Blog | Leah Itsines

When you're feeling low in energy or experiencing 3:30-itis, it's so easy to just grab another coffee or a sugary snack to give a quick boost of energy... ...BUT as much as I LOVE coffee - I mean who doesn't? -, relying on it as your number source of energy and having more than 2 cups a day isn't the best for your health! Plus, it just leads to bigger energy crashes and NOBODY want thats! What you need are sustainable energy boosts that are going to allow you to power through the day, not just let you spike and then crash! So...I wanted to share with you the right way to boost your energy with 3 amazing tips from my BARE Guide. 1. Eat regularly throughout the day! This might seem like a no brainer but eating regularly through out the day is key to long lasting energy! I personally eat three main meals and two snacks every day - which is how I structured the BARE Guide - as not only does this suits my body and lifestyle but it also means my body is receiving energy and essential macronutrients (fats, carbohydrates and protein along with veg) on a consistent basis! Therefore, I'm less likely to experience hunger pains, energy slumps and also overeat. P.s. you can learn more about the importance of snacking here! 2. Don't skip on your carbs One of the biggest nutrition misconceptions is that carbohydrates are bad for you. Diets often restrict carbohydrate intake, I’m here to suggest otherwise! Your body needs carbohydrates for energy and essential vitamins and minerals. Carbohydrates are also essential for providing dietary fibre which keeps our gut happy and healthy. The key is to choose the HEALTHIER, slow-burning or ‘low GI’ carbohydrates, instead of quick-acting or ‘high GI’carbohydrates.  Low-GI carbohydrates are broken down at a slower rate and the glucose is released slowly into your bloodstream, giving you a longer, more sustained energy supply. Low-GI carbs include wholegrain bread, oats, fruit and legumes. I recommend choosing Low-GI carbohydrates wherever possible and use them through the BARE Guide along with healthy sources of fats and protein as recommended by the AGHE! 3. Move your body While eating well is important for your energy and health, exercise also plays a vital role. I recommend you are moderately active and enjoy 30 minutes of exercise a day while eating the BARE Guide (as per the Australian Physical and Sedentary Behaviour guidelines). Exercise should include a combination of strength, flexibility and cardiovascular training. It’s not about crazy-long workouts in the gym every day, it’s about moving your body in an enjoyable and sustainable way. Keeping yourself fit will work wonders for your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing!   Start implementing these tips these week and let me know how you feel via instagram @leahitsines! I absolutely love hearing from you! Plus, if you haven't already be sure to join the BARE Guide Community and start your healthy eating journey today! With over 120 exclusive recipes, flexible weekly meal planners, shopping lists and an abundance of supportive resources, the BARE Guide makes healthy eating easy, sustainable and, most importantly, delicious. Join the BARE Guide here! Leah xx

Hey Guys! I thought I'd do a little blog post on 'Healthy Snacking' and everything you need to know! I have HEAPS of these questions online so I thought, best to write all about it :)  So, Lets get into it!  What is a 'healthy snack'? When should I snack? How much should I be snacking? These are common questions that I get all the time! There is so much information on snacking that it can be super confusing! So with the help of my in-house dietician, I wanted to address these questions once and for all. How much should I be snacking? Unfortunately....there is no ‘one size fits all’ answer when it comes to snacking – because everyone is different. Every person varies in body type, height, weight, activity level and nutritional requirements, therefore the best advice I can give you is to LISTEN to your body!! Only you can really determine how much food your body needs. I personally eat three main meals and two snacks every day, as this suits my body and lifestyle, and therefore, it’s how I structured my BARE Guide. However, if you don’t want to snack at all – or want to snack more – this is perfectly okay too. I suggest you do whatever suits your lifestyle, hunger needs and personal goals. If you are moderately active, I would suggest eating as the BARE Guide suggests with three main meals and two snacks a day to fuel and replenish your body pre- or post- workout. If you aren’t as active, you may still find it helpful to have a snack between meals, as this can help you to better control hunger levels and prevent you from overeating at meal times. At the end of the days, it really is all about listening to your body and doing what's right for you - and the same goes for WHEN you should be snacking. When should I be snacking? Generally, I suggest enjoying your snacks in between your meals. So for instance, if you have your breakfast at 8am then ideally you would have your snack around 10am and then lunch around 12pm.  However, as always, your body and hunger pains are always the best indicator of when you should be snacking. What is a healthy snack? When deciding on a healthy snack, I recommend including some form of low-GI carbohydrate and a lean protein plus veggies. Additionally, you could also include some dairy or fruit.  