Food to fuel your six-pack

However hard you hit the gym, your abs are made in the kitchen. The toughest opposition to a rock hard stomach is your old friend the carbohydrate, but avoiding them is becoming nearly impossible. Whilst you should never live entirely without carbs, here are the secrets to making it through the day without letting them win.

BREAKFAST

You want to kick start your morning with something that is going to give you energy throughout the day and speed up your metabolism. Chilli and hot peppers are great for exactly this. Our recommendation for breakfast would be an omelette (just an egg-white omelette if you’re really on the weight-watching game) with chilli and at least a pint of water. Drinking a decent amount of water in the morning is such a good habit to get into, not only for your health, but also for your skin. Even an addition of orange juice in the mornings is a great hit of vitamins, and this kind of breakfast will set you in good stead for the rest of the day.

MORNING SNACK

You need to find a suitable elevenses snack that won’t leave you bloated, and nuts are a great place to start. They’re high in essential fatty acids, which are also great for boosting your metabolism, and they’re filling. Almonds or walnuts are always perfect for picking at. And if you get a little thirsty, the juicing trend has never been more relevant. Careful not to overload on sugar though, try adding ginger to your juice for that extra bite that will allow you to use ingredients lower in the sweet stuff.

LUNCH

A salad may seem inevitable and boring, but there are ways to keep your salad interesting and non-repetitive. Try adding ingredients that you hadn’t considered before, like aubergine or beetroot. Not staggering discoveries, we know, but they often don’t make the shortlist when prepping a quick salad before you leave the house. Even hard boiled eggs are often forgotten, but are a great source of protein to keep you fuelled for the day. If the unavoidable lunch meeting crops up and you have to eat out, don’t fret. Take the bun off your burger to avoid carbs, or stick to seafood for an even healthier option.

PRE-WORKOUT SNACK

It may sound a little strange, but an excellent choice for a pre-workout snack is peanut butter. It contains a type of vitamin B called niacin, which helps to convert carbs and fat into energy. So eating peanut butter an hour before workout is a great way to fuel your workout, especially if you pair it with bananas. You could even make a banana and peanut butter smoothie with unsweetened almond milk, which will also help to curb any hunger you might be harbouring.

DINNER

The number one rule is don’t eat too late! Stick to red meats and make sure your meal is consumed before 7pm. The night time also brings with it the temptation to drink – if you’re avoiding carbs, your best friend comes in the form of light spirits. Drinking light spirits with a low-sugar mixer is the best alternative to beer, and it means that you don’t have to miss out on social occasions. Gin and slim-line tonics are making their comeback, so your choice will also make you a gentleman of style.