1. Up and at it - what is your morning routine?
I waken up and, like so many people, grab my phone to see what may have happened during the night. I do my skin care, which I take great pleasure in, and then sit down with a cup of tea.
2. What might you eat in a typical working day for...
Breakfast? Breakfast is usually poached eggs or overnight oats. I love the ritual of making breakfast and enjoying it in the quiet of the morning.
Lunch? A green smoothie or crackers loaded with cheese
Evening meal? I have recently started to eat fish after being afraid of it for 25 years and it’s a joyous thing to explore new recipes from all the cookbooks. I also love pasta - in all its forms.
3. Is nutrition important to you – do you take health supplements?
As I get older, I am getting more conscious of what I eat. I do take vitamin D as we get so little sun here, as well as Biotin for my nails and hair and Liposomal vitamin C, as I heard it was good for collagen production.
4. Ever been on a diet – if so, how did it go?
I tried to do SlimFast when I was in my 20s, but it was so disgusting. Now I believe it’s more about finding the balance and just enjoying food. I like to eat locally and foods that are in season, which I think is the best diet.
5. Weekend treat?
I have such a sweet tooth, so there are too many to mention, but I love Bakari [Donegall Street, Belfast] and the amazing pastries they create.
6. How do you keep physically and mentally fit?
I walk by the sea every day - if the weather will let me - but even in the rain, I like to walk outside. I also started Pilates a few years ago and it really has changed me for the better. I walk up the Cavehill when I can and, if no-one is home, I love a dance workout around the living room. I also do dance classes at the Crescent Arts Centre.
7. Best tip for everyday fitness?
The best tip I can give is to find something you enjoy, because if you run but you hate running, then you will find reasons not to go. It took me years to figure that out, and once I discovered I could keep fit with dance and Pilates I kept it going.
8. Were you a fan of schools sports/PE or do you have a memory from those days that you would rather forget?
PE was not my subject, but I did love hockey and took great pleasure in smashing the ball across the field. Plus, my PE teacher, Ms Gough, was lovely and she always made us laugh.
9. Teetotal or tipple?
I rarely drink but on the odd occasion I do, it’s a yummy cocktail. I always go for a pina colada to feel slightly sunnier.
10. Stairs or lift?
I watched a programme on Netflix about people who live to 100 and they made the point that you should always take the stairs amongst many other things, so I do try to do that. I can be sneaky and take the lift the odd time, though, especially If I have shopping in my hands.
- ‘I cut out alcohol and my energy levels soared’ - novelist Carlo GeblerOpens in new window
- ‘Pilates and paddling are essential in helping me unwind’ - Siobhan Kearney of Menopause NIOpens in new window
- Former pro and international hockey player, Matthew Bell: ‘Being a day away from not being here made me appreciate a lot more in life’Opens in new window
11. What book are you currently reading?
I was gifted She and Her Cat by Makoto Shinkai and Naruki Nagakawa - a wonderful novel about the connection between humans and cats, told through a series of vignettes set in Tokyo. I am also going to see Brian Cox’s live show this month, so I am reading his book, completely pretending to understand what he’s talking about.
12. Best Netflix/streaming TV?
I love sci-fi programmes and just watched Severance on Apple TV+. It was weird and wonderful and keeps you guessing. I am also re-watching The X Files, which I watched way back in the 90s. It’s still so cool and was quite ahead of its time.
13. Any new skills or hobbies?
I love dance and I do a couple of classes at the Crescent Arts Centre. I do tap, as I remember watching Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds in Singin’ in the Rain and thinking, ‘I want to do that.’
14. How do you relax?
I am a big fan of aromatherapy massages or even a physio sports massage. I feel very calm after. I also love an Epsom salts bath and a book with a mint tea. Bliss.
15. What would you tell your younger self?
Stretch. Do the things you enjoy more than the things you don’t. And try to not be afraid of life.
16. What are your goals for 2024?
To learn a really difficult tap routine and finally play one tune on my ukulele. I also really want to get to work with new creatives throughout Northern Ireland and create something I can be truly proud of.
My mother, actress Roma Tomelty, died during the height of the pandemic and the fact that we couldn’t be with her or say goodbye to her - or indeed grieve with friends and family in the weeks that followed - was such a shock
— Rachael Carnegie
17. What time do you get to bed and do you think you get enough sleep?
I am pretty consistent now and try get to bed by 11pm. I used to have terrible bouts of insomnia, but I sleep much better now that I have quit smoking.
18. Biggest gripe or regret?
Oh lots, but probably that I didn’t say ‘Yes’ more to opportunities when they presented themselves.
19. Have your priorities in life or perspectives changed?
Yes, in that I am aware that my time on this planet is short, so I am trying to be more mindful of that.
20. Has coronavirus – or any health epiphany or life event - changed your attitude towards your own mortality?
My mother, actress Roma Tomelty, died during the height of the pandemic and the fact that we couldn’t be with her or say goodbye to her - or indeed grieve with friends and family in the weeks that followed - was such a shock. I remember telling everyone afterwards, tell the people you love that you love them every day. And hug them, because the loss of her hugs was so palpable.