The most important thing is to keep your snacks varied through out the day so you can be sure you're covering all the food groups needed for a balanced diet. I've designed every snack in the BARE Guide to be healthy and ensure you're getting all the macronutrients you needs through out the day.  From banana bread and date cookies to mini pizzas and grazing platters, you can enjoy a variety of delicious and healthy snacks.  I hope this helps answer your questions! If you do have any other questions please send them through to info@leahitsines.com.au. Plus, join the BARE Guide Community and start your healthy eating journey today. With over 120 exclusive recipes, flexible weekly meal planners, shopping lists and an abundance of supportive resources, the BARE Guide makes healthy eating easy, sustainable and, most importantly, delicious. We're so excited that the Vegetarian Version of BARE is live ...AND WE HAVE AFTERPAY!  Join the BARE Guide here! Leah xx

Strapped for time in the morning? Well these 5 minute breakfast recipes are about to make your life 10X easier!! I LOVE overnight oats because not only are they super quick and easy to make but they're also really delicious and healthy - aka the PERFECT way to start the day. My tip is to meal prep your oats the night before - you can do 3 serves at a time - and then you can enjoy a grab and go breakfast for the next 3 days! I love having fun with my oats and trying different toppings and flavours! So you have my permission to EXPERIMENT!! Try cacao, coconut, fruit, nut butter, honey, maple syrup, dates, cinnamon...the options are endless. BUT if you're looking for some fool proof Overnight Oat ideas than I have you covered with my favourite 5 minute recipes below. Plus, all these amazing recipes are vegan! So everyone can enjoy them! 1. Chocolate Overnight Oats This is so so so delicious - and so easy to make! I mean who doesn't LOVE chocolate?!! Simply through everything in a container, mix and you're done.   2. Strawberry and Coconut Overnight Oats  This Strawberry and Coconut Overnight Oat is the easiest meal prep recipe ever! It's the perfect nourishing breakfast idea, especially when you're in a rush.   3. Hazelnut Butter Overnight Oats Mmm, if you're craving something a little sweet, yet delicious and still healthy.. give these Hazelnut Butter Overnight Oats a go. You can thank me later!   4. Vanilla, Banana and Blueberry Overnight Oats Yum! This Vanilla Banana and Blueberry Overnight Oats recipe is so creamy and delicious, and an amazing way to start the day. Heat them up in the morning for a super warming breakfast!   5. Peanut Butter and Jelly Overnight Oats Who doesn't love peanut butter and jelly?! Start your day with this super easy and healthy breakfast inspired by your childhood.   Try recipe or two this week and be sure to let me know your thoughts. I LOVE LOVE LOVE hearing your feedback! Be sure to also share your creations with me on Instagram so I can like, comment and share! Use the tag @leahitsines and hashtag #leahitsines to reach out.  Happy cooking, Leah xx

Welcome back for the second BARE edition of Meal Prep Sunday! Once again we're going to be prepping easy, delicious and healthy recipes together from my upcoming BARE Guide. Yay! I've designed ALL my BARE meals to be meal-prep friendly so you can easily fit healthy eating into your life. Plus, I've even included weekly planners so you can plan your food for the week and stay organised, whether you want to meal prep, batch cook or cook as you go. So first things first, before you get started be sure to download your FREE BARE Taste Tester, which has 10 exclusive recipes from my upcoming BARE Guide. Grab your FREE copy here and get excited because these are the delicious recipes we're going to be using for Meal Prep Sunday!    MEAL PREP GUIDELINES 1. You'll notice in the BARE Taste Tester that I've given an example week of how to plan your meals. You can choose to follow this or switch around the days, just make sure that for each day your only eating from one model, either Model 1 or 2 - not a mixture of both. Please note for this week of Meal Prep Sunday, I'll only be going through the method for Model 2 but you can also prep Model 1 here if you want.  2. For each recipe I provide, you'll need to work out how many serves you need. This is determined by how many days you follow Model 2 and also how many people are following the plan along with you. For instance, if you and you're partner (2 people) decided to follow Model 2 from Monday to Wednesday (3 days), you would need to make 6 servings of each recipe. 3. The BARE Guide is all about balanced and healthy eating made easy and delicious. While the BARE Taste Tester is a 1 week example, the BARE Guide can help you lose, gain or maintain your weight. Click here to find out more on this topic. 4. As I said above the BARE Taste Tester is only a 1 week example so there aren't any recipe swaps, however the BARE Guide is packed with over 120 flexible recipes so you can swap recipes and eat the way to want. For now, if there's an ingredient you don't like then simply swap it out for a similar ingredient that your like e.g. beef for chicken, cucumber for tomatoes, brown rice to quinoa. For baking, though I recommend that you stick to the recipe :) 5. After you've portioned out any warm or hot meals into containers, make sure you give them some time cool on your bench, before putting the lid on or putting them in your fridge. Putting hot into the fridge straight away, can cause bacteria to form and no one wants that. 6. If you're not going to eat your food within 3 days to cooking it, make sure you freeze it! That way you're at no risk of getting sick from your food :)   MEAL PREP PLAN (MODEL 2) Breakfast: Boiled Egg and Chorizo Shakshuka Snack 1: Apple and Nut Butter Lunch: Chicken Pesto Pasta Snack 2: Banana and Blueberry Bread Dinner: Lentil and Quinoa Stir-Fry Don't forget to download your BARE Taste Tester for the recipes. Grab your FREE copy here!   