A Day in My Life: In Unfiltered Photos
As an integrative nutritionist, I often get asked about what I eat in a day. It's a topic I've been hesitant to share because everyone's body and needs are different.
However, I TOTALLY get the curiosity! While my days do vary, I am somewhat a creature of habit. So, here's a peek into my day – last Thursday - from wake-up rituals to meals and movements.
So, A Day In My Life: In Unfiltered Photos - here we go!
Morning
Wake Up: I wake up naturally between 5 and 6:30 AM, no alarm. I've been keeping my phone outside the bedroom for years now and it's magic.
Morning Coffee: The first thing I do is drink about half a litre of water, still or sparkling. I then make myself (and hubby Scott) espresso. With the mornings being a bit dark, I often take my coffee back to bed, along with my notebook to jot down any work-related thoughts for the day.
Mini Workout: Today, I did a 15-minute mini weights workout...dodging Ace who wanted to lick my face the entire time. I kept it short as my 'main' workout is about to be walking around hills with my 10kg of pregnancy belly.
Dog Walk: Followed the workout with a quick 15-minute walk with the dog.
Morning Action
8 AM - Walk with Paula: A 90-minute walk around the Sluicings with my friend Paula. Yep, Paula has done my programme and you might have seen her on social media and the podcast! But today I was her client...we were discussing business plans for my maternity leave and ways I can help empower more people through what I do. Always gold! Working the brain and body together works magic.
Chance Encounters: Ran into Maria, who was listening to my podcast – a fun surprise! And we picked tiny little pears from a tree along the way and enjoyed two of them.
Mid-Morning
9:30 AM - Cold Dip: Took a cold dip in the river with Paula. Epic after a 90-min walk and incredible for both my body and mood! We chat for nearly 10 minutes before we realise we really should get out!
10:30 AM - Food Shopping: Headed out to shop for kids' snacks. Scott's away on a golf trip to Auckland and I have two (hungry!) 14 and 12-year-olds arriving.
Housework - Oh... and turned over our Airbnb room (20 minutes of trackable housework according to my Oura Ring...being pregnant my heart rate is through the roof when I do most things)
Breaking the Fast
A Note On Water: by this point I've usually drunk at least 2 or more litres of water. I front-load my day with water to make sure I don't mistake thirst for hunger. It also helps me not to drink too much in the evening before bed. I usually drink between 3 & 4 litres a day especially being active in the summer.
Breakfast: Finally, breakfast time! I had a large slice of Bacon & Courgette Frittata, made with about 2 slices of bacon, maybe 4 eggs, and lots of courgettes from our garden. This is a guestimate as I always cook one of these at the weekend and then slice it into 4 pieces.
Midday Nourishment
Snack: Around midday, I snacked on 180g of roast lamb from the New World Deli. Then got straight back to work.
2 PM - Lunch: Chicken about 150-200g (pulled off a pre-cooked chicken yesterday), spinach, and sundried tomatoes. That was it... 3 ingredients.
Afternoon Movements and Snacks
Quick Walk: Sneaked out for another 20-minute walk, followed by a second dip in the lake. My job is SO sedentary I have to make an effort to move when I can.
Afternoon Snacks: I had a bowl of (about 1 cup of pistachios) and courgettes dipped in pate for some tasty liver intake. Sometimes this can be double! When the little guy is going through a growth spurt I definitely feel it.
Evening Meal
Another lake dip... seriously 3 times in a day is not uncommon. Pregnancy doesn't help but getting into the cold can also seriously help you ditch that 'hot and bothered' feeling you can get from a busy day, work stress etc.
Dinner: I worked until way later than I should have (confession) and I have a slight aversion to cooking ... (pregnancy or pregnancy energy levels maybe?). So dinner was a pre-cooked salmon fillet and a salad with mint, celery leaves, spinach, and tomatoes from the garden, topped with feta and a bit of apple cider vinegar. With Scott away, this was slightly different to normal, but at around under $10 I find pre-cooked salad fillets the ultimate lazy but healthy indulgence!! They are the perfect staple to have in the fridge. Not the norm... but delicious.
Dessert: A Pregnancy Staple
Dessert: A delicious mix of a small, unripe (super green) banana and golden kiwi, topped with a spoon of almond butter, cinnamon, and 95% Lindt dark chocolate.
Finally, switch off for the day and hit the couch for some Netflix...at 7 something. The phone goes on flight mode. Between 7pm and 7am is 100% my (and my family's) time.
So, what do you reckon? Lots of food, right?
But it's all about balance and listening to what your body needs, especially during pregnancy. Eating a variety of foods and keeping active are key to my daily routine.
Remember, what works for me might not work for everyone, and that's okay! Your body is unique, and so should be your diet and lifestyle.
My keys? Early to bed (MOST of the time), so I wake up early naturally, LOTS of water to start the day, coffee, moving before I eat, protein-packed breakfast, followed by more protein-based snacks and meals generally, with plenty of variety of veggies and fruit.
Key Differences: being pregnant I am eating a lot more. Not because you are meant to, but because I can FEEL my body working hard, doing even the most basic of daily tasks. Note, I am eating more, but not necessarily different. For me this means; often double the portion for breakfast, lots of fruit (more than twice what I would usually eat) and listening to my body if I need more than what feels NORMAL.
The funny thing? At 31 weeks pregnant, I am still lighter (and fitter) than I was at 21 years old. Eating more. It's a brilliant reminder that undereating is not the answer.
This is a very personal insight so I would LOVE your thoughts! Drop me a message and let me know if you have absolutely any questions at all.
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