Blog | Leah Itsines

So you guys have been LOVING Meal Prep Sunday! And as a result I have been smashing more and more new meal prep recipes for you. I'm all about giving the people what the want and DAMN! are these delicious! I don't want you to miss out on these tasty, healthy and super easy gems so I thought it was best to put them all in one place.  Here are my 5 new amazing meal prep recipes... 1. Strawberry and Coconut Oats Overnight oats are sooo good! So easy and so delicious. I love heating them up in the morning because then they taste like pudding. This strawberry and coconut combination is the BOMB!     2. Reece's Peanut Butter Cups Who thought a healthy snack could taste THIS GOOD! They look and taste so decadent but are packed with goodness. You have to try these!     3. Roasted Veg and Bulgar Wheat Salad Bulgar Wheat! I had never tried Bulgur Wheat before and really wanted to! 😍 It’s so similar to rice and couscous and is perfect in salads like this Mediterranean Roast Vegetable salad!     4. Mixed Berry Chia Pudding CHIA PUDDING! It took some getting used too, but chia pudding is a great recipe to have in the mornings! It keeps you full, can be made in advance and great for meal prep!     5. Zucchini and Quinoa Slice Zucchini, Mushroom and Quinoa Slice!! 😍 Freeeeeking YUM! This is SUCH a good snack for those 3o'clock snack feelings and will keep you going over until dinner time! Quinoa is a GREAT carb that keeps you fuller, for longer! So adding it into slices like this, salads or anything else thats typically 'light' is a great way to bulk up your meal!     Let me know your thoughts in the comments below and what you would like to see more in Meal Prep Sunday. 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. Leah x

What is the 6 week challenge:  To join in on our BARE Guide 6 Week Challenge, all you have to do is purchase the BARE Guide or have purchased before, there is nothing else you need to do other than sit tight....and wait for the fun! Our 6 Week Challenge will start on Monday the 13th of January and run until Sunday the 23rd of February however, you can join at any time before Monday 13th of January. Closer to the date, you will be sent additional BARE Guide Challenge Resource documents which will help support you throughout this journey and also help keep you accountable throughout the 6 weeks. I would recommend joining the Facebook Group for some of the below fun!  The 6 Week Challenge Documents Include: Weekly Measurements Goal Tracker Document What is this $500 AUD Grocery Voucher Prize? How Do I Win? I will be rewarding 4 lucky winners with $500 (AUD) grocery vouchers. These winners will be women who are living & breathing the BARE healthy eating lifestyle over the 6 week period. As the 6 week challenge is about YOUR goals around mental, emotional and physical health and nutrition, we will be judging the winners with a range of factors set out below: Social Media Activity We of course need to be able to see that you’re active, living and breathing the BARE way when it comes to being online! Being active could be posting on Instagram (remember to tag so we see it!), sharing on your creations on Facebook and with the FB group community, engaging on the BARE Guide & Leah's Instagram posts and overall being active on social media. Goal Progress We’d love to be able to see your progress. Of course everyone has their own goals so we want to take ALL types of tracked goals into consideration. Your progress could relate to how many dress sizes you've gone down, how many CM you've lost off your waist, how many KGS you've dropped or even how how much better you feel mentally & emotionally. Support The BARE community is an incredible place for support, and we’d love to be able to see you asking, sharing and inspiring others on your journey within the BARE Guide Facebook community group. If you don’t have Facebook this is okay - We’d love to see support on your other social media profiles.  Community contribution  If another member asks a question and you have the answer - we’d love if you could help them out! The BARE Guide Facebook group is all about helping and supporting one another, so I'd love your help in doing so. If you don’t have Facebook this is okay - We’d love to see some sort of community support on your social media profiles.  Positive and active member  As a base, we’d love to see that you’re a positive and active member of the BARE Guide community and are smashing through your goals, supporting and inspiring women all around you. . We will be announcing our 4 lucky winners on Monday the 24th of February, 2020.  If you have any questions, feel free to email us at info@leahitsines.com.au  Otherwise, I hope to see you SMASHING your goals in January.. I'll sure be joining in! Leah xx  

