Hello beauties,
Let’s talk about food.
There are many ways to love your body, but fuelling your body correctly with nutritious food is the highest form of self-respect. I’m not saying you shouldn’t also treat yourself sometimes (the soul needs love too!) but be respectful of what you put in. Because a beautiful outside starts with the inside.
I believe in the 80:20 rule; it’s what you do most of the time that counts.
So don’t beat yourself up if you have a slice of pizza or glass of wine, just try to moderate it. If you are really craving pizza and wine (my favourite treats in case you couldn’t tell… yum yum yum). Just limit yourself to just a couple of slices and one glass.
If you are having one of those days when your soul really really needs it then give your soul some love and eat it or drink it but really enjoy it, do it mindfully (ahem, not in front of the tele!) and most importantly, DON’T FEEL GUILTY! Allow that to be your 20% and accept that you needed to treat the soul in that moment and now you can continue nourishing your body.
Here are a few little nutritional tips and tricks that I have picked up along the way. Give them a go and see if they work for you too.
- Start the day with hot water and lemon to hydrate and cleanse and then have another big glass before each meal. It can boost digestion and is proven to cut calorie consumption by 13%
- Limit Coffee. You don’t need to give it up, just be mindful of how much you are having and when. Be mindful of what you are having it with too, is it just a black coffee with a little milk or is a caramel frappe coffee latte loaded with sugar, cream and an extra dollop of heart attack? If so you might not be wanting to have that bad boy every day. And notice how it makes you feel, if you feel super anxious and jittery then it probably isn’t really serving your best self. However it has been proven to have positive effects on the body too and can give you an extra boost before a workout so the jurys still out.
- Love your gut and drink kombucha and kefir water. Non-dairy fermented beverages that super charge your digestion to boost gut health, reduce bloating, improve skin and help with disease prevention! Kombucha contains beneficial bacteria, acids and enzymes to aid in the breaking down of food and Water kefir is more of a general probiotic beverage. I have a glass of Kombuch every morning to start my day with a vinegary smile. And make your own or buy it from someone who does as often the ones sold in shops are loaded with other bits and bobs that you don’t need.
- Eat less later in the day. Treat your body like a car that needs fuel. In the morning and afternoon we have lots of running about to do so need the energy but if we are parked all night in the garage we probably don’t need that big midnight feast. And if we are not burning it off as energy the body has to put it somewhere….
- Limit carbs to less than 10 grams per 100g and avoid them in the evening. I know they are yummy but they are also turbo fuel that we really need to burn off otherwise they take up squatters rights in our middles…. That doesn’t mean pizza for breakfast.
- Try to rule out sugar. There are plenty of natural sugar alternatives, you really don’t need it- It spikes your blood levels, makes you cranky and sticks to your middle. Let it go. I enjoy honey or agave as a yummy alternative. Or if you are looking at labels at least go for something with 10 grams or less.
- Got a sweet tooth? Yes me too. Which is why I started playing around with sugar free baking. I usually have some sugar free, gluten free banana bread and bliss balls available for purchase after class which can tame the craving (these are not calorie free though so still a treat, just a healthier one) or I am happy to share some recipes if you want to have a play making your own. Just comment below. I also recommend having a green or mint tea whenever the cravings sneak up and that usually shoves them back down in their hole.
- Limit Alcohol. Now don’t look at me like that, I said limit not rule out. Save it for special occasions or have some alcohol free days during the week, remember the 80:20 rule. But let’s be honest here, one glass of wine equals roughly a donut. How many donuts would you eat a day?
- Try to eat protein with every meal or snack. Protein keeps muscle mass and as we age we lose muscle mass which is why we put on weight. And it doesn’t have to be meat. Oats, nuts and seeds, beans, legumes and veggies are rich in protein. Plus eggs and dairy but just be aware how much dairy you consume, it can often be the cause of bloating and indigestion issues.
- Eat your 5 a day; 2 x fruit (not more- it’s pretty high in natural sugars) and 3 x veggies (or more- veggies are king). If you need help getting your 5 a day try home-made smoothie or all natural ones from cafes. Here are some that we offer at LunaFit which are super healthy and nutritious with no added sugar.
RED: Almond milk, Acai, berries, banana, honey
YELLOW: Almond milk, banana, oats, cinnamon, maca, almond butter and Vanilla Protein
PINK: Coconut milk, mixed berries, chia seeds, yogurt and beet powder
GREEN: Almond Milk, banana, Apple, pear and super green powder
ORANGE: Coconut milk, avocado, mango, cinnamon, vanilla protein
BLUE: Coconut milk, blueberries, banana, Spirulina
GOLD: Snickers flavour (yup, snickers, and we promise it’s healthy!)
PIC N Mix – design your own smoothie
- And most importantly, DRINK WATER. Lots of it. It’s basically free(ish) Gold dust (much like air but we’ll get into that in another post). It boosts skin health and beauty. Regulates body temperature. Flushes body waste. Helps organs Function. Reduces Bloating. Lowers calorie intake… Ok I think I might have to write a whole blog post for this one. But for now, just trust me, drink water and see yourself bloom.
That’s all for now but if you have any nutritional tips or tricks you would like to share please comment below, I would love to hear them!
Keep your inner light glowing bright beautiful souls.
The light in me sees and honours the light in you.
Lots of love,
Siobhan
xxx
