My new book is all about the food! Welcome

First, I would like to say thank you for choosing to explore this special preview of my new book. I’m really excited to be sharing these new recipes with you. Since day one, it has been my aim to get more people cooking healthy food at home, and I believe the new book will do just that. I haven’t included any workouts in it, so this one is all about the food.

The recipes are tasty and easy to make, and as I’ve designed most of them to serve 4-6 people, you and the whole family can enjoy them and stay lean together.

There are some proper banging personal favourites in there, including home- cooked classics that remind me of my Nanny Kath. I used to stay with her after school sometimes and she would fatten me up until I fell asleep on the carpet in front of the fire. I love how food can bring back such good memories.

You’ll notice that some of the recipes, such as my Sunday roasts, one-pot dishes and traybakes, take longer to make than my signature 15-minute meals, but I promise they’re worth the wait. I’ve done my best to keep the prep times low, so once it’s done you can leave the dish to cook, put your feet up and relax, or fit in a sneaky workout.

I’ve also thrown in a couple of my favourite naughty treats. These pub classics, such as sticky toffee pudding, are so not lean. LOL! Oh well, guilty as charged. I don’t recommend eating them every day, but we all deserve a treat now and again.

LET’S GET EVERYBODY LEAN

I think there is a big misconception that trying to get lean and eat more healthily isolates you from your friends and family. That could be the case for people following a really low- calorie, restrictive diet but I’m not about that life. It’s not enjoyable or sustainable. I don’t believe in low- calorie diets or that you need to spend your day eating boring meals out of lunch boxes, cooking separate dishes for yourself or avoiding dining out with friends and family altogether.

With these recipes, I’m going to show you that eating healthily can be fun and inclusive for everyone at every occasion – even parties, barbecues and Sunday lunches.

START ’EM YOUNG

I believe that kids should be involved in the food choices at home and educated as early as possible about good nutrition and exercise. It’s a really important time for them and it will help shape their health and their future.

When I was growing up, my mum didn’t have a clue about nutrition and healthy cooking, and the cupboards were full of junk food. We rarely sat together as a family and ate. I pretty much lived on sandwiches, pasta with tomato sauce, sweets and cereal. This seemed normal to me at the time, but now I know there is a much healthier way to live. I think it’s never too early to get kids started in the kitchen.

To get them involved, you could ask them to help you write shopping lists and fill the baskets at the supermarket. These may seem like small things but I think they could have a big impact.

CAN I GET LEAN WITHOUT EXERCISING?

Although I haven’t included workouts in the book, I want to talk briefly about the importance of exercise when trying to maintain a healthy body. If you’re someone who struggles to stay active and can’t bear the thought of going to the gym, then this message is for you.

I’m a big believer in doing home workouts and I also believe it’s never too late to get lean. You don’t need a gym or lots of expensive equipment to get fit. I have a YouTube channel called The Body Coach TV where I share free workouts, which you can do anywhere, at any time. To build strong lean muscle and have a fit healthy heart, you need to work for it – it won’t come by itself. Plus if you work out you can enjoy more of the foods you love!

DON’T OBSESS THE CALORIES

Many of my meals are high in calories and the reason I don’t list them is because I don’t think people should obsessively count calories. That said, in order to reduce body fat you do need to be burning more calories than you are consuming, so if you want to actually see changes in your body, get moving and try to make exercise a part of your life. There’s no need to try to get by on a really low- calorie diet when instead you can exercise, feel good and eat the meals from the book, knowing you are making progress.

Exercise isn’t just going to make you feel and look better, it’s also going to give you more energy and confidence. My advice is to aim for 25 minutes of exercise, four to five days per week.

WHAT SHOULD I BE EATING & WHEN?

The recipes in the book are broken into two main categories: reduced carb and post-workout (plus some sweet treats for now and then).

Reduced- carbohydrate meals are higher in healthy fats and proteins. These types of meals are brilliant to have on rest or less active days.

The post-workout meals contain protein and carbohydrates but are lower in fat. These meals are ideally eaten after exercise or on more active days.

I consume three reduced-carb meals on a rest day and two reduced- carb meals and one post-workout meal on a training day. I find this a simple and effective way of staying lean as I am fuelling my body with the right energy source at the right time. It’s the plan I suggest you follow in the book. Eating this way will make you feel awesome and provide your body with the essential fats to keep fit and healthy.

PORTION CAUTION

One thing to be aware of is your portion sizes. Everyone is different and will have different energy demands. For example, if you are an active 20-year- old exercising five days per week, you will need more food than someone who is 40 and doesn’t exercise much. The key here is to eat to feel energised, so simply increase or decrease your portions accordingly. Once you get that bit right, you’ll find it very easy to sustain a healthy lifestyle and a lean body all year round.

Good luck! I hope you enjoy this sample of recipes from the new book. I’m really proud of it and love seeing my little nephew Oscar making his debut appearance (in the picture, left) at just seven days old. I believe the book can help your whole family get leaner and healthier. Hopefully you’ll be inspired to try out some of my workouts, too. Stay in touch on social media (details on page 34).