Sweet Enough

THE HIDDEN TRUTH

It's everywhere. Sugar. It's in our drinks, our sauces and even in our bread. Everywhere we look, it can be found....lurking. There are different forms and alternatives to table sugar like honey or stevia - but having sugary foods in high doses can still affect our weight and energy levels so they are best avoided where possible or good alternatives found instead.

Always Read The Label  

Next time you're in the supermarket - take some time to check the labels and you'll see how much sugar there is in a lot of our supermarket goods. Thing is, we can make a lot of our meals fresh with pure natural ingredients and we don't need the extra sugar added. It really is simple and just as convenient to make highly nutritious and tasty sauces/meals using an array of fresh herbs and spices. We now have a fresh selection on hand and make up for a few of the extra ingredients that tend to have a shorter shelf life by buying in a tube/jar or frozen. It's amazing how varied you can be with some passata, basil, garlic and other fresh herbs to hand. I watched a BBC TV documentary last night about eating well for less where a family were spending a fortune on their family meals - opting for convenience meals and sauces rather than making their own.

Coming from a background of packaging design, I am well aware of the importance of good packaging to draw in the consumer, so this TV show should be a real eye-opener for anyone swayed by the packaging when making food choices and like this reminder has done for me, should spur us all on to make our own fresh food more often going forward...

Just Desserts
I met with some friends for Sunday lunch today and usually where I would have had a few pints, some wine and eaten a hearty roast, I swapped out my alcohol for a (very watered down) lime cordial and soda. My meal choice was Paleo, chicken wings and whitebait followed by duck breast with sweet potato mash, cabbage and carrots. All very good. However, when it came to the desserts - I did get a bit of a twinge as I was reminded of the dessert 'treat' habit kicking in. I think it's been ingrained in me from a kid to finish your plate of food, the dessert was offered as a reward and I'd always manage to eat the 'treat/reward' even if I was already full.

Rather than succumb to the lure of a pub pudding, I sneakily ate a piece of the Paleo banana cake that my partner and I baked the day before instead in exchange for the sticky toffee pudding with ice cream. Now, a cake is still a cake. Nuts are high in fat and this cake had a lot of almonds in it. But, compared to the high-in-sugar alternative, it was still better to eat a small slice of this banana bread. I had also factored in that the 1 hour's exercise that day and possibly, slightly lower calorie intake for the whole day allowed me a small amount of dessert and I didn't have to sit and listen to the others smacking their lips...!

Don't Be So Saucy

MASTER YOUR PALETTE 

Last few days of the Paleo diet and I've just had the driest meal so far but possibly the purest in it's nutrients...

It was a roasted chicken breast with kale, broccoli, spinach and butternut squash. I steamed the veg and ate everything plain - ie. with no sauces or condiments. I accompanied it with a glass of water. It didn't look that appetising on the plate and as the chicken hadn't even been roasted in a glaze of any kind, there were no tantalising aromas coming from the meal either. Luckily, I was hungry. The first few mouthfuls were a bit of an effort because I'm used to a bit of sauce on my plate - and at least a bit of salt and pepper to get the tastebuds going. But once I'd got going into the meal, and took my time to appreciate and chew every mouthful, it actually started to be quite tasty...I realised I didn't actually need salt, pepper or any extra flavour enhancers.

Breaking The Habits

I've gotten so used to grabbing the salt and pepper at meal times - that it's become a habit. I also eat really fast. I'm trying to eat a little slower as a rule, so I can better assimilate and taste the food. This method aids digestion apparently, as the receptors on your tongue and in your mouth let the stomach know what is coming, plus your saliva mixes with your food, making it less alien in your gut,  thus helping alleviate any stomach aches. 

Drink your food, chew your water 

My nan used to say chew every mouthful 24 times before swallowing - this was likely because they were very poor in her time and especially important to do this during the rationing throughout the second world war, but also because it makes sense. The Daoists have been saying this for hundreds of years and their teachings are very much focussed on knowing oneself. More reading required on this methinks...Paul Check (in the video) has taken many of these eastern teachings and implemented these beliefs into his C.H.E.K. principles for following a training program in corrective and high-performance exercise kinesiology - ie. treating the whole body system to find the root of a problem. It's well worth looking into Paul's methods in more detail on his website.

