This month, ‘Fair City’ actress Aoibhin Garrihy gives us a sneak peek into her fridge and takes us through her average daily dietary pattern and exercise regime.
Body Stats:
Height – 5’10
Weight – I never weigh myself. Have not stepped on a scales in years!
Dress size – 8/10
Food Diary from Average Day:
Breakfast – Bowl of porridge with a banana or blueberries, cup of tea, a mandarin and one slice of brown bed with marmalade.
Lunch – Soup with a ham and cheese toasted sandwich, glass of water.
Dinner – Prawn and vegetable stir fry with brown rice.
Snacks – Dark chocolate bounty bar, yogurt, an apple.
Beverages – Tea and water.
We take a sneak peek into Aoibhin’s fridge
Exercise:
Exercise for me is a labour of love and I tend to go through phases. If I have something to motivate me, I am quite happy to commit to an exercise regime and I start to feel really good about myself and actually enjoy the work out. However, if there’s no motivation and nothing I need to be in particularly good shape for, I’m just as happy to focus my energy on work or some other project and exercise is sadly forgotten. I wish I could change this.
Supplements:
Yes, I take Berocca Boost very day and Lysine for mouth ulcers, which I suffer from when stressed or run down.
Diet/Detox:
I rarely, if ever, diet or detox. My diet is not bad. I cut out chocolate, carbs and alcohol for stints occasionally if I want to feel better about myself. I’m usually good at breakfast. I like my fruit – bananas, mandarins, blueberries, kiwis and strawberries – but I don’t really do salads as much as I should. Dinner varies. I’m always a fan of potatoes and I usually have carrots, parsnips and onions most nights.
Biggest Weakness:
I really love chocolate and always find it very difficult to give up and I also drink a lot of tea, maybe five or six cups a day sometimes. It’s a comfort thing I think.
Chocolate is one of Aoibhin’s biggest weaknesses
Discipline:
No, when it comes to food my will power isn’t great. It’s the same with exercise. But I can be very disciplined when it comes to other things, like work.
Expert Tips:
Hi Aoibhin,
I’d like to start by complimenting you on the variety and colour of foods in your fridge. We can see plenty of fruits and vegetables so well done!
Tip 1. Fruit is packed with vitamins and minerals and is great for snacking but people tend to forget it is a carbohydrate, a natural sugar, so just be wise with the choices and amounts. Berries, tropical fruits, apples and pears are all great choices due to their lower carb content.
Tip 2. Protein is key for all areas, including energy levels, appetite, cravings and maintenance of a toned physique and you seem to be lacking slightly. Aim for a minimum of three portions a day as a goal. That could be eggs for breakfast, chicken at lunch and fish for dinner.
Protein such as chicken and fish is key for a healthy diet
Tip 3. Our enthusiasm levels toward exercise are exactly as you describe when you have something you’re working towards, like an event, a casting or a run. The top tip here is to set goals for yourself regularly. This will keep you going on an exercise routine.
Tip 4. To reduce the amount of caffeine you take in, try rooibos tea. It’s packed with antioxidants, is caffeine free and pretty tasty.
Tip 5. I see you like dark chocolate. Butlers do a 70% cocoa dark chocolate, which is one of the best around. Small amounts of this will reduce any sweet craving you have.
I hope this tips helps! Best of luck with your health and fitness, Aoibhin.
Answered by Mark O’Riley. Mark is a trainer at BodyByrne Fitness, Clarendon Street, Dublin 2. For more information on training and nutrition contact www.bodybyrne.ie or twitter @bodybyrne