Sometimes, making healthy eating and exercise decisions seems easier in theory than in practice. Add a little structure though and you’ll find those goals become a lot more achievable!

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In aid of your kicking your own goals right in the bot bot, we’ve teamed up with our recipe developer Steph and nutritionist and dietician Joyce Haddad to give you an inspiring week of delicious food, exercise and mindfulness activities. Plus, we’ll give you a template to fill out with your own favourites to keep the week interesting. So, let’s get into it! (Don’t worry, we’re fully aware of the irony of kicking an own goal in this situation. Just go with it.)

Monday

Breakfast: Berry Yoghurt Delight

– 1/4 cup Greek yoghurt
– 2 tbs fresh raspberries
– 1/4 tsp cinnamon
– 10 raw almonds
– 1 tsp of raw honey
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Drizzle with honey. Enjoy!

Health Tip

Blueberries, strawberries and raspberries contain plant nutrients known as anthocyanidins, which are powerful antioxidants known to protect against heart disease and certain cancers.

Lunch: Asian Chicken Slaw

– 1 carrot, grated
– 1 cup finely shredded red cabbage
– 100g cooked shredded chicken
– 1 cup baby spinach
– 50g cooked vermicelli noodles
– 1/3 cup unsalted cashews
– fresh coriander, to garnish

For the Sauce

– 1 long red chilli
– 1 lime, juiced
– 1 tsp raw honey
– 1 tbs salt
– reduced soy sauce (or tamari)

Combine all of the salad ingredients. In a separate small bowl combine the sauce ingredients. Pour over the salad and toss to combine, Top with coriander.

 Dinner: Chorizo Paella with Cherry Tomatoes

Hold the press! You absolutely CAN make a delicious Paella at home in a mere 30 minutes! Rich and smokey chorizo is the secret to the flavour profile of this dish; it provides the perfect base for all the jewel-like flourishes. Think cherry tomatoes, green beans, garlic and parsley, all topped off with a good squeeze of zesty lime. A sneaky glass of wine is the perfect accompaniment to this classic Spanish dish – go on, we won’t tell!

 Fitness

45 minute brisk walk while doing the mindfulness exercise below.

Mindfulness

Take a couple of minutes today to notice how you are breathing. Feel your breath and watch your chest expand and deflate with each breath you take.

Tuesday

Health Tip 

Don’t skip breakfast! Studies show that eating a proper breakfast is one of the most positive things you can do if you are trying to lose weight.

Breakfast: Lemon Avo Smash Toast

– 2 slices rye bread
– 1/2 avocado
– 1/4 lemon
– sprinkle of chilli flakes (optional)

Toast the rye bread. Spread generously with avocado. Season to taste with salt and pepper, a squeeze of fresh lemon and some chilli flakes.

Lunch: Leftover Chorizo Paella

Save yourself some trouble and enjoy your leftovers from last night!

Fitness

25 bodyweight squats, 25 donkey kicks, 25 pushups, 25 crunches. Repeat 2 – 3 times.

Mindfulness

Don’t feel that you need to fill up all your time with doing something. Take some time in the day to simply just be. When your mind starts to wander, bring yourself back to focusing on your breathing.

Dinner: Taco Tuesdays Fish Tacos

Easy eating? It’s got to be quick, and preferably able to be eaten with one hand. Nothing fits this brief more than a taco – with crispy fish inside no less! The real star of this dish is the mayonnaise. There’s a hint of sweet mango amidst the expected tang of mayonnaise. Douse these tacos in a good squeeze of lime and your family will be in for a sweet ride.

Wednesday

Breakfast: Hump Day Protein Fuelled Brekkie

– 2 boiled eggs
– 1 cup baby spinach
– apple cider vinegar
– 1/4 avocado

Boil two eggs for 6-7 minutes (for hard boiled, get our ultimate guide here). Meanwhile, sautée spinach in a small frying pan with some olive oil. Serve eggs, avocado and and spinach with a drizzle of apple cider vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.

