Kick starting your challenge..... nutrition tips - healthy eating

Being fit and healthy starts in the kitchen.  This doesn't mean you have to eat chicken and broccoli or bland food everyday, that is not living and experiencing great food.  You can eat healthy and still enjoy fabulous tasting cuisines.  Experimenting with recipes and finding a good dozen that you will cook or prepare regularly and you will start to create a healthy eating habit, it is this healthy eating habit that will make you feel healthier, have more energy, you will sleep better and probably find you feel better overall, your hair glossier, nails stronger, digestion has improved, skin clearer and even your clothes might become a little big on you.

My first rule is not to label food good or bad. Yes there is food that isn't the best for you & has zero nutritional value, but you need to get out of old habits of associating words with foods,  to create NEW habits.  If you just buy fresh foods and eliminate all processed foods from your shopping trolley, you will notice a difference.  Takes time and a little organisation and planning.  If you are organised with your food, preparing your snacks you WILL achieve your goal of getting healthy.

Second rule - don't think you deserve foods. You don't, I don't care if you have had the worst day ever or you have trained your butt of at the gym, you deserve only to fuel your body with healthy foods it requires to function, that is all. Period.  Do not reward yourself with food. You ain't a dog.   If you feel like a glass of red, have a glass of red, fancy a square or two of dark chocolate with your evening cuppa, then have it.  The world will not end.  You will battle those food demons, once you control them you will achieve your goals. Busting your gut in the gym and counting every little bit of food you put in your mouth, will drive you insane and you probably will find you ain't achieving your goals. Is that how you want to live your life?

I want you to be in control mentally, I want you to not have emotions attached to food.  This won't be fixed in 10 weeks but it will start to become apparent.  There is so much advice out there, so many plans, do this don't do that.... listen to what works for you.   Use this 10 weeks to learn about what you can achieve, not just about the number on those scales, but about who you are, and what you want. Break those habits, take down those walls, love you for you and know that you ain't perfect, who wants to be? You can be great, awesome and achieve wonderful things. You can.

So for the next 10 weeks, your first aim is to reduce/eliminate processed foods you consume.  It will be hard, but like every other challenge you have had in your life, you will succeed.  Do not make this to hard for yourself, will take a little to get used to, concept is quite simple but will take time to get used to, creating new habits to last a lifetime. You didn't become who you are overnight did you?  Takes time, patience and a little effort.

So you have seen my favourite meals to make: http://fitbydons2012.blogspot.com.au/2012/07/what-are-my-favourite-healthy-meals-to.html

These are simple using ingredients available from the store and they are quite varied.  You don't have to be a superwhiz in the kitchen.  Take time out to prep meals and trust me you will do well, I do two cooking days a week normally, I find freezing stuff works but I also know that if I get to work one day with NO food make up I know what I can have and eat clean still without thinking ahhh feck it today is just a bad day. No way.

Fresh vegetables, green leafy ones, different colours, eat them all. Refrain from white products (potato, breads, rice)

Fruit - blueberries, mandarin, apple, figs, strawberries, kiwi fruit, pineapple

Proteins - meat, kangaroo, fish, salmon, prawns, chicken, eggs, nuts (almonds, brazil nuts, cashews) non roasted nuts, raw.

Dairy - full fat products (less sugar than diet stuff) do not eat ANY diet products.  If you want to really notice a difference give up all dairy except yoghurt a couple times a week.  Long black coffees are the best & tea, took me a few weeks to get used to it! Taste buds prefer black

If you love muesli, make it yourself, have with 1/2 cup with yoghurt, seeds, nuts and fruit.

No soft drink, no diet products, no packaged goods. No frozen meals unless you cooked them. Allow yourself a glass or two of wine a week, some dark chocolate with green tea, or black tea.

So what to eat I hear you...  I know it is easier to have a suggestion of foods for meals... so here are some great things to eat.... you can eat them anytime of the day, your body doesn't know it is breakfast time, it just needs fuel.  So kangaroo for breakfast? YUM yes please.

Do not starve yourself. If you are hungry you need to eat fat and protein.  Do not just eat fruit on its own. Fat should be at least 30-50g a day from meats, proteins etc.  Your BODY will love you putting more fat into it for fuel - healthy fats!

Breakfasts
Kangaroo, broccoli, brazil nuts
Omelette with veggies and protein
Fruit with muesli, yoghurt or coconut milk (you can do light version for this, ayam is great)
Egg muffins with ham/salmon
Boiled egg, ham,  quarter or half avocado

Snacks
Fruit with nut butter or yogurt (Greek is best full fat, nom)
Egg
Avocado with chicken
Yogurt
Nuts (almonds, brazil nuts, cashews)
Baked apple with walnuts
Protein balls (will post recipe)
Protein shake (pea isolate is good) raw protein powder ok for shakes a couple times a week on the run.

Lunch
Huge spinach salad with chicken, fish, prawns or any meat with beetroot, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, gherkins, onions - lots of colours
Left over dinners
Soups with veggies or baked chicken
Any Protein and veggies
Omelet with prawns and vegetables
Curry with coconut milk (beef, chicken) lots of vegetables, brown rice or quinoa
Shepherds pie with sweet potato mash on top
Baked fish and vegetables (steamed or baked)
Baked chicken, with paprika, lemon garlic (great for large batches for left overs)
Turkey meatballs, tomato sauce (homemade or tins fine) with zucchini strips
Cheeky scrambled eggs with smoked salmon (or tinned tuna, salmon) great for last minute dinner
Seafood and papaya salad (still reliving Thailand experience)

Dinner
Soups, with chicken or fish, salads, bulk up with veggies
Beef burgers with mushrooms, onions on salad (no bread)
Protein stir fry with lots of vegetables, chilli, garlic, fresh herbs ( no pasta.rice or noodles)
Protein with sweet potato mash and steamed veggies
Spaghetti bolognase served on steamed vegetables or baked veggies
Roast meat with baked vegetables

Use coconut oil, olive oil to cook. Fresh herbs and spice to marinate foods, Lemon, Limes, chilli, garlic.  Yogurt with garlic and lemon juice is a great dressing.
No sauces, no salt (soy cause low salt)
Do not be afraid to cook with fat. Or eat fat. 
Do watch portion sizes - 100g protein for main meals. 10-20 nuts for snack. 100g yogurt. 1/2 cup brown rice, quinoa. 50g sweet potato or pumpkin.  Two servings fruit a day only (with protein.fat).
Lots of water, herbal tea, black tea and coffee. If you cannot have coffee black, dash of cream or full fat milk (soy or almond milk if you have those, try not to have too much of these processed products).