This month, model and TV personality Roz Purcell gives us a sneak peek into her fridge and takes us through her average daily dietary pattern and exercise regime.
Body Stats:
Height – 5’ 11
Weight – 9st 6
Dress size – 8
Food diary from an average day:
We take a sneak peak into Roz’s fridge
Breakfast – Big bowl of homemade granola (oats, honey toasted) with toasted seeds, milled flaxseed and coconut flakes. Greek yogurt (2tbsp) with handful of fresh berries.
Snack – Pink lady chopped with small handful of walnuts.
Lunch – Grilled hake fillet (large) with mashed carrots in coconut oil.
Snack – Whey protein shake blended with water, raw mulberries, spirulina and chia seeds.
Dinner – Quinoa salad with chicken, onion, carrot, feta, roasted hazelnuts and parsley in tahini and agave dressing with maldon salt.
Exercise:
Yes, I love sports and would have loved to be an athlete. I recently completed a 50K cycle.
Supplements:
I take omega oils, whey protein, iron, and vitamin D.
Diet/Detox:
No, they are only temporary solutions.
Biggest Weakness:
It’s not any particular food itself, it’s just my portions! I’m a true country girl!
Discipline:
I’m pretty good. I don’t rule out any type of food. I make delicious healthy treats regularly so I rarely get that really bad craving! But when I do it’s for banoffi pie, apple tart, apple crumble…with cream. I’m a dessert girl.
Expert Opinion:
Hi Roz,
First I would just like to congratulate you on your recent cycle. That was an amazing achievement for a very good cause.
Let’s start with pointing out how active you have been over the past few months, preparing for your recent cycle. Due to this level of activity there should have been a natural increase in your calories to help maintain your muscle tissue (which is vital in maintenance of a lean, toned physique), to support your training and energy levels. I can see on this particular day shown that you are having roughly 2000 plus calories, which for a 50 k cycle will leave you well fuelled and aid in your recovery.
There are many nutrient packed foods in your fridge and food diary. You have included plenty of good sources of fat (walnuts, coconut oil and coconut milk, flaxseeds), lean proteins (chicken and fish) and a mixture of high fibre, slow releasing carbohydrates (fruit, vegetables and quinoa). There are a couple of foods to steer clear of more often than not in your fridge, like tomato ketchup, diet coke and marmalade, but again, having this in moderation is considered ok.
In summary, your fridge and food diary are both very impressive. Adding the likes of omega oils, chia seeds and spirulina may seem a very small thing but can have a massive boost on our energy levels, immune system and gut health.
Tip for anybody involved in Endurance Sports as a hobby:
It can be a tricky one when training levels are so high to get the calorie amount right on a day to day basis, as people tend to consume the same amount of calories on non-training days or when the event has finished. High levels of exercise leave the body with higher hunger levels and this sometimes can lead to steady weight gain due to a progressive period of overeating. The opposite can be said about not getting enough calories to support the training, which can lead to a catabolic state in the body in which you are essentially wearing away vital muscle tissue. My simple guide here would be to ensure on training days that you include slow releasing carbohydrates at your 3 main meals: breakfast oats, brown rice for lunch and quinoa at dinner, accompanied by good fats like omega oils, nuts, fish, avocado and coconut oil and keeping your protein levels relatively high, trying to consume a minimum of 4 portions daily. On completion of your event look to get the advice of a qualified trainer on where your calories should be if weight gain is something that has happened to you in the past following your event.
Answered by Mark O Reilly. Mark is a trainer at BodyByrne Fitness, Clarendon Street, Dublin 2. For more information on training and nutrition contact www.bodybyrne.ie or Twitter @bodybyrne.