23 Oct Specsavers native feature for Metro

Specsavers recruited Deni as part of a fitness-focussed celebrity and influencer feature in Metro, one of the largest newspapers in the UK.

The native (sponsored) double-page spread included Deni, a fitness influencer, as well as reality TV stars and celebrity personal trainers. Deni’s piece was on eating for fitness, including how her diet changed, how she gets the right nutrients on a vegan diet, how to eat for fitness, and how she stays motivated.

Excerpt:

Like many people in the months leading up to summer, I put a lot of hard work into my exercise regime. But what many of us forget is that to get the most out of the gym, you must be absolutely mindful of your diet.

You may have heard that results depend 80 per cent on diet – and I’d vouch for that myself. You need to keep your protein up to retain muscle mass as you diet down. But can you hit your macros eating plant-based? Of course you can. Since switching to a vegan diet and lifestyle I’ve never felt happier or healthier. I get my protein from beans, lentils, legumes and tofu as well as vegan protein powders such as sunflower, pea, hemp and brown rice.

Counting macros means knowing the grams of fats, carbs and protein you need to eat based on your physique and goals. This is easily trackable on an app such as My Fitness Pal. My current macros are 150g carbs, 110g protein and 55g fats. This enables me to lose fat steadily – up to .5kg per week – while retaining all my muscle mass. This macro split gives me enough protein to repair and protect muscles, as well as carbohydrates to fuel workouts and replace lost glycogen, and fats for essential bodily functions.

I’ve managed to lose 10lbs of fat in 12 weeks in preparation for Miss Galaxy Universe – a bikini bodybuilding show in which I’m competing. Despite being incredibly nervous, I’m now so confident in my physique and contest preparation plan that I can’t wait to get my sparkly bikini on.

Those muscles you see on stage? Sure, there’s a significant amount of weightlifting involved, but the vast majority of those results are down to counting macros. This diet style truly is for anyone; from seasoned bodybuilders to overweight seniors looking to lose weight healthily. Whether your stage is the beach, the photo studio – or indeed a bikini competition – remember: it’s 80 per cent diet!

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Read more about Deni here.