Fitness kit I’ve tested this week: Sativa Shakes non-dairy protein powder

I’m always especially pleased to review products from small, UK companies – so I’m happy to introduce Sativa Shakes: a friendly, growing protein supplement company who, it turns out, are local to me here in Kent. They produce non-dairy, plant protein powders including hemp protein and a plant protein blend.

They specialise in lactose-free (and vegan-friendly) protein powders. There are two main product lines – “Viva Sativa” hemp protein and “Viva High Pro” plant protein blend (hemp, pea, rice and soy). At the moment, there are four flavours across two product ranges: toffee, chocolate caramel, strawberry and banana, and kiwi and lime. They are all non-GM, organic and naturally sweetened with Stevia (a calorie-free sweetener derived from a plant – rather than from chemicals) and use raw plant protein, minimally treated and processed. Take a look at the ingredients lists – teeny!

I tried them all: straight-up as shakes, with my PWO banana (mashed up and frozen, like icecream) and stirred into my porridge oats. All were great! Because they’re plant proteins, the powders are rich and creamy and so they make quite thick shakes and go particularly well with oats. I loved all the flavours except for the kiwi and lime – I hoped to love this one as it’s unusual and not a flavour combo I’ve come across in any other protein powder, but I’m afraid I didn’t like it. This might be because, at the moment, this is the only one in the range which contains artificial flavour (the Sativa Shakes folk tell me they are working to find a natural replacement). I thought all the others were absolutely delicious, though.

The strawberry and banana, chocolate caramel “Viva High Pro” plant protein blend is a mix of pea protein isolate, soy protein isolate, hemp protein, brown rice protein, flavouring, cocoa powder (in the choc version) Stevia and xantham gum (a thickener) with citric acid.

Per 30g serving you get around 105 kcals, 22.3g protein, 1.3g carbs (0.4g sugar) and 1.2g fats (including a good mix of omegas). The amino breakdown is different to whey, as you’d expect with this being a plant protein – check out the full nutritional stats on the Sativa website. The stats are very slightly different across the flavours.

The “Viva Sativa” toffee flavoured hemp protein is simply raw hemp protein, natural flavouring, xantham gum and Stevia. The kiwi and lime version of the hemp protein does – at the moment – contain artificial flavour. Per 30g serving: 130 kcals, 13.7g protein, 4.5g carbs (1.6g sugars) and 3.7g fats. Again, you get a good dose of omegas and fibre, and of course no lactose – these being dairy-free protein powders.

They’re ideal for vegans but you don’t need to be a vegan to try them! I really did like these, particularly the toffee and chocolate caramel flavours, I think because the taste goes really well with the rich, earthy, nutty flavour of plant proteins.

I’m not indulging in any protein-baking at this stage in my prep diet but I think that I’ll try these in a cake or muffins at some point. I reckon they’d be a great ingredient with the rich flavour and the thick nature of the powders.

If you’ve been looking for a non-dairy, vegan-friendly, lactose-free protein powder, or if you just fancy trying a new protein product, I recommend giving Sativa Shakes a go. If you’re not sure which to try – here’s a handy guide!

Keep an eye on Sativa Shakes on Facebook as they often run offers and discounts. There are some special offers here, too.

Thank you, Sativa Shakes people! Find them online here Sativa Shakes website or on Facebook Sativa Shakes on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

Now I’ve made myself hungry so excuse me – time for dinner!

Fitness kit I’ve tested this week: Sativa Shakes non-dairy protein powder is a post from The Fit Writer blog.

Nicola Joyce – the Fit Writer – is a freelance copywriter and journalist who writes for the sport and fitness industry. Her main website is here.

Giveaway winners – Kinetica Sports protein

Just a quick one to announce the two winners of the Kinetica Sports protein giveaway. Thank you to all of you who entered, I wish I had enough samples to send something to you all! Sadly only two people can win and they are:

colm bourke and Mattay Dunn

(I used an online random number generator thingy this time – Frankie says he is too tired to select the winners this time)

You both win a sample of the Complete and the Oat Gain.

Congratulations Colm and Mattay, please email me (there’s a contact me box top right on the blog home page) to give me your postal address.