It's strange how differently I see food now. I've become super wary of everything I buy from the supermarket because everything I see that is packaged up is marketed so well to entice us to buy. Reading the ingredients and thinking a bit more about if it's really good for us or just as easy to make fresh has encouraged us to cook and try new recipes more. These are just companies at the end of the day, who are trying to sell us stuff and they know sugar, salt and fat are our Achilles heels, but we really don't need all these extra ingredients and should cut them out as much as possible.

It's a shame to pass up on the processed sauces, they're ingrained in my habits, convenient and so tasty - but fresh tomatoes and a bit of olive oil are just as great. I now stick to non-processed options (no more than two ingredients excluding water) and mix together fresh whenever I can. 

Backup Reserves

I can't stress how important it has been having a few nuts on my person at all times. I'm currently sat in a patisserie over looking a counter covered with cakes and biscuits. I'm amazed at how my new conditioning has kicked in. I had an espresso and glass of tap water instead of a cappuccino, with my small fix of almonds instead of a cake. 

Detox Exposed

EXERCISE & DIET

So, the truth is out! Interesting research taken recently says that detox diets and all their supplements are bogus. We're being conned with marketing tricks to get us buying products that do nothing to cleanse the body and purge it of 'toxins'. This is because the body is actually very capable of repairing itself and is well equipped for removing any potentially harmful toxins.

This fact will not only upset my partner, who loves blowing her earnings on an assortment of 'snake oil' from our local health food shop, but will cheer up all those other people who are needlessly throwing away hard-earned money on these so-called 'fixes'.

There's so much noise out there with regard to what's good for you. It seems every week there's some new report to say something we've been taking as a health booster - is actually doing the opposite. Take red wine for instance - one minute it's a health benefit and the next it's not. It's pretty much a given that fresh and unprocessed foods are going to give us a better chance of staying healthy. So we should still focus on eating the foods that are already known to provide the nutrients for better health benefits.

Essentially, though, food is just one factor. Good health is maintained by having an all-round healthy lifestyle. Getting quality sleep, avoiding stressful situations whilst being mindful of eating well-balanced meals and taking time for regular exercise, are the key factors.

Paleo Diet Working
I said in previous blogs that I'd feedback on the progress. Well, here it is:
Since I've started the Paleo diet just two weeks ago, progress is now easy to see just by looking in the mirror. There's very little body fat showing around my middle any more, and the definition is coming though on my chest, shoulders and arms. My legs have slimmed down too. My jeans are feeling baggy around the knees, thighs and backside. I seem to have shed an 'undercoat' of excess bulk. I'm sleeping well, light on my feet, energised and clear-headed. I weighed myself today after boxing and I'm back up to a healthier 12st 8lb (down from a heavy original 13st 8lb). That's pretty much my fighting weight. So, a few more weeks of PT, boxing, yoga and a continued focus on my daily quality protein intake, should mean I'll hit the 12st 10lb weight but with stronger muscles and a more defined shape.

This update above, goes to show how well a focused diet, coupled with regular exercise, can bring such positive results in a very short time frame. Whatever our goals, to stay healthy, we don't need 'detox' supplements. We certainly need to look after ourselves more. But simply monitoring our diet and making time for regular exercise, will be just we need to stay healthy.

Push through

BEING ACTIVE

Sometimes, when you've been constantly on the go. relaxing and sitting around can be just what you need. A break away from the routine can really help to recharge the batteries. However, having too many lazy days can also have a negative effect on your energy levels, as I found when chilling this weekend. 

On a down day, I like to read, listen to music and veg out like the best of us. But to kick the day off, it's always great to do a bit of stretching, breathing and light movement. You can make your own little routine or I like to do some yoga moves. There's a great app called Yoga Studio which gives you the option of a full yoga workout or just a quick 10 minute stretch session and all right there in your pocket! So this morning, I woke early, went for a brisk walk around the deserted town and returned as the sun was breaking through dark clouds, signalling another glorious day. I then did a 12 minute sun salutation yoga warm-up routine with my partner before taking a light breakfast.

The thing is, I'd not had a particularly great night's sleep, was not feeling all that rested, plus feeling a bit stiff from the week and hadn't really wanted to leave the warm confines of the bedroom today. Those damned negative voices once again...But I'm so glad I got myself up and pushed through rather than snooze for another hour, choosing to ignore the lazy voice and get some fresh air, sunshine in my face and energy flowing through my veins. I now feel so much more alive as a consequence and it's another reminder to always 'push through' - get up early and embrace the day.

