Woah I seriously cannot remember the last time I did a WIAW but I know for sure that the way I eat now is completely different! I’m actually really comfortable with how my eating has changed over the years, working out what is right for me and my body. I don’t think I’m quite there yet, but it’s work in progress and I feel like I’m closer to having a nice balance of what I like and what works for me. I eat meat now but I still love the vegan and veggie food I used to and raw vegan foods will always have a special place in my heart for what it did for my health and I will continue to make the stuff I always did and experiment more as well as all the protein stuff I love doing too!

So here’s kinda what a day looks like for me typically at the moment. This was what I ate yesterday in fact…I am eating pretty similar things day to day at the moment because I cook my meat in batches and the foods I eat right now I just am genuinely really enjoying!

Breakfast is always some kind of egg based meal. Omelettes are my speciality though And always with plenty of veggies because veggies for breakfast is a good way to start the day And eat your eggs whole people – all the good stuff is in that yolk!! Good fat, trust me.

Lunch is normally this salad beast in the biggest bowl I own..it’s supposed to be one of those bowls for sharing but yeah, all to myself. More spinach (cannot get enough greens!), cucumber, baby tomatoes, avocado, chicken and olive oil.

Since the theme of the WIAW is sensible snacking, I’d say my snacks are pretty sensible! Berries and almonds and another mini salad of spinach (again!), avocado and more chicken…a lot of my snacks are like mini meals in the afternoon.

Dinner is broccoli, bacon, chicken burger and more spinach with some dairy free chocolate protein muffins for dessert

Night time snack is tulsi tea…now I hate tea normally unless it’s some really nice flavour but my bedtime is getting waaaay too late so I’m doing things to wind down. Tulsi tea is supposed to de-stress you and relax your muscles so I’m giving it a go. It’s not too bad in flavour actually. Along with my almond butter coconut balls that I’m obsessed with right now mmmm

So there you have it!

Do you eat similar foods from day to day or do you try to mix it up?

Tea or coffee? COFFEE!

Hey hey! So I’m back with the first of many protein recipes to come for you guys you lucky buggers things

Today I thought I’d share something I created a while ago and still love. For you bread lovers out there who are looking for a lower carb, protein alternative – a protein english muffin. I used to love english muffins as a kid. I had them at the weekend for brunch topped with lots of butter and jam because that’s how I rolled I can’t remember the last time I had one though being gluten free for so long now and I admit, I do miss fresh bread from time to time. I mean, you can’t beat a good sandwich made with good bread sometimes! And the gluten free alternatives will never cut it for me. But then I saw the Purely Twins do a single- serve english muffin using perfect fit brown rice protein and one with hemp protein which gave me an idea to create my own but with ingredients that I preferred as I don’t have perfect fit protein and I’m not a massive fan of hemp unless it’s masked with lots of chocolate and I don’t have arrowroot starch. I also just wanted generally less ingredients to make it easier because I am the ultimate of laziness when it comes to making things and like them as simple as possible – hence why I like raw foods

These also have pretty good stats if you’re interested in that kind of thing

Protein English Muffin (gluten free)

Ingredients:

3 tbsp pea protein (I use Pulsin’ – cannot recommend this protein enough for baking)

1.5 tbsp pysllium husk (if you don’t already have this it makes amazing protein wraps and other bready type things as well as good for digestion if you have problems)

1/4 tsp gluten free baking powder

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

2 1/2 tbsp water (or milk)

1 large egg white (30g liquid egg white from a carton)

1 tbsp natural yogurt (I used Onken fat free natural)

Mix the ingredients together in something of a decent size. Bigger than a ramekin as it will ruin your microwave. I tried and tested that one A plastic ice cream bowl thing works well for example. Stick in the microwave for around 2 minutes (adjust to what works for yours) until it is cooked. Pop it out of the bowl and leave it to fully cool..it’s not so nice warm and also quite moist so leave it.  You can then put it in the toaster afterwards if you like it like that

Once cool you can cut it in half.

Then you can top, fill or whatever with what you want! It tastes so bread-like it’s amazing

And stats with the ingredients I used:

120 cal, 19 protein, 9 carb, 1 fat

Why hello strangers!

Okay so I’m back. For how long who knows?! But anyway. I have just finished my third year of uni so I am once again freeee for summer finally. Uni is seriously dragging. And I find it really difficult and stressful so this break is much needed. I also just moved apartment at the weekend along with handing in all my final deadlines. So the past couple of weeks have hit me hard and with that has come some form of depression. It’s kind of hard to talk about when you don’t understand depression but things that stress you out just get on top of you, my body image issues are sky high bothering me, I am not happy on my university course and I feel like I am going no where. I even told my parents at the weekend that I wanted to quit but they eventually persuaded me to stay as my final year is not even a year really. It just feels like torture being there. I have zero passion in what I do, and it shows, and it’s so hard to be around incredibly talented people day in, day out who genuinely love what they do. Then through my depression I kinda push people away. I don’t mean to but it’s just my way of self-protection I guess but of course, this makes depression worse because then you’re alone with it. So I’m sorry to my friends if I have been distant.