MEAL PREP METHOD 1. Read through this whole post first - so there's no risk of missing anything - and then work out how many days and how people are following the plan so you know how many serves you need to make of each recipe. 2. Go through each recipe and construct your shopping list for the week. What's great about meal prepping is you don't need a million different ingredients because you're making the same meals. 3. Go food shopping! 4. Once you're home, make sure you're kitchen is clear and ready for cooking, and then get out all the ingredients and containers you need. This is also the time you can put on some music, a podcast or a movie - or maybe you just want silence - whatever you need to enjoy the next couple hours. 5. Let's start cooking! First you're going to make your Banana and Blueberry Bread. Simply follow steps 1-5 and then once the loaves are in the oven, set a timer for 20 minutes. When the timer goes off, set the loaves aside to cool. You'll come back to it later. 6. It's time to make your Boiled Egg and Chorizo Shakshuka. Follow all the steps and then place each serve into individual container so you can easily grab your breakfast in the morning. 7. Now for your Apple and Nut Butter! As this snack involves no cooking and can be whipped up in less than 5 minutes, I recommend you make this fresh. In this step, I want you to organise your ingredients by having your apple and peanut butter next to each other - at home or at work - then everything is easy to grab when you need them. 8. With your breakfast and snacks done, it's time for lunch. Follow all the steps for your Chicken Pesto Pasta and place each serve into an individual container. Once the food has cooled you can put it in the fridge. 9. Let's finish of with dinner! As always, follow all the steps for your Lentil and Quinoa Stir-Fry and then place each serve in an individual container.  10. By this time your Banana and Blueberry Bread should have cooled, so but it into slices and place each serve into individual containers so you can easily grab them on the go. Once the food has cooled you can put it in the fridge. 11. Time to clean up! Put on your favourite music so you can smash this last step. After you've finished cleaning, all your food should have cooled down so you can now put on the containers' lids and store them in the fridge. 12. You're done! AMAZING!! You just finished BARE Meal Prep Sunday and you should feel so so so proud of yourself. Well done for putting your health and tastebuds first. Now take some time to sit back and relax - you've earned it!   If you want to meal prep Model 2 of the BARE Guide then simply click here! Plus, join the BARE Guide Community and start your healthy eating journey today! With over 120 exclusive recipes, flexible weekly meal planners, shopping lists and an abundance of supportive resources, the BARE Guide makes healthy eating easy, sustainable and, most importantly, delicious. Join the BARE Guide here! Leah xx

Welcome back for a special edition of Meal Prep Sunday! Over the next two weeks, we're going to be prepping easy, delicious and healthy recipes together from my upcoming BARE Guide. Yay! You know me, I'm a massive advocate for meal prep. Not only does it save you time, energy and money but it also ensures you're able to easily enjoy nourishing food everyday instead of accidentally skipping meals or feeling too tired to cook at night. I've designed ALL my BARE meals to be meal-prep friendly so you can easily fit healthy eating into your life. Plus, I've even included weekly planners so you can plan your food for the week and stay organised, whether you want to meal prep, batch cook or cook as you go. So first things first, before you get started be sure to download your FREE BARE Taste Tester, which has 10 exclusive recipes from my upcoming BARE Guide. Grab your FREE copy here and get excited because these are the delicious recipes we're going to be using for Meal Prep Sunday!    MEAL PREP GUIDELINES 1. You'll notice in the BARE Taste Tester that I've given an example week of how to plan your meals. You can choose to follow this or switch around the days, just make sure that for each day your only eating from one model, either Model 1 or 2 - not a mixture of both. Please note for this week of Meal Prep Sunday, I'll only be going through the method of Model 1 but you can also prep Model 2 if you want.  2. For each recipe I provide, you'll need to work out how many serves you need. This is determined by how many days you follow Model 1 and also how many people are following the plan along with you. For instance, if you and you're partner (2 people) decided to follow Model 1 from Monday to Wednesday (3 days), you would need to make 6 servings of each recipe. 3. The BARE Guide is all about balanced and healthy eating made easy and delicious. While the BARE Taste Tester is a 1 week example, the BARE Guide can help you lose, gain or maintain your weight. Click here to find out more on this topic. 