Lucy Young is a sports star who inspires many people to seize the day and push the limits when it comes to fitness. Find out what this amazing gal eats throughout her day.
My diet is pretty straightforward - I eat a ton of vegetables, free-range chicken, smoked salmon (when it’s on special!) and sometimes overindulge in nuts (you have to try the Macro Turmeric & Ginger Almonds from Woolies - they’re to die for).
I also aim to find healthy alternatives for the sugary and ‘carby’ foods I enjoy - hence my passion for making delish smoothie bowls packed with frozen fruits and topped with cacao nibs, and my favorite movie snack being vegetable chips.
I love cooking too much to follow any stringent ‘meal-plan’ and so mine consists of trying to always eat food that is ‘closest to the source.’ In other words, food that has undergone the least amount of processing!
Given my weeks can be absolutely manic, I firmly believe in the benefit of ‘meal-prepping’ on Sunday night and having my food labeled with each day of the week in the fridge. My partner even has his lunches labeled - lucky guy!
This system enables me to ‘grab-and-go’ my food each morning, and prevents me from spending extra cash on food from cafes and restaurants. That said, this money saved often goes to my daily ‘almond milk flat white’ from cute Melbourne boutique-cafes.
Now, if you want a no-nonsense guide to eating or just a more in depth breakdown on how I fuel my body to train hard and stay in shape, listen up!
Breakfast
I do not mess around with breakfast! This is mainly because I have busy mornings either coaching or training myself so being ‘hangry’ because I’ve skipped brekkie is just not an option.
I’ve eaten the same thing for breakfast for the past 6-years - one handful of spinach, two eggs and a ton of ground chili (I love spicy food and it’s also great for your metabolism). Sometimes I will also add some ham in the mix, or devour one slice of Venerdi paleo toast with almond butter.
Lunch
My lunches are generally quite light because I hate experiencing any afternoon lethargy due to a full belly!
On Sunday night during my cook-up, I will prepare a monumental size bowl of salad with protein and homemade hummus, and this is pretty much what I eat from Monday-Thursday (before it starts to get old!)
Hint- making your own homemade hummus is simple and a much more cost-efficient option than buying a pre-made one from the grocery store. Not to mention you save your body consuming a ton of preservatives!
Snack
When colleagues whip out the bickys and chocolate late afternoon due to an energy slump, I generally will eat an apple because the fructose in the apple satiates my sugar-craving and the density of the apple keeps me full until dinner. Alternatively, I’ll sip on English breakfast tea with full-fat milk, because the fat in the milk helps calm my appetite. I’ve always told my clients to drink a ton of water in the afternoon because while we might think we’re hungry a few hours after lunch we’re typically just dehydrated.
Dinner
I tend to find my sweet tooth is strongest after dinner so it’s crucial my last meal of the day is packed with lean protein and healthy fats in order for me to avoid post-dinner temptations (I especially love olive oil and pine nuts).
My typical dinner consists of sweet potatoes roasted in the oven with coconut oil, cinnamon and paprika, and lean fish or chicken with a generous portion of salad. My favourite go-to salad dressing at the moment is a healthy homemade ‘peanut-Asian dressing’. The recipe? Mayvers Protein with Hemp Peanut Butter, Bragg’s All purpose Seasoning from Soy Protein, apple cider vinegar, olive oil and a touch of warm water.
In summary, food is fuel and your body struggles to digest processed food so you need to nourish it with food that makes it feel energised and awake.