But on a brighter note. Things can pick back up..and I aware of how I’m feeling and know I can do something about it because I have before. So that’s a start. At least now I have time to relax, focus on doing things I enjoy and spending time with family and friends.

So up and coming will hopefully be some of the protein recipes from my Instagram. Maybe a little bit of talking about my training and some eats etc. Speaking of which…something which I haven’t really told anyone except my family for some reason, a couple of months ago I started eating meat.

Okay. I know, the whole paleo trend thing is going round but I’m not one to follow trends, I like my cheese too much  I have zero interest in being a sheep following what other people do and whether I blogged or not, it would be what I would have done, because it is right for me. I guess I’ve just done a full circle in terms of my way of eating – the middle being my anorexia recovery. Before I had an eating disorder, I did eat chicken and turkey. Then I went vegetarian, lost some weight. And then obviously there was my eating disorder where not a lot was ate…then in my recovery I became vegan to overcome my fear of fats basically. Along with that came my love of raw vegan food. Then as my fears were conquered, I allowed myself to go back to being vegetarian by eating dairy. And then now..well now I’m gluten free thanks to my intolerance, but I don’t really have any restrictions on food in terms of fears. They just don’t exist. So why should I stay vegetarian? I didn’t turn vegan or vegetarian for any moral reason. I respect people who are vegan/vegetarian for moral reasons because yeah, killing animals is cruel..but I’ve never had a strong enough opinion on it..because it’s just a matter of fact that it happens and being vegan/vegetarian won’t stop that.

Chicken salad with spinach, carrot, olive oil with sweet potato topped with coconut oil

I did initially start off with just trying bits of fish because of how amazingly healthy it is with so many good nutrients. But I’ve always absolutely hated even the smell of fish and even now after all those years, the smell repulses me and the taste makes me physically throw up. So that was a no-goer. I then turned back to my roots, chicken and turkey. I started by just having them once a week, then increased it as I started to like them again and now it’s well, everyday. Maybe I liked them because they were bland and not really meat tasting? Because even now, they’re the only ones I can deal with simply because they’re bland tasting and then I add a load of yummy spices..so it just tastes of the spices haha. I’m not saying it was an easy thing to just do. It wasn’t. And even now touching and cooking with meat still kinda freaks me out haha. But I like it..:) Oh, and bacon. Because I think even vegetarians can say that they would eat bacon if they had a choice. I never ate it when I was younger, but I have discovered a new love..

Turkey steak, bacon, leek and broccoli

Physically I feel so much more satisfied and I have um, less gas Too many beans and tofu were not doing my poor digestion any good. It’s also nice to have more options when eating out, especially with being gluten free. And not to mention, obviously I am getting some quality protein in for my strength training..of which I have significantly improved in since (although yes, there are vegan/vegetarian bodybuilders).

So there you have it That saying, I am still really passionate about raw vegan and vegan food. They are my roots and will always be my love, because they helped me recover. And I still make loads of raw vegan goodies because it is my love and a balance is doing me wonders right now

Raw maca raspberry chocolate with maca crispies <3

Oh and I’m taking any requests for protein recipes!

Hey loves!

I thought I’d just drop in and say hello and that I am still alive if you are still reading? I’m sure any other uni student can appreciate that this time of year is no fun…I have been working like crazy lately and with several deadlines looming, I have been stuck inside and when the weather decides to be so beautiful?! Not fair.

However after I handed in one of my final pieces of work along with a presentation, I finally decided to enjoy a bit of the sun for a walk along the River Tyne by where I live. I sometimes forget how beautiful it is here when I get to see it all year but after working hard and being quite stressed recently, it made me see the beauty in it again.

Other than that, I have only made time for food and to have my hair done. I only go to the hairdressers once or twice a year because I don’t like them cutting my hair haha!

To be honest life recently hasn’t been so happy as it has been. I don’t deal with stress well anyway but on top of that my body image issues are really taking over again. I have gained weight recently, and although part of it is muscle building as I am suddenly becoming a lot stronger in my weight workouts which feels amazing…but I have had periods of eating too much because it makes me so hungry some days and also just lack of control I suppose. I do have a tendency to binge, and when I do it gets worse because I hate myself anyway, I just think ‘fuck it’ and carry on doing it. Which only makes the problem worse of course. So both uni and my body image have been on my mind and really quite torturing me every single day. I’ve not been getting to sleep until the early hours and then waking up at 5am for the past week just thinking negatively and I know it’s all my own doing and my own mind.

