I’m obsessed with food.
The first sip of my morning coffee is the closest thing I have to a religious experience.
Lunch is sacred to me.
Dinner? The prospect of a hot meal is the only thing that gets me through an after work gym session. (My favourite bit of the Sydney Morning Herald is the ‘Day On A Plate‘ section and right now I’m procrastinating by sifting through it.)
While it might sound like I need to take up a hobby and/or find a boyfriend, my deep interest and enjoyment in food isn’t unique.
The sheer quantity of Tasty vids that clog our news feeds is a clear indication that we’re a generation of food lovers.
But here’s where it gets tricky.
Every day we’re bombarded with mixed messages about how we should eat, what we should eat and when we should eat it. One minute low-fat is in vogue, nek minute it’s natural fat.
It’s hard to know what’s healthy and what’s not when the goal posts keep moving.
One way of gauging what a healthy diet looks like is to take a peek into what people who are fit for a living eat in a day.
Personal trainers know that the body needs fuel to be full of energy. They see grub as a means of having adequate energy to get themselves through their day.
Bondi is known as the activewear epicentre of Australia – so we rounded up five of the suburb’s best personal trainers and asked them what their daily intake looked like. (Prepare for bulk tumeric lattes, ladies and gents.)
Tegan Haining
Tegan Haining is personal trainer and the creator or the 7- Day Quickie, an online exercise program. She’s also a Fascia Stretch Therapy expert.
She has previously worked at the uber famous Bodyism in London, training and stretching clientele such as David Beckham, Natalie Imbruglia (literally making sure she doesn’t get ‘torn’), Jessica Gomez and Lara Stone.
First thing: 2-3 glasses warm water with pre & probiotic powder
Breakfast: 2 fried eggs in olive oil with sauerkraut and 1/4 avocado and a coffee
Mid-morning: Green Juice. Currently loving Green Gaia from Orchard St.
Lunch: Chicken Broth with extra seaweed and any extra vegetables I have in the fridge
Afternoon: Dry Roasted almonds
Dinner: 150g Sirloin Minute Steak with tomato, red onion and cucumber salad, streamed broccoli, lots of butter for my steak and Dijon mustard
Supper: A turmeric latte with coconut milk, cracked pepper and ginger (oh, I’m so Bondi)
Her healthy eating hack: I always have 2 glasses of water (minimum) upon rising. Hydration is everything in maintaining a speedy metabolism.
Lauren Hannaford
Lauren Hannaford is the creator of online training program FHIT by Lauren Hannaford.
Lauren’s 15 min workouts were inspired by her lack of time whilst traveling and touring the world with The Wiggles as a gymnast, playing the role of Dorothy the Dinosaur. Prior to FHIT and The Wiggles, she was a national gymnastics coach, elite gymnast and personal trainer.
First thing: Banana at 6am. Each day is different for me but my alarm is always set for 6am to wake up and do my morning workout. I always try to workout first thing as I know how good I will feel once I start moving and have those endorphins going.
Breakfast: 2 poached eggs, avocado and half a tomato with some lime juice and cracked pepper & a coffee
Lunch: Chicken salad or if I am really hungry and need extra carbs I like a vegetable risotto. Either way, I make sure I eat lots of greens as they’re super healthy, high in fiber and rich in vitamins such as vitamin c, potassium & magnesium
Afternoon: I am usually in need of a little coffee pick me up and a little snack of some fruit or some nuts.
Dinner: Can be inconsistent because I am not always at home to cook. Whichever card I am dealt I always make sure I have some protein, vegetables and lots of water to rehydrate myself from the day. I try not to eat too many carbs at night and I always make sure I stop eating when I’m not hungry anymore.
Her healthy eating hack: Surround yourself with positive active people, be conscious of your portion sizes and drink lots of water!
Nik Toth (AKA The Lean Body Coach)
Nik Toth created the Lean Body Formula based on her own experience with ‘serial dieting’ and being unhappy with her body. After years of constant fad dieting, feeling low, bloated, fatigued, having digestive issues and putting on weight, Nik finally decided to embark on a wellness journey and study holistic nutrition and fitness.
Breakfast: 2 poached eggs, 1/4 avocado, kale sautéed with coconut oil and drizzle of lemon juice, sprinkled with dukkah, 1-2 tbsp fermented veggies and if I’m in a mood, I’ll add a slice of pan fried organic halloumi cheese.
