Everyday nutrition tips from celebrity trainer, Jane Wake

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Posted at 12:02PM, 03 October 2012 by Roxanne Fisher - Writer/Sub-editor, bbcgoodfood.com

Personal trainer to the stars, fitness professional and busy mum of two - Jane Wake divulges her daily nutrition and fitness tips for feeling great and performing at your best.

How do you start the day?

Always breakfast first - I find it really hard to function without it. I am then usually exercising with clients by 8.30am. If I am working on the Lorraine show in the morning I sometimes don't get breakfast until I am at the studios, which throws me totally.

Which snacks do you keep with you when on the go to give you an energy boost?

I am a nuts person. Ideally I'll eat them with an apple or a banana but I find fruit gets chucked around my bag. Nuts are a perfect standby.

How do you make sure you eat enough (but not too much) to balance energy expenditure?

Eating a good breakfast with plenty of protein as well as carbohydrates means I then don't need to eat again until lunch - even if breakfast is very, very early. My days are always jam packed so it's sometimes hard for me to get a good lunch if I am out and about, which is why a proper breakfast and a pocketful of healthy snacks is so important to me.

Are there any particular foods you eat when you want to run faster/sleep better/perform at your best?

To feel my best I'd eat foods rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, iron, zinc and omega 3 and 6, because to run your best and sleep your best you need to feel healthy from the inside. Foods rich in these nutrients boost your health. I'm a 10 fruit and veg a day girl and I am not into swallowing vitamin pills as I am not convinced of their value to me - simply because I love food so much!

Which foods do you love?

Salad with greens, fruits, grains, fish, nuts, legumes, seeds, herbs and peppers (I love a bit of chilli) - hot or cold (not altogether of course.)

I also love the occasional steak - it really is the best source of iron and my special treat.

Which foods do you avoid/eat in moderation

I tend to be affected by blood sugar levels quite easily and when you are on the hop, its easy to grab something sugary to keep you going. It is however the worst thing for my body. If I eat something sweet before exercise such as a biscuit without having had a meal, halfway through the session I am running out of energy. I also keep to just one cup of coffee a day.

What are your top tips for eating well as a fitness professional and mother to two small children?

Always sit down and eat breakfast, and eat it with your children. It's the one thing I try to find time for as by doing so you are instilling good habits in them as well as yourself. I also always look at my plate and aim to have it half full of veg and fruit, a quarter full of protein and a quarter full of carbs - that way I know I'm getting all the nutrients I need.

Try to also think positively about what you are eating. If you are eating for a negative reason start questioning why. Our relationship with our food is so important; everything you put in your mouth should be worthy of its place there.

Enjoyed Jane's nutrition tips? Check out her latest fitness tips on twitter .

Jane is the founder of Body A-Wake and Baby A-Wake fitness consultancy. Find out more at janewake.co.uk

Comments

mousegirl

18 October 2012, 1:16PM
mousegirl

I felt the article was a bit vague in that she did not give some examples of what she and her children ate for breakfast lunch and dinner. I got the impression that she whizzed about with a handful of nuts in her pocket. No mention was made of drinking?

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Loo

18 October 2012, 1:36PM
Loo

I agree, some meal plans would of been great, i'm forever looking for healthy low GI meal plans...

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tufty12

18 October 2012, 3:43PM
tufty12

my thoughts exactly - there is no real information in this article and as above my only impression gained is that she has one cup of coffee and a perpetual pocket of nuts to snack on.....

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loujane71

18 October 2012, 6:19PM
loujane71

agree with all the above

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Morland Farm Shop

20 October 2012, 8:47AM
Morland Farm Shop

The article made me feel inadequate and left me feeling underwhelmed... as a busy Headteacher at my desk by 7 in the morning and leaving around 6 in the evening a plate half full of fruit a quarter full of proteins and a quarter full of carbohydrates was not guidance I would pay for... talk about dumbing down. Life is more than going from gym to the next with a bag full of nuts to support the angst of the middle classes... get a grip on real life!

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Anne

29 October 2012, 8:09PM
Anne

Some examples would have been good. I'm none the wiser after reading that.

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carol

7 February, 10:53PM
carol

l agree with Anne, I'm none the wiser after reading this and some examples would have been good.

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