Normalising HEALTHY eating

Welcome to another edition of my weekly blog:

This Week we chatting about.

Normalising Healthy Eating
Training Diaries
2025 HARD CHALLENGE

Normalizing Healthy Eating

This week, I’m diving into a topic that’s near and dear to my heart, and I’m sure it might stir the pot a bit—healthy eating and normalizing daily activity. Fair warning: I might step on some toes here, but that’s okay! We’re all entitled to our own opinions, and I respect that. However, what I’m about to share is rooted in facts, and you can’t argue with science.

Let’s Talk About Healthy Eating

So, let’s begin with healthy eating. Healthy eating should not be something we do sporadically and label as a "diet." Why do we treat nourishing our bodies like it’s something exceptional or special? Would we ever think to give our car fuel or oil on a random schedule and just hope it runs? Of course not! We know that for a car to function optimally, it needs the right kind of fuel at the right times. If we neglect that, eventually, it’s going to break down.

The same principle applies to our bodies. We need to fuel ourselves regularly, and more importantly, we need to give our bodies the right kind of fuel every day. Healthy eating isn’t just something we do when we feel like it or when the scale gives us a harsh reminder. It shouldn't be something we think about only when we’re trying to fit into a dress for an event or because we want to lose a quick 5kg. Instead, eating to maintain a healthy weight and nourish our bodies should be the norm.

What Does Healthy Eating Actually Look Like?

Protein: It’s important to include protein in every meal. A general guideline is to consume about 1-2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. This helps support muscle mass, keeps you feeling fuller longer, and plays a role in virtually every function in your body.
Fruits and Vegetables: Aim for 5-8 portions of fruits and vegetables daily. These are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber that your body needs to function at its best.
Fiber: Aiming for 35g of fiber a day helps improve digestion, supports heart health, and keeps you feeling satisfied.

Carbohydrates: Carbs aren’t the enemy! But you do need to focus on low glycemic index (GI) carbs that are minimally processed, such as whole grains, legumes, and starchy vegetables. These foods provide long-lasting energy and won’t cause blood sugar spikes.

We live in a world where processed, quick-fix meals are everywhere. Walk into any store, and you'll see shelves filled with ultra-processed foods, sugary snacks, and convenience meals. In today’s fast-paced society, we have instant access to food that’s quick, easy, and often unhealthy. The problem arises when we fall into the trap of thinking we can just shovel this junk into our bodies without consequences.

We tell ourselves it’s fine because, after all, it’s just one meal, right? But if we keep making these choices day in and day out, the long-term effects can take a toll on our health.

The Role of Medical Professionals in Weight Management

When we finally visit a medical professional with concerns about weight, we often get mixed messages. Some doctors are well-versed in the importance of a caloric deficit and exercise—the basic principle that in order to lose weight, you must burn more calories than you consume. Others might focus more on just increasing physical activity but forget to mention the importance of diet and the role food plays in weight management.

In recent years, modern medicine has also brought us weight loss aids and appetite suppressants that work by dampening our hunger cues or regulating hormones like ghrelin, the “hunger hormone.” While these medications can help in the short term, they aren’t a long-term solution to sustainable health and weight management.

The Truth About Hunger Hormones and Appetite Suppressants

I’ve actually written an entire post on hunger hormones, (Click the link Above) including ghrelin and leptin, and how they affect our appetite and satiety. These hormones are essential to understanding our relationship with food. Ghrelin, for example, signals when we’re hungry and promotes food intake, while leptin tells us when we’re full.

Appetite suppressants aim to interfere with these signals. They either block the release of ghrelin or enhance leptin’s effect, leading to a reduced sense of hunger. While these medications may provide short-term results, they don’t address the root cause of why we eat in the first place—whether it’s habit, emotional eating, or poor food choices. Relying on appetite suppressants without addressing these deeper issues can lead to a temporary fix at best, but not a sustainable, healthy lifestyle.

Why Healthy Eating Should Be a Lifestyle, Not a Quick Fix

What we eat every day matters more than what we eat once in a while. It’s about creating a healthy lifestyle—not about jumping on and off the “diet” train. When we prioritize regular, balanced meals with whole foods and engage in regular physical activity, we build a foundation of health that supports long-term well-being.

It’s easy to get distracted by the quick fixes and magic pills out there, but the truth is that there are no shortcuts to health. The key is consistency and commitment to nourishing your body with the right foods, getting regular movement, and adopting a mindset of long-term health rather than a quick-fix approach.

Let’s stop treating healthy eating and exercise like they’re special events. Eating to fuel your body and moving it regularly should become the norm. It’s not about being perfect every day, but about making consistent choices that support your body’s well-being.

So, instead of waiting for a reason to diet, start today by focusing on how you can feed your body the right way every day. Get moving and incorporate physical activity into your routine. Normalizing these behaviours isn’t just about losing weight; it’s about creating a foundation of health that will serve you in the long run.

We all deserve to feel our best, and that starts with how we treat our bodies. Healthy eating and regular physical activity aren’t just something we do for a quick fix—they are the keys to living a vibrant, sustainable life.

We only get one body, and it’s our job to take care of it. Healthy eating, balanced nutrition, and regular movement should be a part of our daily lives, not something we turn to when things aren’t going right. By normalizing these habits, we can set ourselves up for a lifetime of health and well-being.

So, the next time you reach for that quick snack or consider skipping your workout, remember: this is your body. It deserves the best care you can give it—every day. Let’s make healthy living the norm.

TRAINING DIARY

This week was a de-load week for me, and honestly, it was much-needed. After pushing through a tough 21km run last week, I really had to take a step back and listen to my body.

Although a de-load wasn’t part of the original plan, I quickly realized that giving my body a bit of a break was the best move for long-term progress.

During this de-load week, I kept the intensity high for my strength workouts, but I significantly reduced the overall intensity and distance for my cardiovascular sessions. This allowed me to recover properly while still staying active.

It’s easy to get caught up in the idea of always pushing harder and doing more, but sometimes, giving your body the recovery it needs is just as important as pushing your limits. A de-load week isn’t about stopping; it’s about recalibrating, giving your muscles and mind a chance to reset so you can come back stronger.

Remember, recovery is just as much a part of the process as the training itself!

2025 HARD CHALLENGE We are hitting MARCH and this month the HARD Challenge will visit some thing I had to really think about doing and think VERY HARD, because for this year the HARD challenge is also part of HABIT Stacking. So I need to be mindful to not add something that I cannot achieve or get done on top of January And February's challenges. More on the whole March Challenge Tomorrow in a post for itself. Watch this space! January No treats month, is coming back in March This last week of February was a bit wild with that and it needs to be better.

I have achieved the February goal of my 70-80mins per week of learning a new skill around social media and websites, and will continue this as part of my business strategy for the year.

Thanks for tuning in again this week!

I’ll see you all next time with more insights and updates.

Take care until then!