We've recently launched our Bootea Blogger scheme and we're delighted to welcome our first blogger, Victoria.
Victoria is a 23-year-old working mum with a huge love for health and fitness. She loves nothing more than eating clean and cooking delicious healthy foods for her and her daughter.
After giving birth she was desperate to achieve her goal of getting abs, and here she shares some tips with you on how she achieved that goal...
I am sure you have read a hundred times that “abs are made in the kitchen,” and I always took that lightly before I was pregnant. I believed I could do lots of core work and eat a tonne of pizza and chocolate and still have abs, but no. Would I still have a strong core? Yes, but the definition would not show.
If any of you have had a baby (like me) and have “get my abs back” or even better “get abs for the first time” as one of your post-baby body goals then read on. I wanted to share with you some of the staple foods in my diet and also my eating patterns to show you how I achieved my goal to get my definition back post-baby.
Half the battle when it comes to nutrition and discipline is getting to know yourself. What are your cravings? Sweet or savoury? How can you curb these?
Organisation, balance, focus and commitment are major factors when it comes to achieving your goals and I believe over the past year this is something I have taken in my stride.
I know my craving is sweet and weirdly this happens more in the morning. How do I stop myself from cramming chocolate into my face? Sometimes I don’t - but most of the time I have something healthy and sweet on hand such as low-fat yoghurt or some fruit to curb the craving.
If you are trying to get some ab definition, below are some foods I eat most days along with some little rules I live by that have worked for me.
Staple Foods:
- Apples – full of fibre which makes you feel full.
- Low-Fat Greek Yoghurt – really good for your digestive system and bloating which means your stomach will remain flatter. It is also packed with protein and calcium.
- Chicken – low-fat and high protein meat leaving you full and hopefully helping you to consume less.
- Eggs – contain a nutrient called choline, which boosts your metabolism. For me, they also make me feel like I have eaten carbs for some reason (probably the colour).
- Spinach – full of protein which is great for muscle growth and recovery, having more muscle burns more calories! It’s also full of Vitamin C!
- Fish – fish like salmon is full of lean protein and omega-3, which is a healthy fat and great for strengthening your heart.
- Broccoli – full of Vitamin C.
- Blueberries – full of a chemical compound called polyphenols, which prevent fat forming.
- 70% Dark Chocolate – a little trick I use to curb sweet cravings (it is better for you compared with other chocolate), it can also lower your cholesterol levels.
A few little rules I live by:
- Follow a macro tracked diet – 40% protein, 35% fat and 25% carbs (this is not necessary) but the less carb % the better but don’t cut them out. It’s recommended that you never cut out any food group.
- Drink detox tea – I swear by this, I think Bootea’s Teatox is amazing for flattening your stomach and as a herbal tea lover, I think it is so delicious!
- Drink plenty – I ensure I’m getting plenty of water and green tea during the day.
- Eat carbs for breakfast and lunch only, very rarely for dinner.
- Don’t eat 2 to 4 hours before going to bed and I drink only water during this time.
- Eating the majority of daily calorie intake before the afternoon.
Now I am not saying you have to eat all of the above or live by the same rules as me, but I just wanted to give you a little guideline of how I have achieved a lower body fat percentage and went from baby belly to abs by still eating healthy, nutritious food and plenty of it.
