“With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.”
SOPHIE ARIS
Heath. Fitness. Motivation
FREE EBOOK
MACROS | NUTRITION:WHAT I EAT | BIKINI PREP DETAILS | HOW TO KEEP MOTIVATED
Hi lovelies,
Firstly thankyou for joining my email list and downloading
my FREE GUIDE!
I wanted this to be FREE content for all. From the bottom of
my heart I am truly grateful to be able to connect with so
many of you everyday and I wanted to share my appreciation
to give something back.
What I’ve learnt along my own fitness journey over the last 3
years is that our own mindset is a crucial factor in not only
helping us achieve our goals, but to keep focused and
motivated, regardless of set backs that we will inevitably
face.
Much of this ebook is made up of the premium blog content
on my website but put together in a handy, easy to access
book of topics YOU GUYS ask me the most about.
My website is currently undergoing its own transformation
which I can’t wait to share with you!
In this guide I will share with you recipes, my own secret tips
I’ve learnt about training and nutrition, as well as various
blogs.
I’ve broken this guide down sections:
MACROS, NUT RIT ION/WHAT I EAT, BIKINI PREP
DETAILS, HOW TO KEEP MOT IVAT ED
5 clean & delicious recipes!
Hope you find it useful
This is what was in my shopping trolley this week:
Protein
Chicken, turkey, lean steak mince (5% fat), Sirloin steak, Salmon,
Eggs, Egg whites (Two chicks products), Whey protein (not
included in the shop), Total 0% Greek yogurt
Carbohydrates
Sweet potato, Brown rice, Basmati rice, Rice cakes, Rolled Oats,
Frozen Blueberries
Fats
Avocado, Almonds, Cashews, Almond butter, Peanut butter,
Lindt 90% Chocolate, Feta cheese
The number 1 question I get
asked is what do I eat. I wanted to
share with you exactly what I buy
from the supermarket to food
prep when I am in prep!
vegetables
Green beans, Spinach, Cucumber, Tomatoes, Celery, Mixed leaf
salad (bag), Kale
5 rules I try and incorporate into my daily routine whilst in prep:
I always have protein with every meal along with either a fat or carb source.
I have 5-6 meals a day
I try and base my protein and carb meals around my training
I drink around 3-4 litres of water a day
I try and have greens with every meal, at the moment I'm loving a fresh mixed salad!
I hope that gives you a small insight what my daily nutrition looks like!
I hope that gives you a small insight what my daily nutrition looks like!
I actually really enjoy meal prepping. But if your goal is to try
and lose weight, build lean muscle mass or just to track what
you’re eating daily, it’s essential to do in my view.
Here’s my easy tips to help you get started!
“fail to prepare prepare to fail”
Work out what macros
you’re trying to hit…
Make MyFitnessPal
your friend...
Save the pennies…
I go into macros in more depth
in another section, however
you can find ‘macro calculators’
online. Often I like to estimate
a starting point and tailor it
from there depending on my
progress. The key thing to
remember is consistency. I
would recommend following a
nutrition plan for at least 2
weeks before making changes.
If you haven’t downloaded the
MyFitnessPal App do it today!
It’s easy to work out exactly
what you’re eating as well as
giving you instant nutritional
information including the
calorie and macro breakdown.
Contrary to popular belief,
eating clean can be inexpensive. I try and make two to
three days’ worth of meals,
cook in bulk and store them in
the fridge. I don’t know about
you but I just don’t have the
will to eat soggy veg that has
been defrosted!
Meal Prep Made Easy!
Meal Prep Made Easy!
Get your thinking cap on….
For super speedy meal prep, getting properly
prepared is a vital. Write a list and get
everything out you are going to need.
Weigh it out…
You can look at the packet if you want but I find
it easier to just use weighing scales. Especially
when it comes to ingredients like rice, it’s much
easier to get the exact amount and it doesn’t
require much brain power try to use your maths
skills!
Meal Prep Made Easy!
Let’s do it….
I always start by setting out the Tupperware
boxes into days and putting the meat or fish in
the oven. You might prefer a different way to
begin; it all depends on how you work best.
Practice makes perfect…
Like anything, it takes practice to perfect meal
prepping. Keep at it and you’ll become a food
prep whiz in no time!
Scales only measure one thing...
Yep that is weight loss.You may think losing a few
pounds, ‘toning up’ and getting abs that will make
you happy. Yes, it might make you more motivated
and grow in confidence but will it actually make you
happy in the long term?
Love yourself…
I bought a book a while ago entitled ‘How to be happy’.
After the first chapter I stopped reading it.
I thought it was a load of made up fairy tale babble that wasn’t achievable in the real
world. Recently though, I started reading the same book again. But this time, with a
different perspective and a fresh outlook on life. I now understand that having a
positive mind set is one of the most important factors in changing your life for the
better.