The past few days I have been getting a grip of it all though, changing the way I eat and I was restricting still in the day, just with being so busy, hence provoking night time binges (hello how many times have I told myself not to do this?!) and going back to my cardio workouts for a bit just to try and cut back and ease my mind a little. I guess what I’ve been finding particularly difficult, via Instagram in particular, is the whole image of bodybuilding and being ‘lean’. I admit, this is what I wanted to achieve now that I’ve moved away from the ‘skinny’ ideal. But you know what? It’s just another extreme. Just another body image issue for me to become obsessed with. And I cannot solve my problem areas unless I take things to the extreme which will not be healthy for me personally. Whilst I am happy that I have improved how my body looks in some ways, I cannot take it to that next level without being obsessed and I don’t think that’s a road I want to go down.

I know that the way that I live is healthy and I’ve never been so healthy in fact. I’m physically fit and eat healthy and well. Even when I feel like I ‘overeat’ it’s never on unhealthy junk food. And I know I need to accept the way that I am because I can’t be an extreme and be ‘well’ mentally. I cannot go on for the rest of my life trying to be this ‘ideal’ that I set myself up for. God, life is too short! And it’s only me torturing myself with these thoughts every.single.day. I don’t need to live like this and all that I need to be is healthy and part of that comes with enjoying life, being with friends and family and not stressing myself out all the time with body image issues because they’re not important. Well they are. But body image is massively confidence. And it is only that, that I lack.

Anyway. Enough of a rant. I am getting myself back together again and I only have two weeks left at uni, then I’m moving apartment right after that (to a bigger place so kinda exciting…after the whole moving process!) and then I have so much to share. If you follow me on Instagram you will have seen me posting so many things I’ve created and I have been mean and waited to share them on here haha. And I will! SO hopefully lots to share in the near future

Protein Garlic Bread

Toffee Apple Protein Muffins

Protein English Muffin (my fave!)

Raw Goji Almond Fudge <3

Oh and one last thing.

If you can get your hands on these, DO. And put them in the oven and bake them. Seriously, I didn’t want to believe people that these actually tasted like a real baked cookie..but they do. I am in love.

Wow that was a long post Anyways! I shall be back soon! x

Ahhh Friday. I’ve been busy this week as you may have seen from my absence as I started back at uni after my Easter break. This week has just been filled with more projects to add to the ones I already have. Just great. But, just one month left and then I am on my summer break woohoo!

Today I just wanted to drop in and talk to you guys about something. I was looking through my stats and how people find my blog through searches etc, and one of the most common searches that gets people to my blog is ‘too much exercise is making me fat’ because of this post I did over a year ago! I actually find this really sad that so many people are struggling with this, so I wanted to go over it a little more now that I’m in a more healthy position than a year ago and have also learnt a lot!

In that post I was very much down about my body image and you know what? I still am. But I can also tell you that I’ve been through a journey in over that year in terms of exercise and finally actually believed that ‘too much exercise is bad for you’. I now do the least exercise and eat more than I ever have done, and yet I’d say I’m probably at my fittest and healthiest. That’s kinda saying something eh? I realised that it really was true that doing hours on end of cardio, even over an hour, was just stressing my body out and I wasn’t giving it time to recover because I’d be doing the same thing everydaaaay. How dull.

Now I am in and out of the gym in max 45 minutes, on HIIT days I do 20 minutes. That is it. I also have 2 or 3 rest days a week. Why does this work? Well I work hard in that time, and in the end, no matter how much you exercise, you cannot exercise out a bad diet. So I do eat healthy most of the time. And doing too much cardio was not only increasing my cortisol levels, giving me no chance of slimming down and toning up, but it also made it easier for me to binge either because my body just wasn’t recovering so was dying for too much fuel or I was in the mindset that I’d done ‘x’ amount so it was okay to eat more. Wrong. Then the binges were adding stress on top of the cortisol produced from the stress of too much exercise so it was just a never ending stress on my body. Now I don’t get that over hungry binging everyday because my body isn’t stressed out to the max, not to mention I eat more throughout the day to build the muscle anyway.

Not only does too much cardio cause stress on your body keeping the weight on, but also look at your life, at work, at home, your personal life. If these are stressful too, you are just set up to have a hard time losing weight or losing fat before you even think about exercise. Then I tend to find that people who have this stressful life are the people that tend to do a lot of cardio…adding to the problem! Exercise is a great stress reliever, no doubt about it, but making it the only way to deal with stress is just adding to the stress of life in terms of cortisol. Therefore you need to find more effective ways to de-stress sometimes rather than it always being exercise. Whether it’s just things like having a lie in (something that I do well ), having a bath, reading a book, having a massage, even meditation or stretching. And trust me, having a good intense shorter session can give you that relief just as much as a long session when you are dripping with sweat.