So lately I've had a lot of feedback from you about wanting to cook on a budget and make delicious meals that use similar ingredients. Especially, when you need a whole different set of ingredients for each meals.  I always believe cooking should be easy, simple, approachable and affordable.  You don't need to be spending big $$$ to make tasty, healthy and filling meals but sometimes that's easier said then done... So here is a blog on Sweet Potato, Made 5 Different Ways! This way you can keep the flavour up but the cost down. Plus, as always each recipe is SUPER easy to make so you'll be saving time and energy too. Let's make life easier for you... 1. Sweet Potato Curry This vegan curry is SO tasty! I used a massaman curry paste as a base, which really makes the flavours pop. I love how light but creamy it is - just a magical!     2. Sweet Potato Pie How great is sweet potato? And how amazing are pies?! Well just imagine how insane this mix is going to taste ! This vegan pie is absolutely packed with vegetables! It's the perfect warming dish for winter or great for when you want to do some batch cooking.     3. Stuffed Sweet Potato These are AMAZING loaded sweet potatoes, topped with delicious chia seeds! You have to try this vegan recipe. It's SUPER filling and packed full with goodness, you'll be loving ever bite.     4. Vegan Enchiladas  Soooo enchiladas are DELISH! I absolutely love them and I just made these BOSS vegan ones to impress a vegan in the office....It totally worked. HAHA. Everyone and anyone are guaranteed to love them.     5. Curried Sweet Potato Soup This soup is AMAZING in winter because its super filling and the delicious spices will keep you nice and warm on the inside! Plus, it's another batch cooking favourite for when you're wanting some easy leftovers.     Try a recipe or two this week and let me know your thoughts in the comments below. 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. Leah x

Ah Christmas is only a few weeks a way and I am SOOO excited!! I can't wait to get all that delicious food in my tummy BUT before any of us can do that we need to get cooking!! And I know this part can get a little overwhelming so I thought I'd share with you my top 5 tips to a healthy and easy Christmas.  I stick by these tips every single Christmas and they never let me down! So let's get into them... 1. Keep it simple Don't get caught up in the idea that you have to spend hours in the kitchen to serve up an amazing Christmas feast. A simple Greek Salad, with Roast Potatoes and Beef Mince Kebabs can be JUST as delicious and filling, as an 8 hour slow cooked ham and 20 ingredient salad. Choose recipes that are easy to follow, require minimal ingredients and don't require you to spend hours in the kitchen.     2. It's all about the sides Never underestimate the power of sides. Yes, your choice of mains (e.g. meats, lasagna, baked tofu) is important but the SIDES are what make an amazing feast. Instead of focusing on having a million different mains, choose your top 2 - 4 and then steer your attention to your sides. I love loading up my plate a variety with different salads (My favourites are my Greek Salad, Potato Salad from My Easy Christmas Recipes) and Haloumi Pasta Salad), roast and grilled veggies (like my Roast Potatoes, Greek Style Roast Capsicum and my Roasted Pumpkin My Easy Christmas Recipes)  and of course sauces! My top picks are my Chimichurri Sauce and my Creamy Tzatziki.      3. Healthy eating is possible It's easy to associate Christmas with loads of decadent food but in my experience healthy eating is very possible. Loading your plate up with good proteins (e.g. Pork Skewers, Baked Barramundi, Beef Mince Kebabs, Chickpea and Lentil Patties and a variety of salads and veggies is a delicious, satisfying and yet nourishing way to enjoy Christmas! When it come to dessert there are plenty of healthy options with including fruit salad, Mango Sorbet, Peach Parfaits and these nourishing Brownies.     4. Get prepared early A bit of preparation and organisation goes a long way when it comes to Christmas! Tonight or this weekend - the earlier the better - sit down, plan your menu and then get the food shopping down.     5. Make the day before The best thing you can do is utilise Christmas Eve day to cook and get everything ready for the next day. Make sure your all the meats and/or tofu are chopped and marinated, and ready to go straight in the oven or on the BBQ on Christmas Day. Pre-chop all your veggies to roast and even get our salads ready - just leave the salad dressings off so they don't go soggy. Also get all your sauces and dips done the day before! My tip is to go through your recipes and highlight anything that can be done the day before, even if it's just part of a recipe - like chopping up the veg!   I hope you enjoy these amazing tips, which I know I'll definitely be using this Christmas! Love, Leah x

