MissFits Nutrition co-founder Tara Adlestone talks protein and power in our new series #WhatIEat
Body Confidential series sharing the daily eating habits of people living and working in Manchester. #WHATIEAT
Name: Tara Adlestone
Occupation: Co-founder of MissFits nutrition, protein supplements for women
How many meals do you eat in a typical day?
“Three full means a day with a good healthy portion of protein, fat, carbs and vegetables. I’ll also have a mid-morning snack and a mid-afternoon snack.
“To make up my plate, I usually have a palm-sized amount of protein, a fist-sized amount of carbs and two palm-size portions of vegetables. I’m definitely a savoury kind of girl, so I love loading my plate with veg.”
Breakfast
“Breakfast is so important to fuel you for the day, so I never miss it. A typical breakfast for me would be something like overnight oats or eggs on toast. I like to get a good portion of protein in for every meal, so if I’m having porridge or pancakes then I’ll add some MissFits Multitasker protein powder to give me a boost.”
Lunch
“I like to have as much colour and variety on my plate as possible. So, a typical lunch for me would be something like chicken, lentils, salad, sweet potato.”
Dinner
“Dinner follows a similar pattern to lunch – the more variety, the better. Colour always plays a big part on my plate, as it makes food more exciting. I might have a healthy burger, salad, roasted veg, quinoa and sweet potato or perhaps fish loaded with tonnes of veg or tofu.” I like to have a big meal in the evening, so I don’t snack before bed. Past diets have seen me try to restrict food at dinner time, but I just ended up snacking right before bed which wasn’t healthy."
Pre-workout
“If I work out in the morning, I’ll usually workout and then have my breakfast afterwards. But if I’m hungry and I know I won’t perform, then I’ll have a healthy snack – something like the MissFits Protein Wonderballs, which are like healthy Maltesers, so perfect for an energy boost.”
Post-workout
“If I’ve had a big workout then I’m likely to get hangry, so I’ll always have a snack around 11am. Usually I’ll have something like protein powder mixed with yoghurt or milk, or a smoothie or boiled eggs.”
What's the biggest misconception about your diet?
"Isn’t protein bad for you?
Do you not eat carbs then?
You must be very strict with yourself!
People think that I just eat protein and nothing else. Or that I completely cut out carbs and eat very clean. A lot of women still think that protein is bad for you, when really it's very beneficial for an active modern lifestyle.
I think people think I live and breathe protein, but the reality is that I just have a very balanced and varied diet.
"Before I founded MissFits Nutrition, I was the same – I couldn't really understand or identify with nutrition brands. They were either hyper masculine protein brands targeting men who wanted to bulk or meal-replacement, weight loss brands targeting women which have regressive messages encouraging you to eat a shake rather than real food. There was nothing in-between for women who wanted to explore the benefits of protein. So, I co-founded MissFits to change this. The brand is all about fuelling your best and getting rid of that restrictive diet mentality. Protein is so important in your diet for skin, hair and nails as well as restoring muscles. Perceptions around protein for women are changing, which is great.”
"I think people think I live and breathe protein, but the reality is that I just have a very balanced and varied diet. I just use protein supplements to support my exercise routine. I work out 4-5 times a week doing a range of HIT workouts and weights training, so it can be hard to get enough protein naturally from my diet to help with muscle restoration, so I use protein supplements to top this up."
Is your diet easy to stick to?
“Yes, it is. I think because it’s not a restrictive diet, like a lot of the diet trends targeted at women, then it’s a lot easier to stick to. And once you’re invested in your health and wellness, then it’s easier to stay on track. It’s quite simply really – my diet fuels my body and makes me better at my work, the gym and life in general and that in itself makes it easier to stick to.”
Favourite cheat food
“I don’t really see things as cheat foods. If I want to eat a pizza, then I’ll just eat a pizza. I don’t see that as cheating. Just enjoy what you want to enjoy. I think other more restrictive diets probably have cheat foods because they cut out a lot of food groups, but for me its all about having a healthy balanced meal. I eat fully, don’t restrict any food groups and use protein supplements to support my exercise routine. ‘Cheating’ doesn’t come into it.”