So what to do if you’re struggling with losing weight/fat and feel like exercise is making it worse. Well simple:

1. Make your workouts shorter, less than 30 minutes for cardio and look at using weights for the longer workouts.

2. Make your weight training workouts more intense. Increase the weights you are using or do more reps for a more cardio effect.

2. Incorporate more HIIT type cardio sessions for 15-20 minutes a day. Fast effective way to burn fat but only do these a couple of times a week to keep your cortisol levels in check.

3. Have more rest days and find other ways to release the stress. If you are continually exercising everyday you will not be seeing the effects of your hard work, trust me.

4. If you feel tired or sluggish, take a rest day even if it’s unplanned. Rest time is sometimes more important than exercise as this is the time when your body is recovering and burning the fat.

5. Keep a good diet. If your cortisol levels are out of control even a few days of indulgences can significantly make the problem worse.

6. Eat enough. Nothing worse than your hard work in the gym is put to waste because your body is in starvation mode. You need food to burn fat, build muscle..whatever your goal, without enough neither will happen. You can’t start a fire without that energy to keep it alight.

What do you do to relieve stress?

Fave healthy meal?

Hey hey people! Hope you’re all having a good week so far…almost Friday which means almost the weekend woop woop! So after I said I don’t do many reviews, okay, turns out I have just one more for now. But it’s worth a read because again, another amazing product that I will continue to love and support!

I’ve been on a mega coconut kick recently. You name it, if it’s to do with coconut, I will love it. Coconut flour, coconut butter, coconut oil, even right down to my current shampoo and moisturizer haha! Not to mention the healthy fats are so good for you So it’s kinda obvious that I would love these macaroons from Good Puds, particularly because they’re raw which is my love in terms of food <3

Good Puds is a fairly new small company which again, I found via Twitter and got really excited about. I really am glad to see more and more raw companies starting up in the UK, we need more! Being raw they are dairy and wheat, sugar and gluten free and not to mention guilt free They are also handmade and heated to nothing more than 40.5 degrees C which means all of the good nutrients are kept intact which keeps them extra healthy

Why else do I love them? Few ingredients and the only ones used are good quality nutritious ones as you would expect from raw food. Just almond flour, dried coconut, coconut butter, maple syrup, and some sort of flavourings for the different flavours. All of the ingredients are also organic except for the vanilla extract which is fairtrade so they have done an amazing job of sourcing quality ingredients.

I was kindly given the chocolate coconut macaroons to try and being the chocoholic I am, they lasted minutes! That saying, if I wasn’t such a greedy thing, just one would be enough to satisfy that chocolate craving because the chocolate flavour is really deep and rich and well, bloody amazing…just saying

They also have more amazing flavours that I will definitely be trying in the future because these were just incredible; chocolate mocha, coconut lime, raspberry ripple, vanilla almond and mint chocolate. You can order them from their site here and they will be handmade just for you

Do you like coconut?

Fave coconutty snack?

Hey lovies!

I hope you’ve all had a good weekend. I’m sure many of you will have heard that here in the UK we’ve finally got some sun which totally makes a difference to how happy everyone is. It’s amazing what the weather can do eh?!

Anyways. If you follow me on Instagram you’ll have noticed that I’ve been making lots of snacks recently, including raw (of course) as well as protein type ones too. Why do I like making these so much? Well they’re both equally quick and simple which is the only kind of food preparation that I do being the lazy thing that I am. But it also means that if it’s simple, it means it’s healthy as I don’t like too many ingredients and faffing around

So today I thought I’d just share one of the many quickie protein ball snacks that I make multiple times a week at the moment. Most of my protein snacks at the moment contain Pulsin’s Pea Protein. I cannot recommend this protein enough. It is just amazing! Okay so it doesn’t taste great on it’s own but that’s because it’s completely natural and unflavoured with no sweeteners, is vegan, gluten free, low carb, low fat etc etc. It just works really well in everything from balls to baking to smoothies.

This recipe also includes mesquite. I only recently purchased it to try for the first time and I am already in love (but not as much as lucuma of course..) because it really works well with chocolatey flavours to give like a malty kick to it. So good!!

 Raw Chocolate Hemp Protein Balls

Ingredients (makes 15-20)

1/2 cup pea protein

4 tbsp shelled hemp

2 tbsp almonds

2 tbsp mesquite

4 tbsp raw cacao powder

2 tsp liquid stevia

1 tsp coconut oil

1/2 cup water

Combine the dry ingredients in the food processor. Melt the coconut oil in the microwave. Then add the wet ingredients and mix until a dough forms. Roll into balls and keep in the fridge to set. That. is. it.

What did you do this weekend?

Do you make your own snacks or do you prefer store bought?