Being a self-employed hairdresser is just one of the things that keeps Vicky busy. She also looks after no less than six of her nieces and nephews and somehow still finds time to fit a bit of exercise into her week too. It’s important for Vicky to set time aside for this aspect of her life, as she explains; “I try to do gym classes including bootcamp and personal training sessions to keep fit which I really enjoy – it's a great social scene too.”
With varied and often hectic working hours, Vicky’s used to staying on her feet. “I can be booked back to back with no spaces and at Christmas in particular, it’s a matter of double time at double speed!” This means that she always needs a good source of sustenance to keep herself, and the business going. Even though she’s self-employed, dedicating time to get those all important meals and snacks in isn’t easy. “There’s nothing to stop me marking out time purely for lunch or dinner, but I just don't do it. When I know that I’m going to have a quieter week I’ll prepare lunches at home and take them to work – mainly soups or chilli. Something substantial that can be heated in the microwave basically. In terms of snacks, Vicky’s learnt to fit them in at opportune moments. “I usually eat whilst a client is getting shampoo'd or whilst I’m mixing up colour.”
Expending so much energy doing what she does day to day, Vicky’s no stranger to that dreaded low-energy crash. “It's scary how you get used to not eating. Sometimes you go full circle and get past the hunger stage. I tend to feel sluggish and tired and grumpy… I think the term is ‘hangry’!”
So what does she reach for to keep the hanger at bay? “I do tend to favour Nairn’s sweet biscuit range. The Dark Chocolate and Coconut Chunky biscuit breaks especially. You feel like you are eating a very indulgent biscuit but you know they're not rammed full of sugar. I’m very territorial over them – no one’s allowed any!”
The definition of #GoodFoodMood for Vicky is all about enjoyment. “To me it means having a meal that you really enjoy eating. You could eat it morning, noon or night and feel comfortable afterwards. It can almost come with a sense of relief, especially if you're really hungry… or in my case hangry!”
Nutritionist Fiona Lawson says:
Vicky’s day is typical of many people’s: lots of hard work and very little time to enjoy her food. In an ideal world, we’d all take proper break for each meal, but in practice that’s not always possible. It's great to see Vicky taking the time to make wholesome, nutritious food that she can heat up for lunch—homemade soups and chilli are good, nourishing choices. It can be stressful for the body to skip meals, so a snack can be a sensible option when time is tight. Vicky is right: Nairn’s sweet biscuit range is an appealing choice because they are lower in sugar than many. For an even more satiating snack, I’d advise her to pair her biscuit with a small handful of nuts. If nothing else, these are easy to store in pockets!