Thanks to everyone for taking part

Giveaway winners – Kinetica Sports protein is a post from The Fit Writer blog.

Nicola Joyce – the Fit Writer – is a freelance copywriter and journalist who writes for the sport and fitness industry. Her main website is here.

Giveaway! Kinetica Sports protein

It’s cold, it’s dark and it’s Friday. Perfect excuse for a little giveaway!

The folk at Kinetica Sports recently launched a few new products and sent them over for me to try. Trouble is, a couple of them don’t quite “fit my macros” (as the cool kids say) so I thought you guys should have them instead. Simple!

The new products include:
- Pro-Release (a really smooth-tasting blend of whey isolate,milk protein concentrate, whey protein concentrate and egg albumin protein for fast, medium and slow digesting proteins) – I tried this in both strawberry sundae and chocolate brownie flavour and loved it. It’s a very smooth and rich casein blend, perfect for bedtime.
- a new banana flavour whey protein – I also tried this and wasn’t too keen on the idea, as I don’t usually like banana whey at all, but this was actually very nice, not overly sweet and a great flavour. Nice and thick too.
- Complete in banana smoothie flavour – this is a high-quality whey protein with organic virgin coconut oil, Creapure® (99.99% pure creatine monohydrate), a high-and low-GI carbohydrate blend and a digestive enzyme (Aminogen®)
- Oat Gain in orange and mango flavour – as the name suggests, this is more of a “mass gain” product, with plenty of carbs and cals from ground oats, MCTs (from organic virgin coconut oil) as well as a protein blend and Aminogen® digestive enzymes.

Giveaway

I wasn’t able to try the Complete or the Oat Gain myself but I’d love you to try them! Click through to the links to check that they suit your particularly goals at the moment. I have two sample sachets of each, so will send two readers one of both the Complete in banana flavour (30g), and the Oat Gain orange and mango (80g). You lucky devils!

To enter, follow Kinetics Sports on Twitter, tweet something like “I’ve just entered @thefitwriter blog giveaway to win @kineticasports samples” and include a link to this blog post. Then head back here to leave a comment letting me know you’ve done that, so I know to put your name into the hat.

That’s it! I’ll pick a winner at random on Monday 25th March at 9pm.

Giveaway! Kinetica Sports protein is a post from The Fit Writer blog.

Nicola Joyce – the Fit Writer – is a freelance copywriter and journalist who writes for the sport and fitness industry. Her main website is here.

These are a few of my favourite things: the hydration edition

People will often ask me where I get my supplements, food, workout gear etc from. I have a few discount codes for some of my favourite companies, and am generously supported in one way or another by some others. Then there are the companies, brands and products which I just straight-up love, without discount codes or freebies! I thought I’d start a blog series telling you about these “favourite things” – and extending the discount code to you where one exists. All these “favourite things” posts are on one page.

We all know how important it is to drink enough water, whether we do endurance sport, strength sports or no sport at all (everyone needs to stay hydrated). It’s about more than just not getting thirsty. Proper hydration carries nutrients to cells, helps prevent muscle cramps, keeps you alert and focused, nourishes your skin, assists your body in digesting food, improves your sleep, helps your body recover after exercise (or injury/surgery) and even helps you maintain healthy hormone levels.

I admit I never used to pay a great deal of attention to whether or not the water I drank was actually doing its job. I was then recommended elete hydration drops (thanks Andy McKenzie) and haven’t gone a day without it since. It’s such a simple little product, but I honestly think it’s so important. Not just for people doing sport, for everyone of all ages (although certainly if you do train for sports then you should definitely be taking this product!)

elete is an electolyte product you add to water which contains all four of the key electrolytes (magnesium, potassium, chloride and sodium) along with 60 other naturally-occurring trace and ultra trace elements.

It’s 100% pure and natural and contains no sugar, sweeteners, additives, preservatives or calories (like most “sports drinks”). It doesn’t need to – you just add it to your water (or any other drink) and that’s it.

