then we should be losing weight. But weight loss and fat loss are a little more more complex than that.

Losing weight often comes down to calories in versus calories out. This means that to lose weight you would have to be in a calorie deficit, in other words, using more energy than you are consuming. When you are in a deficit, your body will turn towards other sources of energy, usually fat. This is where the difference between weight loss and fat loss comes in as the former usually does not focus on composition and the latter focuses on retaining muscle. But this is a bit more complicated and is meant for another post.

Moving on, if it all comes down to calories, then that means you can be eating healthy and not lose weight if you are in a calories surplus or on maintenance. This brings us to hidden calories; sometimes the foods we eat have way more calories than we think they do. This doesn’t mean they are bad for you, only that you have to be more conscious of your overall energy intake. You do not want to waste calories on certain things or think you are in a calorie deficit when the opposite is true.

So, let’s look at some of the hidden calories most common in our diets and what you may want to be aware of. Keep in mind that these foods are by no means bad for you. They are not ‘evil’, they are just higher in calories and when consumed in large amounts, add up to your overall calorie intake. I enjoy these things in moderation or I try to find lower calorie alternatives, but I do not obsess over them. The importance of your fitness goal is turning it into sustainable habits and eventually a lifestyle. So, let’s get into it!

#1. Dressings & Sauces

Salad Dressing
Photo by The Lazy Artist Gallery on Pexels.com

Eating a salad is healthy and most salad dressings and other sauces are considered healthy. However, dressings are often higher in calories than the whole salad, especially when you are eating out. For example, on average 1 tablespoon of vinaigrette has about 75 calories, similar to ranch dressing and 2-4 tabelspoons of that can add up. So skipping out on the dressing or opting for a lower calorie version may be a better option.

#2. Cooking Oils

Cooking oil
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We cook almost everything in oil and forget to calorie track it at times. Cooking a meal in 2-3 tbsps of oil does add calories to your overall consumption and may be the reason why you are not in a calorie deficit. 1 tablespoon of olive oil has about 120 calories and the same goes for avocado oil. You can simply be more mindful of the amount of oil you use and add it in your calorie tracking to be more accurate.

#3. Smoothies/ Smoothie Bowls

smoothie bowl
Photo by ROMAN ODINTSOV on Pexels.com

Smoothies and smoothie bowls are considered the epitome of health. It took the media by storm as every influencer started shoving smoothie bowls into their cameras. But it’s easy to loose track of how many things we’re stuffing into a blender or how many things are added to the smoothies we buy. When it comes to a smoothie, it’s best to keep things simple and aim for high protein.

#4. Almond/Peanut Butter

almond butter
Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com

Almond butter is a staple in my grocery hauls. I love it it my oatmeal and on toast and you probably enjoy nut butters too. But they are higher in calories than you might think; 1 tablespoon of almond or peanut butter has about 100 calories. This doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it, but do so in moderation so that you can have more control over your energy consumption.

#5. Protein Snacks

veggie chips

Last on my list of tricky foods are protein snacks. Protein snacks are often marketed as ‘healthy’ and great for your fitness goals. But processed snacks sometimes contain a lot more than just protein, they are often loaded with sugar, preservatives, and calories. Whenever you buy them it’s beneficial to check the ingredients and composition so that you know what you are consuming.

I hope you enjoyed today’s post and found something useful from it. Disclaimer: I am not a nutritionist or dietitian and the tips I share are based from personal experience. Nevertheless, I hope you like and follow to join our health boss community, xoxo.

What I eat in a Day (Cutting)

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Hey guys, so I just started cutting about a month ago and I thought I’d share what I eat in a day. Please keep in mind that every body is different and our caloric needs vary depending on gender, height, weight, and activity level, which means you shouldn’t determine your nutrition on what I eat. This is just to give you some inspiration and to share my progress. Also, let me know down in the comments if you’d like to know how I’ve been dealing with the cut. Keep in mind, I only eat this way during the week, I allow myself more flexibility on the weekends.

With this cut I’ve aimed to up my protein and healthy fats while slightly lowering my carbs. My calories have dropped compared to my bulking phase but it won’t remain like this for long; I will gradually increase my calories to maintenance level with time.

Healthy Breakfast For fat loss

BREAKFAST

Definitely still my favourite meal of the day! I usually have breakfast around 10am, consisting of two eggs with gluten free toast and almond butter every morning. I usually train right after breakfast so this is a filling meal and it’s balanced with protein, carbs and healthy fats, giving me the energy I need for weight training. I also had coffee with almond milk right after.