Food Science

The diet's still going really well. I've been watching a really good 3 part BBC Horizon documentary this morning about people struggling with their diet. It's been really interesting to see how overweight people are affected by food in various different ways. I reckon, if I wasn't as active, body conscious and self-educated about food - I'd likely be overweight too because I'm a 'Feaster'. Luckily, I am aware of what I eat and sticking to the 30 day Paleo diet for another two weeks yet. If only more people were more savvy about food. This great series from the BBC should help educate many many more people about what factors affect their weight and ultimately, their health - so well-worth a watch.

Leaner, Stronger, Faster

HAPPY FOOD

So, it's nearly two weeks since I stopped drinking and I'm really starting to notice the difference in my energy levels and general positivity. The guy's who I regularly see at the reception to my office - one of the security team, asked what I've been doing, as I seemed different in some way - more vibrant and extra friendly (jeez, I must have been such a moody b*stard before!). I explained my diet and the early starts and he said he'd like to lose a bit of weight and was on a diet too - It is Jan after all...Thing is, I reckon his diet is wrong for him as it's essentially giving him a lot less food than a man of his size needs and especially as he stands outside in all weathers, he'll be feeling it in the cold at this time of year. I've passed on the Paleo info - and I'm going to send him a link to the blog today. I've also spread the word to my partner and a good friend to see if we can get our beach bodies back in a month!

I've been reading the Paleo book by Robb Fox and starting to get a better understanding of how our digestive system works to break down the food we eat and how we use it as fuel. This is why I can see the Paleo diet really works. I ate well yesterday, cutting out the carbs as much as possible and taking on my daily amount of protein. This seemed to give me enough energy to take two intense yoga classes. The first was a dynamic yoga class with Geraldine of The Radiant Hand - these are excellent teachers who really teach yoga through discipline - giving clear direction, watching, walking the room and correcting poses. I'm starting to get a real flow now, my flexibility is really coming on and I believe I actually got an 'excellent' yesterday, my first - and coming from this teacher, it has spurned me on even more! The second class was at Fierce Grace in the City. I tried Bikram yoga before and liked the intensity of the stretching in the hot environment - and Fierce Grace is a newer cooler version of Bikram - with music. The class I took was 1.5 hours long and equally as much of an endurance test in the 40+ heat!

We had food after - tricky eating out on a Paleo diet but Busaba Eatai have some grill options and I went for the cod stir fry with broccoli, garlic and shitaki mushrooms instead of rice. I had to take my lemongrass tea without honey in it but it was still sweet anyway. I confess, I ate the cashew cookies (it's my weakness). The greatest thing about the meal was the bill, as it is 50% for the whole of Jan - and you can go as many times as you want!

Restocking the cupboard
Day 3 on the Paleo diet - and it's time to get the right foods in. So, we've been down the supermarket at 7am buying meat and fish amongst other things...

Funny how giving up drinking gives you more time - but it can leave a bit of a void for what to spend your money on...I'm really trying to save money, but so used to getting the wallet out - so the motivation for going down to Aldi at 7am this morning as it opened, was to make the most of picking up this week's offers! Aldi now has an organic range and it's a good place for getting packaged meats like ham, turkey and chicken and great value for buying bags of nuts and fresh veg, fruit etc. We also need to stock up on quality fish & meat - we have Waitrose and Sainsbury's very near - but there's a great butchers called Chadwicks also nearby (who also do delivery) that's going to have the best grass fed beef and free range stuff in the store - plus we have a locally sourced fish mongers that comes to our farmers market every saturday which I'll be buying from. My parents befriended our local butcher to ensure always getting the choicest cuts...and we ate really well as a kid. It's going to be more expensive as a rule, but if there's a proper fish mongers or butchers nearby - it makes sense to make the most of it.

Improving digestion
The daily dose of Aloe Vera is really helping keep away any stomach issues and sticking to less acidic and non spicy foods is helping too. I've also been taking a supplement called Argi+ with anti-oxidants and vitamins - including L-arginine which is claiming to aid faster recovery after training. I've noticed that when taking before and after climbing or mountain biking, I've had less aching muscles the following day. I'll have to continue taking it to measure longer term benefits.

