Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to track my food?
Yes and no. The reason why we ask people to track their calories and macros in the initial stages is to understand how much they are currently eating.Then we can make small changes to align with the targets we set. Once you understand portion sizes and macronutrient balance, you can stop.

I want to get leaner AND stronger, is this program for me?
Ah the number one question we get! And the answer is….yes, this is for you.

All you need to do is choose lean gains or fat loss gradual as your targets on the template. This will keep your intake at a level to support training and only put you in a very slight deficit at certain times. The meal structure and timings are the key to leaning out and getting stronger. When our clients follow the timings consistently they CRUSH it!

You may have heard that it doesn’t matter about timings etc for losing fat. This is kinda correct as your overall intake is most important. But when trying to fuel training, get lean and get strong, meal timings become very important.

I (delete as appropriate) am on holiday, have a worktrip, go out at weekends, Should I still sign-up?
This is possibly the only time in our lives that we will have a clear run of doing nothing but training, sleeping and prepping food. Not only this, we will give you the tools and information to manage going back to normal life, nights out, holidays, weekends away etc.

Component Cooking

If you struggle with meal prep and with quarantine, feel like you're cooking ALL DAY EVERY DAY, we have a solution for you! It's called component cooking. This is our method of breaking down meal prep into each macronutrient and building your meals.⁣ It allows flexibility and to adjust your meals depending on your training.⁣ Not only that, it allows you to maintain variety!.

Step 1: Cook a Protein Source

Either cook or buy pre cooked protein sources.

• Buy or roast a whole chicken, a side of salmon, pre bought turkey meatballs or a side of beef.
• Stir fry some chicken or turkey.
• Boil some eggs (at least 12).
• Use the slow cooker for beef / chicken / beans
• Boil some beans
• Buy some pre cooked tofu
• Vegan sausages
• Keep some of these plain and flavour some with spices and herbs.

Step 2: Cook your Veggies

Think about cooking veg two different ways and buying some raw.

• Meal prep 101 - steamed veg
• Pan fry some asparagus, broccolini and kale in garlic and chilli.
• Tray bake peppers, tomatoes, aubergine and beetroot in herbs and spices.
• Roasted cauliflower
• Buy cucumber, tomatoes, peppers and chop
• Grate some cabbage, carrot and broccoli to make a raw slaw.

Step 3: Cook your Carbs

Again, think about buying some already cooked and some you cook yourself

• Microwave some sweet potato.
• Boil some quinoa and / or rice in some stock.
• Make a pot of black beans with a tin of tomatoes and cumin.
• Roast some potato wedges.
• Bake some butternut squash
• Buy pre cooked grains
• Get some tortilla wraps

Step 4: Add Fats & Flavours

Now you can flavour the meal in any which way you want. This is easily done and allows you to make “different meals” from the same ingredients.

Add Different Fats

• Avocado (make guacamole)
• Seeds
• Nuts
• Olives
• Eggs
• Oils and vinegars

Add Flavours

• Spices
• Lemon / lime juice
• Herbs
• Hummus
• Greek yoghurt
• Chilli sauce

Step 5: Assemble!

What we now have is the base to ANY type of meal. We just build it based on your nutrition plan, your training or what fancy to eat that day! Get your plate or bowl, add the veggies first, then the protein source and top with the carbs, then add fats and sauces.

Component cooking allows you to be flexible with your plan!

Smoothie Saturday is quickly becoming part of many Sleveners' weekly routine! Not only do you get to try out a new recipe but chat with nutritionist Tom on the hot topics of the week. Come with questions or just have a listen and we bet you'll leave the chat feeling a bit more connected to your fellow Sleveners and hopefully having learned something too.

This week's recipe is a little bit leftfield: Chocolate Beet! The combo of chocolate and beets packs vitamins, minerals, & antioxidants and this smoothie is loaded with protein and carbs which makes for a perfect pre or post training snack! If you're too weirded out by beets, you can always replace with berries.

We're going to switch up the format of our Smoothie Saturdays to a live cook along the following Saturday, on the 16th of May. We will be pulling recipes from a book we love, Jamie Oliver's 5 Ingredients which makes shopping and meal prepping simple while also giving you inspiration to cook some delicious recipes.

We'll be testing out recipes this week and we'll let you know in next Sunday's edition which one we decide on! Don't worry, you won't have to buy the book we will provide all the information and give you the whole week to get the ingredients in. Can't wait!