Fitness On Toast blogger Faya Nilsson diet and fitness secrets – Daily Mail

Fitness On Toast blogger Faya Nilsson says she’d never ‘cut entire food groups’ out of her diet and favours a balanced approach to eating. 

Unlike many social media stars who encourage their fans to go gluten, wheat, dairy and everything-free, the 29-year-old Swedish personal trainer believes carbohydrates help boost her training. 

Speaking to Alpha Man magazine, Faya, who lives in North London, said: ‘I am a big believer in not cutting out entire food groups and instead having a balanced, healthy and rounded approach to eating. 

‘The more restrictive a diet is, the harder it is to stick to and make sustainable indefinitely, which is the most important factor behind whether a diet is effective or not.’ 

She added: ‘I perform badly and don’t feel good without carbs, so I have them around my training or when very active to fuel my efforts. If you do cut out a food group you’re probably more likely to crave it or constantly think about it.’

Faya started her award-winning fitness-lifestyle blog, Fitness on Toast, in January 2013. 

In less than three years her popularity has soared thanks to her healthy recipes, nutritional tips, and quick and effective workouts. She now has more than 80,000 followers on Instagram.

‘I love writing so I started the blog for just my clients but it really took off and it’s a fantastic way for me to share the knowledge and experience I’ve gained as a personal trainer with people who are just as passionate as I am about living a fitter and healthier life,’ she told the publication. 

Faya is keen to promote that fitness can be a happy part of your life and not a boring chore. 

‘Taking your health and fitness seriously and making it part of your lifestyle is really important, and one of the key ways to make sure you make it a priority that is always fun and never a chore,’ she said. 

‘For me that means regularly changing up what I am doing, so I’m always pushing myself in new ways, keeping myself physically challenged and mentally interested.’ 

In order to keep her training regime ‘varied, interesting and challenging’, Faya has recently taken up a new hobby. 

‘I’ve recently starting doing CrossFit, which I am loving, because it’s pushing me out of comfort zone and testing me in ways I’ve not been tested before,’ she said. 

‘I also love the friendly competitiveness of CrossFit, and the group camaraderie and encouragement, which really inspires me to push myself harder and further.’

As many Brits prepare to kick-start their training regimes, Faya says starting off by doing simple exercises is key.  

‘It’s really important to be able to move your own bodyweight and master the basic movement patterns using your bodyweight alone before embarking on any advanced training regime,’ she said.

‘We spend all day hunched over a desk so to suddenly go from that straight into heavy deadlifting is like going from one extreme to another. Having solid foundations of a strong and functional body by doing press-ups, pull-ups, dips and bodyweight squats and lunges is a great way to start getting more active.’

She also believes staying motivated is easy as long as you rope in friends and swap the pub for gym sessions. 

‘The best way to stay motivated about training is to find an approach you love. There is now more choice than ever before with working out now as much as a social event, with so many people I know now going to the gym or a class after work instead of the pub,’ she said. ‘Training with a friend or group of friends who have a common goal is one of the best ways to stay motivated and help each other progress and keep making improvements.’ 

Faya Nilsson stars in the new issue of Alpha Man. You can download the free app to get the magazine here