Chia Seed dessert

While away on training camp with Kell Brook the diet focus is always on performance food and weight loss, however that doesn't mean it has to be boring and bland. I'm always looking for ways to make the meals interesting and full of flavour and yet keep them within the macronutrient requirements for the day as well as sticking to the key diet principles of lean and clean.

I have over 8000 recipes on my pc, some days i simply sit when i have an hour looking for recipes with key foods and add them to my folders so i always have options and recipes to try out when my diet gets a little boring. When it comes to dieting myself i miss dessert, i have a sweet tooth which i can ignore but i don't feel like i should, therefore i look for healthy alternatives and with this Chia Seed recipe i definitely found one!

Chia Seeds are a great food and very versatile, some of the benefits include:

• high omega 3 content 
• good protein content with19 essential amino acids
• high in fibre
• good source of calcium and iron
• low in carbohydrates

Now the protein and omega 3 content can be debated as the absorption of these may not be great compared to say oily fish for omega 3 or chicken for protein but the important point is they're a seed and their content is a bonus to what is already a very healthy product.

As mentioned they're also very versatile, for this recipe you leave them to soak as the seeds form in to a gelatinous mix.

Chia Seed dessert:

2tbspn chia seeds

1/3 can of coconut milk

1teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon honey

Method:

Add all ingredients into a bowl and mix together, leave in fridge for at least 30 minutes and then split in to 4 servings.

Here's the macro breakdown for 4 servings:

Calories: 352kclas

Protein: 4g

Carbohydrates: 26g

Fat: 27g

I added a tablespoon of blueberry quark too as i needed to use it up, got to say this was a great dessert enjoyed by Kell, Dave Hembrough and myself!

Here's a photo i took of mine!

I will be adding fruit such as blueberries and cherries next time i make this.

As always any thoughts you have on this let me know!

David

Know your macros

Know your macros

Here’s a quick article on the key benefits of each macronutrient for your training. Many people get hung up on eliminating certain macronutrients however the reality is they have their place in everyone’s diet, the key thing is to find which ratio suits you and your body type best to assist with your training to achieve your goals.

Protein – the building blocks of muscle, protein from the diet increases protein synthesis within the body and also improves recovery from training. Also worth noting for when dieting is that protein is thermogenic meaning it causes greater fat loss. Increased muscle mass, improving performance and recovery are the key benefits of protein from the diet.

Carbohydrates – the single most affected macro when dieting, to cut or not is usually the question and as outlined this depends on the individual, no one size fits all. The role of carbohydrates is to increase muscle glycogen for energy and also spare dietary and muscle protein from being used as energy so they can be used for their main role as outlined above, after all to create a physique to be proud of you need to let protein do it’s job, carbohydrates allow this to happen optimally.

Fats – the main role of fats in the diet is at cellular level and for energy, again it is protein sparing but is also key for all the hormonal responses created through your training. EFA’S also need to be consumed, as they cannot be synthesized in the body.