Why Keep a Food Diary?

Being accountable to your food intake can ultimately be the difference between achieving your goal and not achieving your goal. One of the easiest ways to be accountable is to keep a food diary. You can track what you eat, when you eat, when you stick to your plan and when you struggle to.

It is such an amazing tool to keep you on track, conscious of your intake, and watching out for areas you can improve on. It is NOT about making yourself feel bad or pointing out every time you went s stray from the meal plan.

It is all about ACCOUNTABILITY.

How can I keep a food diary?

• Writing it down on paper or in a journal
• Using an app on your phone, ipad or laptop (i.e. Doc's Diet Diary)

What do I need to track?

• How much you eat AND drink– portions in cups or grams
• What you eat – everything involved writing ‘salad’ is no descriptive enough
• When you eat – timing is everything with food intake when you eat can affect your progress
• Why you eat – is it according to your meal plan? Is it because you are bored?

What else should I track on my food diary?

• Your thoughts/emotions – can help you understand why you make certain food choices
• Any symptoms you are having – if there is an intolerance? Or fatigue in a training session
• Your training – to ensure you are fueling your body & staying accountable to your training
• Supplements & medications – to ensure you are sticking to your regime and timing

Should I share my food diary?

Not on Facebook but to a trusted health & fitness professional that can give you some honest and constructive feedback on how you are going. Making a few small adjustments can be the difference between achieving your goal and not achieving your goal

At Naed Nutrition we offer food diary feedback as part of many of our packages and services however you can choose it on it’s own for only $10 per week: Food Diary Feedback

Smoothie Bowl

Smoothie bowls are currently taking over our social media and we have to admit they look delicious! But are these colourful fruit filled bowls actually good for us? At Naed Nutrition we get excited about breakfast, the endless array of options that start your day in a positive way and fuel yourself for the day ahead; smoothies have to be one of our favourites. Smoothies are a fantastic fast and convenient breakfast option especially for those on the go, simply prep and portion your smoothies and freeze in zip lock bags for the week ahead to grab out in morning, blitz and go!

When preparing smoothies limit yourself to one piece or 1/2 -1/4 cup of fruit, try to add some greens like a handful of kale or baby spinach, and add a protein source; whether a scoop of a good quality protein powder (we recommend Boomers Whey Protein Isolate) or 1-2tbs of LSA mix or mixed unsalted nuts and seeds. By adding a protein source to your smoothie you assist to regulate insulin and blood sugar levels, stay fuller for longer, and create a slow release energy that will last you well into morning tea.

A smoothie bowl is essentially a smoothie poured into a bowl topped with an array of fruits, nuts, and seeds. They can be a delicious meal eaten any time of the day filled with an array of nutrients, just ensure you don't add too many toppings as you have already blitzed up your requirements in the smoothie, therefore by adding an additional array of toppings you are essentially adding extra calories that you may not require, depending on your activity level for the day. The recipe below details a smoothie bowl of a healthy portion size!

Ingredients

1 scoop of protein powder

1/4 cup of berries or 1 piece of fresh fruit

2 handfuls of baby spinach or kale

150mL unsweetened unflavoured almond milk

1 tbl natural probiotic yogurt

1 tsp of chia seeds

1 tsp flax seeds

1 tsp roughly chopped walnuts

Directions

Blend protein powder, berries/fruit, spinach/kale, unsweetened almond milk and yogurt in a blender until smooth. Pour into a bowl and top with chia seeds, flax seeds and walnuts. Enjoy!

School Lunch Box Ideas

Its back to school for the kids and your stuck for healthy lunch box ideas! No need to stress as Naed Nutrition have put together a few tips to help you spruce up your kids lunch boxes, and provide them with the nutrition they need to keep up their concentration and energy levels for day. 

• Think healthy snacks for morning and afternoon tea. Provide your kids with a snack they can eat quickly, as they will often leave food if it takes too long to eat and takes up their play time. Quick and healthy snacks include; cut up vegetable sticks filled with dip (celery, carrot, cucumber, capsicum, snow peas),  baby quiches, wholemeal picklets, wholemeal fruit muffin, rice cakes and avocado, cold chicken breast pieces, cold chicken drumsticks, cheese cubes, boiled egg,  natural yoghurt, cheese and fruit skewers and cut up fruit pieces.