I'm not drinking tea or coffee during the day - but having an espresso in the mornings after eating. I've taken to regularly drinking freshly squeezed lemon in hot water (no honey or sugar added now though) and having a shot of Milk Thistle first thing in the morning - allegedly good for liver function.

Fit and Flexible 
First proper week back on the exercise routine. Here's how it's been in the week so far...

Tuesday was the first day back on the early boxing routine - really enjoyed pushing myself physically and mentally, it really helps to clear any angst or frustrations. I noticed a change in the core strength immediately after doing 100 situps at the end of the session. If you're in the London area and a member of Fitness First - we're having the sessions every Tuesday morning at 7.15-8am. If you'd like to know more and to join, email me at fitclubbox@gmail.com

Wednesday was a double helping of dynamic and hot yoga. I'm really starting to notice the difference in my flexibility and posture and my lower back aches and stiffness seem to have subsided considerably. I've got a great iPhone/iPad app for the days when you just want a quick 20 minute session at home or are on holiday - it's called Yoga Studio - available on the app store.

Thursday is my personal training day. So I'm going to really push myself and with all the good food I've been eating, should be on top of my game today. The guys at Ultimate City Fitness really know their stuff! Sign-up to get their daily newsletter giving advice on personal training, nutrition and achieving a leaner, stronger and fitter you. I'll be posting my routines up on a separate training page at some point in the near future.

Touch and Go
I realise I'm spending considerably more time on the keyboard typing these days. I should know where the keys are after 20 years using a computer but I just do two-finger typing. So I've decided to teach myself to touch type. I've been using this great free typing tool called Typing Club and after doing 20-30 minutes a day for 5 days - I'm up to about 20 words a minute! There's still a lot a of work to do before I'm speedy enough to be using this method full time - but it's a start.

A final note on speed
Saving seconds from my day to do the important things by being efficient, are part of my research on how to do things better. I wrote in a previous post about using a long-life, aluminium free deodorant and said I'd come back to it soon. So, I applied a very liberal amount of cream on Monday morning. I've washed 1-3 times every day with soap and water, but haven't had to re-apply any deodorant in 4 days. That's pretty good considering all the sweating I do. So this product is £8 but it's meant to last for over a month. That means I don't have to carry deodorants around with me in my gym bag, saves me time and could save money in the long run - plus it has to be better for me not using aluminium products. This will be great for festivals me thinks...

It's not that I ever get a chance to smell, because I wash a lot - 1-3 times a day typically. I'm usually having a shower after cycling in to work in the morning, one at lunch time if I'm hitting the gym and one in the evening after cycling home. Do I need to wash so much - probably not? I'm also getting through a lot of shower gel - so I only use soap now. I've got a small bar of aloe soap (which you can get from Holland & Barratt) and a Speedo sports towel - which is small, light, faster and more efficient for drying yourself off with - it can also be used as a flannel if, like me, you don't want to wash yourself away with constant showers. It's easy to carry around and you don't have to wait for it to dry like a conventional towel - just wring it out!

Cut Out The Cr@p

REMOVING TEMPTATION

I received my first challenge email from Robb Wolf's 30 day challenge yesterday, which said to have a bit of a clear out at home - hope he doesn't mind me using the screengrab here. Please click on the above link to get on this 30 day challenge too.:

Sugar Is Bad!

Correction....sugar is bad in high quantities, particularly fructose syrup which is in so many foods now and a major factor in high levels of obesity. I watched this rather amusing and very informative video from Dr. Robert H. Lustig yesterday regarding hidden sugars in our food and the terrible problem faced in America with their foods administrative body failing to halt fructose consumption. The video clip is well worth watching and he has a book too, which I may get round to reading...or I may just stick to avoiding sugar instead....It seems to back-up what I've already learned/understood, there's too much sugar in our diet so it's best to just avoid processed food because it contains harmful additives like high levels of salt & sugars like fructose. I'm also going to look more into the Paleo diet - as Robb doesn't tell me what exactly what to throw out - all sauces?! (however, just looking at the labels gives a good idea) - this downloadable pdf may help.

