Hello Life! Read online

  We all know that chips are bad for us, but it’s easy to get fooled. Sometimes the packaging might claim there’s only eighty calories per bag, and that sounds great. But there’s usually zero nutritional value to those eighty calories. You won’t find any vitamins or healthy nutrients in there, and around eighty percent of the listed ingredients sound like something you’d learn about in a chemistry lesson. Next time, look at the label before you start to snack. It can be pretty off-putting.

  I often feel like society is to blame for our obsession with unhealthy snacks. Wherever you turn on Main Street, you’ll find shops selling chocolate and chips. I recently watched a show on junk-food-loving kids, which focused on children between the ages of four and sixteen. They were overweight and suffering from crazy health problems. One kid even had eleven teeth taken out because of all the sugary foods he’d been consuming. He was in agony afterward and it had everything to do with a poor diet.

  LIFE HACK!

  A quick tip when considering this dietary upgrade: a step-by-step approach works best. Don’t change everything in one go. You’ll probably go crazy with withdrawals and boredom. Instead, pick one thing and concentrate on reducing it in your diet for three weeks. I guarantee that if you go the distance you won’t go back. Then pick another category. And another. Before you know it, you’ll be halfway to a healthier you.

  Oh, and remember: it’s not about the calories, it’s about what your food is made of that counts. Two hundred calories of nutritious natural ingredients is better than something carrying ten calories of artificial garbage.

  3 WHITE BREAD, POTATOES, WHITE PASTA

  I used to love white bread, especially sandwiches and toast. But when I was eating white bread, white pasta, or potatoes, I was putting refined carbohydrates into my body. Carbs, when they’re behaving, give you energy, but if you don’t use all of that energy, then it soon turns into fat.

  Not all carbs are bad for you, though. You can still eat bread and pasta, but it’s much better for you to try them in a whole-grain form. Do that and you’ll be better off, because when a carb is complex—in its natural form, with all the nutrients attached, as they are in whole-grain products—it breaks down slowly. When you can, think about replacing these refined carbs with their whole-grain counterparts. As soon as I made this change, I felt my energy levels increase.

  4 ANYTHING WITH HIGH ADDED SUGAR CONTENT

  OK, a bit dramatic I know, but if you’re looking at the ingredients on a product and the first one is sugar—white sugar especially—then think twice. It’s so bad for you—it rots your teeth, it messes with your metabolism, and the fructose molecule in sugar is thought to fool the brain into thinking that the body isn’t full when it really is. And be careful what you believe when you read the nutritional info on sugary products. So many companies slap a logo on their package, which reads “No Added Sugar.” It sounds great, doesn’t it? But that doesn’t mean there’s zero sugar in it. Instead it’s just a slightly misleading way of saying there aren’t any extra sugars on top of what’s already in there.

  Don’t be fooled by the word natural on a label. Not all products claiming to be natural are good for you. For example, people often eat fruity cereal bars thinking they’re healthy, when in reality they may be high in sugar and contain just as many calories as a chocolate bar.

  5 JUNK FOOD

  I used to love junk. For a while in my teens I’d eat fast food all the time. Me and my friend Dave went through a phase of being addicted to it. After a night on the town I’d order twenty chicken nuggets with a double cheeseburger, plus fries. I’d down the lot. Pizzas were ordered twice a week. There was even a spell on a boys’ vacation to Turkey where I ate so much junk I became friends with the people working behind the counter at the burger truck. I have a photo somewhere of me messing around with the staff. I was seventeen and a bit greedy, especially after a couple of beers.

  Even worse, I would food-sweep after I’d finished my meal. I’d look at what was going on with my friends’ food and eat anything they’d left behind. Then, I would walk around grabbing whatever food had been left behind by random strangers, too.

  “Don’t you want the rest of that burger? OK, I’ll have it . . .”

  “Eating those fries? No? I will . . .”

