Purcell - Half Hour Hero

Sweet hummus with sliced fruit

PENGUIN IRELAND

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First published 2017

Copyright Rozanna Purcell, 2017

Photography copyright Joanne Murphy, 2017

The moral right of the copyright holders has been asserted

Photography by Joanne Murphy

Design by nic&lou

ISBN: 978-0-241-98171-9

People like to call healthy eating the latest lifestyle trend. So eating right and being active is a trendy new thing to do? Eh, I dont think so. We are all becoming more aware of the importance of looking after ourselves and the strong links between what we eat and our health. Back in my dieting days, my mum once pointed out that this is the same body youre going to have until youre a hundred years old (hopefully!), so if youre not treating it right now, how do you expect it to get you through till then? As we say in Tipperary, you cant put petrol in a diesel engine you need to fuel yourself right.

About five years ago, I decided to do just that. I had been on a dieting rollercoaster ever since I started modelling at the age of 17. Ive tried every fad diet out there, from cutting out entire food groups to living solely on shakes. My weight fluctuated for years, and it didnt help that I was working in an industry that repeatedly reminded me of that fact whenever I couldnt fit into my typical size 8.

But you dont have to be a model to relate to this. Even though Ive left modelling behind, I still feel a lot of pressure from social media and I bet you do too. Were all trying to inspire each other, but it can also go the other way. Seeing a steady stream of beautifully tanned bodies with amazing abs on my Instagram feed can knock my confidence and make me feel like I need to look like that too, and fast, but now I stop myself from falling into that trap.

Its taken me a long time to get comfortable with my body and I only wish that I had known then what I know now about food and fitness. I learned a lot from modelling, not least the confidence to just be me. It forced me to take my health seriously by educating myself on eating well and training and it allowed me to discover my real passions in life: food and fitness. I also learned not to compete with others instead, I use that energy to concentrate on myself and my personal goals. Dedicate your energy to being a better you, not some stranger you follow online. Be the best version of yourself that you can be in your own body shape.

DEDICATE YOUR ENERGY TO BEING A BETTER YOU, NOT SOME STRANGER YOU FOLLOW ONLINE.

I used to find myself mindlessly eating bad foods, and sure, if Id started, I might as well finish in style and get rid of all the bad stuff in my presses, right? That kind of binge eating was hard on my body, but it was even harder on my mind. This, along with the no bullshit school of parenting my mum and dad raised me with, spurred me to make a change.

So how did I do it? I started concentrating on all the foods I could eat rather than all the foods I couldnt have. I also tried to stop cutting foods out of my life, since it was having a negative impact on my social life as well. I couldnt even go out for a cup of coffee with a friend without worrying about the menu or feeling guilty. I stopped making excuses, stopped letting my body issues hold me back from doing things and started saying yes to life.

So here we are. I started my Natural Born Feeder blog in 2013 to share my love of food and to spread the message of embracing a whole foods life. The blog led to my first cookbook, Natural Born Feeder: Whole Foods, Whole Life, which I refer to as the NBF encyclopedia. But even in the short amount of time since that book was published, my life has changed a lot. Ive had the usual ups and downs and things have also become a whole lot busier, which means Ive had to alter my lifestyle to make sure I can still prioritize the things that are important to me, which are eating right, training and surrounding myself with sound people.

It hasnt been easy. I realize now that I used to take time for granted. When I was modelling, I worked short hours and could leave my job at the door when I got home. Now that I work for myself, though, I have a lot less time for training and cooking. I went from doing two or three hours on the bike to train for a triathlon and spending hours in the kitchen to needing to do things fast. Lets just say that I can finally relate to anyone who has a hectic or high-pressure job and struggles to find the time to keep their diet on track.

THIS BOOK TICKS ALL THE BOXES: THE RECIPES ARE QUICK, HEALTHY, ACCESSIBLE AND FIT INTO A BUSY LIFESTYLE.

Embracing this new on-the-go lifestyle was the catalyst for writing this book. I dont have lots of time any more for food prep or for training either, but Im not willing to let them slide. Were all looking for a fast fix for everything me included! whether its a HIIT session at the gym instead of a long run or a 30-minute meal instead of leisurely pottering in the kitchen for hours. Thats where Half Hour Hero comes in, with over 100 recipes to help you leave your excuses at the door, get some meal prep done and get delicious, healthy food on the table in a hurry. This book ticks all the boxes: the recipes are quick, healthy, accessible and fit into a busy lifestyle.