So I've suddenly been pulled into this Paleo diet. Been watching a few video clips and reading up on leaky gut syndrome and the benefits of cutting out all the harmful processed (and often tasty) foods that are causing illness. One claim that I heard in the video by Dr. Robert H. Lustig, was that Paleo diets can reverse type 2 diabetes! Diet can affect mood, potentially leading to depression and also have an adverse effect on your joints, even causing/inflaming arthritis...I also watched this video on TED (I love Ted - it has some great inspiring stuff on there) - this woman claims to have reversed MS by changing her diet....well worth watching too:

The diet says to cut out fruit juices - I've heard this before, because you're not chewing and mixing the enzymes to properly digest the food and losing the full benefits of eating the fibre. However, I still like to try and get in a bit of a 'tonic' before cycling to work or taking on some light food before doing yoga. I enjoy having a glass of something which has healthy/fresh food sources in it, so I'll chose a veg smoothie/juice instead. Re. what's really good for you - it's tricky knowing what to believe, everyone's an expert on the internet these days! I've had a read through books and online, spoken to people that I can see are living proof of what it means to be healthy and come to the conclusion that I'm surely going to benefit by taking these 'superfoods' in to my system once or twice a week in a drink form. I usually have a spinach, banana and coconut water juice smoothie. I add a sprinkle of chia seeds and a splash of fish oil. I know I can also add apple, celery, avocado etc. - I'll find a few different ones to try and post later on. If you're interested to read a bit more on the healthy benefits of these few I know about already, click on the pictures below...

Having The Right Kit

SELF DISCIPLINE RULES

If you are lacking in self discipline, maybe you need a computer telling you what you already know. You're not exercising enough. You're eating too much. You're eating the wrong food. Wearable tech. It's all the rage these days! I'm a big fan of the old fashioned methods myself. So unless you can afford a wearable device - and this site has a whole list of them, try using some of these lo-tech methods I use every day.

Don't just count your steps....make your steps count:
It's been shown in studies (watch this program if you can get it), that a smaller amount of high intensity exercise, can shock your body into action and increase your metabolic rate, burn fat and improve your cardio/Vascular fitness levels. It's called High Intensity Training or HIT. I don't record my steps. I know when I've been sedentary and when I'm walking. This smart TV show from the BBC informs us that even by speeding up your walking pace a bit (speeding your heart rate), you can lower cholesterol and burn more calories. So make the steps you take really count! It's really simple...just walk.

– Walk fast everywhere you go
– Don't take the lift and walk up/down the stairs
– Never stand on the escalator
– If you want to really make steps count - do them 2 at a time
– To improve core strength, don't hold the rail (have your hand hovering above the rail ready in case it's needed) and try to keep your upper body engaged through your core as you steadily climb 2 steps at a time
– For even greater cardio fitness - do as I do and run the escalator two steps at a time!

Remember to breathe deeply, so you're not gasping for breath at the top and be extra careful not to trip, and take care to be aware of what's going on around you - especially when quickly crossing the road. I've gone even further with this attack on stairs and told myself that I'll take two steps at a time for as long as I can into old age for a measure of my physical strengths!

Counting Your Calories
I find a really great way to keep an eye on what we eat, is to take pictures of every meal. When I started off doing this, I quickly realised how big my portions were. I also noticed that I was finishing every meal, no matter if I was hungry or not. I've come from working class roots and this must have been instilled in me by my parents and grand parents from an early age. No waste. Not leaving the table until the plate was clean and praise for completing over my brother who was a bit of a fussy eater!

So, now I make smaller portions. In fact, I half everything with my partner, who is 8.5-9 stone/120lbs or roughly 55kilos. So mealtimes, I'll still finish my smaller plate of food and because I'm like a dog, be watching as my partner leaves some choice morsels of food on her plate. The rule is that we always start together, and if there's food left when she's finished eating (which is always long after I have finished), I can have it. Chances are, that I'll get those tasty morsels if I time it right - BUT, after a couple of minutes of finishing my food. I'm done. My hunger has past. And even though I have this no wasted policy, it's not my plate. I still feel that deep rooted satisfaction that I've finished my food and if I really am that hungry, I can always go back to the cupboard and get myself a snack.

