Health & Diet Inspiration

  "Take care of your body, it's the only place you have to live in!"

After a ridiculously indulgent birthday I decided it was about time to get my ass in gear and get healthy (a rather delayed News Year resolution!).

Now, as a whole I eat reasonably well, my diet consists of 'everything in moderation' and I try (emphasis on the try) and stick with a 80:20 ratio when it comes to eating - 80% healthy and as fresh as possible and 20% more indulgent. My 20% is mainly taken up by my occasional weakness for dark chocolate and wine...

Along with trying to make myself go to the gym or for a run at least 3 times a week, I have started to follow a number of health professionals and health blogs to keep me on track and for that much needed daily inspiration.  Some of my favourites are:

-  Fed&Fit
-  Model Mangetout 
-  Deliciously Ella
-  Hip & Healthy
-  Womens Health 
-  James Duigan and the Clean & Lean crew
-  Calgary Avansino
-  Hemsley + Hemsley... to name a few!  

My all time favourite though has to be Honestly Healthy. 

The brains behind Honestly Healthy are Natasha Corrett - the founder and a self-taught chef -  and her Godmother Vicki Edgson, one of the UK's foremost nutritional therapist and spokeswoman for Women and Health.  Together they promote an alkaline lifestyle, eating mainly vegetarian food although many recipes you can add meat too if you fancy a little extra protein!  They have just launched their second cookbook together 'Honestly Healthy For Life'.   I pre-ordered it from Amazon and it was kindly delivered to my door yesterday...

The book is full of delicious recipes and the most fantastic photography.  Everything looks unbelievable!  There is a great introduction at the front of the book outlining alkaline eating - what it is, it's benefits and a great reference table listing foods from 'very alkaline' all the way to 'acidic'.  They recommend eating 70% alkaline and 30% acidic which promises better digestion, clearer skin and stronger hair, and higher energy levels to name a few! There is even some research that suggests it can help prevent cancers.  Sounds good to me!  I am more than open to trying to alkalise my diet in order to reap the rewards.   I have made a few of their previous recipes off their site which have been delicious (and seem to taste even better when you know how nutritious they are!) and so I can't wait to start trying some of their new recipes this weekend! 

If you are looking to get in shape for a special event or wedding, or want to change your diet for health reasons, I highly suggest you give Honestly Healthy a try, you won't be disappointed!  For those of you who don't have time to cook or need a helping hand, Natasha also offers a Honestly Healthy Fridge Fill delivered to your door!  It doesn't come cheap but then who ever wanted their body to be cheap?!  

I am hoping to adapt to a more vegetable heavy diet with less processed sugar and caffeine and although I could never give up my morning cups of coffee, I will be substituting with much more green tea!  As everybody knows green tea is full of antioxidants, helps lower blood pressure, protects against heart disease and can help speed up the old metabolism!  

A lovely gift that I recently received was Green Tea Hearts currently sold in Harrods.  They would make a fantastic gift for any Green Tea lovers!  They would also make a fantastic (and romantic!) alternative to after dinner coffees at a wedding!  Just pop the heart into its bag and place in a hot mug of water and watch it evolve into a hot steaming mug of goodness!

So in order to give myself a good health kick I am hoping for a lifestyle change - eating more alkaline food without depriving myself of treats, getting my bum to the gym more and generally looking forward to feeling more energised and healthy and happy in a slimmer body...... Here's to Spring!


Next stop on my health hit - buying myself a juicer!