1. Up and at it – what is your morning routine?
I don’t have a set morning routine, as every day is different. After my alarm goes off, I automatically reach for my phone to check the news, Twitter and emails. I am usually trying to get out as quickly as possible. I have clothes ready and usually put my make-up on in the car; it's not unusual for me to travel to Belfast sporting a full head of velcro rollers.
2. What might you eat in a typical working day for...
Breakfast? If I’m travelling somewhere, its usually a cup of coffee and a banana in the car. If I have time, breakfast is usually Greek yoghurt, fruit and coffee. I love fruit, especially bananas and mangoes. The only one I’m not partial to is kiwi fruit – something about its texture is yuk. At the weekends, it’s a lie in, followed by scrambled eggs, toast and tea. Growing up, we had scrambled eggs very morning for breakfast and I still love them.
Lunch? Lunch is usually light and on the go. It typically consists of a wrap and a yoghurt.
Dinner? This is usually the main meal of the day – I don’t eat red meat or pork, so it generally consists of chicken or fish and vegetables. I love vegetables and could happily eat roasted peppers, onions and courgettes every day.
3. Is nutrition important to you?
Diet is important to me and I am careful about what I eat. I tend to avoid white bread, rice and pasta and opt for the wholegrain varieties. I try to drink more water but find it a chore. I was brought up on a farm and I think it instilled an appreciation of fresh, seasonal food.
4. Best Meal Ever?
In student days, my friends and I spent the summers working in New York. One summer on our day off, we decided to go hiking up the hills. We didn’t bring enough food or water, covered ourselves in Hawaiian Tropic and got lost. Twelve hours later, sunburnt and exhausted, we made it a to diner and had baked beans and cheese on waffles in silence. It was glorious.
5. Do you have a guilty pleasure?
I don’t have a sweet tooth and rarely eat desserts – chocolate doesn’t interest me, but I have a real weakness for nuts. Cashews, almonds and pecans are my favourites, but I like them all. I usually have a packet of mixed nuts in my handbag and an emergency snacking stash in the car. Also, when the wine is open, I find Kettle crisps hard to refuse.
6. Have you ever been on a diet? If so, how did it go?
No, I have never been on a serious diet, as my weight has remained fairly constant. If my clothes start to get tight, then I know its time to cut back. I don’t think I could be organised enough to follow a strict routine. For me, it's more about being strong than being skinny.
7. Do you take health supplements?
I buy lots of vitamins and supplements, but take them sporadically. When I remember, I take multi-vitamins and cod liver oil.
8. How do you relax?
Walking or running on the beaches in Donegal is my absolute favourite way to relax – Killahoey and Marble Hill beaches are just heavenly.
9. Teetotal or tipple?
Teetotal during the week and tipple at the weekends. Red wine is my tipple of choice, with Malbec and Rioja the favourites. I positively dislike white wine; I still associate it with the vile, acidic stuff in a box that was a staple of student life.
10. Stairs or lift?
Usually the stairs, I don’t like lifts.
11. Do you have a daily exercise regime?
I don’t follow a specific regime, but exercise is a mix of walking and running. I aim to run 5K three times a week and incorporate a walk into the other days. I have never been a member of a gym as it simply doesn’t appeal to me. I much prefer to be outdoors – but I never leave the house without a hat as I am blessed/cursed with curly hair that takes on twice its volume with the first sign of humidity or drizzle.
12. Best tip for every day fitness?
Move more. Sometimes it can be difficult to incorporate activity into the working day, but not impossible. Apps and other gadgets which measure your steps are useful motivators – I aim for 10,000 steps daily.
13. One a scale of one to 10, how fit do you think you are and how fit would you like to be?
I’d say I’m fairly fit as I am a very active person – maybe a seven out of 10. I'd like to be an eight, but not if it involves squats or sit-ups.
14. Have you tried, or would you try, alternative therapy?
I've never tried it but I'll keep an open mind about it should the need arise.
15. Were school sports/PE happy times, or do you have a memory you would rather forget?
I detested PE at school, running around outside in freezing cold in large green knickers. I played netball, but it was as exciting as watching paint dry. The PE teacher was determined to turn me into an athlete and I was equally determined to prove her wrong. I still have my school report where she noted: "looks athletic, if only we could get her to run in the right direction".
16. Did you ever have a health epiphany which made you change your lifestyle?
No, but I am doing research with Professor Bengoa on implementing health reform and it has made me more acutely aware that staying healthy and living a long life starts with preventative healthcare.
17. Best health/lifestyle advice you were ever given and would pass on to others?
Being healthy doesn’t just mean looking after the physical aspects of your health. It is just as important to care for your mental wellbeing. Ideally, it is important to feel good in mind and body and have the ability to cope with stresses of everyday life.
18. Who inspires you and who would you try to emulate in term of fitness/attitude to life?
I can't really think of anyone.
19. What time do you normally get to bed and do you get enough sleep?
I normally go to bed at 11.30 and read until my head is beginning to fall into the book. I try to relax from 9.30-ish, as sometimes I find it difficult to switch off and have to make a conscious effort to step away from Twitter.
20. Would you say you have a healthy attitude towards your own mortality?
Yes, I think so, I love life and believe life is for living. A positive mental attitude benefits health, longevity and quality of life. I am involved with the Foyle Hospice and am consistently impressed by the work that they do to broach the death taboo and allow people to share their thoughts and beliefs about death and dying.
