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It's January, everyone is busting their asses in the gym and eating salad on repeat - and this year I have to admit I am one of them. I'll admit 2016 wasn't really my year, I fell out of love with training, I fell back in love with pizza, and I kind of lost my way a little.
But to help kick-start myself back into a healthy, balanced lifestyle, I decided to join in the Reform Training Nutrition Health 8 Week Challenge and throw myself back into the world of training, gluten free meal prepping and tracking macros.
Feeling fresh, out and about and getting active!
I honestly thought I would struggle - my mindset was in completely the wrong place - but it was literally like a switch flipped inside of me and I remembered why I love this lifestyle so much. How I love that post-workout empowerment and seeing changes in my body and just feeling so damn awesome after every meal - not like I was to fall into a food coma.
For the last two weeks I've been training four times a week (mostly interval classes, weights and body-weight based) at Reform and eating to the calories and macro plan I have been given. This is personal to everyone and worked out from your current body composition.
Prepping all my food.
And it's worked! In two weeks I have lost 4.4lbs, and a total of 7cm (2cm each off waist, hips and belly, 1cm off boobs - trying to hang onto those) and I already have noticed a huge change. My skin is clearer, I am so much less bloated and I feel a bit more alive!
Meal prep
One of the things that has really helped me is to prep all my meals in advance. I have filmed a little video for you here - expect plenty more of these! The recipe for the chilli is below...
Gluten free lean and bean chilli con carne
Macros per portion: 246 cals; 28.9g protein; 13.6g carbs; 5.4g fat.
Ingredients
- 800 g Lean and Bean mince
- 2 tins chopped tomatoes
- ¼ tube tomato puree
- 1 red onion
- Large handful mushrooms
- 1 Knorr rich beef stock pot
- 1 tin kidney beans, drained
- 1 tsp hot chilli powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- 1 tsp garlic paste, or 2 crushed garlic cloves
- Pinch pink Himalayan salt
- 2 tsp Creative Nature cacao powder
- 1 tsp coconut oil
Instructions
- Finely chop the red onion and the mushrooms. Melt the coconut oil in a large pan and add them to it along with the garlic paste.
- Fry gently for a minute or two, and then add the mince. Stir and break up the mince and cook on a high heat for 3-4 minutes until it browns.
- Add the chilli, cumin, chilli flakes, oregano and salt to the pan. Stir well and continue to try for a minute or two. Add the cacao powder and the stock pot and mix well.
- Add the tomatoes and tomato puree to the pan. Stir well and leave to simmer for 15-20 minutes very gently.
- Add the drained kidney beans and stir well. Simmer for a further five minutes. Serve with rice, veg, sweet potatoes, or whatever you choose! Can be frozen as well.
Have you got back into training for 2017? What's your staple meal-prep meal? Comment below with your favourite ideas or share your photos on my Facebook, Twitter or Instagram pages. I love hearing your feedback and suggestions!
I am gluten-intolerant so this will help a lot for ideas. Also, I followed you in Twitter. Thanks for posting!