4. As I said above the BARE Taste Tester is only a 1 week example so there aren't any recipe swaps, however the BARE Guide is packed with over 120 flexible recipes so you can swap recipes and eat the way to want. For now, if there's an ingredient you don't like then simply swap it out for a similar ingredient that your like e.g. beef for chicken, cucumber for tomatoes, brown rice to quinoa. For baking, though I recommend that you stick to the recipe :) 5. After you've portioned out any warm or hot meals into containers, make sure you give them some time cool on your bench, before putting the lid on or putting them in your fridge. Putting hot into the fridge straight away, can cause bacteria to form and no one wants that. 6. If you're not going to eat your food within 3 days to cooking it, make sure you freeze it! That way you're at no risk of getting sick from your food :)   MEAL PREP PLAN (MODEL 1) Breakfast: Chocolate Raspberry Overnight Oats Snack 1: Quinoa and Zucchini Loaf Lunch: Thai Chicken Patties with Spiced Salad Snack 2: Tuna Cream Cheese Crisp Bread Dinner: Mexican Meatballs Don't forget to download your BARE Taste Tester for the recipes. Grab your FREE copy here!   MEAL PREP METHOD 1. Read through this whole post first - so there's no risk of missing anything - and then work out how many days and how people are following the plan so you know how many serves you need to make of each recipe. 2. Go through each recipe and construct your shopping list for the week. What's great about meal prepping is you don't need a million different ingredients because you're making the same meals. 3. Go food shopping! 4. Once you're home, make sure you're kitchen is clear and ready for cooking, and then get out all the ingredients and containers you need. This is also the time you can put on some music, a podcast or a movie - or maybe you just want silence - whatever you need to enjoy the next couple hours. 5. Let's start cooking! First you're going to make your Quinoa and Zucchini Loaf. Simply follow steps 1-5 and then once the loaves are in the oven, set a timer for 20 minutes. When the timer goes off, set the loaves aside to cool. You'll come back to them later. 6. It's time to make your Chocolate Raspberry Overnight Oats. Follow all the steps and you're done! 7. Now for your Tuna Cream Cheese Crisp Bread! As this snack involves no cooking and can be whipped up in less than 5 minutes, I recommend you make this fresh. In this step, I want you to organise your ingredients by having your cream cheese and cherry tomatoes next to each other in your fridge and your tuna and crisp bread next to each other in the pantry - at home or at work - then everything is easy to grab when you need them. 8. With your breakfast and snacks done, it's time for lunch. Follow all the steps for your Thai Chicken Patties with Spiced Salad and place each serve into an individual container. Once the food has cooled you can put it in the fridge. 9. Let's finish of with dinner! As always, follow all the steps for your Mexican Meatballs and then place each serve in an individual container.  10. By this time your loaves should have cooled, so place each serve into individual containers so you can easily grab them on the go. Once the food has cooled you can put it in the fridge. 11. Time to clean up! Put on your favourite music so you can smash this last step. After you've finished cleaning, all your food should have cooled down so you can now put on the containers' lids and store them in the fridge. 12. You're done! AMAZING!! You just finished BARE Meal Prep Sunday and you should feel so so so proud of yourself. Well done for putting your health and tastebuds first. Now take some time to sit back and relax - you've earned it!   Join the BARE Guide Community and start your healthy eating journey today! With over 120 exclusive recipes, flexible weekly meal planners, shopping lists and an abundance of supportive resources, the BARE Guide makes healthy eating easy, sustainable and, most importantly, delicious. Join the BARE Guide here! Leah xx

I created the BARE Guide so you can change the way you eat and enjoy healthy, balanced and delicious food for life. But don't take my word for it! Discover why so many women LOVE the BARE Guide through these amazing testimonials below. Plus, if you haven't already, be sure to download your FREE BARE Taste Tester, which gives 10 exclusive recipes from my upcoming BARE Guide! Click here to get your FREE copy now.   "I am absolutely LOVING Leah Itsines' BARE Guide. BARE stands for Balanced And Realistic Eating. I have always struggled with “meal plans” and “diets” because I either restricted myself too much, or I hated it after a week or two. This lead me to over eat, feel guilty, and stop eating healthy all together.  The BARE Guide has changed me relationship and views on food in such a positive way! I no longer feel guilty about eating the foods and enjoy, and I am not over-eating like I used to because I am not deprived of foods that makes my tummy happy. I am forever thankful for Leah, this community, and the BARE Guide."  