This month, 98FM’s Gossip Girl Siobhan O’Connor gives us a sneak peek into her fridge and takes us through her average daily dietry pattern and exercise regime.
Siobhan O’Connor
Body Stats:
Height – 5’ 5 ¾
Weight – 9 stone
Size – 10
Food diary from an average day:
Breakfast – Fresh grapefruit, linseed, natural yoghurt, banana and milled goji berries.
Mid-morning snack – Slice of brown toast with butter.
Lunch – Chicken with hard boiled eggs and salad (tomatoes, peppers, onions).
Mid-Afternoon Snack – It’s bold I know, but it would be two homemade fairy cakes with no icing.
Dinner – Roast lamb, gravy, one small boiled potato, two small roast potatoes, cauliflower.
Drinks – 1.5 glasses of red wine with dinner, about 2 litres of water, two coffees and one cup of tea throughout the day.
We take a sneak peek into Siobhan’s fridge
Exercise:
I exercise almost every day, at least five laps of the cricket pitch a day with my dog. Every other day I meet my mate Helen and we jog 10K along Dollymount beach. I try to mix it up. I also try to cycle into work most days. After jogging, I do a few press ups and planks. To be honest I know I need to do more weights but I’m more of an outdoors person.
Supplements:
Vitamin C and fish oils – that’s it.
Diet/Detox:
I did stick to greens and protein for my wedding but now I just try and eat a pretty much balanced diet. I have a sun warrior protein shake after training.
Biggest Weakness:
Cheese and crackers.
Discipline:
I’m kind of disciplined. If I overdo it at the weekend, on Monday I’ll get back into my health buzz. I just try to enjoy life and see food as my friend and not the enemy. Sure it could all be over in the morning.
Expert Opinion:
Hi Siobhan,
First off, let’s start with a big well done on the exercise routine! It seems like you have really made it part of your everyday life; whether it’s your running or cycling to work you’re in the habit and habits are hard to break!
I see you mentioned you feel you could be doing more weights. That is a fair point – there is only so long your physique will be stimulated by bodyweight exercises so once you pass from that beginner to intermediate stage, it’s time to introduce some form of weight training at least once a week.
Vitamin C and fish oils are two of my personal favourites. They’re great for keeping energy levels high and supporting our immune systems. One to try also is vitamin D, especially coming into autumn when there is a lack of sunlight. This is a key nutrient for energy levels.
You certainly have the right attitude when it comes to food; seeing it as a friend and having that balance is vital. Trying the latest diets are short-term fixes and will always fail. It is impossible to be perfect all of the time; the key here is to recognise when you have overindulged and how you will go about getting your body back to its ideal environment. Whether that’s too many drinks over the weekend or eating too much on a Sunday, the key is not to dwell on it as this feeling of negativity will only keep you on that downward slope. Write it off and make a plan to start again; your mind will then be ready and the body will follow.
To touch on your diary example, I think it consists of 3 excellent main meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner. Snacks could be a little better though. They seem to be all carb heavy bread and fairy cakes, which could be a sign of some energy crashes. The best snack I find for clients is fruits, such as blueberries, mixed with some nuts. Almonds, for example, are ideal as they are a fuel source your body can use unlike the fairy cakes and bread, which tend to drain the body’s energy.
Great to see you’re drinking 2 litres of water a day. This is something people tend to neglect and is one of the two key factors in body maintenance and fat loss, the other being sleep. Yes, they are the two key factors to fat loss: hydration and adequate sleep!
Staying hydrated and getting enough sleep are two key factors in maintaining a healthy body
Thanks for sending in your info for me to look at Siobhan, I hope this helps you out and feel free to stop by at BodyByrne for a chat and maybe even a bit of training anytime.
To get more info and tips follow @bodybyrne and @markbodybyrne on Twitter!
Thanks,
Mark O’ Reilly.
For bookings with Mark at BodyByrne Fitness, contact mark@bodybyrne.ie