A healthy summer body starts in the kitchen. Nutritionist Amelia Freer gets us into good habits with week one of her six-week guide
When embarking on nutritional changes, we pretty much know that deprivation and total abstinence don’t work, setting us up for a nasty fall when all we can think about are the things we can’t have.
So with six weeks to get our bodies ready for summer, let’s be sensible, let’s be realistic and instead of trying to be perfect and avoid everything, let’s just start with one thing.
You choose. We all know what we do that isn’t ideal. Do you eat very large portions? Do you drink too much alcohol? Do you end up with your head in the fridge at the end of the day munching on whatever you can find? Do you graze all day long? Are you still eating too much sugar?
It may be that you do all of these, but going cold turkey may be too much to serve your long term goals - so this week choose one thing that you know isn’t serving you and just focus on removing that habit. I’m doing this with you and my ‘one thing’ for this week is to reduce my portions, as I always end up with more than my body needs out of sheer greed!
Let me know what your one thing will be. And be truthful with yourself – you know what the main thing is that you need to do to get started.
Here’s a suggested meal plan to kick off this first week...
Breakfast
Chia seed pudding with cinnamon, vanilla extract, chopped macadamia nuts and blueberries with a dollop of coconut yoghurt.
Lunch
130g of cold roast chicken with Asian coleslaw (red and white cabbage, spring onion, fennel and carrot - matchsticks or grated) with a miso, fresh ginger and sesame oil dressing. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds for extra crunch.
Have an apple or pear or small cup of berries for dessert with a green tea.
Dinner
Pan fried salmon on a bed of spinach with oven roasted cherry tomatoes, courgette, red onion, sweet potato and rosemary.
Snack: only if needed mid-afternoon/post training or before bed
An apple with a little almond butter on each slice.
Ensure you drink water throughout the day and start to body brush each morning.
Ready for the next instalment? Click here to read week 2 of Amelia Freer's summer body plan or head to week 1 if you've missed the series here