And it’s such good value for money (working out at less than 20p per litre of water). It comes in a concentrated form so you can carry it about with you if you need to, or just add it to your water at home.

elete has been scientifically developed and is backed by numerous bits of research and peer reviewed published studies. And it’s got the Informed Sport mark of approval.

I tend to add one serving to a litre of water in the morning, and then again to water which I make sure I drink straight after training. It doesn’t taste of anything at all (although you can get a citrus version, but I haven’t tried it). Full recommendations of exactly how to dose it are on the website.

Drink up!

You can find elete on Twitter and elete on Facebook as well as their own website (including research, testinonials and FAQs)

These are a few of my favourite things: the hydration edition is a post from The Fit Writer blog.

Nicola Joyce – the Fit Writer – is a freelance copywriter and journalist who writes for the sport and fitness industry. Her main website is here.

Fitness kit I’ve tested this week: BioBees Royal Jelly Elixir

I was recently sent some of BioBees royal jelly elixir, a zingy little pick-me-up which I thought would be great for this time of year when we’re all dragging a bit as we wait for Winter to finally be over.

BioBees by Bioceuticals has brought out a whole range of royal jelly products, including skin care and bee pollen, but it was the elixir which I tried out. The ingredients: fresh royal jelly, korean ginseng, guarana, bee pollen, ginger, liquorice, and extracts of damiana aphrodisiaca and sarsaparilla, have all been selected for their energising properties.

These little vials (which contain just enough to “down in one”) are therefore a great blend of vitamins, minerals and amino acids, helping give you a boost in concentration and focus, as well as helping your body fight off infections. Great for anyone needing instant energy (for the gym, for instance… !), people who seem to catch every cold going, and anyone generally running themselves ragged because of kids/work/life in general.

Royal jelly is a natural substance, produced by worker bees to feed and nourish the Queen Bee, and give her a healthy and long life. Sounds about right to me chaps! Bring it on. It’s high in amino acids, carotenoids, and vitamins B, C, D, E and K, it has been found to help boost the immune system, improve collagen production and increase cell rejuvenation. BioBees uses only fresh royal jelly in their products (not freeze-dried like you’ll find elsewhere).

My verdict? It was really tasty (very spicy, you can definitely taste the ginger and liquorice) and it did give me a definite energy boost before the gym, making me feel revved up and focused.

BioBees royal jelly elixir is priced at £23.54 for box of 10 vials and you can find stockists here.

Thank you, BioBees people! Find them on Facebook here or Twitter here.

Fitness kit I’ve tested this week: BioBees Royal Jelly Elixir is a post from The Fit Writer blog.

Nicola Joyce – the Fit Writer – is a freelance copywriter and journalist who writes for the sport and fitness industry. Her main website is here.

What I learned from the Phil Learney Fat Loss & Performance seminar

A few weeks ago, I went up to Stoke to attend a
seminar led by Phil Learney, PT/trainer/coach who currently works at UP Fitness. The topic of Phil’s two-day seminar was Fat Loss and Performance, and I went along in the interests of personal development and general interest (I think everyone else there was a coach or PT of some sort).

It was a fascinating weekend and I learned so much (and also had my thoughts and ideas on some things clarified or confirmed). I admit it was all quite full-on for my non-PT-brain but I think I more or less kept up Phil is a really great presenter/lecturer and made sure the content was tailored to the group and everyone’s questions were answered.

I thought I’d write a short round-up of the things which really stood out for me, or were new to me, or have particularly stayed with me now it’s been a few weeks since the seminar. It’s going to be a bit of a brain-dump, but I’m happy to try and answer questions in the comments, or you can find Phil on Facebook and Twitter, he’s very good at answering questions. (He also has a very good blog which covers a lot of the points below in greater detail).

The seminar covered body types and assessment (of clients), nutrition, specific protocols including carb cycling, carb backloading and fasting, optimal feeding patterns, hydration, health (from the inside out), training protocols, contest prep and tons more!

