So, at long last the children are gone back to school. Long may it last! I think nearly every parent in the country swore that everything was going to change when the kids went back to school. Back to healthy eating, getting in the 5km walk a day and drinking gallons of water, all in the hope of losing the covid stone.In reality it may have been a case of, peace at last so time to break out the choccie biscuits. Before you know it, you wake up and its Tuesday and you cant start a diet on a Tuesday.So, you may overindulge over the next few days with the mindset of starting again next Monday, and this pattern goes on week after week. Does this sound all too familiar? As a busy mum of five, I totally get this and Im here to help you with my tips and ideas to keep you reach your goals for a happy and healthy you.

1. START WITH A PLANOne of the best things you can do for yourself is to get into the habit of planning your family meals. This will save you time and money. Planning meals in advance ensures you use up the ingredients you have before buying more. Get the whole family involved by allowing everyone pick a meal. There is a meal planner in my 28-day rescue plan, download it free from my website and get writing!

2. WRITE A LISTWrite a shopping list for the ingredients you need to put your meal plan into action. This will save you time wandering around the shop wondering what to buy and save you money as you will be less likely to put unwanted items in your trolley. And of course, none of us want to be hanging around the supermarket longer than we need to.

3. PLAN FOR LEFTOVERSPlan for leftovers to be used the next day as lunch. For example leftover chili is delicious the next day when heated in a wholemeal pitta bread or wrap with grated cheese, avocado and salad. Leftover roast chicken is so versatile and can be used in salads or wraps. My personal favorite is to make an egg fried rice with it.

4. PREPARE FOOD IN BATCHESIf your family are great at coming up with the meal plan ideas but not so great at helping to prep or cook it, then lighten your load by prepping once to eat multiple times.Chop and wash a variety of veg all at once, then place them in an airtight container in the fridge to use as snacks. Carrots, celery, peppers all make great snacks to dip in hummus or cream cheese.Double your recipe ingredients and store them in the fridge or freezer and you will have a meal ready to be cooked when you want it. This works great for curries. Just pop your chicken and veg that has been marinating in the lovely spices into a pot with a tin of coconut milk, simmer for 20 minutes and you have a tasty meal on the table that the whole family will love. Check out my curry recipe on my website http://www.thenutricoach.ie

5. ENSURE YOU ARE GETTING A WIDE RANGE OF NUTRIENTSIts important to remember there is no specific food or supplement that will help you lose weight or boost your immune system, contrary to what you see on social media. However, a healthy balanced diet thats low in sugar and processed food and high in nutrients that support the immune system such as, vitamin C (berries, tomatoes, peppers, citrus fruit) vitamin A (sweet potato, spinach) vitamin D (oily fish, mushrooms) zinc (meat, shellfish, dairy) is the best thing you can do for your immune system and your waistline.

6. EAT REGULARLYAs tempting as it may be to restrict your calorie intake, skipping meals is never a good idea. Going long periods without eating causes your blood sugar to drop, which leads to fatigue and cravings for sugary snacks and stimulants. Aim for three main meals a day and include a maximum of two nutritious snacks, such as a piece of fruit with four or five nuts, vegetable crudits with hummus or sliced apple dipped in nut butter or try out my no bake energy balls!

7. EAT A SOURCE OF PROTEIN WITH EVERY MEAL OR SNACKWhen you eat carbohydrates alone, they quickly get digested and converted into sugar which is then absorbed into your blood stream causing a spike in blood sugar. However including a source of protein with your meal or snack slows down digestion. This leads to a slower absorption of carbohydrates, therefore a lower rise in blood sugar, so less of the fat storing hormone insulin is needed, and protein will help you feel full for longer resulting in less snacking.

8. STAY HYDRATEDDrinking water has many benefits, including boosting your metabolism and suppressing your appetite. When you dont drink enough water, your body receives mixed signals from the hypothalamus, which is the part of the brain that regulates appetite and thirst. A lot of the time when we think we are hungry, we are actually dehydrated. Aim to drink two litres of water a day. This can be achieved by starting your day with hot water and lemon, adding lemon slices, cucumber and mint leaves to a jug of water and sipping throughout the day and having some herbal teas.

9. FOLLOW THE HEALTHY PLATE GUIDEThe healthy plate guide is an easy way to make sure you are having a well-balanced meal, just fill half your plate with vegetables, a quarter of your plate protein/healthy fats e.g. chicken, meat, fish, eggs, lentils, and a quarter of your plate low GL carbohydrates e.g. sweet potato, brown pasta or rice, quinoa.Are you struggling to get back to healthy eating and getting your weight back to what it was pre-covid? Why not schedule in an appointment with The Nutri Coach! There is no time like the present. My clinic open and I am taking bookings for new and existing clients, so just pop me a message if you would like to schedule an appointment. Contact details below.

Debbie Devane from The Nutri Coach is a qualified Nutritional Therapist and health & lifestyle coach, Debbie runs her clinic from the Glenard Clinic in Mountmellick and also offers one to one and group online consultations. Debbie is also Nutritionist to the Offaly GAA senior footballers.For more information or to make an appointment email Debbie atinfo@thenutricoach.iePh: 086-1720055Facebook: The Nutri Coach @debbiedevanethenutricoachInstagram: the_nutricoachFor more information or to download your copy of Debbie's 28 day rescue plan go to http://www.thenutricoach.ie

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A new routine to lose the Covid stone - Leitrim Observer

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