What I eat day to day

Good evening! So as I said in one of my previous posts Tips to stay healthy in 2017 this year I'm trying to be a lot more healthier, as this year I'm getting married and I couldn't be more excited...ahhh!

Not going to lie changing my eating habits hasn't been the easiest, especially when there's a constant supply of sweets and treats in work. I've fallen of the wagon a couple times, but hey you can't eat clean all the time. I believe that the more you starve yourself of something the more you will crave it, so I'm concentrating on eating healthy during the week, and then treating myself a  little on the weekends- it's all about balance! 

I defiantly manage to stay on track more when I've sat down and written my meal plan for the week and prepared all my lunches and breakfasts in advance. Also it really helps when I leave my purse at home, as I don't have the temptation to pop out at lunch and buy junk.

So what do I tend to eat?

Breakfast

I usually have a protein smoothie for my breakfast, as more often than not I'm in a rush and this is something I can prepare in advance & freeze the fruit and then quickly blend before I run out the door.

Using protein powders is a great way of including more protein in your diet, which our body needs to be able to prepare its self, especially if you are working out on a regular basis. Also you may not realise, but our hair and nails are mostly made out of protein, so if you find yours are brittle and weak it may be down to lack of protein. 

Most protein powders contain milk proteins, which isn't great when you are lactose intolerant! I tend to stick to Vegan powders, as I know these will be totally free from milk. Over the last couple of years I've tried loads of different brands and flavours and not been impressed with any of them, due to them being bland and lacking in taste. However this MyProtein Active Women Banana and Cinnamon is quite the opposite, it actually tastes like the flavour it should and is yummy when just added to almond milk for a post work out re fuel or when blended with fruit and veg.

My current favourite flavours are...

All Things Green:

1 x green apple

Big handful of spinach

1 x celery stalk

1 x cup of green tea,

25g scoop of protein powder

Berrylicious:

1 x cup of strawberries,

½ cup of blueberries

1 x banana

1 tsp of cinnamon

300ml almond milk

25g scoop of protein powder

Coffee Kick:

1 x banana

½ cup of brewed coffee

Couple of drops of vanilla extract

25g scoop of protein powder

200ml of Alpro vanilla yoghurt

On the weekends when I've got a little more time, I'll cook myself a omelette topped with ham spinach and mushrooms.

Lunch

As part of my pre wedding health kick I swapped bread for Ryvita Dark Rye, so the majority of my lunches involves these topped with ether smashed avocado, smoked salmon or eggs. I try to pick toppings high in protein to keep me full up for longer, as when I get bored I tend to snack… a lot!

Smashed Avocado:

½ avocado

1 large tomato or 5/6 cherry tomatoes

¼ yellow pepper (or red or green whichever you prefer)

½ tsp cumin

½ paprika

I season with a sprinkling of black pepper, squeeze of lemon and then top with pumpkin and sunflower seeds.

Dinner

After walking home from work and then taking the dog out, I am starving so I like to make dishes that are full of flavour but quick to cook. I love making Bolognese, stir-fry, and Thai green curry. I don't cut out carbs from my evening meals, I just eat healthier carbs like wholemeal rice and pasta, sweet potatoes or rice noodles. My go to recipe book is Joe Wicks Lean in 15 book, it's full of high protein meals which are easy adaptable if you don't have all the ingredients in your cupboards. 

Bolognese: 

5% fat beef mince

1/2 red onion

2 handfuls of chopped mushrooms

220g tinned chopped tomatoes

1 tsp Thyme 

1 tsp Oregano

Pepper to season 

Served with wholemeal pasta and a side of greens.

Snacks

To keep me from reaching for the biscuit tin or closet packet of sweets I make sure I always have some healthy snacks stashed in my bag or work draw. 

My go to snacks are:

Rice cakes topped with peanut butter- Be careful when buying peanut butter, as lots have added sugar in. 

Fruit, either a green apple or blueberries

Carrot sticks and humours

Portion of nuts

Protein shake

 Also I've found that if I drink a glass of water before my meals it helps me to get fuller more quickly and then I'm fuller for longer and don't snack as much. 

So that's what I eat :) Please share your recipes with me as I'm always looking for new inspirations. 

AJ Blogs x