Here’s what I took away from it…

- “The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing”
- “Only a fool never changes his mind”
- Body type assessment using somatotypes and phenotypes (I think this was kind of “client assessment 101″ for most of the people in the room but it was a fascinating start for me!) (I am totes a mesomorph… of course.. what’s that? You too? )
- “We aren’t what we eat; we’re what we digest” – the importance of food quality, gut health, digestion
- The importance of protein turnover (the balance between protein synthesis and protein breakdown) – the more we break down during training, the more we have to synthesize to maintain an anabolic environment
- Leucine! We should look to take in 3.2g leucine (minimum) per protein serving. Phil then showed a fascinating table, demonstrating how much we’d have to take in of a few different protein sources, in order to get 3.2g leucine. 230g chicken (237 kcals/53g protein), 190g steak (375 kcals/54g pro)… 1070g (yes, more than a kilo!) pork (1223 kcals/224g protein). There’s a reason why bodybuilders eat chicken and steak! And I’m glad I’ve never liked pork…
- The importance of kidney health, what poor kidney health means for the rest of the body/its functions, and how we can boost renal function
- The massive importance of fluids and electrolytes (something I know I’m guilty of ignoring – but not any more – a review of elete electrolyte drops to come on the blog!)
- Endocrine (hormone) manipulation and macronutrient (protein, carbohydrate, fat) intake and why this is so important/beneficial (hugely interesting to me as a natural bodybuilder)
- In fact everything Phil said about the endocrine system, the “master hormone” (insulin), leptin, ghrelin, the thyroid hormones and how they all relate to creating/maintaining anabolic growth was great.
- “We build, or we break” - referring to everything we do in training/nutrition for physique/strength/performance sports being either anabolic (regenerative) or catabolic (degenerative).
- A lightbulb moment was when Phil said something which most attendees probably thought very simple and basic: he pointed out that achieving a lean and muscular physique, particularly for natural females, is more about retaining (and fiercely guarding!) the muscle we have got (especially as we diet down) rather than constantly thinking about building more. He likened it to finances: you could say you want to earn £10K more next year. Why not spend £10K less? Same outcome, different outlook.
- It’s about preservation – decreasing catabolism – as well as growth/anabolism…
- “Why diets can’t work”… a look at why the “calories in vs calories out” model really misses the point, and discussing what happens to key hormones when we restrict calories. “A report in the April 2007 issue of the American Psychologist showed up to 66% of individuals following the caloric model of weight loss end up fatter two years later than they were when they started the diet. Any other model, in any other discipline, with a failure rate this high would have been discarded long ago and labelled as useless.”
- An in-depth look at various nutritional protocols with a view to stabilising insuling for optimal hormone management (and the male and female responses to each)
- A look at advanced nutritional strategies including carb cycling, food rotation, refeeds/”cheat meals” and when/how/why you might employ these
- On training, the discussion about absolute strength and the force equation was really interesting to me (and reinforced what I already know about my woeful lack of power and acceleration!)
- The practical work we did – on glute activation, hip/glute mobility, squat and bench technique and force/acceleration were an eye-opener and have really added a great deal to my own sessions.

If you’d like to hear more about the seminar, why not listen to performance nutritionist Ben Coomber’s podcast (you need episode 19), where he and Ru Anderson (a PT – and fellow competitive natural bodybuilder – who was at Phil’s seminar) talk about the content and what they took away from it. And Ru’s own blog round-up- of the seminar is here on Ru Anderson’s blog.

What I learned from the Phil Learney Fat Loss & Performance seminar is a post from The Fit Writer blog.

Nicola Joyce – the Fit Writer – is a freelance copywriter and journalist who writes for the sport and fitness industry. Her main website is here.

Updated for 2013: my favourite fitness and nutrition podcasts

It’s been a while (… years!) since I blogged about the podcasts I listen to, and it’s definitely time for an update. Not only because I listen to a lot more of them now, but because my list of favourites has changed. Some fantastic new podcasts have come on the scene, I’ve discovered others, and some on my original list are no more.

Podcasts are a great way to “get your learn on” and are a brilliant way of turning long car drives, commutes or dog walks into productive time. Of course, sometimes it’s nice to head out for a walk without earphones on at all, to really be in the moment, but if you walk a hell of a lot (as I do), you’ll often want to listen to something. So why not make that something informative, inspirational or a little bit challenging?