Stephanie, Instagram: Stefittie   "The BARE Guide has truly made balanced and realistic eating simple, easy, accessible and most of all, delicious and enjoyable! Eating the BARE way, I know I am nourishing my body with the nutrients it needs to thrive while also enjoying all the foods I love. It feels effortless, and this is certainly a way of eating I can sustain for life - because BARE ultimately is a lifestyle. I'm also Dairy & Gluten Free, and I have had no trouble adapting the recipes to suit my dietary requirements - the recipes are so flexible and adaptable and could be easily adjusted to any dietary needs.  As I work full-time, I'm a huge advocate for Sunday Meal Prep and do this every week. I have found the BARE Guide recipes have been perfect for my meal prep breakfasts, lunches and snacks because they don't take hours to prepare. An hour or 2 in the kitchen on a Sunday, and I've got delicious, balanced meals and snacks for the whole week that I actually look forward to eating!" Elise, Instagram: eb.fitness "Leah Itsines’ new bare guide makes healthy eating so easy and delicious. I love how she hasn’t missed out on any macronutrient needs and how it isn’t a restrictive way of eating. This way of eating fosters a healthy relationship with food and gives the power back to us to enjoy food how it should be! The recipes are so tasty, easy to follow and can be varied if needed to fit dietary requirements. I couldn’t recommend the bare guide enough!" Amelia, Instagram: ameliasbalancedkitchen   "Often we’re told and shown that unless we aren't eating a bland plate full of chicken and broccoli then we aren't “healthy eating” or living a “healthy lifestyle”. Leah Itsines Bare Guide proves that statement wrong! Filled with delicious, exciting and nutritious meals that are easy to prepare, cost efficient and simply just taste damn good! She proves you can enjoy a healthy and balanced life eating foods you love! The recipes are creative, versatile and full of flavour! The Bare Guide is an absolutely must have and I guarantee you will love it as much as I do! Happy cooking!!!!!" Chloe, Instagram: healthywithchloe   "As soon as I downloaded the bare guide, I couldn’t wait to get cooking. I’ve never believed in diets but rather just enjoy foods in a balanced manner. Leah’s bare guide is exactly that! It’s a realistic eating guide without complications and still enjoying all your favourite foods. What’s not to love?!" Rouba, Instagram: thefoodiekitchen   "I’ve struggled with my eating for many years. My diet struggles with food have either been too much, too little, or too restricted. Meal prepping has been the only way to solve for this issue. Leah’s BARE Guide really helps lay out what a healthy, balanced and yummy meal prep diet should be. And when life gets crazy, it’s nice to look in my fridge and see my prepped options to keep me on track. I never feel like I’m hungry and I’ve always got great clean snack options because of the BARE guide. I’m not the greatest cook but somehow these simple recipes make it look and taste like I actually know what I’m doing it the kitchen. It’s amazing!" Katrice, Instagram: katricenoelle   "The last few weeks I've been cooking BARE recipes for my meal prep and OMG! the recipes are simple, quick, healthy and most importantly delicious! I look forward to eating my  meals every single day! Meal prepping is part of my lifestyle and BARE has made it a more enjoyable activity. If you're getting started with your meal prep or if you're an experienced meal prepper, I'd highly recommend the BARE Guide! The guide not only provides you with breakfast, lunch and dinner options but also snacks, which are super simple to make and are very convenient to take with you to work or just anywhere you go (give the banana & blueberrie loaf a go! you'll thank me later!) Also, I love that BARE has been tailored to meet the AGFHE (Australian Guideline for Healthy Eating), which means that you will be getting the nutrients you need for good health!" Angela, Instagram: the_healthy_diary   If you have any other BARE questions, be sure to let me know via my contact form or info@leahitsines.com.au! I absolutely love hearing from you and want to answer any questions you may have. Join the BARE Guide Community and start your healthy eating journey today! With over 120 exclusive recipes, flexible weekly meal planners, shopping lists and an abundance of supportive resources, the BARE Guide makes healthy eating easy, sustainable and, most importantly, delicious. Join the BARE Guide here! Don't forget to download your FREE BARE Taste Tester to enjoy 10 exclusive recipes from the BARE Guide! All of them are quick, easy, healthy and most importantly super delicious.  Click here to get your FREE copy now. Leah xx  

My BARE Guide makes healthy eating easy, fun and delicious! Whether you want to be lose, gain or maintain your weight, you can feel happy and healthy while enjoying all your favourite foods. No more restriction, tracking or obsessive diets! This is healthy eating for life and my FREE BARE Taste Tester is the first step. Your BARE Taste Tester gives you a taste of everything my BARE Guide has to offer! (Which you can download for free here, if you haven't already) With over 120 exclusive recipes, an abundance of resources and flexible weekly planners, my BARE Guide is designed to help you can feel happy and healthy while enjoying all your favourite foods. I want you to enjoy everything that BARE has to offer! So here are my 6 top tips on how to get the most out of you BARE Taste Tester. 