Joe Wicks - 13 Dec

All I know is Im enjoying veggie food more than ever, and Im excited to share these new recipes and workouts with you. It has been a gradual change. I havent watched any of the pro-vegan documentaries or read any books on the environment that have shocked me into not eating meat. I suppose Ive just become more aware of the impact my own food choices have on my health and the environment. Like many people, Ive sensed a natural shift in my attitude towards vegetarian and plant-based food, and this education has been shaped online by YouTube, Facebook and Instagram, where people are very vocal about lifestyle choices and views on animal welfare, global warming and the environment. Another big factor thats prompted me to eat more veggie food is the incredible dishes Ive tasted in the past couple of years, as so many restaurants now cater for vegetarians and vegans.

I used to think veggie recipes were all boring salads and quinoa, but the more I experiment, the more I see how totally wrong that view is. Veggie food can be easy, delicious and satisfying when done well, and thats what this book is all about. The recipes have the speed and simplicity youll be familiar with from my old-school Lean in 15 books, with all the same great taste and flavour. And Ive discovered that with a little thought and preparation, you can definitely stay lean and get enough protein with a veggie diet. Im enjoying veggie food more than ever, and Im excited to share these new recipes with you Like so many other people, Im beginning to be more aware of the issues around sustainability. A few years ago, I would never have questioned whether my fish was sustainably sourced or considered that the palm oil used in my favourite peanut butter was destroying thousands of miles of forests in Indonesia and along with it all the wildlife that inhabits it.

And I see how eating lower down on the food chain (plants rather than meat) can add up to fewer carbon emissions. But its not only what we eat: its also how we shop. We can get loose fruit and veg in a paper bag or go for avocados packed in double plastic. With the campaigns to ban plastic straws and single-use water bottles, Ive started to really think about the effect of plastic in our oceans. We are used to buying food all neatly presented in trays with plastic wrappers, and when we chuck those in the recycling container, we dont really think about what it means in the long term. The plastic doesnt get recycled the way most of us think it does.

The dustman comes and takes it all to landfill sites where it takes hundreds of years to degrade. There is no way that this is going to work in the long term. Its been my own decision and my own journey to reach this point. And one thing I know is that my attitude and mindset towards nutrition and my purchasing choices has changed and continues to change as I grow and learn more. I think thats a really important thing to remember: dont be pressured by anyone to conform to a certain diet or lifestyle. Its your choice to make and how you feel about it today may be very different to this time next year.

I believe that we are on a journey, and, in the future, all of us will move towards eating more vegetarian food, out of choice and also out of necessity. I hope this book can help inspire you to give veggie food a go and that it will have a positive impact on your health and our environment. A close friend of mine who is a vegan and really passionate about protecting our world once said to me, Joe, you have a huge audience and a platform to really make a change, you should use that power to influence people in a positive way. At the time I didnt really think I could make a difference or maybe if). Its still a burger. Veggie food can be easy, delicious and satisfying when done well, and thats what this book is all about Lately, more and more of my followers have been engaging with my vegetarian recipes and I always really listen to my followers to understand what people like and are looking for.

When I tried to share a few veggie recipes a couple of years ago, there just wasnt a demand. However, in the last year, as Ive started to love eating more veggie stuff, people have been going crazy for the veggie recipes Ive shared. Ive also seen a shift in my audience, and this certainly helped me to be more confident that now is the time to release a veggie book. Veggie Lean in 15 is the veggie book for the meat lover. Ive worked hard to create recipes that taste good and are so satisfying that you dont even question where the meat is. Ive taken all the foods I love and veggified them.

So, thank you for buying Veggie Lean in 15. Good luck with it! Get stuck in and see how much you love the recipes. Not only are you going to get fitter and healthier, youll also know you are doing your little bit to keep our planet healthy now and for the future. Lots of Love, Joe UNDERSTANDING THE BASICS Im going to talk a little about the basics of nutrition to help you understand the importance of fuelling your body correctly. My philosophy on health, fitness and nutrition has always been consistent. I like to keep things simple and achievable, so you can follow it, enjoy it and sustain it.

For those who follow me online or own one of my previous books, youll know that unlike some diets, I dont promote calorie-counting or macro-tracking. I think its an unnecessary pressure, which can result in an unhealthy relationship with food and exercise. It is also unrealistic to think that people can track, count and hit a certain target every day especially as every day is different. Some days youll be more active than others, some days you will forget your prepped lunch and eat out, so I believe in a much more flexible and enjoyable way of making progress. I want to encourage you to focus on the basics and keep stuff really simple. This means easy home-cooking, regular home-workouts and small, positive lifestyle changes.

By doing these things consistently and cutting out processed junk foods, you will naturally create an energy deficit and therefore start to burn fat. Creating an energy or calorie deficit means you are burning more energy than you are consuming, and we know this is essential for fat loss. The important thing to remember is that you do not need to count calories in order to be in a calorie deficit. Just by living a healthier lifestyle, becoming more active and making better food choices, energy deficit becomes a by-product. Its a win win as you will look better, live better and most of all feel better. Another reason I dont include the calorie content in my recipes is because you are totally unique and your body has its own unique energy demands.