Nutrition: How to get your 5 a day MINIMUM

At 32 weeks pregnant, I am orientating my meals around getting in the right nutrition for my growing babe. I would say before pregnancy, I got in 5 a day MOST days and then at the beginning of the pregnancy, that went down hill with the constant hung over feeling and nausea, it was mainly cheese and white carb varieties! However, feeling much brighter now and as the sun is out today, I announce that the salad season has officially begun!

Here are some top tips for staying motivated and inspired both in the summer sun and rainy days too 🙂 

1. Success is easier with routine. Save your brain power and do similar behaviours everyday. I try to have at least one portion of fruit in the morning, sometimes 2 or 3 – get the day off to a great start! Team this with slow releasing carbs like wholemeal toast or oats (porridge, museli or homemade granola are all good options).

2. Lunch time is an opportunity to get in a super salad – whatever salad or veg you have in the fridge, add it in! You are likely to have different things in during different phases of the week so be creative and enjoy the variety.

3. We have been socialised to think that eating vegetables raw is weird when it is actually very natural. Try out raw cauliflower and broccoli, they really fill you up when added to a salad.

4. You don’t need to eat 100% salad when having a salad- add your favourite cheese, ham or bread to the meal if you feel it is lacking! The point is that you need to feel that you are not “on a diet” but just enjoying eating good nutritious food. 

5. Focus on consuming a high percentage of foods with high water content. Fruit and veg are not only the most densely packed in terms of nutrients but they hydrate us as well. A hydrated body is a healthy body and that efficient metabolism is what is needed to burn fat!

You do not need to deprive yourself of any foods. Focus on healthy good food not on foods that you think you “can’t have”. Nothing is out of bounds, if you want some chocolate then have some! But still try to make sure that the majority of your food intake is the good stuff 🙂 Team that with awesome training and a daily routine that means these habits are repeated and you are really on to a winner! 

Remember that 5 portions of fruit and veg is the minimum. I would recommend 8 – 10 if possible with 25% of them being fruit and the rest vegetables and salad. 

If you are struggling nutrition wise then find out how we can help you with our nutritional coaching. Tor Burrows can help and support you in making the changes that you know you need to make. 

Happy healthy summer eating everyone! 

Victoria xx

Victoria Mairiaux-Jones

I'm a Personal Trainer dedicated to improving my clients health and fitness. I work with people of all ages and levels of fitness, across Leamington, Warwick and Warwickshire. Lose Weight and get fit with Free Spirit Fitness Culture.

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