I'm On A Nutrition Mission

Hi guys,
So you may or may not know that I am currently studying an online Nutritional Therapist course with the Health Sciences Academy.
Embarrassingly I actually bought the course two years ago and I did start it but it wasn't really a priority for me to complete it so as is with life, it got put on the backburner. Since coming back from travelling, I decided that I was gonna knuckle down and get the course finished. I've only got a few more hours left until I have completed it so I thought I'd share my nutrition goals with you all.

I've been vegan for over two years now, so most people would assume that I have a fairly healthy lifestyle. However, I hold my hands up and admit that I am a junk food lover and convenience addict.
I can't have a cup of tea without dunking a few (or half a packet) of biscuits in. I'll often snack between my healthy meals with crisps or toast with lots of Vitalite. I'm happy having chocolate covered cereal at 10pm and if there is a vegan cake on the menu I'll be an excitable lady.
 I'm far from being perfect in the diet department. So before I'm qualified I better preach what I'm about to teach and get into some healthier habits!

So a few things that I've switched up so far are;

     

No sugar in tea.
I used to be one of those gross people who had two sugars! Not sweet enough is what I always used to say! Now I have weened myself off and I have zero sugars and unsweetened soy milk. I try to limit my 'proper' brews to only 1 or 2 cups a day and the rest of the time I drink herbal or green teas.

             

Limit crisps.
Whenever I fancy a packet of crisps I go for some olives or pickled onions instead. If I'm feeling in a snacky mood I'll get a little glass bowl (you know the GU pudding ones) filled with unsalted nuts, raisins and seeds. When I lived back home I'd eat at least one packet a day without fail.

            

No orange juice.
Ok so this is a kinda biggie for me, I used to be obsessed with orange juice, I didn't think mornings were worth getting up for without a big, icy glass of OJ. However, I found out that it has more sugar than a bottle of coke eeesh! So now in the morning I have a real orange or tangerine and enjoy the zest but without all the concentrated sugar.

          

Adding extra veggies.
At the moment, I'm doing the majority of cooking for the Moon household. This means I'm trying to prepare nutritious yet tasty options to please everyone. The basis of my food is usually beans, lentils or veggies so that's pretty good but I've also started to incorporate at least one healthy side dish to get the extra veg in. Kalettes are a favourite right now. Plus I tend to make a veggie soup or stew for lunches and lunchboxes.

    

Chocolate cravings.
Yep, I love chocolate and it's not something I plan on giving up. The good news, I don't have to! Dark and raw chocolate have many health benefits! So I might have to end my relationship with Bournville bars, as it's more fat and sugar than chocolate but as least I can have a few squares to get my fix.

      

Little extras.
So I have been adding extra foods for a superfood boost. I always add chia seeds to my morning oats, I've added pumpkin seeds to salads and sesame seeds to stir fries. I'm just trying to go for more good calories than empty calories. I try to use avocado on toast and sandwiches instead of margarine. Sometimes small steps lead to big changes :)

          

Supplements.
I used to be pretty regular taking my vitamins but recently I've been terrible at remembering and I have suffered from a few colds and sniffles since Christmas. So I pledge to take my multivitamin every day! Supplements are essential for the body as getting a complete balance of all vitamins and minerals on a daily basis isn't always achievable.

I think by writing these down I feel more inclined to stick to them. When I've finished my course I have a lot of resources and ideas that I want to put into action. Mainly to turn fad 'dieting' on its head and make sure that we are all getting the right fuel. With the right nutrients, we can heal, flourish and become our best selves.

If you have any questions about nutrition, diets, veganism etc I'd love for you to get in touch :)

Thanks for reading,
Rachelle xxx