Healthy Lunch Ideas

LUNCH

Lunch hits at about 2pm for me and I keep it pretty simple with chicken and veg, I always love to add the carbs smart 1000 island dressing, which is a low calorie dressing. I’ve also been sticking to chicken breast most of the time as it’s more lean than dark chicken meat and I make sure I have a healthy serving of greens. I also have my second cup of coffee after this because I love it!

SNACK

My snacks vary each day but on that day I had a few almonds and blueberries, sometimes I have apple slices with almond butter instead, but again I kept it simple with protein, fats, and carbs. I also have a bowl of popcorn from time to time if I’m craving something salty. I snack around 3-4 pm.

Healthy Dinner Ideas

DINNER

My last meal of the day right before 6pm, I had beef stir fry with chickpeas. I always use lean grass-fed beef, it’s great protein along with the chickpeas. Again I’m addicted to this banting dressing! I also had a piece of Sweet Switch 70% Dark chocolate after dinner; it’s dairy and sugar free! I usually have tea after, I’ve been loving this Chocolate Roobois Blend, or if I’m being reckless I have coffee, but I’m still working on stopping that. (Just keeping it real nobody’s perfect).

Check out my last what I eat in a day Bulking edition right here!!!

Thank you for reading this post! I hope you enjoyed it, if you did please like and comment. Follow for more posts like this one, xoxo.

3 Fitness Myths

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Hey guys, I thought I would address one of the major problems in our society today regarding women and young girls. I’m sure that, just like me, you grew up with the idea, that losing weight was the best possible thing to happen to a girl. Being told that we lost weight was a compliment and it made us feel better about ourselves. We were fed the ‘diet mindset’ by society and the media, throughout our lives and we ended up fearing our weight and food. That mindset is still very present and it is still destroying the mental and physical health of so many girls. DISCLAIMER: I know that simply saying these things won’t solve our problems, it will take a lot more to do that, however I do hope to increase its awareness.

1.DIETS ARE THE HOLY GRAIL

I want you to think about how many times you’ve said ‘I am going on a diet’ in the past. Just saying those words gave you a feeling of relief, but why is that? Growing up as young girls we are led to believe that the slimmer or the skinnier you are, the better. Moreover, we are duped into believing that skinny equals healthy. I remember when I was overweight and would go for a checkup, doctors would always tell me to lose weight. However, no showed told me the right way to do so and I delved into the world of endless diets. Long story short, none of them lasted long or had lasting effect.

One thing we need to establish and preach is that food is not the enemy. Instead of banning foods and being afraid we need to have a healthy relationship with them which takes time. That means making the healthy choices most of the time and indulging occasionally, but most of all knowing that ‘healthy’ doesn’t mean punishment or steamed broccoli everyday. You don’t need a cheat day once a week or the guilt of enjoying food you love. Our main goal should be a sustainable healthy lifestyle. I want you to view the food you eat as energy for your workouts, because at the end of the day, that is how your body processes it. You need energy to lose weight and thus food.

2. CARBS MAKE YOU FAT

Now it is true that some bodies react better to carb intake than others and low-carb diet can make you lose weight however carbs do not make you fat. Let’s break down why you may think carbs make you fat. When we eat carbs, our body breaks it down as glucose, thus rising our blood sugar and our pancreas in return produces insulin which signals our cells to use up the glucose. 50% is used by our brain and our muscles and liver store the glucose as glycogen, so as you can see, extreme low carb diets can have a debilitating effect on your health and muscle growth. Finally, the rest of the glucose is stored as fat, which is why people are afraid of carbs.

However, know which types of carbs are best for your body. Stick to complex carbs such as oats and quinoa and avoid simple carbohydrates that spike your blood sugar and provide little to no nutrients. You do not have to eliminate carbs completely from your nutrition, it isn’t sustainable and besides carbs release serotonin (your happy hormone) so don’t deprive yourself. There is only one way you can put on weight or fat and I clear that up down below.

Now, let’s get the gist of all of this. The only way you can lose weight is through a caloric deficit through nutrition or increased physical activity, similarly you will only put on weight/fat if you are in a caloric surplus. If you are working out; combining resistance training with some form of cardio, your body needs the carbs and the calories. Someone who is not active at all would require the same caloric needs. The key thing to understand is that no one’s nutrition can be exactly the same and you will have to change your nutrition throughout your fitness journey.