1. Plan ahead Whether you want to meal prep, batch cook or cook as you go, organisation is key! In you BARE Taste Tester, I've given you an example week of BARE meals as well as the delicious recipes. Use this plan to help you write out your shopping list and get your kitchen ready for the week ahead! In the BARE Guide, I give you example weekly meal plans, which you can follow or use for inspiration, while also providing you with a meal planner template so you can easily choose your BARE meals and plan them out for the week ahead. This small organised step helps you to save money, not waste food and, most importantly, ensure your body is getting all the macronutrients it needs to thrive. 2. Meal Prep You'll see very quickly that I designed all the meals in the BARE Taste Tester and Guide to be meal prepped focused. Meal prepping helps you to save time, energy and money, all while allowing you to enjoy healthy and delicious meals. Even if you're not into meal prepping there are a few easy things you can do to help you be organised for the week.  Pre-wash and chop your vegetables. Prepare and marinate your proteins. Depending on how soon you are planning on cooking these, store in the fridge or freezer. Cook your grains ahead of time. I typically batch-cook my quinoa, rice and pasta, then store them in the fridge for when I am assembling my meal. Don’t be afraid of your freezer! Portion out proteins, wholegrains and veggies and freeze for a quick go-to on a busy day. Plus, check out my 5 top meal prepping tips here. 3. Listen to your body When it comes to eating the best thing you can do for yourself is to listen to your body. I personally eat three main meals and two snacks every day, as this suits my lifestyle. Therefore, it’s how I have structured my BARE Guide so you can be sure you're getting all your macronutrients across the day. However, I suggest you eat and adjust the portion sizes if you need to whatever suits your lifestyle, hunger needs and personal goals. 4. Be open I've created every BARE Recipe to be easy, healthy, budget friendly and, most importantly, super delicious! However, through your BARE Taste Tester (and the BARE Guide) you may be discover new recipes, ingredients or flavours you haven't tried before and therefore, I highly recommend that you stay open to trying new things! At the same time, also be open to experimenting. Feel free to add or change your veggies, swap your proteins (for the right serving size) or use different spices.  You'll discover in the BARE Guide that every recipe is super flexible with an abundance of swaps and alternatives, so you can eat the way you want!   If you have any other BARE questions, be sure to let me know via my contact form or Instagram! I absolutely love hearing from you and want to answer any questions you may have. Join the BARE Guide Community and start your healthy eating journey today! With over 120 exclusive recipes, flexible weekly meal planners, shopping lists and an abundance of supportive resources, the BARE Guide makes healthy eating easy, sustainable and, most importantly, delicious. Join the BARE Guide here! Leah xx

I'm sure one point of your life, you have woken up too late on a weekend and skipped breakfast, or been too busy at work to eat lunch, or maybe even skipped a meal in pursuit of particular health goals. But have you ever wondered what happens to your body when you skip a meal, other than hunger pains, low energy levels and getting ‘hangry’? There's a lot of overwhelming information out there so it was super important to me that I addressed this question with the help of my in-house dietician.  First and foremost, it might surprise you to know that even if you skip just one meal your blood sugar (glucose) levels fall. Glucose is a super important fuel source for your body and brain, which can not function at their best without it. In periods of starvation and extreme food restriction, your metabolism can slow down to conserve energy and start to draw on its muscles for protein and energy – and reduced muscle mass significantly reduces the speed of metabolism. When you return to eating normally, your metabolism speed may not return to normal and you may even you gain weight quicker than you previously did. What if I accidentally skipped a meal? While skipping even one meal will cause your blood sugar levels to fall, an accident - like sleeping in - every now and then is not the end of the world. Yes, you may feel tired or even hangry but the best thing to do is to go about your day as normal and enjoy your remaining meals. It's also really important to listen to your body and adjust portion sizes to your hunger levels as you may find yourself feeling hungrier than usual. How often should I be eating? Unfortunately, there is no ‘one size fits all’ answer because everyone is different and with different requirements. Therefore, the best thing you can do for yourself is to listen to your body. I personally eat three main meals and two snacks every day, as this suits my lifestyle. Therefore, it’s how I have structured my BARE Guide so you can be sure you're getting all your macronutrients across the day. However, I suggest you do whatever suits your lifestyle, hunger needs and personal goals.   If you have any other questions, be sure to let me know via my contact form or Instagram! I absolutely love hearing from you and want to answer any questions you may have. Join the BARE Guide Community and start your healthy eating journey today! With over 120 exclusive recipes, flexible weekly meal planners, shopping lists and an abundance of supportive resources, the BARE Guide makes healthy eating easy, sustainable and, most importantly, delicious. Join the BARE Guide here!   Leah xx

