Eating more Plant-Based Foods

Today I’m pleased to announce that this year I will be collaborating with Quorn™, a meat-free, complete protein range of foods that regularly feature in my shopping trolly! On a personal note, I would say that my diet is 80% vegetarian without even trying… It’s not 100% though as I could never totally give up salmon and chicken ;).

Quorn, a brand heavily into the promotion of health, has recently conducted research showing that 74% of people no longer believe that fad diets are really the solution to achieving the health and well-being that they crave in 2015 (wahoo!). Fad diets often promote a ‘quick fix’ and as such are not sustainable long-term and could be damaging to your mental and physical well-being – for example cutting out foods/food groups can lead to extreme food cravings and binging, and cutting down drastically on calories could lead to the body ‘slowing down’, and not burning as many calories. Drastic calorie restriction, along with an inadequate amount of protein can also lead to muscle loss.. which is NOT good for long term weight loss/weight loss maintenance I tell you!

The key to physical and mental wellbeing is to follow a healthy lifestyle by eating regularly and healthier and exercising. Variety is the spice of life and if you’re maintaining a balanced and varied diet then you will be more likely to keep it up long-term (and be nourishing your body at the same time!). Consuming an adequate amount of protein will also help you to preserve precious muscle mass.

The research also found that people are looking to reduce their meat intake and consider alternative, healthy forms of protein, such as Quorn Mince! Following a more plant-based diet is not only good for the environment but it’s good for our waistlines too – Quorn Mince, for example, contains just 85 calories per 100g (and 11g of muscle building protein, which can help contribute towards the growth of muscle mass) whereas meats such as beef (even lean beef) can contain around 250 calories per 100g (over double the amount of calories weight for weight!).

So, here are my top 5 key components to a healthy diet when trying to lose weight or stay healthy (which means you will never have to touch a fad diet again!!):

1. Eat 3 Regular Meals a Day (plus 2-3 snacks if needed) – this will prevent excess hunger and will help to maintain your energy levels across the day.
2. Eat more Plant-Based Foods – Aim for at least 5-9 portions of fruit and vegetables a day.
3. Eat enough Protein – Meat-free sources of protein such as lentils, beans and Quorn are relatively low in calories (helping you to maintain your weight more easily) and are a good source protein.
4. Drink enough Fluid – Staying hydrated will help you to stay energised throughout the day and will help you to keep in tune with your true hunger levels.
5. Don’t ‘ban’ or ‘demonise’ Foods – There are no such thing as ‘good’ and ‘bad’ foods but there is such thing as a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ diet. Exercise moderation when it comes to higher fat/sugar products and feast on wholesome, natural foods that you know will nourish your body from the inside out!

What are your top tips?!

P.S And if you’re trying to eat a more plant-based and meat-free diet then check out one of my latest recipes.. Spring Green Medley with Quorn.. it honestly is delicious!!

*This post was written in collaboration with Quorn™. Please read my disclaimer page for more information.