Breakfast is my favourite meal because it sets me up for the day. If you start the day with a high protein and high fat breakfast, it can keep you burn more fat throughout the day while also keep cravings at bay.
Lunch: Usually full of vegetables, in the warmer months I crave salads, but in winter I prefer roasted vegetables of all kinds. I love to roast my veggies with coconut oil, garlic, and spices such as cinnamon, paprika, cayenne, salt & pepper. On the side, it’s a palm size piece of protein (chicken, fish, or even quinoa).
https://www.instagram.com/p/BXJmAYNj7pY/?hl=en&taken-by=theleanbodycoach
Afternoon: 2-3 home-made chocolate covered strawberry protein balls.
At 3PM I love having a snack, but I find that most snacks you can buy at the stores are still full of sugar, even if they say ‘healthy’ on the packet. The balls though are high in protein and fiber and help keep blood sugar levels stable and prevent cravings.
Dinner: Pasture fed eye fillet with 1 tablespoon of ghee, seasoned with salt and pepper. On the side, I have my signature pan-fried green beans with garlic, salt, pepper and slivered almonds. I always add fermented vegetables on the side because it’s so good for the gut.
Supper: A small turmeric latte made with coconut milk, cinnamon and stevia.
Her healthy eating hack: I think the key in staying on track with a healthy diet is to constantly rotate the foods you eat and always trying new recipes and flavours. It’s easy to get bored with your diet and start looking for unnecessary sweet/salty snacks when you eat the same food all the time. The key is to have a good variety, not just nutritionally but for your taste buds.
Danielle Bazergy
Danielle Bazergy is a PT from Sydney. She has just launched her own online circuit and strength training program for women, BD Girl Gang, with a strong focus on the online community; replicating the support and motivation you’d get from face-to-face personal and group training.
First thing: Upon waking up at 5am, 500ml of water, 1 tbs greens powder, 1 tbs apple cider vinegar, 1tbs Manuka honey
Breakfast: 2 pieces of gluten free toast, 2 poached eggs, ¼ avocado, 1 handful baby spinach, 50g mushrooms
Morning Tea: 1 banana Handful of berries – strawberries and blueberries 30g nuts – almonds and walnuts
Lunch: 100g cooked chicken, 100g sweet potato/brown rice, 100g greens
Afternoon Tea: A shake with 150ml water, 1 serve BSC organic plant protein, 1 tbs psyllium husk, ½ banana and 1 tsp cinnamon
Dinner: 100g salmon, 100g greens, 80g cauliflower mash
Evening Snack: 2 pieces of dark chocolate cup peppermint/liquorice tea
Her healthy eating hack: Eat as much protein as you can, I try for some protein with every meal/snack! Remember, everyone’s body is different; we all require different amounts of energy because no one’s lifestyle is exactly the same.
Lia Jones
Lia Jones is a Sydney-based PT and owner of boot camp Fit Me Jones.
Breakfast: I’m always in a hurry and rush out the door in the mornings. I can’t start my day without my English breakfast tea… And I usually grab a small portion of my pre-cooked frittata I make over the weekend. Lately I’ve been making a roast vegetable one including broccoli, capsicum & zucchini. The other one I make is leek, spinach and salmon and they’re both delicious and make for an easy and quick breakfast.
Snack: I usually have a body science protein shake it keeps me full and helps me manage my sweet tooth. You can make with water or coconut water and add your favourite fruits and vegetables for added fiber and flavour.
Lunch: Even through winter I just love a big healthy and nutritious salad. I usually have pre-cooked salmon rissoles or san choy bow and wrap it in iceberg lettuce cups. I’m always in a rush so I rely on my pre-cooked meals.
Snack: I usually have either a homemade protein ball, some strawberries & cashews or a bowl of steamed broccoli & lemon
Dinner: I have some steamed greens & fish usually, I feel as though I wake up feeling fresher keeping my dinners light. When I am feeling low on energy I’ll have a steak and steamed greens.
Her healthy eating hack: On Sundays I meal prep. I love to make a big roast veggie frittata which I keep in the fridge. Then when I get home late or wake up early I have a healthy and nutritious meal ready to go so I keep my health and fitness goals on track.
So there you have it, folks. It’s safe to say protein and plenny of water come out on top, time and time again.