  The basic facts of junk foods are this: they carry a huge fat content, they’re nearly always fried, and they can contain high levels of sugar. All of these things are bad for you. In fact, there’s nothing good in junk food. And the only thing you’ll gain from eating too much of it is a lot of weight and a short-lived sense of satisfaction.

  EAT YOUR WAY TO HAPPINESS

  OK, so I’ve told you the foods you should consider minimizing if you want to become healthier. Now I’m going to tell you about the stuff you should be eating: complex carbohydrates and lean protein—food that’s high in nutritional value, with minerals and vitamins. Basically fruit and vegetables, plus stuff you can snack on throughout the day, like popcorn, or a handful of nuts, which should stave off those cravings for chips and cake.

  1 SWEET POTATO

  My personal trainer, Jermayne, first turned me on to sweet potato. He said, “Look, man, try it with lunch rather than chips and sandwiches. Put some sweet potato in a salad with chicken. Make some wedges out of it; it’s awesome!” I admit it, though, the first time I had it, I thought, This tastes a little bit strange. My sister used to have it with her Sunday dinner and I thought it was weird.

  I persevered, and I’m so glad I did. That first week I had a sweet potato for lunch every day and eventually I ended up loving them. Now it’s one of my go-to foods and a vital part of my diet because it’s a complex carb. That means it breaks down slowly (unlike a refined carb, like normal potatoes or white pasta), giving me energy for longer periods of time. Sweet potato is also extremely high in vitamin B6, which I’ve heard may help to prevent heart disease, as well as helping with PMS symptoms, depression, and skin blemishes. It’s seriously good stuff.

  It’s not just found in sweet potato, though. Other foods that are high in vitamin B6 include sunflower seeds (a great snack), fish like tuna and salmon, turkey, and pistachios (though try and keep those nuts plain). If you’re unconvinced, give some sweet potato wedges a try. Cook them up in coconut oil and add a little flavor with some cajun spice or smoked paprika. Whack them in the oven with the skin still on for forty minutes—it’s super-healthy and so tasty.

  2 BLUEBERRIES

  These were a mystery to me back in the day. I might have had them in a muffin, or as part of a dessert every now and then, but I’d never snacked on blueberries before. Now I’m always eating them between meals because they’re one of the fruits with the lowest amounts of sugar. They’re also packed full of antioxidants—chemicals that seemingly block those nasty “free radicals,” which can make you more at risk of cancer.

  Whenever I’m craving something sweet, I tend to turn to blueberries for help. Those urges usually come around nine or ten o’clock at night, a couple of hours after I’ve eaten dinner. If I eat blueberries I don’t have to worry about them keeping me awake because they’re low in sugar. They’ll kill my hunger without giving me a crazy sugar rush afterward. I also put them in my cereal and smoothies, and snack on them during the day.

  3 QUINOA

  My friends always tease me about the amount of quinoa I eat, but it’s honestly changed my diet big-time. The simple facts of it are this: quinoa is a bit like rice, but the amount of protein per grain is incredibly high, which is what makes it so healthy. If you’re a vegetarian or vegan, it’s also a great way of getting some protein into your diet without eating meat.

  These days I’ll have quinoa with curries; I’ll put it in salads instead of rice. It only takes ten or fifteen minutes to boil and you can chop up tomatoes or onions and throw them into the pot to add a little extra flavor. A vegetable or chicken stock cube is a nice addition, too.

  4 ALMOND BUTTER

  My mom tried to introduce m
e to almond butter for six years without any real luck. I was never a peanut butter lover so it seemed a big step for me, but once I got into it I absolutely loved it. Now I’ll put it on my rye toast in the mornings, and I snack on it and drop it into my smoothies.

  Whenever I travel anywhere I’ll always pack a jar of the stuff so I can spread it on some crackers when I’m staying in a hotel. It’s a healthy snack that can get me through the day, especially if I’m too busy to cook anything. It’s so good. If you don’t believe me, check the label: most brands are a hundred percent crushed almonds and all natural, as well as being high in good fats and protein.

