Category: Healthy Eating

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Healthy Snack Alternatives

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Satisfy your sugar cravings with these guilt-free substitutes.

We’ve compiled a list of our top 5 junk food alternatives to make cheat days a little less naughty.

Air Popped Popcorn

Use as substitute for: Crisps

Popcorn is the perfect low-calorie substitute for crisps and crackers. A 30g serving of plain, air-popped popcorn consists of just 31 calories and 1 gram of protein. A bag of Cheese and Onion crisps on the other hand, contains 131 calories and 8.3g of fat! To add a little flavor to these low-calorie bites, try adding a sprinkle of cinnamon, garlic powder, or even some black pepper.

Jacket Potato

Use as substitute for: Chips

When prepared right, the humble spud has some pretty impressive health benefits. On average a jacket potato contains 121 calories, that’s 151 calories less than grease-laden snacks like chips and waffles. To transform your potato into a nutrient-packed powerhouse add healthy toppings like chicken and mango, raw peppers and hummus or salmon and low-calorie sour cream.

Frozen Dark Chocolate Banana

Use as substitute for: Chocolate

Embrace your dark side with this healthy chocolate alternative. Studies have shown that dark chocolate has half the sugar of milk chocolate and is a powerful source of antioxidants. Start by peeling and freezing a banana. Once solid, take it out of the freezer and roll in melted dark chocolate. While the chocolate’s still warm, roll the banana in nuts or granola and return to the freezer to set.

Low-Fat Greek Yogurt with Fresh Fruit

Use as substitute for: Ice Cream

If you’re in the mood for ice cream, try a low-fat Greek yogurt with fresh raspberries, blackberries or strawberries instead. Greek yogurt contains twice as much protein as regular yogurt, which means that you’ll stay feeling fuller for longer – it’s also a healthy and satisfying treat after a tough workout. Add some berries for an extra health boost and some much-needed flavour.

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Use as substitute for: Pizza

If you’re craving a pizza but trying to cut your carb and Calorie intake, Cauliflower Pizza Crust is the next best thing. And at just 300 calories, it’s the epitome of guilt-free snacking! Add extra vegetables as toppings for the ultimate feel-good Friday night feast!

If you haven’t already, download the app and check out some of our amazing trainers.

The Best Foods to Eat Before and After a Workout

Alex Coombes1 Comment

Optimise your workouts by fuelling your body with the right snacks

Whether you’re gearing up for a PT session or winding down from an intense workout, choose your snacks wisely. For pre-workout, it’s important to feel hydrated and energized but not too full, and afterwards, your meal should restore energy and rebuild muscle. Read on for TruBe’s tips and tricks.

Pre-Workout

Eating right before exercise will give your body the fuel it needs to gain muscle, burn fat, and recover quicker. Grab a snack that’s low in fat and contains a moderate level of carbs and protein, and opt for foods low in fibre for an added boost.

Peanut Butter and Apple

Up your energy levels with this quick and easy snack. Peanut butter and sliced apple is a great way to enjoy a healthy dose of carbs and protein ahead of your next workout. Simply slice 1 medium apple and serve with 2 tablespoons of natural peanut butter.

Oats n’ Eggs

A hearty helping of oats n’ eggs will kick-start your metabolism and give you the energy you need to hit the ground running. Scramble two eggs and serve with half a cup of cooked oatmeal. Season with salt and pepper.

Chicken and Avocado Pasta 

Need a pre-workout pick-me-up? Add some roast chicken and sliced avocado to a bowl of wholewheat pasta for a dish that is guaranteed to deliver some serious gains. Alternatively, substitute wholewheat for quinoa pasta for an extra dose of protein, iron, and fibre.

Ice Protein Fruit Blast

You can turn your protein shake into a delicious fresh smoothie. For a super-sweet protein fix that packs a punch, blend 1 scoop of whey protein powder with a glass of ice, and a handful of frozen berries.

Vegetable Omelet 

Spruce up this classic dish by combining two beaten eggs with 1 teaspoon of water and dash of seasoning. cook with with a handful of sautéed seasonal vegetables. Eat your omelet one to two hours before exercise to unlock your body’s full muscle-building potential.

Post-Workout

After an intense workout, post-exercise meals are an important way to restore energy and rebuild muscle.

Milk and Cereal

Cereal with skimmed milk is a simple, low-fat way to revitalize muscles post-workout. Breakfast dishes like Cheerios are rich in protein and high in carbs making them an ideal alternative to additive-laden sports drinks.

Rice Cake Sandwich

This healthy take on the Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich will provide you with the right amount of carbs, protein and healthy fat needed for recovery. Spread 1 tablespoon of almond butter and strawberry jam between two rice cakes – it’s guilt-free snacking at its finest.

Whole Wheat Pita and Hummus

Pita and hummus is another great post-workout combo. Hummus provides both carbs and protein, while whole wheat pita will keep you fueled for hours, thanks to its revitalizing dose of slow-release energy.

Tuna Crackers

Because it’s a lean protein, tuna is an ideal post-workout snack. Add a hearty heap of salad and some tuna to some whole grain crackers, for a dish that’s easy to make and packed full with muscle building goodness.

Chicken Stir-Fry

Chicken is an excellent source of lean protein and carbs. Try pairing your stir-fry with white rice instead of brown to replenish your muscles with glucose faster. Add a bowl of steamed vegetables for extra flavour and nutrients.

For more advice download the app where you check out some of our amazing trainers and book a session!