  As you know, I love meal prep Sunday.. Typically filled with my delicious BARE Guide meals.. However, I don't want you to miss out, especially if you're not yet apart of the amazing BARE Guide community. Below is everything you'll need to create your own meal prep Sunday plan - from the super tasty recipes to my step-by-step method. What you'll discover is that not only is it actually incredibly EASY and fun but going to set you up for life.     Meal Prep Sunday Method 1. Make a decision Ok first things first. You need to decide how many meal plans you want to create AND how many days you're going to follow each meal plan. For instance, you may decide to follow one meal plan Monday to Wednesday, and then another Thursday to Sunday or you may do the same plan every single day. Now remember you don't have to meal prep or follow plan for the whole week, it's completely up to you and what works for you and your preferences.     2. Set Your Layout Grab a pen and paper and for each meal plan you're designing write the following... Breakfast: Snack 1: Lunch: Snack 2: Dinner: This layout allows you to easily fill in and read each meal plan!     3. Choose Your Recipes Probably the most important recipe of the all...deciding what you eat! BUT don't stress because I've made it super simple for you with the following tips... 1. By clicking this link, you'll be sent to a whole group of Meal Prep Sunday recipes that are designed to easily fit into your life! 2. You're more than welcome to choose recipes outside of the Meal Prep group, simply look for recipes that you can easily batch cook, keep in the fridge, reheat if you need and/or don't require too much extra work when you're about to serve. 3. Focus on choosing one recipe at a time to reduce any form of overwhelm. Let's just take one step at a time! 4. Choose at least one snack that's super easy and doesn't require much prep work like apple and peanut butter, carrots and hummus or yoghurt and frozen berries! 4. Use my abundance of resources to help you choose the right meals for you and gain meal prep inspiration. You can find all 8 weeks of Meal Prep Sunday here, as well as my 5 Rules to Building a Nourishing Meal, The Easy Meal Plan For Busy Women and Your Guide to Food Portion Sizes and Control.     4. Get organised Now that you've worked out all your meals, it's time to get organised.  Start by following the steps below: 1. 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. 2. Go food shopping! 3. 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. Start Prepping Now it's time to start prepping and cooking! At this point it can feel a little overwhelming - where do you even start? what order do you follow? So here are my top tips for prepping! 1. Go through your recipes and work out if anything needs marinating or will take a while to cook in the oven. These things need to be done FIRST because while they're marinating or cooking, you can be getting other stuff done - like all your easy stuff... 2. I like to get all the easy stuff done and out on the way asap because it creates momentum and makes you feel like you're ticking things off! For me the easy stuff is usually, your snacks and breakfast. 2. After cooking warm or hot meals make sure you give them some time cool on your bench, before putting them in containers and closing the lid on. Putting hot into the fridge straight away, can cause bacteria to form and no one wants that. 4. Now if you've been following Meal Prep Sunday for a while, you'll notice it is possible to float between the recipes to get things done quickly but if that is ever too overwhelming (including tip 1) just focus on ONE recipe at a time. It doesn't need to be any trickier than that. Give this a go this week and be to let me know your thoughts and what you would like to see more in Meal Prep Sunday. 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. Leah xx

Firstly, I just wanted to say I am SOOO damn excited that we are doing another BARE Guide challenge and I can't wait to smash all of our health and fitness goals together! To join in on our BARE Guide 6 Week Challenge, all you have to do is purchase the BARE Guide or have purchased before, there is nothing else you need to do other then sit tight....and wait for the fun! Our 6 Week Challenge will start on Monday the 4th of November, however, you can join at any time. Closer to the date, you will be sent additional BARE Guide Challenge Resource documents which will help support you throughout this journey and also help keep you accountable throughout the 6 weeks. I would recommend joining the Facebook Group for some of the below fun!  The 6 Week Challenge Documents Include: Weekly Measurements Goal Tracker Document Wellbeing Tracker Document Progress Picture Accountability Live Cooking With Leah (Facebook Group) Weekly Q & A's with Leah & The Dietitian (Facebook Group) Weekly Facebook Group Check ins Email Support From Leah + BARE Guide Team Plus much, much more! This is by far our biggest challenge yet and even better I'll be joining in too.. Trying to smash some of my own goals too! All you need to do is purchase the BARE Guide & join our BARE Guide Facebook Group Community (must have purchased ) and we can smash our goals together. If you have any questions, feel free to email the support team at info@leahitsines.com.au  Otherwise, I hope to see you joining our challenge! Leah xx CLICK THE IMAGE BELOW TO JOIN!