  Almond milk is also a great alternative to traditional cows’ milk. As humans, our bodies aren’t actually made to consume dairy products. A surprising number of people can’t digest dairy properly and it leaves them bloated, gassy, and tired. I switched to almond milk not so long ago and liked it. Now I use it with cereals, coffee, and smoothies, and it’s a lot better for you as long as you stick with the unsweetened versions. Sweetened almond milk often contains a lot of sugar.

  5 GREENS

  I guess I was lucky, because even when I was young Mom would make dinners that came loaded with vegetables. My snacking habits were bad, but most of my evening meals were served up with tons of vegetables. There was stuff like spinach, kale, greens, and broccoli, plus loads of peas. All the stuff you’re supposed to eat to maintain a healthy diet. I lapped it up.

  It helped that I was a fan of the cartoon Popeye when I was a kid. If you haven’t seen it, Popeye was a sailor who used to crack open a tin of spinach every time he was in trouble. The greens used to give him super-strength, and I would always think, What’s so good about that stuff? It was only when I researched the benefits of spinach recently that I discovered just how high it is in protein for a vegetable. So it’s true what they say, then: if you want to grow up big and strong, eat your greens. Seriously, they’re important.

  6 FISH

  Fish is a great way to get good proteins into your diet, and tuna, salmon, and cod are all very high in protein. Oily fish also contains a lot of omega-3, which is important because it may help lower the risk of heart disease, depression, dementia, and arthritis.

  Still unconvinced? Well, here’s a little biology for you: a lot of shellfish contain iron, which is stored in your liver, spleen, and bone marrow and helps develop red blood cells. These carry oxygen around your body. Without them your cells would become starved of oxygen, your brain and muscles wouldn’t function properly, and your immune system might become a bit sketchy. And that’s just the start of the problems, so get some iron in your diet! (Oh, and lean meats are also great for this, like chicken, turkey, and lean beef.)

  It’s taken me a while to get there, though. I used to hate that unmistakable fishy taste until about a year ago when I started to try things like sea bass. That eventually got me on to things like salmon (but only very recently) and these days I can cook a really good tuna steak—that’s my fave. But I’m so glad fish is a part of my diet now.

  7 RYE BREAD

  If you want a healthier alternative to a thick-cut, white loaf, try rye bread. My mom has always been really into this. She’d eat it with almond butter and I couldn’t understand the fuss at first. But I’ve recently got into it and it’s so nice! It can be even healthier than many whole-wheat breads. If I’m in a rush in the morning, I’ll toast some and add a little almond butter. Delicious.

  Make sure to look at the ingredients when you buy rye bread, though. Some brands still contain a lot of refined sugars, so always check for whole rye flour and other natural ingredients. Another thing to look out for on food labels is the phrase “Low GI.” This refers to the glycemic index—a measurement of a carbohydrate’s impact on a person’s blood glucose levels. If that sounds too scientific, just remember that, in general, low GI is good, high GI is bad.

  8 SPARKLING WATER

  Cutting out diet drinks was a huge step for me because it killed a lot of the cravings I had for other unhealthy foods. In the end I got over my addiction by adding freshly squeezed limes or lemon to sparkling water. OK, I know it sounds boring, but once you’re used to it, it’s great. And so much better than tooth rot.

  9 DARK CHOCOLATE

  Milk chocolate is so addictive. I used to open a package with the idea of eating a chunk or two, and before I knew it, I’d have wolfed down the whole block. Dark chocolate is tasty—so tasty once you get used to it—but it’s bitter, especially if you’re eating a type that’s around seventy percent cocoa content (which I’d recommend), so it’s much harder to eat more than a couple of squares in one sitting.

  The transition is hard at first, but once you’re there I guarantee you it’s even harder to go back. I’ve eaten milk chocolate recently and thought, Wow, that’s too sweet! Dark chocolate, like blueberries, is also high in antioxidants, which are so vital in battling those unpleasant free radicals, and it’s great for killing a craving for sweets.

