Life

Roseann Kelly of Women in Busines NI answers 20 questions on health and fitness

Gail Bell asks experts and people in the public eye what keeps them going. This week: Roseann Kelly, chief executive of Women in Business NI

Roseann Kelly, chief executive of Women In Business
Roseann Kelly, chief executive of Women In Business Roseann Kelly, chief executive of Women In Business

1 Up and at it – what is your morning routine?

I'm up at 7am most mornings and I have a cup of tea with The Irish News Business pages. If I’m being good, I will have breakfast, but not always. I will have a quick check of my phone (if I have remembered to put it on the charger the night before) for emails and messages, but I don't look at social media platforms. When I hear, "Bye-bye, love you" from my son James as he heads for the bus, I know it’s time to leave the paper to my husband. I aim to get to the office for 8am.

2 What might you eat in a typical working day for...

Breakfast? Breakfast could be cereal or boiled eggs, but most mornings it’s just a cup of tea.

Lunch? Lunch is in the office and it could be anything from a salad to a cup-a-soup, Weetabix or fruit and yogurt. Networking lunches or meetings are part of my role, so sometimes I skip lunch, eat the fruit if there is some on offer, or sneak a cocktail sausage or two. Being above Avoca is great too, as they do great salad boxes… and cakes!

Dinner? I could be out again for dinner, so again, I try to opt for the healthy choice with the obligatory glass of wine...

At home, we normally have potatoes, carrots and broccoli, served with either fish (fresh sea bass from St George's Market is always a favourite) or roast chicken. We are a real 'butter' house, but surprisingly, since Slimming World, I have gotten used to my potatoes without butter. Spaghetti Bolognese and jerk chicken are staples too.

3 Is nutrition important to you?

I do not worry about nutrition at all, as I eat a lot of fruit and veg, so I reckon I’m not too bad. As I get older, I do think I should be taking vitamins and supplements, but I haven't got around to it yet.

4 Best meal ever?

Taster menu at The Fat Duck – a gift from me to my husband, but of course I had to go too. A salted chilli chicken from the local Chinese also goes down a treat.

5 Do you have a guilty pleasure?

Bread and butter (real butter), cheese and crisps – all together or separately; I don't mind.

6 Have you ever been on a diet? If so, how did it go?

I went to Slimming World last year and lost just under two stone in about four months.

7 Do you take health supplements? No.

8 How do you relax?

With a large glass of red wine and nibbles such as bread and cheese and a little Michael Buble. Also, I really enjoy driving, so I find a long drive listening to classical music very relaxing.

9 Teetotal or tipple?

Tipple – see above.

10 Stairs or lift? I take the stairs but we are on the sixth floor, so it’s tough – sometimes I take a break on the second floor reception to collect the post.

11 Do you have a daily exercise regime?

I take the stairs and walk to as many meetings as possible. I'll try to do at least one spin class each week and, over the summer, I like playing badminton in the back garden with my son – weather permitting.

12 Best tip for everyday fitness?

Walk, walk and then walk some more.

13 On a scale of one to 10, how fit do you think you are and how fit would you like to be?

I'm probably a six, but I would like to be fitter, so I can leave the spin class looking half normal.

14 Have you tried, or would you try, alternative therapy?

I haven’t tried it, but I'm open to trying new things.

15 Were school sports happy times or do you have a memory you would rather forget?

I enjoyed sport and played basketball both at school and at university. I was nicknamed The Judge as I was on the bench a lot – smoking!

16 Did you ever have a health epiphany which made you change your lifestyle? No.

17 Best health/lifestyle advice you were ever given and would pass on to others?

In life, you carry four balls: one for work, one for family, one for friends and one for your health. Your work one is rubber – if you drop it, it will bounce back, but the other balls are glass; if you drop one, it will be damaged or smashed.

18 Who inspires you or who would you try to emulate in terms of fitness / attitude to life?

My goodness, I have met so many people who have inspired me, but not because of their fitness – it’s their compassionate leadership that inspires. The lifestyle advice about the balls (Q17) came from such a leader – High Court Judge, Justice Denise McBride.

19 What time do you normally get to bed and do you get enough sleep?

Normally at around 11.30pm, so I probably do get enough sleep.

20 Would you say you have a healthy attitude towards your own mortality? Yes, I hope so.