We've all heard of Meat Free Monday's and I honestly think it's quite nice to take a break from eating meat all the time. Sometimes there's nothing better than a Veggie packed pasta or even a delicious salad.. Mmm if you couldn't tell, I'm currently craving vegetables. Here are My Top 10 Quick & Easy Veggie Meals in case you need some inspiration.  1. Vegan Bolognese Sauce  This is a super easy veggie loaded version of bolognese. I've added heaps of mushrooms and brown lentils so it's packed with protein to keep you energised and full. The batch is quite big but it's perfect to freeze for leftovers!     2. Homemade Baked Beans You'll never want to eat canned baked beans again, after you try this bomb recipe! This is such a great vegan option for brekky. It's super quick and easy, plus it lasts in the fridge for up to 4 days. Winning!     3. Vegetable Stir Fry If you're looking for a recipe packed with flavour or want to try new veggies but don't know how to cook them then this is the recipe for you! This stir fry is SO easy, so quick and sooooo delicious! What more could you want?     4. Sweet Potato Curry This #vegan curry is hands down INCREDIBLE! It's perfectly light but creamy and the massaman curry paste makes the flavours pop.     5. Mushroom Sausage Rolls These sausage rolls are the perfect party nibble because everybody will LOVE them! They're so so so easy to make but also packed with nutritious vitamins and minerals because mushrooms are super good for your health. It's a win win situation! For this recipe, I mixed button mushrooms through with delicious pumpkin (to give a little sweetness) and yummy spices so there's heaps of flavour.     6. Vegan Meal Prep Everyone loves a good meal prep - so here is an incredible VEGAN one! I've packed this recipe with beans, rice and sweet potato to keep your tummy nice and full. Meal prepping makes your life SO much easier, and guarantees you can enjoy a nourishing meal even on those crazy days.     7. Cold Rolls Three Ways Cold rolls are SUPER easy and SO good for a healthy lunch! The best thing about them is that they're packed with loads of veggies, noodles, and whatever protein you want. The combinations are endless!      8. Sweet Potato Pie How great is sweet potato? And how amazing are pies?! Well just imagine what this how insane this combo is going to taste. It's loaded with veggies and a great warming dish for those colder nights.     9. Light Potato Salad Are you a vegan who is over missing out on potato salad because it's DROWNED in thick cream or do just occasionally crave something lighter? Well this is the potato salad for you! It's super easy, super yummy and will hit your potato craving on the head!     10. Apple and Granola Crumble I have to finish this post with a good vegan dessert! Because let's face it just because you're vegan or lactose-free doesn't mean you don't love you sweets. This Apple and Granola Crumble is SO DELICIOUS! Simply serve it with coconut yoghurt or vegan ice cream (There are so many good options!) and you're good to go.     Try a recipe or two this week and let me know your thoughts in the comments below. 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. Leah x

When it comes to work lunches, it can feel so easy to just quickly buy something in your lunch break - even I'm guilty of doing that! But secretly deep down you know, just as I do, that you can make lunch 10x tastier and for a fraction of the cost at home. All it takes is a little organisation and the perfect quick and easy recipes to make it happen. Luckily for you, I have those perfect recipes! Not only are they quick and easy but they're also healthy and super delicious - so you'll have everything you need to power through your day. Most of these lunches, I recommend cooking the night before - they serve up as great dinners too if you just want to cook one thing - so you can easily grab and go in the morning! Whether you craving a fresh salad or warming dish, you'll find exactly what your looking for with these 10 quick and healthy lunch ideas for work! If you're seeking even more inspiration be sure to check out all my lunch recipes here! 1. Chilli Lime Chicken Meal Prep An oldie but a goodie! This Chilli Lime Chicken one of my most popular meal prep recipes and it's no surprise why. Naturally, it's super quick and easy to prep for the next day- hence the name - but what makes this recipe SO amazing is the flavour! It's is so mouthwatering that you colleagues will start drooling form the aroma alone.   