Going by the name Clean Eating Alice, you’d be forgiven for imagining nothing but mountains of kale and cashews but Alice Liveing likes to maintain a healthy balance: “For me, clean eating means developing a healthy relationship with food where I don’t feel restricted. When I started my blog two and a half years ago, I knew that my diet was bad and I felt awful, so I wanted to clean it up and make a complete lifestyle change.” PT Alice, who was recently announced as an ambassador for Fitness First, has amassed over 400,000 followers on Instagram and penned a book thanks to her passion for exercise and healthy living. We caught up with her to find out how a clean diet can help you feel less tired and improve your wellbeing…
On clean eating
“When I started my blog, I heard the term clean eating and thought that it encapsulated what I wanted to achieve. At the time, I was living off of processed food with no real nutrient value that didn’t sustain my active lifestyle. I felt lethargic and it was having an effect on my skin, so I knew that I had to clean up and improve my diet. I decided to start making small adjustments and then gradually got to where I am now.”
On her daily menu
“Today I started the day with pitta bread and two fried eggs, feta and sauteed vegetables, then at about 10am I’ll snack on some nuts and a piece of fruit. For lunch I’m going to have fish – I tend to have tuna or tinned mackerel because they’re really quick and easy to make – on a slice of toast or with rice and vegetables. Today’s afternoon snack is a couple of home-made energy balls and dinner will be either fish or chicken with a sweet potato and vegetables such as peppers and tomatoes, in a tomato sauce. I’ll have my usual evening snack, which is yoghurt with fruit and almond butter.”
On time-saving and energising snacks
“I’m a fan of scrambled eggs and they take mere minutes to make – simply crack the eggs, add in some leafy green or fibrous veg (I like broccoli or kale) and a healthy source of fat such as feta and then season with chilli flakes or cumin. Serve with a source of carbohydrates, such as a slice of wholegrain toast and enjoy. It’s simple to whip up and taste good.”
On how to boost your energy
“Often we don’t drink enough water, which may seem obvious, but low hydration levels can make you feel exhausted. Also, make sure that you’re eating enough carbohydrates throughout the day to sustain your energy levels and avoid the mid-morning slump. A great breakfast would be porridge as it provides a nice slow release of energy. I’d recommend sweet potatoes as a good source of carbohydrates, as well as lentils and quinoa. Make sure you pair them with protein, as it will be more satiating than just a normal carbohydrate.”
On making a change
“I believe in a three-pronged approach. You can’t out-train a bad diet – it underpins everything, not just your physique. Ask yourself if you’re eating foods that are going to support a healthy lifestyle, your inner gut health and your hormonal health and if not, start to make changes. Exercise is of equal importance, as various studies have proven time and time again how important an active lifestyle is for general wellbeing. Having balance, eating a good diet and making sure you have a sound nutritional intake, as well as incorporating fitness into your lifestyle is the most beneficial way to see the biggest difference.”
On managing expectations
“The most important thing to remember is to not take any drastic measures. If you overly restrict yourself, you’ll end up falling off the wagon and start to crave the foods that you cut out. The long-term sustainable approach is through small and steady changes. You need to be realistic and patient because it’s a process and doesn’t happen overnight – you won’t go to the gym once and wake up with great abs. A good way to start is by taking a look at your breakfast and deciding if there’s a way that you could switch it up and see how it makes you feel. Once you’ve got to grips with that, you can then look at the rest of your day.”
On her favourite workout moves
“Personally I like to do weight and resistance exercises four to five times a week. My favourite moves are squats, deadlifts, upper body pulls, an upper body push, chest presses, and then a HIIT workout move, like box jumps.”
Clean Eating Alice has teamed up with Fitness First to inspire their members to achieve a healthier body and mind by offering her workout and nutritional expertise. To find out more information, head to fitnessfirst.co.uk/cleaneatingalice