Here’s my current list of go-to podcasts (I download them all via iTunes – you’ll be able to find them by searching). If you give them a try, come back and tell me what you thought.

Access Bodybuilding
Access Bodybuilding is a behind the scenes look at the bodybuilding industry, covering events, news, competitors, gossip, industry developments and all sorts. It’s American, and doesn’t only look at the natural side of the industry (in fact I’d say mostly not – but only because that reflects the size and balance of the industry as a whole). It’s funny, interesting, irreverant and a good “magazine” style show to listen to.

Ben Coomber Radio
Ben’s a mate of mine but that’s not why I listen to Ben Coomber Radio. Well, it is why I started listening, to be fair. But it’s not why I’m still an avid fan. I love this show because it’s funny, in-depth, very interesting, well-researched and extremely informative (and English! Most S&C/nutrition/fitness podcasts are American which is fine but means a lot of the references, resources and recommendations are lost on me). I always learn at least one new thing and am inspired to try something new with my own nutrition, or go away and research something in greater depth. Presented by Ben, who is a very well-respected performance nutritionist, and sometimes co-hosted by Anna of Proteinpow.com, the show usually has a guest: in the past he’s had Phil Learney, Joseph Lightfoot and James Monk. Ben usually breaks this short-ish (30-45 minutes) show into news and views, then an interview or listener Q&A.

Heavy Muscle Radio
Heavy Muscle Radio is another podcast from RX Muscle. It’s funny. I know that the presenter, Dave Palumbo, isn’t to everyone’s taste but personally I find him and his commentary hilarious. It’s another magazine type show, looking at news and events from the world of bodybuilding (but mostly the USA), it has interviews and show reports and all sorts of chit chat. The shows can get pretty long but you can pick and choose the bits you want to listen to.

Muscle Girls Inc
I love MGI! Presented by two bikini Pro competitors, it’s like getting your FBB mates together for a god old gossip and giggle. The first half of the show is usually a bit silly and often has me in fits of laughter (it’s meant to be about bodybuilding but often goes off-piste to discuss food and boys and stuff) and the second half is always an interview with a female competitor. I love the interviews; it’s so interesting to hear from competitors across bikini, figure, fitness, physique and bodybuilding classes and there’s often some meaty stuff discussed, like metabolic damage, disordered eating, relationships, etc, as well as all the stuff about prep and competing as you’d expect. I really look forward to MGI every week.

Natty Talk Radio
Natty Talk Radio is one of very few podcasts I’ve found which talk only about the natural/tested side of the sport and that in itself is enough reason for me to listen. This show interviews natural bodybuilders, has Q&A discussions about hot topics and draws on plenty of scientific research to back up the anecdotal evidence and chat, which makes for good listening.

Robb Wolf’s The Paleo Solution
I’m not Paleo but find the research and ideas behind the Paleo way of life very interesting. Robb Wolf is one of the leading names in the Paleo game and he’s a great presenter. His radio show The Paleo Solution is packed full of information and a great listen for anyone interested in the natural, healing aspects of nutrition, or in eating for performance and strength and physique sports. It’s been going for years and I’m currently working my way backwards through the early years.

Your Physique Radio
Your Physique Radio is great because it’s presented by two Irish guys (although one lives in the States now) so it feels a little closer to home. They discuss bodybuilding shows, competitors, news and industry developments, review products and gyms, and have some great guests. My only bugbear is that it’s not updated more regularly – in fact I think it might have ground to a halt? Still, there’s a good back catalogue of shows so, if you’ve not come across it already, you can spend a few hours working your way through the shows they’ve already done!

I also still listen to The Fit Cast podcast, The Strength Coach podcast and TED talks as mentioned in my previous blog post about podcasts

Which podcasts do you recommend? Have you ever been on a podcast – or do you have your own?

Updated for 2013: my favourite fitness and nutrition podcasts is a post from The Fit Writer blog.

Nicola Joyce – the Fit Writer – is a freelance copywriter and journalist who writes for the sport and fitness industry. Her main website is here.

The Wellbeing Guide to London

A little book arrived on my desk today: The Wellbeing Guide to London.