Lunch: Leftover Fish Tacos

Keep the fun going and have a taco for lunch! Storing all the fillings for the tacos separately will mean they’re just as good the next day.

Dinner: Beef and Garlic Sizzle Stir Fry

If you’ve ever felt that pang of jealousy at the sight of a sizzling plate being delivered to somebody else at your local Chinese, this dish is for you. Just as those plates wow, delight and please, so does this stir fry. The best part is, it’s as simple as; 1. Cook the rice, 2. Coat and marinade the beef, 3. Fry, 4. Serve and devour!

Health Tip

Make sure you get enough fluids throughout the day – it doesn’t have to be all plain water! You can enjoy herbal tea, mineral or soda water, black coffee (up to 3 per day). (Pssst… why not try infused water? It’s gorgeous and delicious.)

Fitness

60 minute jog/walk intervals. Walk for 2 minutes and jog for 30 seconds. Build up to walking for 2 minutes and jogging for 1 minute.

Mindfulness

Today, practice the Zen proverb: “When walking, walk. When eating, eat.” Do not multi-task; just single-task. When you’re eating, just eat. When you’re driving, just drive. Don’t try to knock-off tasks while you eat or drink.

Thursday

Breakfast: Easy Choc-Berry Overnight Oats

– 1/3 cup rolled oats
– 1/3 cup milk (any type)
– handful mixed berries (fresh or frozen)
– 2 tsp raw honey
– 3 tsp raw cacao powder
– 1-2 tbs Greek yoghurt

Combine all of your ingredients, except the Greek yoghurt, in a jar. Stir and place a lid on top. Sit in the fridge overnight. When you’re ready to serve add the Greek yoghurt and eat. Note: You can make double the amount and save half for later.

Health Tip

Your bone density declines after the age of 30, so remember to get your daily calcium by chugging milk, snacking on low-fat cheese or eating some yoghurt.

Lunch: Leftover Beef & Garlic Sizzle Stir Fry

Dinner: Oregano Chicken with Green Beans & Kalamata Olives

Simple, clean flavours are the highlight of this Mediterranean inspired dish. The concept of the salad was first invented by an Italian, so you can trust that this simple combination will hit the spot. Paired with fragrant oregano, you’ll wish you were eating this dish by the olive groves in Tuscany.

Fitness

25 star jumps, 25 high knees, 25 air-punches, 25 bicycle sit-ups – Repeat 2 – 3 times.

Mindfulness

If you worry about the future, learn to recognise when you do this and then practice bringing yourself back to the present. Just focus on what you’re doing, right now.

Friday

Breakfast: Go-To Green Smoothie

– 1 frozen banana, chopped
– 2 handfuls baby spinach
– 1/2 cup coconut water
– 1 tbs nut butter (almond, peanut, cashew)
– 1/2 pear, chopped

Combine all ingredients in a high-powered blender. Add water if the mixture is too thick. Pour into a tall glass and drink immediately or large glass jar and seal for later.

Lunch: Leftover Oregano Chicken

Mindfulness

Enjoy your food and eat slowly. Food can get crammed down our throats in a rush, but where’s the joy in that? Savour each bite, slowly, and get the most out of your food. This will allow you to eat less and better digest your food.

Dinner: Beef Ciabatta Burger with Caramelised Onion

We’re ditching the cutlery and tucking into this rich steak sanga with sweet caramelised onion and beetroot. While you’re enjoying the freedom afforded by a one-handed supper, why not try: a) Whipping out a yo-yo trick? b) Waving to children and pets? c) High-fiving other people munching on this delight?

Health Tip

Make friends with tomatoes! They contain lycopene, a powerful cancer fighter, and they’re also rich in vitamin C. The good news is that cooked tomatoes are also nutritious, so use them in soups and casseroles, as well as in salads.

Fitness

45 minute brisk walk.