If someone said to me ‘love yourself’ when I was
racked with insecurities, like in the image above. I
wouldn’t have listened. But I wish now someone gave
me advice like that. There is absolutely no point in
sitting around feeling sorry for yourself. Take small
steps each day and take action! If you haven’t read my
post, ‘How to stop doing shit you hate’, I share what
steps I made and how I took control of my life to
make positive changes.
Be real, not perfect…
Reality check… No one is perfect; you may not feel
fabulous every single day. That’s ok, cut yourself
some slack! Whilst it’s great to strive for progress,
don’t chase perfection. It’s unachievable and
absolutely not a healthy way of thinking. Next time
you look in the mirror, try picking out at least 3
things you like about yourself before saying what you
would like to improve.
Put yourself first…
To the right are lessons I've learnt along
the way in my journey to find happiness….
It’s not being selfish to say ‘I need time for me’. Do
things YOU enjoy. It might be catching up with a
friend, joining a social group, taking an exercise class,
learning a new skill or reading a good book. Take a
moment for you in the day to breathe, refresh and
de-stress.
MACRO
BREAKDOWN
Why tracking them could be beneficial to you...
The most common question I get asked is around my daily macro
nutrients; how I calculate them, what I eat and how I track them.
PROTEIN
4 calories per G
“What on earth are macros…?”
C A R B O H Y D R AT E S
To bring everyone up to speed, ‘tracking macros’ means
counting the number of grams of protein, carbohydrates
and fats in everything you consume in a day. I do this
because it allows me to track, tweak and tailor easily
depending on my progress rather than wildly guessing.
4 calories per G
Counting ‘macros’ does involve some preparation. Knowing your food amounts is
essential, that’s why I meal prep the majority of the time. This is my way of
tracking though; I know other people like to use the ‘if it fits your macros’ method
(i.e IIFYM) This is more of a flexible approach to dieting which allows you to eat
food sources often considered off the diet menu. That is as long as it fits into your
FAT S
daily macros though! Advocates of this way of dieting say it allows them to stick to
9 calories per G
their plan much more. This is because, if they want a chocolate bar they can have
it! As long as it fits into their daily macros.
But what are
MY MACROS?
There are so many factors that have to do with individual macro calculating. You could
gain a rough estimate in an online macro calculator. But there are also many varying
aspects including, weight, activity levels throughout the day, metabolism, age, intensity
of training, how a person tolerates carbohydrates…. The list goes on. In my experience,
starting with a specific macro figure/breakdown and seeing how your own body
responds to it.
Tracking macros isn’t just for those who was to get leaner, it’s also a highly effective way to track weight
gain/ bulking/ building lean muscle mass. Always remember, to lose weight/ bodyfat fat you do indeed
need to be in a calorific deficit but lowering your calories too much will have an adverse effect to
weight loss. You need to eat fuel your workouts but also make positive changes to your body and its
overall composition.
In summary, macro tracking is a really effective way to make and monitor changes to your body.
Naturally, the more you do it, the quicker you get at it and you will start to create your own
effective method for doing it. I use an App called ‘MyFitnessPal’ which allows you to scan an
items bar code, this is ideal for making choices whilst food shopping.
Sounds perfect right? Well I genuinely do enjoy doing it but there was a time at the end of last
year when I stopped for a few months. Why? Because it started controlling my life and I
struggled and felt stressed not being able to track when eating out. Counting macros is not
the be all and end all to weight loss, you can just opt to make healthy choices the majority of
the time.
It’s always about what works for you
and your own lifestyle….
These are my own top tips
to give you a helping hand...
Prepare the night before…
By that I mean get EVERYTHING ready. Even down to
putting coffee granules in your mug to go in the morning.
Ensure you pack your gym bag, lay out your clothes and
put your trainers by the front door.
Get an early night…
I like to relax the evening before with a cup of herbal tea
or a big mug of hot water with fresh lemon and ginger. You
could even try having an Epsom salt bath or reading a good
book in bed.
I’ve got to admit it; I’ve always been kind of a
morning person. Yes I know, one of those
annoying individuals that wants to strike up
an in-depth conversation on waking. But I
totally get that some people really struggle!
I am a huge advocate though of training in the morning.
For me personally, I know it not only makes me feel
energised and clears my mind, but it also helps me
maintain consistency in my training which is essential in
order to make good progress. If I work out in the
morning I know whatever work/ life throws at me in the
day, it’s one less thing to worry about.
Getting up an hour earlier may seem like a daunting
task at first, but I promise you it’s worth it.
Don’t snooze the alarm...
The longer you lie in bed for, the longer you have to make
excuses why you can’t get up to workout… Just bite the
bullet and get up first time!
Bring a friend…
Struggling to get motivated? Try inviting a friend or even
book yourself onto a class. Anything that helps you stay
accountable.
Choose something you enjoy…
If you set yourself a goal to run for an hour each morning
and hate running…. Guess what? You won’t stick to it. I
love lifting weights, but sometimes I prefer to put on some
killer music and sweat it out on the stair master. It’s
important to do what works for you.
Eggs in Avocado
In the food world, eggs and avocado are best friends! This is
one of my 'go to' breakfasts, packed full of protein, healthy
fats and green goodness....