Smart Snacks
Having snacks is fine - providing they are good snacks but if you eat smart and often, you don't really need to eat much between meals unless you're in a physically demanding job or exerting yourself with a physical activity. I used to tell myself that elevensy's and 3 o'clock snacks were needed every day but realised I'd just formed a habit so I stopped having them. If I felt the urge, I had another glass of water instead. However, there are times when you feel a bit low in energy, so I find that having a handful of nuts on hand normally does the trick, so there's always a selection of nuts in the house and I have some mixed nuts in my bag at work. I like pistachios - it's a smart nut to have around. Because the effort it takes to open them means I get bored before I get full. We always have a bit of cold meat around in the house too. A little bit of turkey or ham & cheese (cheese is my chocolate remember?) on a rice cake will easily satisfy a hunger pang. If you've managed to watch the BBC documentary, you've also learned that eating more proteins like meats, fills you up quicker and for longer. I avoid sugary snacks because I can't stop eating them once I've started as they seem to make me even hungrier. I make a point of not having any sweet snacks in the house but I do like digestive biscuits, so those and cheese are my treats and I'll rarely have them unless I've been exercising. We also have a bit of fresh and dried fruit kept in the house/sports bag but I'll usually only eat when exercising again.

Another snack that I carry in my sports bags are protein bars. I know they're processed foods - but they are good for immediately after or during a bit of intense exercise like mountain biking or climbing or after a tough session at the gym if I'm unable to eat something fresh within 30 minutes of exercise.

Making the right food choices

I'm keeping it fairly simple with food, and I can feel the benefits paying off already. When the spring comes, I'd like to be in a better position to step up the diet, so I've signed up to get a 30 day Paleo challenge sent to my phone every day to see what it's about and I'm reading Rob Wolf's book on Paleo this week too. I'll come back to this tomorrow.

Back to kit....

I'm off to boxing now - but before I go...just to say I'm also trialing a new deodorant, a nifty little bike mud guard, sports training bands and a sports recovery/drink called Argi+.

I'll come back to these products at a later date when I've had some usage to to feed back on the results.

Preparation Is Key

STAYING AHEAD OF THE GAME

I'm getting on track. I've got my early morning routine down. My diary has been updated with my exercise routine and my partner and I now also have a calendar with all our shared social events in, so we can plan the rest of our free time accordingly. I'm starting to run more on auto-pilot in the mornings. So this week I'm looking more closely at my financial situation. Not going out much at the moment or drinking alcohol, are definitely helping, but I've eaten out a few times last week and there were a couple of meals that could have been better for budget and performance. I had a fairly late night last week (10.30) and grabbed a subway for dinner. It was a tuna 6" with low cal mayo, so not really that unhealthy, but bread late isn't good for me plus it wasn't really enough food. If I'd just prepared a salad in my canteen at lunchtime for take away, I could have had a really healthy, light meal before going out, or eaten a portion of it earlier and finished the rest later on. The following night I ate a bigger plate of food, but again not ideal as it was a lot of food after 7pm, spicy and contained quite a bit of protein which takes more energy to digest. Both nights were consequently later because it took longer to get off to sleep and it wasn't the best quality rest needed to stay on top of things.

The Right Food For The Job
I live an active lifestyle. I'm up early, bed early and doing physical activity regularly throughout the day and I need to get the right foods in at the right times and best nutrition for the jobs in hand. I'll definitely come back to writing a more detailed food page at some point, but for now, here's a few pointers for the types of food I should have on-hand for nutrition, value and convenience.

My ethos, is to eat pretty much everything in moderation but I tend to avoid processed food, ready-meals and keep to eating a balance of simple and natural foods – fruit, veg and meat. Kind of like the cave man or Paleo diet.
Here's a few of the staple foods I've found to work for me and at certain times of the day:


Mornings
Aloe Vera – 5am
I always start my day with a 60ml shot of Aloe Vera, which helps to regulate my digestive system.

Lemon juice - 5.30am
Drink some hot water with squeeze lemon juice and honey for Vitamin C and good for keeping neutral Ph balance.

Banana - 5.30-7.30am
Great source of potassium - the riper ones will have more sugars and this is great if I need a bit of energy to get me in to work on the bike in the mornings.

Avocado - 6.30-7.30am & 6.30-730pm
These are a great food source that contain good fats and are pretty much a meal all in themselves. They are easy on the digestive system, so great first thing or before bed. Cut them in half, score crossways and diagonally. Add a little (quality) balsamic vinegar and eat straight out of the skin.

