Even before I became a personal trainer I was very passionate about food and I believe wholeheartedly that we can benefit greatly from the food choices we make. What I have learnt through my training has reinforced those beliefs.

It’s so important to feed your body with the good stuff and I advocate eating a balanced diet to ensure the body gets all the energy and nutrients it needs to run at optimum performance.  In turn you will have more energy, train better and ultimately feel better.

What is a balanced diet?

There is so much media coverage on this subject it can be overwhelming. What’s in this week may be contradicted in two months’ time by another programme or study.

I am not a dietician so a good place to start is with the Eatwell Guide which outlines the government’s recommendations for the food groups and the portion sizes recommended for a well-balanced healthy diet. The Eatwell Guide is not meant to represent the balance required in any one specific meal or over a particular timescale, rather it represents the overall balance of a healthy diet.

In my experience eating well is not complicated and it certainly doesn’t involve being “on a diet”. In fact, lets banish that phrase. Healthy eating is a lifestyle choice and with a bit of careful planning and preparation it’s easily achievable.  There will of course be times when these choices are out of your hands, at a party for example or other social occasion but that’s OK, occasionally. If we aim to make good food choices 80% of the time, then we don’t have to beat ourselves up if we have a treat now and again.

Once you get into enjoying healthier options you may even find that the bad food choices naturally become less and less as you take more responsibility for the food you put into your body.

Cooking from scratch is one of the best ways to eat healthily.  With no additives or preservatives, you know exactly what you are eating. Check out my recipes and blogs for healthy eating tips and tried and tested recipes.

 

If you take a 12-session personal training plan with me, you can also benefit from a free food diary analysis.  After completing a food diary for 7 days I will analyse the total calories consumed and break this down into quantities of fat, protein and carbohydrate, fibre, water and fluid intake and fruit and vegetable intake. We’ll discuss the total amounts of each required by your body per day and see how close you are to the Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs).

I’ll look at your food choices and patterns of eating and offer small do-able changes to help you reach your goals.