Angela Martin shares her nutrition tips & foods that help us feel good on the inside
She's a certified Nutrition Coach and soon-to-be Nutrition with a purpose to help women all over the world find balance. Her mission is to help her community discover their inner confidence and most importantly, make friends with the foods they love.
Introducing Angela Martin: she's fun, she's fantastic, and she's fierce about making a positive impact on people's lives.
"I love creating delicious and healthy dishes that prove that eating healthy doesn't have to be boring," says Angela.
"On the contrary, eating healthy is exciting as you get to enjoy the foods you absolutely love AND achieve your health goals at the same time."
We had the honour of chatting with Angela, who is one of Happy Way's biggest fans and ambassadors. She shares with us her nutrition tips and foods that help you feel good.
What are some foods you recommend starting the day with?
"I recommend starting the day with a balanced breakfast," says Angela. This includes a source of complex carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats. If you're wondering what complex carbohydrates are, think whole grains such as brown rice, oatmeal, and quinoa.
"My go-to breakfasts are protein overnight oats and pancakes. I like to have these with a serve of fruit like a banana or a handful of berries and a teaspoon of nut butter."
For a savoury option, Angela recommends mashed avocado on toast with an omelette. You can make the omelette with your favourite vegetables to increase your micronutrient intake for the day.
These DEFINITELY sound like foods that help you feel good!
What about foods that help us feel ready to conquer the day?
"Kicking off the day with a glass of water is ideal for rehydrating your body," explains Angela.
"My go-to first meal of the day is oats! Oats are an excellent source of complex carbohydrates that will energise your body and will also leave you feeling satiated for a few hours."
Who doesn't love a meal of oats? They're delicious in porridge, overnight oats, pancakes, mug cakes, and more. Yum!
We love these foods that help you feel good on the inside!
What are some foods to eat throughout the day to help us feel good on the inside?
"Non-starchy veggies such as green leaves, broccoli, pumpkin, zucchini, cucumber, capsicum, etc., are essential for a healthy body and will help you feel good on the inside," says Angela.
"It is recommended that an adult consumes at least five serves of veggies per day."
Angela suggests prioritising your vegetable intake in your main meals, such as lunch and dinner.
"Having a big salad or roasted veggies with a source of lean protein like chicken breast, tofu, prawns, tuna, lean beef, etc., will help you feel amazing on the inside."
Why are these foods good for us? What nutrients do they have?
"Non-starchy veggies are a source of carbohydrates, but they are low calorie," explains Angela.
"They also contain micronutrients that are essential for good health. By micronutrients, I mean vitamins and minerals that some other food sources don't provide us with."
Non-starchy vegetables are also great sources of fibre, which is a non-digestible carbohydrate. It helps us with digestion and feeling full.
What about other foods that help you feel good?
"Consuming protein is also important as this macronutrient is essential to build and repair muscle," says Angela.
"The digestion process of protein is also longer than other macronutrients; therefore, protein has an important effect on satiety."
What foods should we have more of day-to-day and their serving?
"I'm a huge advocate for balanced eating, so I recommend having balanced meals throughout the day," says Angela.
Angela's rule of thumb is to have:
- 1/2 a plate filled with non-starchy vegetables
- 1/4 plate filled with a lean source of protein
- 1/4 plate with a source of carbohydrates, and
- Healthy fats, which should be the size of your thumb (about one teaspoon); this can be olive oil, nuts, nut butters, butter, and avocado, to name a few.
These certainly are some of our favourites and foods that help you feel good!
What are your tips on ensuring people stick to a healthy meal plan?
"Organise your day or week ahead," says Angela.
We all know about meal prepping, don't we?
"Meal prepping plays an important role when it comes to staying on track with your healthy eating."
"I highly recommend giving it a go and to start meal prepping for a few days. Meal prepping will not only save you time in the kitchen, but it will also help you save money and reduce food wastage."
Angela adds that keeping your body hydrated throughout the day is also essential.
"Sometimes we think we are hungry, but we are not. We are just dehydrated," explains Angela.
It's crucial also to prioritise sleep, as it helps improve metabolism. Sleep maintains a healthy hormone balance, which also plays a key role in our hunger levels.
There are lots of delicious and healthy foods that help you feel good. But it also comes down to how much sleep and water we're getting too!
What are ways to track the foods we're eating day-to-day?
"I recommend making a weekly plan, so your meals are sorted, and you don't have to stress about tracking your foods on a daily basis," says Angela.
Angela suggests spending 30 minutes writing down the meals you want to have the following week.
What are some foods that help us feel fuller for longer?
"Protein sources will help us feel fuller due to their higher thermic effect (takes longer to digest). So, I recommend adding a source of protein to each meal," says Angela.
"A lot of people are okay with including a protein source to their lunches and dinners, but struggle with their breakfast, so this is when a good quality protein powder comes in handy."
Angela's favourite Happy Way product is the chocolate peanut butter whey protein powder. "It's my absolute favourite, and I love it in overnight oats!! Yum!," she says.
"I also love the vegan chocolate protein powder and use it in almost all my baking!"
Angela explains that consuming balanced meals may help you stay fuller for longer. For instance, having an apple on its own may not leave you feeling as full as having an apple with a teaspoon of peanut butter or Greek yoghurt.
Do you have any other tips for eating healthy?
"My main tip is to start small with one to two changes. Try not to overwhelm yourself by changing everything at once," says Angela.
"Choose one to two areas where you can improve and set mini goals. For example, if you can improve your water consumption, set a goal to drink one glass of water before each meal for the week and go from there."
It's essential to take note of the drinks and foods that help you feel good! Angela also recommends tracking your food intake for three days, and that includes everything that you consume, such as sauces, dressings, oils, drinks, chocolates, etc. Doing this may help you to identify which areas you may need to improve.
What is your go-to healthier choice dessert?
"I love ice cream," says Angela.
"I am a sucker for healthier ice cream that you find at the shops, but I also like to make my own with fruit, yoghurt, and protein. It may take a little longer, but it's delicious!"
Angela also likes to make mug cakes. You can make them flourless with a few ingredients using the microwave!
Here is one of Angela's recipes:
Ingredients
- 30 grams of vegan protein powder (your choice of flavour)
- 2 tablespoons of coconut flour
- 2 egg whites (or 1 egg)
- 1/4 cup of almond milk
- 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
Method
- Mix all of the ingredients, place them in a mug, and microwave it for two and a half minutes.
- Enjoy!
Thank you, Angela, for sharing your nutrition tips and foods that help you feel good.
Are you after more inspiration? Make sure you check out Angela's Instagram: @the_healthy_diary_. Plus, we have great recipes online and on our Instagram pages. Check them out: @happywayau and @happywayrecipes.