For example; right now I am trying to build muscle in my end goal to have a lean physique. Which is why I am in a slight caloric surplus and it’s a carb fest for me (I am literally having a bowl of overnight oats while writing this). In a few months, I will slightly decrease my carb intake simply to help my body burn fat faster (your body will still burn fat if you are working out, regardless of your carb intake). I am definitely going all out on my workouts but I am enjoying the process. I like to call this lean bulking.

3. WEIGHTS MAKE YOU BULKY

This is one I hear pretty often and I have to confess that I used to believe that as well when I was younger. Many women believe that if they pick up a dumbbell that’s heavier than 2kg, their muscles are going to puff up in 2 seconds, but that is not the case. For a woman to be able to bulk up like a man, she would need a ton of supplements/drugs. We don’t have the levels of testosterone that men have, therefore lifting weights will not give you a manly physique, instead it’ll help you lose fat and achieve a lean build much faster.

Lifting weights has done a lot for my physical and mental health. We’re led to believe that we need to override on cardio to achieve our ideal body, but I call that torture. I do incorporate cardio into my workouts in the form of HIIT training but I mostly focus on resistance training. One thing to takeaway from this is to try out different types of workouts and choose the one you enjoy doing, not the ones you dread.

Let me know your views or other myths down in the comments. The main objective is to create a healthy community and encourage this mindset. Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed this post. Please like and follow for more, xoxo.

My 3 Go-To Snacks

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Hey guys, welcome back to my blog. In this post, I’m going to share the 3 snacks I alternate between in a week. I always aim to be completely honest with my content, because I believe that transparency is necessary especially with health/fitness influencers. So, as you can tell, my snacks are loaded with carbs. Now, let me first say that carbs are not the enemy, it is true that some bodies thrive on a higher-protein diet, but that does not mean everyone will or that carbs are evil. I love carbs, they make me happy and they fuel my workouts which is why I have them in every meal. You can easily add more protein to these snack ideas with a few tweaks, but anything works as long as you’re using whole foods with real nutrients.

#1. Banana Toast

I love this combo, it’s something I’ve seen my family have plenty of times and I am here for it. You may think carb on carbs is scary but it’s a great pre-workout snack, especially when you’re going all out. I sprinkle some cinnamon on top and if you want you can add almond butter as well. You can use any type of bread you like, but I always have gluten free bread, I either bake it (here is the recipe) or buy this one.

#2. Banana Coffee Smoothie

I’ve talked about this one a couple of times and you can find the recipe here. However, a few alternatives that I’ve been liking are cacao-coffee with raw cacao powder and cacao nibs and vanilla protein. I also have a new recipe coming up so look out for that.

#3. Popcorn

I love popcorn, it’s salty and crunchy and just fun to eat. This is my usual late night snack; I use raw popcorn kernels (I like this one), pop it in a small saucepan with a little bit of olive oil for 5-10 mins or until the popping slows down and sprinkle in some Himalayan pinks salt or garlic salt.

That’s it for today’s post, it was a quick one but I hope you enjoyed it. I’d love to know what are some of your favourite snacks so let me know down in the comments. Please follow and like for more recipes and health posts, xoxo.

Should I Track My Calories?

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We all know that a calorie deficit is needed to lose weight, but is it a good idea to track your calories? I am currently not tracking my calories, but I did track vigorously for more than 6 months in the past, and in my case, it wasn’t the healthiest experience. I became obsessed, foods became numbers, and I tracked every morsel of food that went into my mouth. Before tracking, I would suggest ensuring that you have built a wholesome relationship with food. The best advice I was given is that ‘food is a fuel’, it isn’t the enemy so stop being afraid of it, instead use it to achieve your goal.

Do NOT track calories if you have/had an eating disorder or if you have an inclination towards it.

KEY POINTS TO REMEMBER

  • It’s often hard to discern your exact caloric needs, which can affect tracking and your goals.
  • Lower calories does not always mean weight/fat loss, undereating inhibits your goals.
  • Studies show that it isn’t beneficial for women to decrease their calories below 1400.
  • Calorie Trackers are often inaccurate.
  • Even ‘healthy’ calories can lead to weight gain, if in a surplus.
  • Everyone’s caloric needs are different!!
  • Your body needs energy to burn energy.
  • Instead of focusing on how many calories you burn in a workout, focus on how it makes you feel or you will never enjoy it.
  • When tracking it’s easy to fool yourself into thinking you’re eating less, which will also dampen your goal.

