1) Up and at it: what is your morning routine?
I get up around 6am, attempt a gym class – maybe spin or body pump. I hurt my back recently, so haven't been able to make it for a while (just in case Stephen, Damien or Sean, my gym instructors try to contradict me!).
I go with my friends and they are the best tonic of the day as we laugh so much. Even if I don't get up for the gym, I can be sure of some 'encouraging' messages from my friend Susan.
I always check in with emails and social media and put the radio on to hear the headlines.
Then I shout up the stairs to my son Ryan to get up for work; that's probably only about five times more exhausting than the gym!
2) What might you eat in a typical working day for breakfast, lunch and dinner?
I like to have eggs in the morning – if I have time!
Lunch is the Stormont canteen: anything goes and depends on my schedule for the rest of the day. Sometimes lunch doesn't happen.
If I have time, I love to cook something for my family in the evenings. Sometimes, I have to admit, on the way home I end up eating something bad for me, but tastes amazing at the time.
I won't name the regular hang-outs, but they know who they are!
A life in politics is challenging for your diet.
3) Is nutrition important to you?
Yes it is. I love to cook and try my best when I have time to do so, but I'm human and I don’t always strike the right balance.
I always made my children healthy meals from when they were babies and they had to be balanced with lots of fresh veg, etc.
I came home one day after a long day at work and asked them what they wanted for dinner. They replied, "Can we have that lovely dinner that daddy makes us?"
When I asked what this was, they replied, "Waffles, chicken dippers and spaghetti."
I was gutted after all my efforts.
4) Are you a calorie counter?
Definitely not – I don't have time, but I do I try to take a sensible approach to eating.
I try to make things as balanced as I can and as long as I try to eat well. I also ensure I have plenty of treats.
5) Best meal ever?
No matter where I go in the world, I recall the destination by what I have eaten there. It's how I connect with the place. I'm a massive food lover and love to try different things.
6) Do you have a guilty pleasure, food-wise?
Gravy! On everything! My children always say our house is a gravy house – I'm big into proper stock gravy that I make from scratch. My kids taste it when it's ready and if it's good (which of course it always is) they describe it as gravy soup.
7) Have you ever been on a diet? If so, how did it go?
Yes, I have to admit to having tried some classes with various success. I'm not good at committing to anything like this as my schedule is hectic and I find it hard to plan for classes.
Again, my friends laugh at me if I even consider anything like this as they know I'm too busy and will end up breaking early on.
8) Do you take health supplements?
I don't take anything.
9) Tee-total or tipple?
Yes, I like a tipple.
10) Fruit or fry-up?
Healthy grill-up! I grill everything and I love poached eggs – who doesn't need this every now and again?
11) Stairs or lift?
Monday is lift, rest of the week is stairs.
12) Do you have a daily exercise regime?
I'm a reasonably healthy person, but I can always do more and we all need a push from time-to-time because we all need to be more active.
I was recently given a steps monitor from the public health agency – it's very interesting to measure what you do in a day. Get onto the the PHA website and start a challenge at your work or in your family to see who does more – it's a great way to get motivated.
13) On a scale of one to 10, how fit do you think you are; how fit would you like to be?
Oh I don't know, maybe 6/10 – you should always leave room for growth.
14) Best tip for everyday fitness?
Keep trying – it's tough with the busy lives we all lead, but you will always feel better for it, so it's worth doing.
15) Do you have a memory from school sport / PE days you would rather forget?
Yeah, I tried to get out of PE on many occasions and I didn't much care for the PE skirts which girls had to wear at the school I went to.
16) Did you ever have a health epiphany which made you change your lifestyle?
I have them all the time! They are great thoughts – and then I get back to what I'm doing until I get the next one!
17) Best health advice you were ever given and would pass on to others?
Everything in moderation
18) Who would you try to emulate in terms of fitness / attitude to life?
No-one, really.
19) What time do you get to bed normally and do you think you get enough sleep?
I probably don't get enough sleep at times. Bed-time is dependent on my work schedule; sometimes I find it hard to switch off, so sleep not always great.
I try my best. And I know the value of sleep.
20) Would you say you have a healthy attitude towards your own mortality?
My daddy used to say 'life is for living'; I adopted that attitude in my life.