How I wish this book had existed when I lived in London! It’s a wonderful resources for Londoners (or tourists) interested in finding the very best the capital has to offer in the way of health, wellbeing and detox hotspots.

The author, fellow freelance writer Sally Lovett, is a Londoner. As well as a writer, she’s a yoga teacher and founded yoga company “Stretching the City”. She wanted to share her favourite healthy hangouts… and so this book came to be (I bet she had a ball researching it!)

“You don’t need to escape to a spa in Thailand to unwind, nourish and revive,” Sally told me. “In fact, the sheer abundance and variety of brilliant places featured in the guide is testament to the growing prevalence of wellbeing on Londoner’s priorities and pockets.”

If you think London is noisy, chaotic and stressful, this book might just change your mind. The Wellbeing Guide to London encourages us to slow down and savour the city, as it takes us on a rather different tour to the typical mix of landmarks.

It’s divided into sections: central, west, east, north and south (<—- reprazent! I used to live in Herne Hill ) Within those sections, you’ll find eateries serving organic, vegetarian, vegan and raw food, yoga and meditation centres, studios, gyms, pools and health clubs.

It’s beautifully illustrated with photography by Olivia Payne and large print, clear maps. There’s a listings section at the end of each “area”. Alongside the reviews and tips are articles from some of London’s leading wellbeing practitioners.

This handy little book is only £10 and you can get it from publishers Vespertine Press. Now most of us have ditched the traditional A-Z for google maps, perhaps it leaves just enough room in our bags for this guide!

The Wellbeing Guide to London is a post from The Fit Writer blog.

Nicola Joyce – the Fit Writer – is a freelance copywriter and journalist who writes for the sport and fitness industry. Her main website is here.

An exciting weekend ahead (Phil Learney Fat Loss & Performance seminar)

Right, that’s me done for the week. I’ve got a lot to do this evening and an early start tomorrow as I’m off up to Stoke (from Kent) for a weekend seminar led by Phil Learney.

Phil’s a PT, trainer and prep coach who currently works out of UP Fitness in London. I’ve been reading his blogs for ages and love what he has to say and the way he presents it. When I heard about this workshop (via Ben Coomber’s podcast) I decided to book on.

Here’s what Phil recently wrote on Facebook about some of what we can expect from the weekend (please note there are no longer five places remaining!)

(Bit small – sorry – you can click to enlarge if you like)

Right up my street!

I’ll be meeting up with a few friends in the industry, training at the Cave (where the seminar’s being held) and generally absorbing ideas and knowledge all weekend long. I can’t wait – I think my head might explode from all the learning, but I can’t wait!

Right, I’m off to prep two days worth of food and pack it all up ready for the weekend.

An exciting weekend ahead (Phil Learney Fat Loss & Performance seminar) is a post from The Fit Writer blog.

Nicola Joyce – the Fit Writer – is a freelance copywriter and journalist who writes for the sport and fitness industry. Her main website is here.

A bit of food prep

Evening!

Sunday afternoons are all about food prep for me. I tend to batch cook lots of my food, two or three times a week. It makes life a lot easier and saves on firing up the oven just for one tiddly meal all the time. I know a lot of my bodybuilding friends prep food ahead of time, too, and it’s always interesting to see how differently everyone does it.

Here are a few of my tips and “recipes” (such as they are). I hope they help, or give you some ideas.

Tray-bake
This is a really lazy option but very easy and I’ve yet to find one single thing which doesn’t taste good cooked this way. It’s simple: just get whatever it is you’re wanting to eat (one or more veggie choices, and your protein choice – fish, chicken, turkey work well), chop it into roughly the same sized bits, put in a baking tray (try to keep it to one layer so nothing goes mushy) and bake. Spray a bit of oil over the top if you want/if it needs it, or add any marinades or sauces you might like. I’m a fan of adding thick slices of lemon, garlic (have I mentioned I’m single), a chili (flakes or fresh).

That’s just chicken. I don’t have any photos of a chicken/veg mix but I’m sure you can imagine it! At any one time I’ll have one or two different variations on veg/meat or fish tray bake going on. I portion it out once it’s cooked – it makes for very quick and easy meals during the week.