When Should I Track?

I believe that you can meet your goals without tracking, I started making progress and building muscle when I stopped worrying about the calories. However, it does matter where the calories are coming from. If you are just starting on your weight loss journey, I wouldn’t advise you to track but to replace processed, unhealthy foods with whole foods. If you are well advanced in your progress and you’ve hit a plateau then it might be beneficial to see where you are in your caloric intake.

If you must track, I’d suggest:

  • Tracking simply once a week to see if you are still on course with your caloric needs.
  • Avoid tracking throughout the day, instead do it at the end of the day.
  • Don’t have cheat days, instead eat in moderation or follow the 80/20 rule, whereby 80% of your nutrition consists of healthy whole foods and 20% consists foods you love.

My perspective on losing weight or fat has shifted throughout the years. I’ve definitely made mistakes but they have led me to where I am right now. The biggest shift has been my mental health and overall happiness. I used to view my workouts with the idea of how many calories I would burn, but now I do it to gain strength. I no longer fear or ban foods, but sometimes we need help to view things that way. I had someone that triggered that shift for me and I hope I can help you in the same way. Thank you for reading, please like and leave a comment, xoxo.

Healthy Food Staples

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Healthy Grocery Staples

When trying to eat healthily, it’s easy to get confused by the variety of products on the market. Many foods are marketed as being ‘healthy’ but are often not; brands use words such as ‘low fat’, ‘low carb’, ‘high in protein’ and ‘low calorie’ to entice us into buying their products. However, these foods are often filled with several unhealthy ingredients. For example; protein bars are marketed as a healthy, ‘high protein’ snack, but are filled with sugar. This is why it’s important to always read the ingredients.

It will get easier to choose which foods are best for you with time, but to make it simpler, here are some whole-food staples that are widely available and versatile. These are gluten and dairy-free but I’ve also listed foods (italicized) which I don’t include in my nutrition due to allergies.

CARBS

  • Oats
  • Quinoa
  • Sweet Potatoes
  • GF bread
  • Potato Gnocchi
  • Veggie Pasta

PROTEIN

  • Chicken Breast
  • Lean Beef
  • Eggs
  • Fish
  • Chickpeas

FRUITS & VEGGIES

  • Bananas
  • Berries
  • Spinach/Kale
  • Broccoli
  • Lettuce
  • Bell peppers

OTHER

  • Olive oil
  • Coconut oil
  • Cinnamon powder
  • Organic Honey
  • Unsweetened plant-based milk

I hope this post is useful in helping you tackle the basics of eating balanced, please follow and let me know what you think. Thank you for reading, xoxo.

3 Healthy Breakfast Ideas

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Breakfast is definitely my favourite meal of the day, so much so that I have breakfast for dinner at times. Breakfast can be identified as a morning meal but really it’s whenever you have your first meal of the day as you are breaking your fast. I like to workout in the morning so I need proper fuel before that and I usually alternate between these three meals during the week, they are filled with clean, nutrient-dense ingredients and they are pretty easy to make. So here are my weekly Go-To’s…

APPLE PIE OATMEAL

What you’ll need:

  • 1/2 cup oats
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup almond milk (or any plant based milk)
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 small apple diced or grated (without skin)
  • honey (or any liquid sweetener)

Method: – Let your oats cook on the stovetop with the almond mill and water, add the cinnamon and apple after 1-2 mins. Once the oatmeal is cooked top it with honey, cinnamon and apple slices.

HEALTHY FRENCH TOAST

What you’ll need:

  • Gluten Free Bread (You can find a recipe here)
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup almond milk
  • 1tsp vanilla
  • Coconut oil/ Butter (non-dairy free option)

Method: – Combine the egg, almond milk and vanilla, heat your frying pan and spray some coconut oil. Dip your bread slice into the mixture and place onto the pan. Cook evenly on both side on a low-medium heat until the sides are golden brown. Top with fruit and honey.

CHIA PUDDING

What you’ll need:

  • 2tbsp chia seeds
  • 1/2 cup plant-based milk
  • 1tsp vanilla extract
  • honey or any liquid sweetener

Method: – Leave the chia seeds to soak with the milk and vanilla overnight. The next morning top it with some fruit, coconut flakes and nuts/seeds or with some granola, here is the recipe if you’d like to try it.

I hope you enjoyed this post and try one of these recipes. Thank you for reading and please like and follow for more xoxo.

Photos from Unsplash