Madeleine Shaw is best known for her inspiring brand Get the Glow. She regularly shares healthy recipes and wellness inspiration and is a great advert for her own clean eating principles, well known for her frankly radiant skin. She is also a key player in the ever-growing wellness blogger scene. But it wasn’t always easy for Madeleine to live a balanced life and she is open about a journey that began with desperate cycles of binging and deprivation. We spoke to her to find out what good eating means to her today.

On the day to day

Every day is different, but I'll usually start the day with eggs and a smoothie or porridge with some berries. I'll then head to an exercise class, followed by a morning of emails and writing for my website. At lunch I love whipping up a quick and tasty soup - like my sweet potato soup with blackberry and basil sauce. I usually run around to different meetings in the afternoon and then head home for dinner with my boyfriend. Meal times are so important to me and I always plan when I'm going to stop for food - I get hangry if I don't eat! I tend to eat pretty healthily all the time - but for me I've learnt to eat like this for my health and I really enjoy the things I eat. My weakness is granola and chocolate which I crave a lot but if I need something sweet I'll reach for a handful of berries because I find they satisfy my cravings.

 

On balance

If you don't have balance you might find yourself getting stressed or feeling guilty about having a glass of wine or for missing that gym session. Remember that it's ok to not be in the mood to go to the gym. Try finding a sport or class that has you excited to go, like spinning with your friends, reformer pilates, or even something more adventurous like rock climbing. I find that exercising relieves stress for me, but you should also think about activities that don't involve exercise to help you feel balanced and calm. I like colouring for mindfulness, taking a long bath or reading a good book. A happy mind = happy life.

On getting started with healthy eating

It’s all about eating well for life…

1. Try to quit or reduce sugar consumption – it sends us out of whack, it masks the taste of other foods, sugar affects your mineral and nutrient absorption. You'll go cold turkey at first, with headaches and tiredness, but at the end you'll have more energy, your complexion will improve and you're food addiction will diminish.

2. Eat healthy fats – fat-free foods must be ditched. They often contain sugar and chemicals to recreate the taste of the fat that was there in the first place. High-fat foods like yoghurt, avocados, unrefined oils etc. are good for you! Healthy fats provide essential fatty acids that your body physically can't produce for itself.

3. Show yourself a little love. Stop thinking thoughts like, 'I'm so fat. I look terrible today. My skin is awful.' If a friend or family member said this to you, you wouldn't want them to be a part of your life so why says these things to yourself? Stop comparing yourself to other people – especially people on the internet. Be honest: we all do it! Always congratulate other people for looking awesome – but think things like, 'You know what? She has something great going on, but so do I – my bum is great!' You are unique and you will bring something different to the world that no one else has.

 

On keeping it affordable

1. Eat cheaper cuts of meat – they're just as tasty!

2. Buy in bulk. I buy grains, nuts and seeds in 1kg packs from Amazon – they last for ages.

3. Start a supper club with your friends once a month instead of eating out. You each bring a different dish and you get to try new foods each time.

On keeping it quick

Make something you can whip up in big batches – that way you'll have something in the fridge and won't be tempted by a takeaway. For dessert I like to have something simple like strawberries dipped in yoghurt - super quick to make and really healthy. You can even use Coyo if you're dairy free.

Madeleine Shaw has teamed up with Seasonal Berries to launch the Eat Smart campaign to encourage people to cook from scratch and use fresh, natural ingredients. To find out more visit Seasonalberries.co.uk