50-year-old Nick starts work at 7am and finishes at 6pm so he rises early to go to the gym. He doesn’t drink alcohol and drinks lots of water. He feels his diet is typical of other chiropractors as they are well-read in the healthy realm and tend to eat wholefoods.
4.50am
Smoothie (banana, kiwifruit, broccoli, pineapple, raw eggs, water) made and drunk quickly before the gym.
10am
Smoked salmon and scrambled eggs on buttered toast with basil pesto. A hot chocolate to keep the sugar addiction under control.
2.30pm
Chicken wrap from Fatimas followed by a 30min power nap. I do occasionally feel fatigued at this time of day.
6pm
8 Meal Mates with cheese, tomato and gherkin.
7pm
Chicken breast fried in olive oil with Nando peri peri sauce, blanched broccoli and carrots.
7.45pm
8 squares fruit and nut chocolate.
Mikki Williden’s nutrition quick fix
I love that you incorporate a variety of vegetables and fruit throughout the day, and that you try to keep your sugar addiction under control — what I find with many clients is that eating foods to satisfy their craving often drives them to eat more of these foods — a bit of a vicious cycle.
That said, eight squares of fruit and nut chocolate is four more than I would recommend. Opt for a darker chocolate that contains more cocoa and less sugar — yes it’s a taste adjustment (I threw out my first block of 85 per cent chocolate as I couldn’t eat it — sorry Helen!), but you will soon adjust and find you won’t want to eat as much.
Dark chocolate is a powerhouse in terms of its mineral and antioxidant content, including flavanols. Among other things, these have been associated with improved blood flow throughout the body — potentially leading to lower levels of skin damage when exposed to the sun, improved brain function, lower blood pressure and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. This does have to be counterbalanced with the overall intake of sugar that chocolate can add to the diet, and you'll be happy to know that flavanols from a good quality unsweetened cocoa drink in the evening will also have the same effect. A hot chocolate once in a while isn't a problem, but a standard drink from a cafe will range from 32g sugar (8 tsp) to 53g sugar (13 tsp).Yikes! When you order one, ask for it to be half strength — the same chocolate taste (again, you will adjust) with half the sugar. Better yet, opt for your standard hot chocolate a couple of times a week instead of making it a daily occurrence.
It would be great if more people incorporated a power nap in their day — it's so good for overall health and productivity — though if you had something to eat at around 8am (such as a quick handful of raw nuts and coconut flakes or seed crackers with hummus), you may be less likely to need one.