Eggs - 6.30-730am
I'll eat a bit more food in the morning if I'm training. Either I'll make scrambled eggs; - usually with a combination of tomatoes, spinach, broccoli and/or avocado. If I want to make the best use of time, I have two boiled eggs and eat an avocado straight out of the skin (see above). I bought a really nifty little device called the Princess egg timer and steamer - really great for making the perfect eggs and steaming fish or vegetables while you can get on with your work!

Fish - 6.30-7.30am & 6.30-7.30pm
Steamed fish goes well with eggs - I usually have this meal in the mornings if my dinner the night before has been quite light, or enjoy on weekends for brunch. Really sets me up if I've got a big day ahead. I'll also eat steamed fish with new potatoes and steamed broccoli/asparagus for dinner because I can have it ready within 20 minutes.


These are the foods I also eat - but not so much and only at certain times

Bread - 6.30am - 2.30pm
I usually go for one piece of toast with breakfast eggs a few times a week or I'll sometimes have bread with my larger breakfast on the weekends. Bread is a slow release energy source and so I try and keep it early in the day. It's also a carbohydrate and processed wheat so I only eat when I need it and stick to quality grains to avoid any stomach issues. My partner likely has a wheat or gluten intolerance because she suffers with discomfort when eating bread or pasta.

Pasta - 12.30 - 7.30
I don't have a problem with eating bread or pasta but it can bloat me or make me feel tired. Pasta is another good energy source but I tend to eat only in moderation and have more green vegetables instead as a source for my carbs.

Spicy meals - lunchtimes or Saturday early evening only
Spicy meals taste great but for me they can create acid and heat in the body. So provided I can drink lots of water and I'm not trying to sleep straight after, I'll eat curries and richly seasoned meals.

Sweets - lunchtimes or Saturday early evening only
I like chocolate occasionally and the odd sweets. I'll tend to have a couple of mouthfuls of a desert and that's enough. Having too much sugar makes me 'jittery' and I definitely avoid before bedtime.

Caffeine
Coffee and tea - 6am-3pm
I like the odd tea and coffee throughout the week - usually with a bit of milk, and half a sugar in coffee. I'll have a mocha on a Saturday morning to keep me going before a hearty brunch but try not to drink on an empty stomach or after lunchtime (unless it's decaf).

Cheese - 10.30am-7.30pm
Cheese is my chocolate. Cheese also goes well with my other favourite indulgence - biscuits!

Lunch & Evenings
Salad
I usually have a light but filling lunch most days to keep my energy levels up throughout the afternoon. Eating salads are a great way to stay lean. I'll have some protein with it like tuna, chicken or salmon.
The rest of the salad consists of:
– Leaf = spinach/rocket
– Tomatoes
– Potato salad
– Rice
– Peppers
– Cucumber
– Carrot
– Pulses and chickpeas
– Vegetables ie. green beans & broccoli


Meat - 12.30-3pm & 6.30-7.30
I'll stick to grilled or roast chicken (especially in the evenings) if I can but the occasional lamb, or quality cut of beef (good source of iron) won't hurt. I'll also have a beef stew as it's easier to digest when the meat's been tenderised. Stews are a great way to get a meal easily prepared that contains meat and vegetables. We make our own stews in the winter months - often weekly on a Sunday and it takes no more than 15 minutes to prepare. We have a slow cooker that cooks the stew throughout the night while you sleep, so ready when you wake. It makes 4 large meals plus a soup each for about £6-7. This means we have 3 meals for the week in the fridge - ready to heat up in the evening or take as a lunch to work.

Keeping It Light
It's winter - I believe it's not such a bad thing having a few extra pounds at this time of year - I call it my winter coat. It gets cold on the bike and, like on a sea lion - blubber can help keep out the cold and used for some energy reserves too. So I'm not going militant on my diet but I will say it's better to cut out where you can. I don't have any butter or spread on my toast any more but I will use butter for my scrambled eggs. I don't fry much food but when I do have a bit of pan-fry fish etc. I use minimum oil - the oil sprays are good. I avoid sauces and salad dressings except a little olive oil and balsamic. And I skip the gravy or avoid adding fat (melted butter etc.) to my carbs. If I want to add flavour, I'll sparingly add a little balsamic, piri-piri/tabasco (not in the evenings), sweet chilli or HP/ketchup sauce.

That's it for now - I'll add a page on food, their benefits etc. and some easy, nutritious recipes for the slow cooker to try at some point down the line. Tomorrow, I'll be looking at a couple of other things I'm also trying this week...