• Ensure your kids lunch is comprised of protein, healthy fats and complex carbohydrates. Children require additional needs compared to adults for growth and development therefore they require a nutrient packed lunch that will keep them energised for the afternoon. Some sandwich options include  lean turkey breast and salad, tuna and salad, roasted vegetables and salad. When making sandwiches always use a multigrain or wholemeal bread, try using hummus or avocado as a replacement for butter or margerine, and fill with salad to ensure your children are getting enough greens. Other lunch ideas include frittatas, cold wholemeal pesto, wholemeal pitta pockets, wholemeal roasted vegetable pizzas and multigrain wraps.

• Get your children involved in making their lunches. Aim to get the kids involved in packing or creating their lunch; they are more likely to eat something they have made themselves. Plan to make some mini quiches, fritters or boil some eggs together on the weekend. 

• Get creative! Children are attracted to colourful shapes and characters. Cut their sandwiches into fun shapes, include colourful fruits like berries and cherry tomatoes. Place foods onto skewers to create a fun lunch experience.
  

• Variety is key to keep your children interested. Having the same lunch everyday is boring for adults let alone children, therefore swap us fruits and vegetables, wraps and sandwiches, shapes and colours to keep children interested. Variation is also  important for nutrition to provide a variety of vitamins and minerals, and ensure your children have access to all the nutrients they require for growth and development.

• Always pack a colourful water bottle!  Avoid juice boxes, fruit juices, cordials or flavoured drinks as many can cause a sugar rush and hyperactivity in children. High sugar juices and meals can also cause tooth decay in children, therefore by avoiding sugary drinks and encouraging children to drink water with their meals, children can avoid an increased susceptibility to tooth cavities. Flavour water with fruits such as berries or apple pieces, lemon or lime wedges and encourage children to drink water throughout the day to aid digestion, hydration and energy production.

Zesty Salmon & Roasted Beets Recipe

Summer is upon us and this means its salad season! Zesty salmon fillets atop a fresh spinach salad with wholesome roasted beets sounds like summer to us at Naed Nutrition, and we want to share this delicious recipe to get you excited about fish and fresh produce!

Many of us rarely eat our recommended 2-3 servings of fish a week, and many of us find it difficult to create recipes that incorporate fish. At Naed Nutrition we regularly receive comments from clients that they don't like fish or have tried it and couldn't stand the 'fishy' taste. Don't give up!  a fresh fillet of fish should in no way smell or taste fishy, the key is to buy fresh produce from your local market, grocer or fish monger.

Fresh fish, especially salmon, mackerel, sardines and even tuna can provide you with omega 3 fatty acids, specifically EPA & DHA.  Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) lowers blood pressure, prevents blood clott formation, protects against irregular heart beats, and reduces inflammation. While Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), is essential for the central nervous system, brain development and normal brain function. Regular intake of omega 3 fatty acids will help to reduce joint pain, arthritis, inflammation and assist to maintain cardiovascular and brain health. Regular consumption of fish can assist to improve your health in a number of ways, therefore give this recipe a try!

Ingredients

4 small fresh beetroots, around 200g

1tbs extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp coriander seeds, lightly crushed

2 skinless salmon fillets

2 small oranges, zest of 1 and juice of ½ 

3tbs pumpkin seeds

1 garlic clove

1 red onion, finely chopped

4 handfuls of baby spinach

1 avocado, thickly sliced

Directions 

Preheat oven to 180 C, 160C fan. Trim the stems of the beetroot and reserve any tender leaves that are suitable for eating in the salad. Cut the beetroots into quarters then toss with ½ tbsp oil, the coriander seeds, and some seasoning then pile into the centre of a large sheet of foil and wrap up like a parcel. Bake for 45 minutes or until the beetroots are tender then top with the salmon, scatter over half the orange zest and return to the oven for 15 mins. If you want to toast the pumpkin seeds, put them in the oven for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut the peel and pith from 2 oranges then cut out the segments with a sharp knife working over a bowl to catch the juices. Finely grate the garlic and leave for 10 minutes to allow the enzymes to activate. Stir the garlic into the orange juice and remaining oil with seasoning to make a dressing.

Remove the parcel from the oven and carefully lift off the fish. Tip the beetroot into a bowl with the red onion, remaining orange zest, pumpkin seeds and spinach leaves and toss well. Gently toss through the orange segments and avocado with any remaining beet leaves, then pile onto plates and top with the warm salmon. Drizzle over the dressing and serve.

