Josh: Hi, this is Josh Stapleton from the DVCC and I am chatting here with DVCC transformation expert Valeriya Kabina, who is a bit of our resident chef, about some of the things that she does on a daily basis that ensures her food is to such a high standard and helps her with her results on a daily basis. So, Valeriya, talk to me first about what your food used to be, before you were at the DVCC?
Valeriya: Before I was at the DVCC I was eating healthy, but I was eating more carbs as well. So things like pasta would be included into my daily food, and also I would eat a little bit more of the occasional, chocolate.
Josh: Ok – and how has that changed since you have been at the DVCC?
Valeriya: Basically the DVCC helped me to realise what I have to eat to be able to have energy to be training and working, and being 100% every day. So the foods that I have changed helped me a lot to be more alert with what I am doing and gave me more energy. And I just followed exactly the same thing on MDS that our clients follow through.
Josh: Good. So, I know that you have very busy, long days and this is a problem for a lot of people and an obstacle that they sometimes struggle with. What kind of strategies help you to plan all of your food so that you can eat well throughout the whole day without having to cook in advance for every meal?
Valeriya: The key with it is knowing what you’re going to have, so before I go to the shop I think about what meals I would eat through the week and then write down the ingredients that I need and then get all the food sorted and I would prep.
So on Sunday the routine starts off with prepping the food in the morning; I prep about 3 or 4 days in advance so I’ll have my lunch and dinner sorted. So the key is the prep with the food; even down to chopping things and sometimes freezing them, that helps as well, so you can just get it out of the freezer, your chopped leeks or your chopped onions, and it is there as well for you to use; so it’s minimising the time with the food.
And when I cook, I cook at least 2 or 3 meals in one go; so I’ll be doing one meal and then while I do the other meal is already in the oven, on top you’ve already got the other meal going on; so doing everything in one go, so minimise the time spent cooking. The main thing is the prep and what you do; and also re-use the meals, so if you had something for dinner, you can have that for lunch the next day. So you can kind of like relay around it as well, which helps.
Josh: Ok, so a lot of planning in advance there, and that’s actually something that I do also and have found to help me a lot.
Now, talk to me – because I know we lunch together quite often and I’m often quite jealous of your food, it does look and smell very nice, and on the odd occasion where you let me try some it tastes very nice too – so talk us through some of your favourite meals that would be simple for people to cook who wanted to maybe emulate things that you do.
Valeriya: Things that I cook – I try and use different meats, so I would have chicken and beef, so I try and mix it up so I don’t get bored and I don’t overeat certain things.
Things that I cook, maybe chicken with bacon and asparagus; I like to eat loads of green stuff too, or a nice mixed salad. Also, DVCC grass fed beef burgers are beautiful; they have got lean mince in them and the quality of them is really good. I use most of the stuff from DVCC meat, I use like chicken burgers too, as the meat is good. Things like mint sauce, as you can eat it on its own if you make it meaty and put loads of vegetables in it.
Easy to use, or you can add courgettes and pasta too. I just like the variety of adding in the spices so if you make foods taste nice and use different spices, so you have got to just try things. You know, using bacon and then a bit of chorizo in it, adding all the flavours, it just brings out the good taste of the food. Try not to make it bland because then more than likely you’ll just look at it and think “Umm, it’s not nice”.
Josh: Ok – so you tend to eat a lot of the same foods then, so you’ve got your favourite recipes and you just repeat them?
Valeriya: Yes, I do repeat them; I try and get at least a few red meats in, a few chicken meats in and I eat fish, my other half doesn’t. So I try to eat that maybe when I’m on lunches at work. And sometimes just strange combinations too – I do try and just play around with the food, like eggs and avocados.
Josh: Nice – and actually as a little aside there, it has actually been scientifically proven that people in the best shape do tend to eat a lot of the same food, so don’t worry if you’re finding yourself eating the same food over and over again.
Like Valeriya says, there are a lot of different herbs and spices you can use to vary up the taste of your food; so use them to your advantage and make it different, and try and use a different herb or spice every time. So, Valeriya, if you were to give your top tip for people out there listening to this, to help them improve their body composition, what would it be?
Valeriya: I think the best top tip is give things a go, so try different recipes; be a little bit more creative with your food. And also, if you’re eating for the results, it’s not going to happen overnight, it is one of those things that you build up, it’s a habit. And if it’s the first time you are trying to eat healthy, you will need to get into the habit of eating well.
Plan in advance, have something to follow, so you know what you’re doing day by day and exactly what you’re eating. If you are not prepared for the day, then you’re more likely to be failing offthe wagon and reaching for the bad food; so, always have a plan in your head. Even if you are out or even if you are going shopping and stuff, so you have got that list in your head and that helps you stick to the plan. So that’s the key, being ready and prepped for what you are doing through the week.
Josh: Thank you very much!
So that’s just a short little interview with Valeriya Kabina, who is a Transformation expert at DVCC Bedford, sharing her top tips of how to improve your body composition, from a few things that have helped her. So thank you very much for listening; see you next time – bye.