Cut the avocado in half lengthways so both pieces resemble a boat shape. With
a spoon, scoop out some of the avocado from both halves. Put in a baking tin
so they stay upright and crack an egg in each half. Season well and put in the
oven for 20 minutes on a medium heat.
Cut the tomatoes in half, slice the red pepper and add to a pan. Fry on a low
heat for a couple of minutes. You can add a little coconut or olive oil to the pan
if you wish.
Spread the kale out on a baking tray, spray with oil olive and season well with
salt. I like to add garlic salt for extra flavour! Put the tray in the oven for
literally 2 minutes. Watch it until it goes crispy, it burns very quickly.
Now assemble your dish!
Add a bed of kale to the bottom of the bowl, then the tomato and pepper.
Finally place you baked eggs in avocado on top and add a sprinkling of feta to
finish.
INGREDIENTS
1 large ripe avocado
2 medium eggs
Large handful Kale
6 cherry tomatoes
1/2 red pepper
30g feta
Clean & delicious recipes
Carb free waffle
These 2 ingredient carb free waffles take literally 2 minutes
to make. I assure you, it's another diet game changer! This
delicious treat looks and tastes so incredibly sinful but will
totally satisfy any sweet cravings you may have. Here's how
to make it.
Turn your waffle maker on (I bought mine for £18 on Amazon) and spray 3
pumps of 1 cal spray light oil. In a bowl, whisk an egg with a fork, add 1/2 the
protein power and whisk again. Now add a touch of water until the consistency
is of the batter is smooth. Finally, stir in the rest of the powder and mix really
well.
Pour half the mixture onto the waffle maker, carefully close the lid and leave
until steam is starting to come off the sides. Open it and put on a plate. Repeat
for the remainder of the mixture.
Top tip.... Add toppings!! I used 100g Strawberries and a
drizzle of Musclefoods chocolate zero syrup....
INGREDIENTS
1 scoop Whey Protein
(I used snickadoodle
PEScience Select Protein)
1 Whole Egg
TOTA L
MACROS
33g Protein
1g Carbohydrates
9g Fa
219 Calories
Clean & delicious recipes
Egg-cellent fried Rice
My completely clean egg 'fried' rice is packed with
flavour. It's makes a cracking alternative to the takeaway version and is super speedy to make!
In a bowl simply mix together the egg whites, chopped beans and rice. Approximately every 30 seconds, remove bowl from the microwave and stir. Repeat
this until the egg whites have cooked. Sprinkle on the feta and add salt and
pepper to taste.... Enjoy!
Top tip.... Add toppings!! I used 100g Strawberries and a
drizzle of Musclefoods chocolate zero syrup....
INGREDIENTS
100g Egg whites
80g Brown rice (cooked
weight)
Handful cooked and
chopped green beans
40g Feta
Seasoning to taste
TOTA L
MACROS
19g Protein
20g Carbohydrates
11g Fa
266 Calories
Clean & delicious recipes
INGREDIENTS
200g 0% Total Greek
Yogurt
For those of you who follow my blogs regularly will
already be familiar with protein 'fluff'.
I use this 2 ingredient deliciousness as the base and then freestyled the
toppings! I love adding fruit, like banana and berries for carbs if I'm eating this
post training. If I make this for breakfast however, I prefer to throw on nuts to
make the bowl more protein and fats based.
Top tip.... Add toppings!! I used 100g Strawberries and a
drizzle of Musclefoods chocolate zero syrup....
1 Scoop whey (I used
PEScience Select
Protein)
Simply add a scoop of
protein to the yogurt and
mix really well. It gives
the yogurt the added
flavour and makes it a
thick and fluffy
consistency!
Then go wild with
whatever topping you
fancy! I used blueberries,
raspberries, pistachio
nuts, banana, cashews,
cocoa plus dark
chocolate and chia seeds.
Clean & delicious recipes
GREEN Oats?!
For anyone wondering what 'zoats' are, it is basically
a mix of courgette (zucchini) and oats...
Yes, I admit it did take me a while to catch on to the whole 'zoats' vibe. I was
extremely sceptical about why anyone would choose to ruin a perfectly lovely
bowl of sweet oats by adding a vegetable! Now though, I'm obsessed! I promise, you can not taste the courgette at all AND the bowl almost doubles in
volume. Plus you have the added bonus of getting in some extra green veg!
Here's how to make this bowl of goodness a winner all round....
Top tip.... Add any topping you fancy! I love berries, nut
butters and a few squares of dark chocolate
INGREDIENTS
50g Oats
1/2 Courgette (grated
finely)
200/400g water/ milk
(depending on desired
thickness)
1 scoop Whey protein
Sweetener (optional)
Simply mix the oats, grated
courgette, water/milk and
sweetener into a bowl and
microwave for 2 minutes.
Remove bowl, stir, add the
scoop of whey protein and
stir again until you have a
smooth consistency.
Clean & delicious recipes