2. Salmon Soba Noodles Super fresh and delicious, this healthy recipe is packed with veggies, omega-3s and low GI carbohydrates so you can enjoy sustained energy! It's actually a FREE recipe from my BARE Guide and can be made in an easy 20 minutes - how good is that!   3. Vegetable Quinoa  This Vegetable Quinoa will FILL you up! Quinoa is an amazing sources of protein and low GI carbohydrates, giving you the perfect boost of energy. I also LOVE how easy it is to make this recipe in bulk, allowing you to enjoy this tasty dish for days!   4. Grilled Pork Greek Salad This is a salad that won't leave you hungry! Lean pork is an incredibly filling source of protein and also tastes super delicious. Being greek, I love a good greek salad - surprise surprise - and this variation is such a quick and easy way to get more veggies into your diet.   5. Asian Power Bowl I've become a little addictive to power bowls lately! Basically, I love them because you can put all your faves into one bowl and call it a fancy name and you're good to go haha! But this Asian Power Bowl is next level! The combination of ingredients and flavours is SO tasty, you'll never experience a boring meal again.    6. Vegan Meal Prep For all my vegan out there, this is for you! BUT even if you're not vegan, you're going to fall deeply in love this with amazing meal prep recipe. It's ridiculously easy to prepare and ensure you've got lunch sorted for days! Who said vegans had to miss out?   7. Turkey and Avocado Grilled Cheese Sandwich This Grilled Turkey and Avocado Grilled Cheese Sandwich is next level! It's SO delicious and cheesy but still super healthy and nourishing. Plus, it's super easy to make at work if you have a toastie machine/ sandwich press.    8. Quinoa Fried Rice Another amazing quinoa recipe!! Whether you're vegan, vego or a meat eater, you will LOVE this recipe. Plus, you can even add tofu or chicken if you're looking for some extra bulk. This is a another recipe that's super easy to meal prep and batch cook, which means less cooking and more eating for you - just as it should be!   9. Moroccan Beef Hands down this has to be one of my favourite recipes! In less than 30 minutes, you can have this tasty meal prepped and ready to go for lunch the next day. Simply, add some broccoli to the recipe and you've got everything this you need a super healthy work lunch.   10. Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Salad Mmmmm Grilled Chicken Salad is the best! This variation is super simple, light and delicious. Plus, I love how quick it is to whip up, perfect for an easy work lunch or even dinner.   Try a recipe or this week and let me know how you enjoy via Instagram using the tags @leahitsines and #leahitsines. I absolutely love hearing from you and sharing your amazing creations! Leah xx  

What better time to write this blog than 3 days before I head off to Europe for two weeks - I am so excited! I have had a few questions on how I will survive without BARE (admittedly, I'll struggle without my Sunday meal prep haha!) but i have a few tips on how to travel and eat healthily.  If you're anything like me and you're a self admitted weirdo that loves to be super organised and prepared for their trips ahead...Especially when it comes to FOOD and eating HEALTHY while away and slightly out of routine, this blog post is for you!! I mean...who doesn't check the restaurant menu 4 weeks before hand??? There's nothing worse than being out of your comfort zone and staying healthy while travelling can be super challenging.. So I want to share with you my tops on how I plan to stay on track while in Europe and how you can still achieve your goals while travelling.    1. RESEARCH / PREPARE For me I love planning my trips - mainly because I'm a control freak.. But because i love to be prepared for what's to come. For me this starts with FOOD and especially plane food. I can't stand plane food, so I'll typically prepare some delicious BARE Guide snacks such as Apricot & Almond Bliss Balls, Seeded Crackers, Dips and veg (yes, you CAN take these on flights!) to snack on and even a delicious Pesto Pasta to enjoy as a main on a long haul flight.  Other things I love planning consist of: Local gyms Local restaurants Sight seeing ventures that I can walk to (counts as exercise) All of the above give me a sense of direction and a sense of understanding as to what's around my during my stay. This helps me stay on track and sets me up for success while away. Of course, stumbling on incredible places is a part of traveling so being super regimented and planning isn't 100% a guarantee, but more of a backup plan.  2. ROUTINE Following on from the above, I LOVE being in routine so personally being away for me is challenging.. However, that doesn't mean I give up on my goals! Implementing little things like morning walks, exercising daily and eating at LEAST three main meals a day helps me at least feel mentally as though I'm in routine and allows me to stay healthy while away.  I love checking out local supermarkets and pick up some healthy snack options (or even breakfast options) that I can eat in my hotel or on the go. I always buy fruit (like dates, berries, watermelon (pre cut haha!) or things like granola bars etc.  3. EXERCISE We all know how much I love exercise (lol #stillfittho) and when I'm away I still like to incorporate exercise into my day as much as possible! I find kickstarting my day with a nice sweat session really helps set up my day for success.. Especially if I'm away for work! If you can't or want to have a rest from exercise, thats totally fine too! Being a tourist, sight seeing and walking places is a great way to build up steps and keep your body moving!  