We’re all about self-care at Happy Way, and so this month we decided to reach out to our treasured Happy Way ambassador and female powerhouse, Jenny Wheeler, for some self-love tips and inspo to guide us through 2022!

Jen is a self-confessed foodie, recipe developer, teacher, author, mum of two and the owner of REAL NOURISH—a brand of ‘do it yourself’ meal prep mixes, that takes the hard work out of creating delicious and nutritious meals! Jen’s mission is to help time-poor, busy women to not only make healthy eating choices, but to look and feel amazing from the inside out, without any restrictions from harsh diets or calorie counting. It’s all about keeping things simple for Jenny, and through education and sharing information, she inspires and supports hundreds of women in finding a balanced approach to food, nutrition and weight loss. 

Jenny has also launched two amazing e-books that are must-have guides for those that want to regain control of their health, and feel inspired to live and enjoy life on their terms. THE GET INSPIRED GUIDE provides you with all of Jen's tips and secrets around all things weight loss and maintaining a healthy, positive relationship with food—plus, it’s filled with easy to make, mouth-watering recipes, that only require basic pantry ingredients. Jenny has also just released her OG 7 DAY MEAL PLAN ebook, which has several recipes featuring, you guessed it, some of Jenny’s favourite Happy Way products! 

So, what are Jenny’s Happy Way staples that she can’t live without? What are some of her go-to recipes to fill that bod (and your tummy) with nothing but love? And, lastly, what exactly does self-care and self-love look like to this hardworking Superwoman? Read on to find out!

JENNY’S MUST-HAVE HAPPY WAY PRODUCTS!

TRIPLE CHOC FUDGE WHEY PROTEIN POWDER

I am obsessed with the Triple Choc Fudge Whey Protein Powder and I add it into my oats every single morning! It helps to keep me feeling full until lunchtime, without that super heavy feeling, and gives me the energy I need to kick start my day—plus, who doesn’t want chocolate for breakfast?!

VANILLA WHEY PROTEIN POWDER

I can’t get by without my Happy Way Vanilla Protein Powder—I use it in all of my recipes! The Happy Way protein powders are literally the only protein powders I use in my recipes as they’re so light and fluffy compared to others I’ve tried, which, when used in baking, can make baked goods really dense and heavy! The HW Vanilla Whey Protein Powder is seriously delicious in my Strawberry and Vanilla Pancake Tray Bake as well as my Creamy Caramilk Puffed Protein Bites (see recipes below).

SUPER REDS POWDER

I love to sip on the Super Reds Powder in the afternoons when I’m craving something sweet. It’s packed with so many antioxidants and superfoods, which really helps with those afternoon energy slumps, and has a real berry flavour being that it’s loaded with raspberries, strawberries, elderberries, blueberries, blackcurrants, cranberries, acai berries, goji berries and sea buckthorn berries—it’s berrylicious!

JENNY’S SELF-LOVE RECIPES

A superstar when it comes to making healthy, nutritious yet absolutely DELICIOUS snacks, we asked Jen to share some of her faves with us.

Caramilk Puffed Protein Bites – these make the best snacks, and are freezer friendly too!

Strawberry and Vanilla Pancake Tray Bake – a high protein breakfast, with no flipping required!

Choc Coconut Protein Bars – a crispy base with a creamy coconut centre and chocolate top—yum!

Caramel Biscoff Protein Blondies – who doesn’t love Biscoff? It’s like creamy caramel happiness in a jar!

WHAT DOES SELF-CARE MEAN TO JEN?

I used to think self-care and self-love were all about spa days and pamper sessions that happen once a year when you receive a gift voucher for your birthday! In the past, I’d wait for permission to take some time out which unfortunately just led to overwhelm and burnout.

Over time I’ve learnt that self-care as a busy working mum is about the “small moments”. I no longer wait for a spa day to enjoy some much needed time out for myself, and despite all my day-to-day responsibilities, I try to prioritise my own self-care, because I know when I look after myself, I can show up in the ways I want to for others. 

JEN'S SELF CARE PRACTICES

• Morning journaling
• Reading a book on a Sunday afternoon
• An early night
• Meal prepping on a Sunday
• A walk in nature
• A mid-week face mask
• Mid-week reset (tidy up, organise my schedule)
• Planning out my dinners for the week
• A slower morning
• A morning sleep in
• Catching up with a friend for coffee
• Ocean swim
• Meal prepping my breakfast using the Real Nourish mix

It's all those little things that we often forget to make time for but can make the biggest difference in how we show up for ourselves every day. Don’t wait until you are burnt out to take a break—find small moments of self-love every day.

For loads of FREE recipe ideas from Jenny, head to her website The Active Bod and follow @theactivebod on socials for daily motivation, weight loss tips and meal prep Sundays!