My PWR Diet: How To Make Food Your Fuel

Out of all the questions I’ve been asked over the years, most are about what I eat!

I understand that there are SO many misconceptions about food and nutrition in the fitness field. It can be incredibly overwhelming to figure out the right foods to eat to support your weight-training goals!

I’m here to help you break it down. From my food philosophies and lessons learned to some of my favorite recipes, here I share with you all things food.

What is my PWR diet?

I want to be clear about how I use the word diet throughout this article. I’m NOT implying you need to restrict yourself, or that what I discuss below is a regimen. Instead, I’m simply discussing healthy food principles and sharing my nutritional values.

In essence, I’m simply talking about eating the right foods to support your PWR goals (whether you are following PWR at Home, PWR or PWR Post-Pregnancy).

I’m going to help you implement healthy habits surrounding your eating and empower you to THRIVE when it comes to the food you consume.

Meal routine

What works for me might not work for YOU, and it’s important to remember that! I hope in sharing what I eat and the nutrition principles I follow, it might be helpful to you, but please know that this is not a one-size-fits-all approach.

Personally, I follow a high-protein diet which includes fruits, vegetables and complex carbohydrates (oats and quinoa are my go-tos!). I keep refined sugar and fried foods to a minimum, but I do indulge in an occasional treat.

In a typical day, I eat breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner followed by one last snack for the day. Can you tell I LOVE snacks?

My favorite meals 

I share a lot of my daily meals on my Instagram account (look for the food diary posts), but here is a taste of some of the meals I love!

My go-to breakfasts usually include some eggs and vegetables — fried egg whites with spinach or fried egg whites with avocado, are both favorites! Simple, tasty and nutritious!

It’s no secret that I don’t love spending a lot of time in the kitchen, so I try to keep my lunch meals pretty simple and straightforward! More often than not, my lunch is leftovers from dinner the night before! Think: grilled skewers with vegetables, roasted vegetables with quinoa or rice, grilled chicken with salad, or a turkey wrap with salad.

Snacks, snacks, snacks

OK, so we’ve established I love snacks! Before I head to the gym, or as an after-dinner snack, I LOVE an Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Protein Bite or a Chocolate Coconut Protein Bite. They are both so easy to make and satisfy my sweet tooth! Another option I love is some fruit pieces with almond butter.

I also LOVE a thick and creamy protein shake (my sweet tooth really needs satisfying!), so my Chocolate Milkshake Protein Smoothie, Almond Oatmeal Cookie Batter Protein Shake and Strawberry Banana Protein Shake recipes make an appearance every week, too.

Eating to be PWRful

My PWR diet tips come from my personal journey overcoming my unhealthy eating habits. Growing up, my mentality surrounding food was ALL wrong, and cultivating healthy eating habits was the toughest aspect of my personal fitness journey.

I want to share everything I’ve learned over the course of my journey to help empower YOU.

Eat to nourish your body and mind 

Fuel your body for your PWR goals and remember everyone’s diet will vary based on your needs, preferences, intolerances and allergies.

Find food you love

Out of all the advice out there, my number-one tip for a balanced diet is finding healthy options that TASTE GOOD that you actually ENJOY eating. Better yet, find options that you LOVE eating!

Try new meals, explore different foods and play with different ingredients! You should be excited to eat your meals — healthy food does not have to be bland or boring.

As clichéd as this may sound, food should nourish not punish.

Don’t fear food 

A healthy mentality is so important for your overall health, but particularly in relation to your relationship with food!

DON’T fear food. I know that’s easier said than done for some, but fearing food is NOT healthy.

Instead, learn and educate yourself. You will become so EMPOWERED and that is something that is invaluable.

Don’t eliminate entire food groups from your diet

Don’t eliminate entire food groups from your diet. It’s NOT healthy or sustainable! Drastic and extreme measures surrounding eliminating food groups are almost always unhealthy and often lead to bingeing at a later date.

If you have a food allergy or intolerance, by all means eliminate that food from your diet, but in every other instance, the trick is MODERATION!

There are more nutritious foods and less nutritious foods, but all food is FUEL (in context and moderation).

Shift your thinking from DEPRIVATION to MODERATION.

Don’t feel guilty if you have a treat 

It’s so important to enjoy your life and food, and if that means indulging in a treat, so be it! Again, it comes down to moderation and being realistic.

NEVER feel guilty for enjoying a treat! An indulgence doesn’t need to send you into a negative spiral. Simply ENJOY then make your next choice a healthy one.

Hydration is key

There are so many benefits to being hydrated, and it’s something that’s SO easy to achieve.

The biggest differences I notice when I reach my daily water intake, are better digestion, clearer skin, less bloating and fewer cravings! These days, I personally aim for 3 liters of water each day, but two liters as a minimum is a good place to start.

If you don’t like the taste of water, try adding berries, cucumber, citrus fruits or fresh mint! These flavours are SO refreshing and can make drinking water far more appealing for some!

You can do it

I hope this article has taught you plenty about food and nutrition and has cleared up some misconceptions! Making healthy choices doesn’t have to be hard — you CAN do it!

You know your body better than anyone. Nourish your body with the LOVE and RESPECT it deserves. Fuel your body to reach your weight training and PWR goals!

Nothing and no one can stop you, and that is your POWER!

Kels xx