1 Up and at it – what is your morning routine?
I am not an early riser – I never have been. If I need to get stuff done, though, I will get up and at it. My sleep is so important to my health and, honestly, I think it is one of reasons why I think I am staying healthy while living with cystic fibrosis.
2 What might you eat in a typical working day for...
Breakfast? Breakfast is usually a four-egg omelette, served with smoked cheese and spinach and one or two pints of water.
Lunch? This could be smoked salmon and cream cheese on bagels.
Evening meal? For my main meal of the day, I love to have chicken fajitas with peppers, tomato and guacamole.
3 Is nutrition important to you?
My nutrition is hugely important to me. If you aren't fuelling your body correctly, you cannot expect to see any good results. When I say fuelling, I don't mean eating like a bodybuilder, either. It is so important to enjoy what you are eating, while remembering the best rule: everything in moderation.
4 Best meal ever?
That is a sushi boat, hands down! I could eat sushi all day, every day.
5 Do you have a guilty pleasure?
Yes – hot nuts when I'm at the cinema; they are my (culinary) Achilles heel, for sure.
6 Have you ever been on a diet? If so, how did it go?
Yes, I have been on diets for my photo shoots and for bodybuilding competitions which I took part in years ago. Honestly, the dieting sucks, but the results are worth it. To see your body changing like that is incredible. However, diets are not sustainable and can have huge effects on your relationship with food, going forward.
7 Do you take health supplements?
I take Omega 3, Vitamin D3 and a multivitamin.
8 How do you relax?
I am a pretty chilled-out person in general, but the cinema is always my favourite place to relax.
9 Teetotal or tipple?
I’m not a big drinker at all, although I do have the odd night out. I can just always think of better ways to spend my time and money.
10 Stairs or lift?
Stairs, every single time. Lifts should only be used for people with disabilities or parents with prams.
11 Do you have a daily exercise regime?
I like to be active every day, whether that means going to the gym or simply taking my dog, Ollie, out for a long walk. A gym workout is something I do at least three times a week.
12 Best tip for everyday fitness?
Walk and move more. The simple things add up – park further away from the shops when you go shopping and always take the stairs. Also, take a walk on your lunch break.
13 On a scale of one to 10, how fit do you think you are and how fit would you like to be?
I would say I am an eight out of 10. There is always room for improvement.
14 Have you tried, or would you try, alternative therapy?
I am very open-minded when it comes to improving the body and mind. If I think there could be some merit in something, I will try it.
15 Were school sports happy times or do you have a memory you would rather forget?
I was very skinny and small when growing up, but I was always fast. School sports days were good fun, as I recall.
16 Did you ever have a health epiphany which made you change your lifestyle?
When I left college and got my first job on film and TV sets, I realised that what I was doing wasn't meant for me. I wasn't able to train or eat the way I needed to, in order to stay healthy and strong. That’s when I got sick for the first time and had to be hospitalised for a chest infection.
17 Best health/lifestyle advice you were ever given and would pass on to others?
Be yourself because everyone else is taken. I know that sounds rich coming from a guy who dresses like Thor, but I do that for my inner child and for the many children all over the world who have CF and who need a hero. If I can win an 'Influencer of the Year' trophy – at last year’s Northern Ireland Health and Fitness Awards – I hope others with CF can think positively too.
18 Who inspires you or who would you try to emulate in terms of fitness / attitude to life?
There are a lot of people that I admire, but there isn't anyone I want to emulate, to be honest. They have their thing and I have mine. When it comes to who inspires me in life, it’s my dad – he is the person who got me to enjoy exercise and has always been my biggest supporter. Both my parents are the reason why I am the man I am today.
19 What time do you normally get to bed and do you get enough sleep?
I get all the sleep... my body is the biggest debt collector when it comes to sleep.
20 Would you say you have a healthy attitude towards your own mortality?
Yes, life is a gift. If I died tomorrow, I feel like I have had a small, but positive, impact on the world. I am happy with that.
:: The 2019 Northern Ireland Health & Fitness Awards, sponsored by Centra, celebrate excellence and achievement across the health and fitness industry and include 21 award categories, including Personal Trainer of the Year, Gym of the Year and Wellness Champion. Winners will be announced at a gala dinner AT the Crowne Plaza, Shaw’s Bridge, on September 21. To enter, visit healthandfitnessni.com
