I’ve had a few requests to write a blog post on my personal food diary. This is a difficult one, because every individual’s needs are very different when it comes to nutrition. Factors such as height, gender, age and activity levels hugely affect your body’s nutritional demands. With this in mind, I want to make it clear that I’m not suggesting for anyone to follow these guidelines directly, because it’s more than likely that they aren’t tailored to your individual needs.

My body is incredibly consistent when it comes to food, and I know my metabolism well enough to expect hunger around every three hours. If I don’t eat, I quickly become hangry (something that my friends and family will definitely vouch for). As such, I generally eat three main meals a day, with two substantial snacks in between. This won’t be the same for everyone, it’s just the way my body functions. I eat a lot because I lead a very active lifestyle.

Below, I’ve drafted out two rough examples of what I may eat in a day.

Day One:

Breakfast: Two eggs, poached or scrambled, half an avocado and one slice of wholemeal/rye toast.

Mid-Morning Snack: Protein shake, consisting of one banana, one scoop of protein powder, a small serving of oats (same size as protein scoop), topped up with water and ice.

Lunch: Chickpea, mixed bean and red pepper stew, with plenty of kale, and a spoonful of houmous.

Mid-Afternoon Snack: One small pot of Fage 0% fat yoghurt, with a handful of mixed nuts, a handful of berries, and a drizzle of honey.

Dinner: Two grilled cod fillets, with one mashed sweet potato and a large serving of mixed veggies.

Day Two:

Breakfast: Protein zoats, consisting of one grated zucchini, mixed with approximately 50 grams of oats. These are cooked in water, with one scoop of protein powder, topped with a spoonful of nut butter and a handful of berries.

Mid-Morning Snack: Protein shake, as above.

Lunch: Quinoa and spinach salad, dressed in balsamic vinegar, with one can of tuna, half a mashed avocado and fresh sweetcorn.

Mid-Afternoon Snack: Houmous with carrot, celery and apple sticks. If I’m really hungry, perhaps also half a wholemeal pitta bread.

Dinner: Two mixed bean veggie burgers (no bun), topped with one egg, and a large side of mixed veggies.

If I get hungry at any other stage in the day, I usually snack on fresh fruit. I don’t count my macros, I just enjoy eating healthy food. That being said, if there is a day when I fancy something naughty, I’ll have it. It’s all about balance.

My diet varies a lot from day-to-day, depending on what I’m doing. One thing that’s certain for everyone is that if you want to maintain a clean diet, you have to be organised. My top tips are:

• Always aim to eat breakfast before you leave the house
• Prepare your own food whenever possible – those shop bought lunches are full of hidden nasties!
• Try cooking extra dinner in the evening to pop in a tupperware for lunch the next day