Common mistakes people do when it comes to exercising? They don’t take the time to learn how to exercise correctly and therefore end up hurting themselves. Secondly; people are often not consistent enough - if you want to make a change to your body, then you need to go to the gym regularly and without long breaks in between. What’s the most common question you get asked about fitness, and what is your answer for it? What do you eat - how do you stay so fit? It’s simple, I make sure that all I eat is healthy – even my snacks. How important is travelling for you? Travelling is my favorite thing. There is nothing like exploring a new part of the world, whether for business or pleasure. How have your travels impacted your work? It has given me the opportunity to get jobs, photoshoots and news articles in many different locations. Do you feel pressure to be in perfect shape, and is it possible to have the perfect body? Yes I do feel some pressure to be in “perfect” shape, but it’s driven by my aspirations not my surroundings. I think it is possible to have a flawless body, but what exactly that is, is a personal “standard”. It’s all about how you feel about yourself and probably less about how you actually look.
Your definition of the perfect getaway?! The perfect getaway is when you go somewhere new with your partner or best friend and you’re combining the right amount of adventure, shopping and nightlife. What’s the one thing you’d never skip in your workouts? Abs. Never skip abs exercises! What fitness equipment do you recommend packing while traveling? Actually never travel with fitness equipment as such, but of course always bring gym clothes and shoes. There are so many challenging exercises you can do just using your own body weight. What do you do to work out when you are on the road and during your vacation? I do my best to never skip my training routine. So typically during vacation my day still starts with a workout. It can be in the gym if staying at a place that has such, or it can be a run around the neighborhood on a sunny morning. The latter is also a great way to experience the place you visit - so it’s much more than a just a workout.
What snacks do you pack for your holiday? Same as always - nuts and protein bars. What strategies do your recommend for a healthier getaway? Keep your routine of starting each day with a good workout and a healthy breakfast, otherwise just enjoy! Shopping is an excellent opportunity to exercise while on vacation. If you insist to walk around - no taxies or busses then a day of shopping will easy have you covering 10+ km of walking… not to mention the “weight training” from carrying around the shopping bags… LOL.
Up-Close & Personal
What are your tips for looking and feeling good on an airplane and after a long flight? It’s pretty simple – water… lots of water! And keep your skin moisturized with a good night cream. Yup. Night Cream! You need the extra vitamins that the night cream offers, rather than the SPF protection and so that you get from day creams.
Best city for a healthy holiday? New York - lots of outdoor activities: Central Park, Shopping and just plain sightseeing which can all be done by foot. Secondly lots of healthy options for breakfast, lunch and dinner in between the more typically American offerings of fast food.
What do you consider to be the epitome of getting away from any negative vibes? Hitting the gym - after about 15 minutes of working out hard, it’s difficult not to be in a good mood.
Favorite fitness guru? Myself, hahahah - no seriously I follow a few other fitness girls for motivation including Ciara (the singer). Secret guilty pleasure? Popcorn! I have tried, but just can’t stay away from it when it’s cinema time. LOL Best gym in the world? Hmm, difficult to say, as there are many really good ones. Currently my favorite gym is Fit Republic at Sports City, Dubai - they have amazing offerings covering everything from regular fitness to MMA. One of life’s little luxuries? Japanese food - dining at some of the best Japanese restaurants – such as at Nobu, Zuma or Okku. Most favorite piece-of- mind therapy? Sleep. LOL - otherwise painting. I love to paint.