Victoria Jane McKenna

View Original

Food & Health: Where Do I Start?

I’m almost ready to embark on my ‘bounce back’ body…just kidding, I think it’s going to take at least 12 months before everything is back to some normality.

But, since my diet went all over the show with pregnancy and sat in the realm of beige most of the time through the impact of prolonged nausea, I will upend my diet as soon as the baby arrives (being induced in 10 days!).

So where on earth do I start with food? It’s been 10 months for me, how long has it been for you? It’s nothing to feel bad about, it’s just something that can be easily tweaked and we’re in total control of it.

If you have a previous health issue like me, that needs to be taken into account where diet is concerned, it doesn’t hurt to seek further advice from specialists such as a nutritionist, a GP etc. I have to control my cholesterol due to a previous history of stroke and a heart op. It’s a fairly simple one really but if in doubt for yourself, always speak to a health professional for guidance.

Naomi of Real Fitness, based in Welshpool, Wales, has been a wealth of post pregnancy advice for me. One thing Naomi provides her members with, are recipes to try. I asked her this week, what she could recommend as I miss salad and it’s something I’m getting right back to post-birth. The one thing I love about a salad, is that you can swap meat, for veggie alternatives and it doesn’t have to be all about the lettuce (let’s face it – it mainly has no taste!).

Here’s a really nice one Naomi has kindly shared with me and it’s one I’m absolutely trying in the next 2 weeks!

QUINOA & CHICKEN SALAD WITH BUTTERMILK DRESSING

The thing about joining a membership with a personal trainer these days, is that it’s not just about muscles and strength and weight goals. But it’s also very much about your inside health and your size does not necessarily dictate how you are on the inside. It’s that saying urg…we are what we eat. As much as I love French bread, bread rolls, crusty bread, I can’t live on it.

So, consider at least the different elements of a salad as a place to start any healthy eating. It’s a good example of how to balance a meal for your body’s requirements. Personal trainers are a wealth of knowledge and those I know, take great interest in food as part of health/fitness. After all, we don’t all want to run a marathon, so we all need help in different areas.

Victoria x

You can find more about Naomi’s business at https://www.realfitnessuk.com

For some examples of other recipes, these are my usual haunts:

Vegan/Plant Based - https://deliciouslyella.com/recipes/

Meat/Other Options - https://www.olivemagazine.com