I’m a self-confessed health freak, I’d rather swallow rusty nails than take a bite out of a greasy Big Mac and if the ingredients read like a chemistry textbook....then you can forget about it. I feel healthy, energetic, vibrant and satisfied when I know that every morsel that passes my lips is rich with nutritional value and is nurturing my body, it is a temple after all.
I also have a very addictive personality, it’s either one extreme or the other which is why I choose to fill my diet with delicious, nourishing food and avoid junk at all costs. I can’t just stop at one hot and spicy drumstick....I’d be eating the entire 24 pieces in the bucket. That’s another thing, I eat A LOT of food! If my diet wasn’t predominantly based on vegetables and fruits and I was eating whatever I pleased, I’d definitely be battling the bulge.
Another major factor in my diet is that I don’t drink alcohol. At all. I never went through a party phase even in my teen years and have followed in the footsteps of most of the women in my family, who look 15-20 years younger than their actual age which I think is attributed to their non-drinking ways. I can count on one hand the number of alcoholic drinks I’ve had in my life and it doesn’t bother me in the slightest. I don’t look down on people who do drink, I think it’s great if you enjoy it, I just expect to also not be judged for my choice. Turning down the chance to get wasted and party like most people my age has tested many friendships and relationships, but at the end of the day it proves who is really worth having in your life. If others scoff at you or try to make you feel like some sort of freak, then they are not worth your time.
The following is a typical breakdown of the foods I eat on a day to day basis. This may not work for everyone and I’m sure there are many anti-dairy, anti-wheat, anti-sugar, anti-eat-carbs-after-5 p.m. advocates tutting at my love of yoghurt, milk, wholemeal bread and lots of fruit....but it has worked for me now since I was in my early teens. It has kept my weight steady, cholesterol unusually low, skin and eyes clear and energy levels through the roof.
BREAKFAST OPTIONS
Banana smoothie:
I buy bananas in bulk and peel and freeze them, they taste fantastic frozen even as a snack buy themselves, a great alternative to ice cream! My smoothie consists of two small frozen bananas, one cup of skim milk, 6-8 ice cubes and a good teaspoon of cinnamon, which is fantastic for regulating blood sugar and is one of the healthiest spices.
Fruit Salad with Natural Yoghurt:
I typically eat this if we are out at a cafe or restaurant for breakfast. I think there is nothing better than juicy watermelon, delicious strawberries, tangy pineapple, rockmelon, kiwifruit, apples....the works all in one meal! Finished with creamy Greek or natural yoghurt, it’s a sweet and satisfying breakfast option.
Oats:
I sometimes make some quick oats if I’m pushed for time and have a big morning ahead of me. Half a cup of quick oats with three quarters of a cup of water zapped in the microwave for a couple of minutes and you have breakfast in an instant! Finish with some cinnamon, maybe a bit of honey, some frozen berries or chopped apple and it will keep you full for hours.
LUNCH OPTIONS
Tuna, chicken or salmon with salad veggies
I alternate between having a tin of canned tuna, skinless chicken breast and a salmon steak every day. I eat this with a HUGE salad consisting of lettuce leaves, around a quarter of an onion (otherwise I can see the cringe on other people’s faces when I breathe), one tomato, one carrot and beetroot tinned in natural juice. I love this lunch and look forward to it every day.
DINNER OPTIONS
Wholemeal toast with a quarter of an avocado and vegetable soup.
I know you are supposed to do the whole “Breakfast like a King, lunch like a Prince, Dinner like a Pauper” thing, but why not live like a King all the time right? I generally eat a pretty big dinner, but it mostly consists of good, fresh veggies. I love bread, but I limit my serve to two pieces with my dinner. I smother it in Avocado, which I also limit to a quarter a day. Avocado is brimming with healthy fats and I like to make sure I get my daily fix. My vegetable soup is predominantly made from lots of pumpkin, with carrot and celery thrown in the mix. I fill a huge pot with the veggies, add around a cup of water and wait for it to start boiling. Once the veggies can be mashed I mix them together, throw in a heaped teaspoon of Massel Chicken Vegetable Stock, and dinner is ready!
SNACKS AND DRINKS:
Apples
I’m known to be a bit of an apple addict, eating between three and five a day. I have done this for as long as I remember, I love the crispy, crunchy skin, the sour taste of the green variety and the delicious sweet taste of pink ladies. Some people avoid fruit like the plague, afraid of sugar overload. In my experience, especially with the amount of fruit I eat, I believe that the idea of too much sugar from fruit consumption is a myth and it should be included much more in everyone’s diets!
Yoghurt
Here’s a tip for those of you who love ice cream, I buy a tub of Yoplait fat free, sugar free yoghurt, usually banana and honey flavour, divide it between five small plastic containers and freeze them. When I feel like a snack, I let it defrost for a while, between half an hour and an hour, and the result is yummy frozen yoghurt that tastes to me just like ice cream!
Barley grass
I drink two heaped teaspoons in water when I wake up every day. It helps to keep your system from becoming too acidic and is packed with so many vitamins and nutrients, I swear by it to keep my energy levels up. Other Drinks I have during the day are about a litre of water and a few cups of green tea or peppermint tea. I can’t remember the last time I had soft drink and have never been a coffee drinker, which means my caffeine intake is slim to none. Caffeine has it’s good and bad points, but again it’s something that I generally avoid.
So there you have it, my typical day-to-day eating habits! Again, this is not a nutritional guide or me preaching that you should all do the same, it’s simply a breakdown of what has worked for me for countless years. I hope you enjoyed reading and any questions or comments can be sent to lisa@pilatesbylisa.com.au. See you next time!
Love,
Lisa x
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