Spicy Stuffed Chicken Breast Recipe

This delicious stuffed chicken breast is one of my absolute favourites and I cook it weekly. Its full of flavour and goodness delivering a moist chicken breast stuffed with spices and nuts. Quick and easy to prepare its a must have mid week meal!

Serves 4

Preparation & cook time  ~ 40 minutes

Ingredients

100g mixed colour quinoa

2tbs extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion, thinly diced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 knob of fresh root ginger, grated

1tsp ground cinnamon, plus a pinch extra 

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp ground paprika

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground cardamon
Pinch ground black pepper

1/2 apple diced into small squares, skin on

60g raw almonds, roughly chopped

Handful of baby spinach

20g fresh coriander, roughly chopped

4 chicken breasts

Method

1. Cook quinoa according to package instructions. Allow to stand.

2. Preheat oven to 200C or 180C fan. 

3. Heat extra virgin olive oil in a medium pan, and add onion, ginger, garlic, spices and black pepper. Fry until onion is soft and translucent. Add chopped apple and cook for a further 3 minutes. 

4. Take pan off the heat and pour mixture into a heatproof bowl, add cooked quinoa, chopped almonds, baby spinach, and coriander and mix well.

5. Cut chicken breasts open so its flat like a book, without completely cutting them in half, ensure the top can be folded over. Stuff the stuffing mixture into the chicken breast and fold over the top of the breast. Place the tightly packed breasts into a small baking dish, filling the rest of the dish with any remaining stuffing. Rub the top of the breasts with additional cinnamon and bake the breasts for 25-30 minutes, or until liquid runs clean when breast is cut into.

Serve with some mixed steamed vegetables or fresh salad for a nutrition and flavour packed meal!

Changing Your Relationship With Food

Food is emotive, food is life. We revolve all our major events around food with family dinners, barbeques with friends, holidays, birthdays, and even than Saturday night in on the couch is about what food you are going to eat. It’s no wonder we have shifted the balance with food from fuel to confidante. So how do you find your way back to viewing food as fuel instead of your emotional support when you have had a bad day?

Habit #1 Food is Stress Relief

You come home from a long day, your boss is on your back, you slept through your alarm this morning & your hair isn’t sitting right so you reach for a chocolate bar

How to break this habit

• Pop your trainers on & go to boxing session, run, walk or whatever exercise you enjoy doing. Nothing relieves stress more than exercise
• Call a friend and have a rant – it’s great to get it off your chest
• Have some retail therapy (guilt free of course) this is purely just to shift your focus & reward yourself WITHOUT using food

Habit #2 Food Feeds Guilt

You feel SOO guilty about what you ate yesterday you are going to punish yourself by eating more bad food

How to break this habit

Negative talk is NOT doing your body any good. You are only one good meal away from getting back on track so take these steps

•  Accept why you ate what you ate
• Think of how you could approach the situation differently next time
•  MOVE ON

Habit # 3 Food is All or Nothing

In order to achieve your goal you have to be 100% strict all of the time, your food as to be perfect & eating healthy means you become a hermit & end up binging anyway

How to break this habit

Let go of the need to be perfect and embrace the need to be consistent. Consistency is the key to seeing long term results so rather than just eating salads for every meal, try to change 1 x habit per week whether it’s adding a cup of vegetables at lunch & dinner, or have an extra 2 x glasses of water per day.

Habit #4 Food is a Time Filler

You’re sitting at home bored, and your tummy grumbles so you head to the fridge, back to the couch, to the fridge and then the pantry and repeat 3-4 times before you decide what you are going to eat. YOU ARE BORED NOT HUNGRY

How to break this habit

•  Have a glass of water & busy yourself for 15minutes, if you still feel hungry then you are actually hungry, if you are not then you were either thirsty or bored
• Fill your time with activity rather than food – go for a bike ride, rearrange your wardrobe, whatever it takes to distract you
• Drink more water – a lot of people cannot distinguish the different between when they are hungry and when they are thirsty so just to be safe drink more water

Habit #5 Healthy Food is Boring

You have the same grilled salad 5 lunches in a row, the same fish and 3 veg each night….of course that is going to be boring. Even in you had a cheese pizza 5 lunches in a row you would be bored of it

How to break this habit

• Get variety – Make a different meal each night & have the left over for dinner
•  Explore foods you may not have tried – i.e. kale
• Salad = does not just meat lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and onion…step outside your box
•  Try one new recipe each week
•  Remember it’s not healthy eating to have meat & vegetables at every meal, it’s regular eating

If you are struggling with your relationship with food simply email naednutrition@gmail.com for more personalised nutrition guidance.