  10 POPCORN

  A healthier alternative to chips and amazing when sprinkled with rock salt (not drowned in toffee), air-popped popcorn only contains 31 calories per cup. It’s a whole grain, which is good for your diet, plus it contains complex carbs. It’s also naturally low in calories and fat. So get going!

  THE SMOOTHIE & JUICE MASTERCLASS

  I love smoothies. They’re full of flavor and goodness, and they’re easy to make. Load them up with vegetables and add some fruit for a sweet accent, and you’ll soon find that these concoctions make a refreshing alternative to concentrated fruit juices or carbonated drinks. They’re also an easy way to consume a load of nutrients in one go.

  Think about it. In your lunch you might eat chicken, quinoa, and one portion of kale. But in a smoothie you can stuff a lot of different vegetables in at once—albeit in smaller portions—which means you can access loads more nutrients, though they shouldn’t replace all your meals.

  It took me a while to get used to them, though. My personal trainer first suggested I try smoothies and, I admit it, the first one tasted disgusting. It was full of green vegetables and it came out sludgy. I took one sip and spat it out.

  “Ugh, that is gross!” I shouted. “How can anyone drink that?”

  My mom was in the kitchen at the time. She took a sip and liked it, though she was used to eating healthier foods than me, plus I still had a sweet tooth. She suggested that I add a bit more fruit just to give it some flavor and eventually I got used to the taste and the texture. Now I love them.

  Coming up with your own recipes is fun, too. If you find a blend and can think of something that might make it taste even better, just add it next time. I’ve listed some of my favorite mixes for you to try, so just chuck the ingredients in and blend away!

  GREEN JUICE

  – Two large handfuls of spinach

  – Two large handfuls of kale

  – Two celery sticks

  – Juice of one lemon, freshly squeezed

  – A hint of ginger

  CHOCOLATE SMOOTHIE

  – Two bananas (better frozen)

  – One and a half tablespoons of raw cacao powder

  – One tablespoon of cacao nibs

  – One tablespoon of almond butter

  – One cup of almond milk

  BREAKFAST SMOOTHIE

  – Handful of spinach

  – One banana

  – A third of a cup of oats

  – One tablespoon of almond butter

  – One tablespoon of flaxseed

  – A handful of berries (strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries)

  – A splash of coconut water (or normal water if you prefer)

  THE ENERGY BOMB JUICE

  – Four carrots

  – Two cubes of ginger

  – One apple

  One and four are both better if made with a cold-press machine, but it’s still possible to make a great juice in a blender.

  I CAN REBUILD YOU

  I’ll never f
orget my first personal-training session. After an initial meeting with Jermayne, we decided to have our first workout at the local park. He asked me to run a lap of the park, which was probably around a mile but I couldn’t do it. Halfway round I had to stop. I was out of breath, sweating, and feeling a little bit sick.

  This isn’t cool, I thought. I used to travel the country playing basketball and doing gymnastics. Now I can’t even run a mile. What’s going on?

  Actually, that’s a lie. What I was really thinking was, Makeitstop! Makeitstop! Aaaaaagh!

  Through the sweat and the tears, Jermayne could tell I was frustrated with my performance. After a while he worked out a basic program for me to stick to, and once I got into it I could see the results quite quickly. I looked better. I felt better. I had more energy, and my moods were always up. The physical activity released loads of endorphins—the feel-good chemicals in your brain that give you an “exercise high” every time you work hard physically. I’d always loved sports as a kid, and with Jermayne I was doing something that I really enjoyed. I looked forward to every session. Well, most sessions.

  I found that being active is great, not just for your health and your state of mind, but also your social life too because when it comes to workouts you don’t have to exercise solo like me. You might want to train with some friends. Maybe team sports are more your thing, in which case why not join a volleyball or soccer team? Try out some different sports until you hit upon one that suits you. You’ll discover that getting sweaty in the fresh air is the first step to a new, improved lifestyle.