Saturday

Breakfast: Paleo Power Breaky

– 100g sweet potato, thinly sliced
– 1 tbs coconut oil
– 1 cup kale, destemmed & chopped
– 2 eggs

Heat the coconut oil in a large frying pan. Add the sweet potato and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side, or until golden and crisp. Remove and set aside, covered to keep warm. Crack the two eggs into the frying pan and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until cooked to the egg white has cooked. Add the kale around the edges of the eggs and wilt. Serve the eggs and kale alongside the sweet potato.

Lunch: Greek Beef Wraps

– 1-2 wholemeal wraps
– 150g cooked beef strips

For the Salad
– 2 tbs finely shopped oregano
– 2 tbs finely chopped parsley
– 1 tomato, diced
– 1 cucumber diced
– 1 handful rocket
– 30g fetta crumbeld
– 2 tsp red wine vinegar
– 1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced
– 1 tbs lemon juice
– 2 tbs finely chopped mint

Combine all of the salad ingredients in a large bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Fill the wraps with the Greek salad and beef strips. Wraps up and toast in a sandwich press or eat fresh.

Dinner: Dukkah Chicken with Roast Vegetables & Fetta

Eat like an Egyptian with this dukkah sensation (dance moves optional!). Keep it simple tonight with this golden dukkah crusted chicken paired perfectly with a roasted ratatouille. Set and forget the veggies as they roast; it ticks all the boxes; healthy, easy and delicious.

Health Tip

Leafy greens contain more than a dozen individual flavonoid compounds, which work together as cancer-fighting antioxidants. These elements are excellent promoters of heart health. Green smoothies for the win!

Exercise

25 lunges (alternate legs), 25 decline push-up, 25 overhead press (using a full 1L water bottle in each hand), 25 mountain climbers, 25 second plank. Repeat 2-3 times.

Mindfulness

Just as you would savour your food by eating it more slowly, do everything else in your day in this way. Slow down and savour each present moment, because you’ll never get that moment back.

Sunday

Breakfast: Six Minute Smoked Salmon Scramble

– 50 g smoked salmon
– 2 eggs
– 2 tbs milk (any type)
– 2 tbs chives, finely chopped
– 1 slice rye toast
Heat a dash of olive oil in medium frying pan. Whisk the eggs in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add the egg and cook for 3-4 minutes, gentle stirring until they begin to come together in the pan. Keep going until you’ve reached a lumpy but soft consistency. Serve on rye toast with smoked salmon and a sprinkling of chives. ”

Lunch: Fridge Dive Salad Bowl

Dive on in and turn your leftovers into treasure with a fresh salad! These ingredients are just suggestions: feel free to substitute with whatever you have lying around!

– 1/2 cup cooked shredded chicken
– 1 cup baby spinach
– 1 carrot, grated
– 1/2 cup red cabbage, finely shredded
– 1 cucumber, diced
– 1/4 avocado
-1/2 cup cooked brown rice or quinoa

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl. Drizzle over some olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Dinner: Indian Spiced Lamb Roast

A sumptuous lamb roast with a sub-continental twist. This tender lamb rump is spiced with a mild warming curry powder, crispy roasted vegetables and sweet, rich mango chutney. Don’t forget to rest your lamb for 10 minutes after roasting for the perfect slices that are blushing and moist.

Health Tip

Hot, spicy foods containing chillies or cayenne pepper trigger endorphins, the feel-good hormones – these are definitely needed on a Sunday night before another bout of Monday-itis.

Exercise

Rest day, but focus on doing incidental activity. If you’re driving somewhere, park a block away and walk the rest of the trip. Choose stairs instead of the elevator. Choose a park bench instead of the sofa. Or maybe the lawn needs mowing? Try to do atleast 3 types of incidental activity today.

Mindfulness

Get organised this week by not scheduling things close together. Instead, leave room between tasks on your schedule. This gives you a more relaxed schedule, and leaves space in case one task takes longer than you had planned.

Whether you go with our example week to get you started or jump straight into your own meal plan, try setting out your Monday to Friday and see how much easier it is to achieve your goals.

Joyce is an accredited practising dietitian and accredited nutritionist. You can find more of her healthy living inspiration on her website, Facebook and Instagram.