I have been following Kayla Itsines Bikini Body Guide for the past 31 weeks now, and one of the biggest lessons I have learned is that when you are trying to achieve your goals, food is the absolute basis for everything.
You can exercise all you like, but unless you follow through with your diet plan, long term you aren't going to for fill your all time objectives. I tell you this from experience. Back in August I was much leaner than I am today, and that is because my eating was working hand in hand with my exercise regime.
Today my eating is getting back where it should be, but I expect it to be a good few weeks before I get back to where I was. It really does just go to show how much you can undo when you fall off the band wagon and your eating goes to pot. Today I wanted to walk you through a typical meal plan for a typical day in my shoes. I am no dietitian, I don't proclaim to know everything, because I am not trained and I quite simply don't, but this is what works for me personally, and they are meals that I enjoy...
Breakfast
Breakfast can be a variety of different things for me, after all it is the most important meal of the day.
These are some of my favourite and a regular go to breakfast choice for me.
- Hard Boiled Eggs on Rye - It's a great way to start the day and always keeps me feeling full and sustained.
- Coconut Porridge with honey - This is an indulgent breakfast for me, I absolutely love it and I could eat so much more than I probably should!
- Green Smoothie - I enjoy these as it is a great way to kick start the morning, your getting a blast of everything that is good for you, it's filling and nutritious all at the same time.
- 2 Weetabix with coconut milk and honey.
Snacks
I snack throughout the day, one in the morning around 11am and once again in the afternoon around 3pm. It's so important to keep yourself fuelled especially when you are training so you want to pick snacks that are going to provide you with energy and there are many different options that can help you feel full and benefit your goals.
- Celery and Peanut Butter
- 1 Apple
- Almonds
- Water Melon
- Blue Berries
- Hard Boiled Eggs
I seem to be favouring eggs in every corner of my day to day life at the moment. For me they are the ultimate fast food and I think that is why I love them so much. I boil them up in batches and keep them in the fridge so that I have a protein blast to hand whenever I fancy one. The problem is..I can eat quite a few in one sitting!
Lunch
I find if I have a big breakfast, sometimes I am not feeling a huge lunch. A typical lunch for me could be anything of the following:
- Omelette with a sprinkling of cheese and a side salad.
- Chicken Wholemeal Wrap
- Ham and Cheese on Rye Crackers
- Steak and Salad
- Chicken and Salad
- Water Melon
Dinner
Dinner is by far my favorite meal of the day. and I seem to go through phases of what I am really enjoying. If you follow me on Instagram then you will know that I am absolutely loving Steak at the moment. Thankfully there are so many different ways that you can enjoy steak.
- Chilli Steak on a bed of baked Broccoli, Spinish and Kale with a sprinkling of fresh Parmesan.
- Chilli Steak with Sweet Potato Fries and Corn on the Cob
- Chilli Steak and Mediterranean Vegetables
Other dinner variations include:
- Chicken Pesto Pasta
- Chicken topped with Pepperoni and Cheese on Whole Grain Rice
- Honey and Soy Chicken with black pepper and vegetables
- Chicken/Steak Stir Fry
- Omelette
Night Time Hunger Pangs
If you are anything like me than night time is the worst. It's when you want to just reach for the chocolate and be done with it, but you don't have to throw in the towel. When hunger strikes the first thing you need to do is drink some water. It could just be that you are thirsty.
If that doesn't cut it, then maybe these solutions that I use regularly might to do the trick:
- Camomile Tea with Honey (my favourite flavour has to be Twinings Soothing Camamile and Spiced Apple! It's got a gorgeous taste and is a great way to un-wind for sleep!).
I especially find that the Cacao Hot Chocolate stops you feeling hungry because it's so thick and indulgent, and not to mention that it sustains your sweet tooth at the same time!
It's all about moderation...
I am currently taking my eating right back to basics and making sure that I am giving my body everything it needs for fuel. I let it get out of control but I am taking it back, and I am now ready to continue hitting my goals.