There's no denying that I'm a big advocate for meal prepping!  When life is busy and crazy, the last thing you want to worry about is what to cook for dinner or make for lunch.  Just a couple hours of meal prep, can make healthy eating and cooking 10 times easier because everything is all ready to go, which means you're less likely to skip breakfast or suffer from 3pm-itis. Meal prepping saves time, energy and money, all while allowing you to enjoy healthy and delicious meals....so really what more could you possibly want? I've even designed every recipe - over 120 - in my BARE Guide to be easy to meal prep, so no matter what your tastebudds are craving you can feel happy and healthy, while enjoying all your favourite foods. To get started, here are my 5 top meal prep tips that EVERYONE needs to know! Whether you're a student, busy mum or just a beginner, these will help you organise your food for the week & make healthy eating 10X quicker & easier. From how to prepare your meats & chicken to how prep multiple meals at once, here's everything you need to know. 1. Get organised! Before you start cooking and even before you go food shopping, you need to get organised. Plan out all your recipes for the week and create your shopping list so you know exactly what you're making and need to buy, and therefore won't be overspending or wasting food. In my BARE Guide, I provide you shopping lists and weekly meal planners that you can fill to organise you food for the week. I also give example weekly plans and shopping lists that you can follow or use for inspiration. 2. Prepare and marinate your proteins.  Once you've finished food shopping, you want to prepare and marinate your proteins first. The reason for this is that while you're proteins are marinating (1-2 hours), you can use this time to start to cooking the rest of your food instead of wasting time at the end. 3. Take one step at a time. When you planning on cooking 3-5 different meals, it's easy to start to feel a little overwhelmed so my best advice to focus on one recipe at a time. Once you've put your proteins aside to marinate, start by focusing on preparing your breakfast, then snacks, lunch and finally dinner.  4. Containers, containers, containers! Part of the ease of meal prepping, is that your food is portioned out into individual servings BUT for this you'll need to have good containers. There's nothing worse than running late in the morning and trying to portion out your food in a hurry so be sure to have plenty of good containers on hand that you can portion your meals out ahead of time. 5. Don't be afraid of your freezer. You're freezer is your lifesaver on crazy busy days! Stock it up with your meals so you can easily grab them on the go. Plus, if you're not planning to eat your food within 3 days of cooking than it's important that you freeze your food - otherwise it will good off and could give you food poisoning and no one wants that! BONUS TIP: Have fun! The last thing I want you to do is to think of meal prep as another thing on your to do list. It's here to make your easier, healthier and happier! So to ensure you enjoy your time meal prepping, I highly recommend you put on some music, a favourite podcast and even some Netflix - whatever you need to make it super fun!   If you have any other questions, be sure to let me know via my contact form or Instagram! I absolutely love hearing from you and want to answer any questions you may have. Leah xx  

I have had a lot of people ask me whether or not they can use my BARE Guide for weight loss/weight gain.  So I thought I'd write a blog post to help answer this question and so you could better understand BARE! Plus, if you haven't already, be sure to download your FREE BARE Taste Tester, which gives 10 exclusive recipes from my upcoming BARE Guide! Click here to get your FREE copy now. Can I use the BARE Guide if I want to lose or gain weight? The short answer is YES, absolutely! Whether your goal is weight loss or weight gain, my BARE Guide is suitable for you. BARE is tailored to the Australian Dietary Guidelines and the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating, and this ensures you are getting the correct balance of the core food groups to achieve good health. For the average person, the key to weight loss or gain is not in the types of foods consumed, but the amounts. For example, if you are an athlete who does heavy weight training, your protein needs will be higher compared to the general population. If you are trying to lose weight and feel the BARE meals are too big for you, you may need to tweak the portion sizes to be a little smaller and to better suit your requirements. If you are trying to gain weight (or you’re an athlete who does heavy weight training), you may need to adjust the portion sizes to be bigger and to better suit your nutritional needs. Ultimately, only YOU know if you’re eating too much or too little at each meal. The best way to eat the correct amount for you is by paying attention to your body’s natural cues and listening to your hunger needs. This doesn’t mean you should go wild and scoff your face with food after a big workout – it just means eating intuitively and in moderation. And, of course, exercise is another key ingredient to achieving your health and fitness goals. I hope this helps answer your questions! If you do have any other questions please send them through to info@leahitsines.com.au. Join the BARE Guide Community and start your healthy eating journey today. With over 120 exclusive recipes, flexible weekly meal planners, shopping lists and an abundance of supportive resources, the BARE Guide makes healthy eating easy, sustainable and, most importantly, delicious. Join the BARE Guide here! Leah xx