I strongly advise moving around and getting your blood flowing while travelling... This all just adds to the feeling of being in routine! 4. HYDRATE If you didn't know already, staying hydrated is SO important!! Being hydrated helps to increase your energy levels, improve your digestion and support your body to function more efficiently. From flying to exploring new places, travelling can really dehydrate your body because your always on the move. Be sure to bring a reusable water bottle with you on your travels and drink 2-2.5 litres of water a day - otherwise you can end up feeling weak and fatigued...and you don't want that when you're travelling.  Click here to learn more about importance of staying hydrated! 5. ENJOY YOURSELF Lastly, and definitely most important... ENJOY yourself and enjoy your time away.. If you want to have a couple of days without exercising or being super strict on your eating habits, do so! It's important to mentally refresh while away travelling! Don't forget.. It's not the end of the world if you have a Nutella Crepe or 5 while away in Paris.. like I definitely will,  life is all about balance!! These are the exact tips I implement every single time I travel and they always help me! Try them out on your next trip and be sure to let me know how you go via Instagram using the tags @leahitsines and #leahitsines. I absolutely love hearing from you! Leah xx

Here are all of the answers to some of the questions I get asked every single day: What is the BARE Guide? What's the difference between the BARE Guide and BARE Vegetarian? Can I lose weight with the BARE Guide? WHAT IS THE BARE GUIDE? The BARE Guide an online healthy eating guide, that is designed to allow women enjoy all of their favourite foods and get the results they want. 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. THE BARE GUIDE HAS: - 120+ recipes exclusive to BARE- Flexible weekly planners and Shopping lists - Abundance of educational resources (cooking basics, universal measurements, swaps and alternative ingredients for recipes)- Tailored portion sizes by a registered practicing dietitian. - The BARE guides cater for those with Gluten, Dairy, Nut and other intolerances so you can swap between ingredients and meals with ease. CAN I USE THE BARE GUIDE FOR WEIGHT LOSS? 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. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE BARE GUIDE AND BARE GUIDE VEGETARIAN? First and foremost, BARE Guide uses meat products within the recipes and BARE Vegetarian does not. BARE vegetarian is ‘lacto-ovo-vegetarian’ which means we have used eggs and dairy, however has a Vegan swap on almost every page. When it comes to the planners and shopping lists – these are completely different (as there are new recipes). As for the recipes, SOME have crossed over from BARE Guide to BARE vegetarian. However, there are roughly 88 NEW recipes in BARE vegetarian and around 42 that have crossed over from regular. The Resources are similar but do have differences regarding cooking basics and information for those who follow a vegetarian diet.  If buying the bundle (not yet available), please note that some recipes and resources will be the same/similar. There is still a HUGE amount of support, new recipes and community. If buying the bundle, you will receive over 200 recipes that are workable within the guides – how amazing is that!  We also have accounted for allergies in both the BARE guide and Vegetarian BARE – with a huge swaps and alternatives table to help you swap ingredients for ones that you can eat. In regards to the number of  GF, DF, NF recipes, see below: BARE (meat based)Nut Free: 78Dairy Free: 51Gluten Free: 35 BARE Vegetarian Nut Free: 80Dairy Free: 61Gluten Free: 52 Some recipes have 1 ingredient that is something simple like soy sauce, which means we can’t call it “gluten free”, where if you would switch soy for tamari (in the swaps and alternatives table), this recipe would be gluten free. HOW LONG DO I HAVE ACCESS TO THE BARE GUIDE? With the BARE guide you receive lifetime access! BARE is a downloadable guide, so it will be with you forever as soon as you download. We have the online portal if you ever lose the guide to re-download. WHAT LEVEL OF COOKING EXPERIENCE DO I NEED? All of the recipes are designed to be quick and easy, and beginners are super welcome and will have a community of support available! You do not need any prior cooking level, our resources will help you through your journey. Each week, you will get more and more confident in the kitchen – I can promise you that! If you’re an 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 BARE 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. We’ve also worked really hard to give you more recipes so you have CHOICE and you can eat YOUR way. We want you to make a healthy change, while loving every minute/meal! READY TO JOIN THE BARE COMMUNITY? Hope this information has helped you and I hope I can make healthy eating much more achievable for you. If you have any other BARE Guide questions, please let me know. Leah x