The 5 Best Foods for Flat Abs

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Banish bloat and stay fuller for longer with our rundown of the best foods for maintaining a washboard stomach

Eat your way to a flatter stomach with these bloat-busting foods. Alongside regular exercise and as part of a healthy diet, the following foods are great for eliminating cravings, boosting your metabolism and keeping you feeling fuller for longer.

Salmon

Salmon contains fatty acids like omega-3, which can help to speed up your metabolism and aid weight loss. It’s also known for its high levels of bloat-busting protein and ability to slow digestion and prevent snacking. Serve with spinach or kale to release extra antioxidants in your greens.

Courgetti

The most popular vegetable to masquerade as pasta is the courgette. Courgette is high in fibre, potassium, and folic acid, making it a fantastic alternative to carb-heavy foods like noodles or rice. Courgetti is easy to make with the help of a spirilizer, and combined with regular exercise and a healthy diet, will help you to achieve a firmer, flatter stomach.

Almonds

almond blog

Almonds are highly nutritious and extremely good for you. This small yet mighty nut is packed full with protein, which helps to build lean muscle. The magnesium found in almonds can also help to regulate blood sugar levels and stop you craving sugary snacks.

Eggs

According to leading dietitians, people who eat eggs for breakfast are less likely to feel hungry throughout the day. Eggs are rich in iron, zinc and other essential minerals that are vital for a healthy diet. One medium egg contains around 70 calories and 6.5 grams of protein.

Leafy Greens

Eating leafy greens regularly is one of the best ways to banish belly fat for good. Whether you add them to your morning smoothie or serve them in a salad, leafy greens have more nutrition per calorie than any other food. In particular, dark green leafy vegetables
are an excellent source of fibre, vitamins C and K and minerals like iron and calcium.

For more fitness and nutrition advice follow us on Instagram, @trubeapp.

The Superfoods You Need to Know

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Give your health a boost with these powerful superfoods.

It’s not just kale, avocado, and coconut oil that can do wonders for your health. Nutritionists are constantly discovering new superfoods that can help you fight disease, and increase your wellbeing.

So what’s up next? Take a look at the new superfoods you need to try…

Seaweed

Adding a dash of seaweed to your diet can give your health a serious boost. This ridiculously healthy superfood contains 2x more vitamin C than orange juice, 10x more calcium than cows milk and 50x more iron than spinach. It also boasts anti-viral, and anti-inflammatory benefits too.

Avocado Oil

Oil won’t just leave you feeling good on the inside, it also has plenty of skin nourishing properties too. Thanks to its high levels of antioxidants, and hearty supply of Vitamin E, this avocado extract will leave your skin looking and feeling super supple and enviably smooth.

Avocado Oil

Maple Water

Maple water doesn’t contain any additives and boasts half the sugar of coconut water. It’s rich in minerals, polyphenols, antioxidants, electrolytes, and prebiotics – which means that it has plenty of anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer health benefits too. If you’re not a fan of maple water by itself, get creative and try adding it to smoothies.

Teff

This tiny grain certainly packs a punch. Dubbed the new quinoa, teff has a long list of health benefits. Not only is it used to aid weight loss but it’s also a great source of protein for vegetarians. teff is gluten-free, high in iron and delicious!

teff flour - a ceramic bowl on grained wood background

Black Pudding

Believe it or not, black pudding is now a bonafide superfood. The breakfast favourite is packed full with protein and is relatively low in carbs. It’s rich in iron, zinc and calcium, making it the dish of choice for pregnant women and gym bunnies everywhere.

 

 

For more great nutrition and training tips follow us on Instagram, @trubeapp.

5 Top Tips to Achieving your fitness resolutions

Alex CoombesLeave a comment

It’s that time of year again when everyone is talking about heath and fitness. Wherever you look there is advice and tips of how to get in shape. I want to simplify it all for you. It’s all about making small changes.

If you stick to these 5 simple tips, then you will be on your way to a healthier you:

Time Efficiency
Being efficient with your time it’s one of our most precious commodities. Knowing exactly what you have to do when you exercise will reduce workout procrastination.

Working out at home instead of the gym means that you you will save time going to and from the gym. You will avoid having to carry a wet towel around all day whilst wearing your crinkled shirt that you pulled out of your bag this morning.

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To save time food shopping you can order boxes of organic and fresh ingredients with some awesome healthy recipes from Mindful chef. Use the promo code TRUBE50 for 50% off your first box!

Lifestyle
Alcohol is one of the barriers that gets in the way of achieving our dream bodies. If you still want to go out and have a drink with your friends then remember this. Gin and Vodka comes out as the lowest calorie option. Try these healthier options when drinking alcohol.

  • Gin and slimline tonic

  • Vodka, soda and lime

Exercise
The secret to good exercise is consistency. To get you started we have launched the TruBe Detox exercise program. All the workouts can be done from the comfort of your own home and are perfectly designed to blow away those holiday cobwebs.

Try week 1 for yourself:

Nutrition
Experience tells us that if we make small achievable changes to our diet, we are more likely to stick to it, rather than drastic fad diets that are not sustainable and potentially unhealthy.

Remember to eat protein and sugar after a workout to help with recovery. If you want to take supplements because it’s quicker and easier than eating straight after exercise, then there are some great products available from Super Vitality and as a friend of TruBe  you can use the promo code TRUBE10 for 10%off all of their products.

Remember to hydrate! We lose at least 2 litres of water a day, even more when exercising. We need to replace this to keep the body functioning efficiently.

Sleep
Our body needs at least 7 hours a night to aid recovery. The lack of sleep can have a negative effect on hormones and cortisol release. Which then stimulates fat storage.

If you need any help with your at home workouts then why not get one of our trainers to come to you. Download the app.

Andy Hall – UK Master Trainer