I am so excited for you all to try my BARE Guide! I've been receiving so many questions about the BARE Guide that I thought it was best to put all the answers in one place. Plus, if you haven't already, be sure to download your FREE BARE Taste Tester, which gives 10 exclusive recipes from my upcoming BARE Guide! Click here to get your FREE copy now. Now let's get straight into the questions... What is the BARE Guide? The BARE Guide is designed to help women feel happy and healthy, while enjoying all their favourite foods. I've always believed that healthy eating doesn’t need to be complicated or boring. BARE teaches you how to enjoy a balanced and healthy relationship with food without restriction. With over 120 recipes, flexible weekly planners and an abundance of educational resources, BARE focuses on taste and ease just as much as nutrition. From burgers and curries to pancakes and banana bread, each recipe is quick, easy and, most importantly, super delicious! I've worked with an in-house dietician to ensure BARE gives your body all the daily macronutrients your body needs to thrive. I've separated the BARE Guide into 3 blocks so you can easily digest the information - pun intended - and enjoy the recipes without overload, which you will receive every four weeks. How long do I have to access the BARE Guide? With the BARE guide you receive lifetime access!  What level of cooking experience do I need? None at all. All of the recipes are designed to be quick and easy, and beginners are super welcome and will have a community of support available! If you’re a experienced cook, I promise you’ll enjoy these delicious recipes just as much as the beginners! I’ve tried so many programs before. What makes the BARE Guide different? BARE first and foremost is NOT a diet or about restriction in any way! It’s all about balance and enjoying food. You won’t find extensive meal plans, complicated recipes or expensive ingredients here. BARE gives you all the resources you need to build a healthy relationship with food but most importantly, it shows you that you can cook and enjoy all your favourite foods, while feeling happy and healthy. I have the original BARE ebook, is this just an updated version? Do I need to buy the BARE Guide? The BARE Guide is completely NEW! If you bought the BARE ebook I launched in 2018, you will need to repurchase the BARE Guide as it is completely NEW! From recipes and weekly planners to resources and support, everything is new and exclusive to the BARE Guide. I don’t live in Australia, can I still purchase BARE? Absolutely!! BARE is available world wide so everyone can enjoy it.   If you have any other BARE questions, be sure to let me know via my contact form or info@leahitsines.com.au! I absolutely love hearing from you and want to answer any questions you may have. Join the BARE Guide Community and start your healthy eating journey today! With over 120 exclusive recipes, flexible weekly meal planners, shopping lists and an abundance of supportive resources, the BARE Guide makes healthy eating easy, sustainable and, most importantly, delicious. Join the BARE Guide here! Don't forget to download your FREE BARE Taste Tester to enjoy 10 exclusive recipes from the BARE Guide! All of them are quick, easy, healthy and most importantly super delicious.  Click here to get your FREE copy now. Leah xx

One of the biggest myths around healthy cooking is that it has to be expensive!  Well I'm here to tell you that is simply not true. I love creating healthy recipes that are not only quick, easy and delicious but also budget-friendly.  So today I'm sharing my 5 top dinner recipes that will keep your wallet happy. Besides your basics (salt, pepper, onion, garlic and olive oil) you'll only need 7 or less ingredients to cook up these delicious meals! How cheap and easy is that?   1) Beef Skewers These are my number one Mediterranean beef skewers! They're super quick to make, and perfect for the whole family. I cook beef at least twice a week in my cooking because its a great source of protein, and also super versatile!   2) Chicken Parmigiana  This was one of my favourite dinners growing up as a kid! I just love how quick, delicious and, mostly important, cheap it is to make.   3) Potato Bake  This potato bake is super creamy but not heavy on the tummy. I love this easy recipe for dinner because it's a guaranteed crowd pleaser.   4) Roast Cherry Tomato & Prawn Pasta A super simple yet flavour packed meal! You'll be loving every single bite, and if you don't like prawns simple add chicken or tofu instead.   5) Bean & Corn Salad This is salad can be enjoyed as a tasty side or a super chilled dinner. Perfect for those nights when you can't be bothered cooking. Just throw everything into a bowl, mix it around and you're done!   Try recipe or two this week and be sure to let me know your thoughts  I LOVE LOVE LOVE hearing your feedback! Be sure to also share your creations with me on Instagram so I can like, comment and share! Use the tag @leahitsines and hashtag #leahitsines to reach out.   Happy cooking, Leah xx