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Sophie-Jane Nutrition and Personal Training

  • About Sophie-jane
  • What I offer
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Come read about nutrition, fitness and fun! 

A healthy chicken dish!

January 21, 2016

I thought I would do a video blog for this one, as it is easy to take you through the steps ... so please see the video below! Enjoy :)

Tags Recipe, Nutrition, Health, Healthy food, Healthy dinner, Vlog
← Nutrition for runningRecuperating over Christmas →

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🙏🏻 HAPPY WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY 🙏🏻 . This was a topic I’ve been wanting to write about for a while, and I think today of all days was very relevant!! . Many other fitness professionals post regular pictures posing in their sports bras, torso on show for all to see. I started to wonder, should I be doing that too to get respect? Did it give me credibility? Would people think I looked “fit” enough? . . I decide no. Why? To start with it’s not me, it’s a bit posey! But most importantly it’s not what I stand for. The main thing that I want to help people achieve is a healthy body. I want people to have a healthy relationship with food and an active lifestyle. The result of that often happens to be someone who is content and happy with their body … but that healthy body might look very different to mine, and to the next person. So why should people judge themselves on what I look like in the flesh?! . . This weekend I was very thankful to be invited to try and prove that point with an amazingly inspiring group of Bristol health professionals. We came together to support the notion that a body doesn’t have to look a certain way in order to be fit & healthy. The important thing is that we look after them in the best way we can. . . We were asked to do a bikini shot for @mermaidnengland who stand for real, unphotoshopped women. Now that I can support. So we braved the bikinis and put our insecurities - stretch marks, cellulite and all - on show to highlight that fitness comes in all shapes & sizes (quote @anna_runs_n_lifts) and what you see on social media is often edited and can’t always be taken for truth. . . We all have insecurities. We as a group of health professionals have (& still do sometimes) feel immense pressure to look a certain way too - but we want to put a stop to it. So let’s stop judging ourselves on others … Focus on being the best version of YOU! . . Thanks for @camilladempster for organising such a fab event, to @tas_behind_the_lens for the photos and to @mermaidnengland for the special bikinis supporting REAL women!
🍛 SLOW COOKER SALMON CURRY 🍛 . Perfect recipe to warm up a day like today!! . 1️⃣ throw into the slow cooker: 150g Red Lentils (rinse before!), 400ml coconut milk, 2tbsp tomato purée, 2tbsp garam masala, 6 cardamom pods, 3cm piece ginger (finely grated), 2 sliced cloves garlic, 2 red chillies (sliced), 180g cherry tomatoes (halved), 75ml water - MIX AND COOK ON HIGH FOR 3 HOURS . 2️⃣ Add cubes of salmon fillet (2-3 fillets) - COOK FOR FURTHER HOUR . 3️⃣ Mix in some lemon juice (~ 1/2 lemon) & parsley (fresh or chopped) . 4️⃣ Serve with grain & veg of choice! . Really tasty, warming and packed with goodness (omega 3, protein, anti inflammatory foods & nutritious carbs!) 👌🏼 . Thanks @asda for the recipe!
✋ STOP RESTRICTING ✋ . Ok so we all have times when we prefer to stick to a rigid plan, or challenge yourself to give up something you know isn’t great for you - I get that and I do it occasionally too - like dry January or cutting out weekday drinking before a holiday . BUT having a restrictive mentality around your daily diet is bad news . By always restricting yourself of something you just want it more - and when it comes to having it finally you tend to pig out on it . But, perhaps more importantly, it’s also not good for your mental health. Who enjoys constantly saying no to the things they like to eat!? . That’s not to say we should always say yes !! I believe strongly in approaching food with the “everything in moderation” or the “balanced” approach is so much healthier for a body and mind (and soul!!) . I had this delicious pizza for lunch yesterday. I wouldn’t normally have it for lunch but we went to this pizza place for a team lunch so couldn’t really not eat it! I felt 0 guilt. I enjoyed and savoured it. I stopped when I felt full. I had it will some salad to get my greens in too. I didn’t overeat in my evening meal (just had cereal & some fruit in fact!). I went running as part of my normal routine. And I carried on my healthy living journey as if nothing had “gone to pot”!! . . I’m not saying I’m perfect, far from it - and I’ve not always been good at this mentality. But I know it’s what’s best for me! . Trying to practice this mindful and balanced approach to eating is sooo uplifting and can have so many benefits to your happiness. . If you’re stuck in a rut with a constant restrict / binge cycle, please consider weaning yourself off and moving to a healthier moderation mindset. . Here to help if you need 🙋🏼‍♀️
💓 DO WHAT YOU LOVE 💓 . I love so many different sports and types of exercise, but swimming has always been my real passion and strength. . When I have to go swim training I look forward to it - I rarely get that feeling of dread you get when you have to do a run or force yourself to the gym on a cold or dark winters evening! . The key is to do what makes you happy - what makes you excited - what you’re good at or enjoy the most! . Then it never feels like effort! . Today I swam in the South West Regional Masters competition - I absolutely loved it! Really happy with my results and it spurred me on to continue training and improving! . If you haven’t found what you love yet, try something you loved as a kid or something you think you might enjoy . There were some amazingly inspiring people there today, some 80+ years old ... it’s never to late!!