Holiday Without the Weight Gain

So you’re going on holiday…and you’re about undoing your hard work from the past 6months to get your body in pristine condition specifically for your holiday. Never fear, simply follow these guidelines & you will ensure that you won’t come back with an extra 7 kgs in excess body weight! (7kg of extra Luggage of course is ok :))

Do’s

· 2L water daily – bring bottle everywhere

· Find your nearest supermarket to buy supplies i.e breakfast/snacks/water

· Take snacks from the buffet breakfast  to do you for during the day

· Stick to your normal portions sizes as much as possible

· Share main meals and get a side of salad/vegetables

· Alcohol free nights every week

· Find a gym/park for you to exercise

· Plan active outings and day trips

· Eat regularly

· Have as much fresh produce as possible

Don’ts

· Over eat at the buffet breakfast every morning

· Fill up on bread at every meal

· Skip a meal

· Consume alot of high salt foods i.e pickles 

· Increase sugar and carbohydrate intake i.e chocolate and pasta

· Starters and desserts every night

· All you can eat breakfast, lunch, dinner

· Avoid veg

· Avoid exercise

· Alcohol with every meal

· Coffee with every meal 

· Have a lot of high saturated fat foods – i.e pastries 

For a more personalised approach to your eating simply email sinead@imperiumpt.com.au to find out how to get an eating plan creating for you & your goals.

Clean Up Your Recipes

Do you struggle finding clean, healthy recipes to cook? Don’t know whether it’s actually good or not? Never fear! Here are some simple tips of how to clean up some everyday recipes.

Breakfast Recipe Example: Blueberry Pankcakes

Ingredients – Serves 4	What to Swap to
150g (1 cup) self-raising flour 1 egg, lightly whisked 500ml (2 cups) buttermilk  Melted butter, to grease 125g punnet fresh blueberries  Pure maple syrup, to serve	½  cup Buckwheat flour ½ cup almond meal or protein powder Don’t swap 500mL A2 light or Almond milk Coconut butter Don’t Swap Low fat pot set yoghurt

Lunch Recipe Example: Classic turkey club sandwich

Ingredients – Serves 2	What to Swap to
6 rashers short-cut bacon 6 slices multigrain bread 1/4 cup whole-egg mayonnaise 4 small iceberg lettuce leaves 125g shaved turkey breast 1 tomato, sliced	3 x boiled eggs 2 Wraps 1/3 Avocado Don’t swap but add spinach Don’t swap Don’t swap but add cucumber, carrot, beetroot and capsicum

Dinner Recipe Example: Tuna Pasta

Ingredients – Serves 4	What to Swap to
300g dried fusilli pasta 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil 4 spring onions (shallots), thinly sliced 40g pitted  kalamata olives, 400g punnet tomato 1 tbs red wine vinegar 2 x 95g Tuna in Spring water 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn 40g baby rocket leaves	300g Slim Spaghetti/Kelp Noodles Don’t swap Don’t Swap 40g Salt reduce kalamatas Don’t Swap 1 tbs apple cider vinegar 2 x 95g Tuna in Olive Oil Don’t Swap Don’t swap, add spinach, tomato, mushroom , pine nuts and reduced fat feta

Snack Recipe Example

Ingredients – Serves 12	What to Swap to
2 cups self-raising flour 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 cup caster sugar 1/3 cup all-bran cereal 125g light margarine 1 cup buttermilk 2 eggs, lightly beaten 3/4 cup frozen raspberries, thawed	1 cup of wholemeal self-raising flour 1 cup of buckwheat flour Don’t swap 1 tsp Stevia 1/3 cup Psyllium 100g coconut butter 1 cup A2 light/ almond milk Don’t swap Don’t swap

Don’t want to spend the time interpretting and change recipes? Find clean eating to fuel your body with Imperium Nutrition’s ‘Food For Fuel’ Recipe e-book. Get you copy here: Imperium Online Store