If you haven't already noticed, my kitchen is my happy place.. It's where I can really get in my grove and be alone in my happy place and just do my thing! However, I know cooking and being in the kitchen doesn't come this naturally to everyone.. So here are my Top Tips On How To Have More Fun In The Kitchen and essentially make cooking more enjoyable. 1. Kitchen Essentials: First up, I love to have my kitchen stocked up on all of my basic ESSENTIALS.. So that when I'm ready to cook, I know I have all of my ingredients on hand. Some of my favourite essentials are: Stocks & Sauces Dried Herbs/ Ground Spices Canned Tomatoes/ Tomato Paste/ Tomato Sauce Grains Canned Goods PB & Nut Butters Eggs Fresh Vegetables Milk Fresh Herbs Meat/Fish/Poultry Fruit 2. Meal Prep & Plan Ahead If you're a member of our amazing BARE Guide community, you'll know that I am obsessed with meal prepping and using our BARE Guide meal planners to plan my weeks ahead of time. Typically I'll plan out my meals for the week ahead on a Saturday morning, head to the shops with Mitch and buy everything I'll need.. Then I'll meal prep all of my meals on a Sunday morning to help me stay on track and save time throughout the week! If you don't already meal prep, I strongly recommend this.. It's saved me so much time, effort, energy and MONEY during the week!  PS. If you're a part of the BARE Guide community.. Use the meal planners because they're lifesavers! 3. Get In The Zone Now for some people this might be having fun in the kitchen with your partner, family member or friend.. Unfortunately, this isn't the case for me.. Haha, I LOVE to be in the kitchen alone.. By myself and getting my grove on! I LOVE getting in the zone by listening to a good episode of Dr. Phil or Judge Judy on YouTube.. I mean how soothing does that sound in the background. Now, I know this won't work for some people.. So you could try some nice music or a playlist in the background.. OR if you're old school like my mum, you can have the 6pm news playing in the background, whatever makes you happy! 4. In & Out I'm not referring to In-N-Out Burger in California, however, I like to keep my dinners SHORT and be in and out of the kitchen within 30 minutes.. Especially after a long day at work. Make sure you're picking meals that don't take FOREVER and that you can enjoyable whip up quickly. Trust me, it's a good feeling when you can smash out a quick dinner and enjoy the rest of your night to yourself! 5. My Personal Favourite - EXPERIMENT The one and only motto I live my life by.. Is EXPERIMENT, EXPERIMENT, EXPERIMENT.. I couldn't express this enough. It's important you trial and error in the kitchen and try new things that will expand your cooking horizons. Don't be scared of making mistakes.. They're a good thing, because they'll help you grow as a cook. I mean.. I still burn toast to this day haha! The more you experiment, the more fun and freedom you will have in the kitchen.. Trust me, this is the BEST part about cooking! Don't be afraid to add your touch to a recipe or two. I hope you guys loved these tips and they help you have more FUN in the kitchen! If you have any other recommendations, I'd love to hear them, so please reach out. Leah x

We all hate the feeling of feeling un well or getting sick and during these times we're often not feeling like ourselves.. Which males it so much harder to stay healthy and get your body and mind back on track. Whether you’re suffering from a mild head cold or a bad flu, there are some small things you can do to help yourself feel better in no time! Below are my tips you can incorporate while feeling sick! DON’T SKIP MEALS  To maintain a strong immune system, you need to eat! If you have a sore throat, reach from something that soothes your throat while giving you a boost of energy and vitamins like my Chicken Noodle Soup or Honey Tea below. The hot broth will help keep your nasal passages clear and can also help prevent dehydration! Chicken Noodle Soup Turmeric & Honey Tea STAY HYDRATED:  It’s also important to stay nourished and hydrated when you're feeling unwell. I recommend drinking 2 - 3L of water a day so you can really try and get all of those nasty symptoms out of your system!  EXERCISE, LISTEN TO YOUR BODY: When I feel unwell, I choose not to exercise, but I will often set up at home and opt for a stretching session. When you’re sick, sometimes you feel tighter than usual and your muscles are sore, so a massive stretch session or a light walk (if you can) could truly make a difference – physically and also mentally. Eat The Right Foods Garlic and ginger are perfect to consumer when you're feeling unwell. Garlic, has anti-microbial properties that are good for healing viruses.. You can add this to almost all of your foods to help! Ginger, is another that is perfect for soothing stomach aches and potentially even help fight inflammation. I love adding freshly ground ginger to my teas! I hope you loved these tips on How To Stay Healthy While Feeling Unwell and I hope they help you when you are feeling unwell! Leah x