Baked veggies
Kind of the same thing, only for your veg. Again, I’ve yet to meet a vegetable which doesn’t respond well to being baked in the oven. Use fresh or frozen, it doesn’t seem to matter. Just make sure everything’s roughly the same size/shape (so it cooks evenly) and laid out in one layer. For even easier clean-up, line your baking tray with foil. Veggies I’ve done this way:

- brussels sprouts (!) (fresh are great, although you may need to halve the gigano-brussels. Frozen are really good for this, particularly the frozen baby brussels)

- fine beans/green beans. They go a bit crunchy and crispy. Maybe I’m deluded but it’s a bit like having a green chip/french fry. OK, so it’s been a while since I had an actual chip… Again, fresh or frozen work well
- broccoli. Yes really. Roasted/baked broccoli is lovely! Just watch that the end bits of the florets (I’m sure there’s a technical word for it) doesn’t burn. You do not want your home to smell of burning broccoli, just trust me on this.
- combos: try sweet potato or new potatoes, swede or squash, onions or shallots, brussels (!), cherry tomatoes. Anything you like. Most things sweeten up when baked like this
- sweet potatoes. Easy as you like – just cut them into the size/weight you need, stab a few times and put in a baking tray. Add a bit of water (seems to stop them burning and sticking).

From a food prep bodybuilder-y point of view, it’s very easy to keep track of your macros if you prep food like this. Just weigh out how much of each you put in the tray, then weigh it all once it’s cooked (when you transfer it to whatever you’re storing it in), then divide that all as required. Keep a pen and paper in the kitchen for scribbling or, like me, use a chalkboard (not a hope in hell of remembering what I’ve cooked let alone how much of it all is in the pan!)

Slow cooker
I still praise the happy day my Mum bought me a slow cooker. I use it all the time. Just bung everything in! Mince and veg. Entire chicken breasts (cook them slowly then shred them with two forks). I even did a whole chicken in there the other day (which was amazing – I then made a stock with the bones which the dog then enjoyed for a few days). Trust me, I have no culinary expertise. A slow cooker just makes it so easy. And you can put stuff in last thing at night then wake up to a house which smells like roast dinner.

Stuffed peppers

Bit more prep but, really, doesn’t take long! Make some kind of mince filling (in the slow cooker?) – turkey mince, beef mince, whatever you like. Obviously add in whatever veg, spices etc you’d normally add to your mince dishes.
Cut bell peppers in half, trim or remove the stalks (they smell nasty if they burn!) and remove all the seeds.
Stuff with your mince, and bake.


Cauliflower mash
This is one of those easy things I just assumed everyone (or every bodybuilder anyway) made but recent Facebook chats made me realise that’s not so. Here, then, is my “.recipe”. I’m pretty sure I can’t take the credit for this; I think it was Kat Millar who first taught me this trick when I prepped with her in 2011.

Steam some cauliflower (I use the 1kg bags of frozen – much easier than chopping a whole cauliflower in my kitchen which is the size of a gerbil cage)
Drain it well. Then drain it again, cos cauliflowers really do get soggy.
Blend it up (I use a handheld blender)
Mix in protein powder (I like unflavoured pea protein or goat whey. Please don’t use your pina colada choco nutso fudge flavoured whey for this) I’d add about 60g for a 1kg bag of cauli.
Mix in anything else you like – pepper, chili, herbs, spices. I quite like curry spices for this.
Stir it all up, allow to cool, portion out and store.
This is great as a snack by itself, as a side dish to anything for which you’d usually use mashed potato, or with eggs (poached, on the top, is my favourite). I guess you could also use it for topping shepherds pie or something?

Hard boiled eggs
No brainer. Healthy fats, complete protein, all in its own packaging. Nature knows what’s up! I always have some in my fridge.

Do you prep your food ahead of time? What are your top tips, and favourite recipes?

A bit of food prep is a post from The Fit Writer blog.

Nicola Joyce – the Fit Writer – is a freelance copywriter and journalist who writes for the sport and fitness industry. Her main website is here.