⁉️ TUNA NO LONGER CONSIDERED AN OILY FISH ⁉️ . 🐟 Did you know this week it was decided that fresh tuna no longer counts as an oily fish!? Research suggests it doesn’t contain significant enough amounts of omega 3 fatty acids to have the title! . 🐟 It does still contain some healthy fats however, as well as being packed with protein and containing plenty of vitamins & minerals - so that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t eat it as part of a healthy diet (tastes great too!) . 🐟 we should be eating 2 portions of fish a week, 1 of which souls be oily fish! . ❌ FYI canned tuna has never counted as an oily fish! But again, it’s still a good source protein and micronutrients - and a cheaper & convenient option too! . 🐟 If you’re looking for an oily fish salmon and mackerel are great choices! . 🐟 I don’t eat fresh tuna often due to the expense - but I looove a rare tuna steak salad like the one in the photo that my boss made me 😋
🥚 EGG MUFFINS 🥚 . A great option for a protein-packed breakfast on the go, or a lovely addition to a salad for lunch . Easy as 1-2-3: . 1️⃣ Mix your ingredients in a bowl - I go for 4 eggs, around 200ml milk, 4 sliced spring onions, 1/2 grated courgette, feta cheese, some chorizo slices & seasoning . 2️⃣ Pour into a muffin tin & bake for around 15 mins (or until brown) . 3️⃣ Enjoy or store for a later date!
🏃🏼‍♀️ RACE INSIGHTS 🏃🏼‍♀️ . Today I ran the Bristol half marathon - so what did I learn ... . 1️⃣ Mindset matters. My expectations weren’t that high for this race so I went in to enjoy it. It meant I slept better, I didn’t get as many nerves, and I actually tried to enjoy the atsmophere. I also didn’t really worry too much about what I ate the night before - I even had a g&t! It made me relaxed and that seemed to be more important than a “perfect” pre race meal! I ended up only getting 2 mins slower than my PB (way better than expected) and enjoyed the race much more than any others!! . 2️⃣ Putting the work in consistently goes a long way. I was worried and had low expectations because I went on honeymoon from 27th Aug - 12 Sept (where I only did a few short runs) and by the time I got back it would normally be a time for tapering training so I didn’t really want to train too hard and just did 3 runs pre race day. However clearly the training I had done in the lead up to the honeymoon was enough to get me through most of the race ... which takes me on to point 3 .. . 3️⃣ Whilst I felt good for the most part, mile 12-13 really hurt - and I think that was down to the fact that I didn’t do any long runs in the month before. Miles do matter!! . 4️⃣ You have to do your own thing with nutrition on the day. I just had 1 piece of dried mango, 1 piece of dried strawberry, and two small mouthfuls of energy gel they were giving out. I had a few sips of water at each of the water stops as I’m a heavy sweater. That was enough for me - but always learn what works for you! . 5️⃣ You get very hot when racing! I wore a base layer as it was a lot cooler than recent days - but really overheated so had to awkwardly (and quite skilfully I might add!!) take my base-layer off whilst running while my run vest was still on 😂 Don’t underestimate the heat you produce when pushing yourself . 6️⃣ Smile at your supporters - they’re giving up their time & energy to help push you along the way 😄💛 . Not sure if that was helpful or not but thought it may interest some 😊 Definitely recommend the Bristol half - it’s a great route!!
🍳 SATURDAY BRUNCH 🍳 . I cram a lot into my mornings on weekdays so tend to stick to easy breakfasts (generally yogurt, muesli & fruit, porridge & fruit, or a smoothie) so I LOVE a bit of weekend cooked brunch! . Very often features toast, eggs, spinach, avocado, mushrooms 😋 . It’s always good to mix things up to benefit from all of the nutrients 🤗 . What’s your go-to weekend breakfast? Do you go for a bacon sarnie, a fry up or are you an avo on toast kinda person?!
⁉️ HIGH FAT? LOW CARB? KETO? LOW FAT? PALEO? ⁉️ . ❌ STOP ❌ . The (fad) diet industry makes insane amounts of money each year because ... well, fad diets work ... for a short period at least. If you’re cutting out whole food groups, and restricting in some way YOU WILL LOSE WEIGHT. This is not because the diet you’ve chosen is magical. It’s because you’re no longer eating too much crap and focusing on making healthier life decisions. . That’s all well and good - but what do you do after that holiday, or birthday, or wedding?! Will you keep it up for life?! . I thought not. . On top of that, and more importantly - cutting out food groups is not a good idea. Carbs, fats, even natural sugars all have a part to play in a healthy diet - cutting them out can be detrimental to your long term health . So PLEASE do me a favour and instead of going for the next fad diet - try and do the hardest thing of all ... JUST. BE. BALANCED. . 💚 Have a healthy relationship with food: make sensible and educated healthy choices for the most part. Don’t beat yourself up if you have a Saturday afternoon slice of cake - IT IS NOT A DISASTER. Be mindful when you’re serving yourself up a plate of food - do you REALLY NEED that extra spoonful?! Enjoy your treats, but keep them treats (that means not frequent!). . 💚 MOVE. Get your heart rate up a few times a week, push some resistance a couple of times (body pump, weights, swimming etc), and most importantly move regularly daily (take the stairs, walk to work, walk on your lunch break) . 💚 Sleep! You know how much you need. If you’re cranky or falling asleep watching TV - you might need some more! . 💚 Be happy, spread love, and try not to stress. Easier said than done but stress can have such a negative impact on your health. Try meditation and yoga - it’s what helps me! And be thankful for all the great things you have. . 🗣 Ok so I realise this is just a short post and doesn’t contain all the answers but this is my philosophy ... and if you ever need any help in these areas, feel free to get in touch - happy to help ☺️ . P.s. this was a plate of food from my recent Italian trip - they know how to eat! 😋
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