1 Up and at it – what is your morning routine?
I'm lucky that I live right beside my work, so I don't have any driving time in the morning. I get up at 8am and try not to look at my phone (or I end up getting carried away, checking social media). First thing I do is brush my teeth and then get dressed. Normally I wear casual jeans and a sweatshirt for the days I’m working, but I love to get dressed up now for my Miss Northern Ireland duties. Depending on what my hair looks like, I might run the curlers over it. One thing that I never miss out on doing is a quick cleanse, tone and moisturise using Skinician before applying some light make-up.
2 What might you eat in a typical working day for...
Breakfast? I am a busy woman, so this meal is very important to keep me going through to lunch. I would have toast most mornings, or scrambled eggs.
Lunch? I love the Balanced For You Marks and Spencer ready meals for lunch; they are so handy and filling.
Evening meal? I really enjoy cooking, so most evenings I would have stir-frys with chicken and green vegetables, or a baked potato. Sometimes, if I've been out and don't have much time, I will grab a quick bowl of cereal.
3 Is nutrition important to you?
Yes, I want to stay healthy and active and I believe looking after your hair, skin and teeth has to start from within. I stay away from sweets, chocolates and takeaway.
4 Best meal ever? This is a tough question...
I love seafood, so I would have to say my favourite meal was the mussels from Mourne Seafood in Dundrum.
5 Do you have a guilty pleasure?
My guilty pleasure is definitely olives. I only like the green ones and they are go-to snacking food. I eat them with anything.
6 Have you ever been on a diet?
If so, how did it go? I have never really been on a 'proper' diet. I honestly don't think I could stick it out very well. I enjoy food, especially different breads and potatoes. As I go to the gym four or five times a week, I eat a lot to keep my energy levels up and I just try to take everything in moderation.
7 Do you take health supplements?
Yes, I take complete B vitamin complex for my skin, hair and nails and I would sometimes take iron and vitamin C for when I’m feeling overly tired.
8 How do you relax?
My favourite time to relax is a Saturday morning. I work hard every week, so I enjoy putting my feet up, having a cup of coffee and watching lots of TV cookery programmes.
9 Teetotal or tipple?
Tipple – I’m not a big drinker, but I love wine if I'm out for dinner and cocktails or gin served with Schweppes cucumber tonic on a night out.
10 Stairs or lift?
I always take the stairs because by the time you wait for the lift, it's a quicker option – unless I'm in heels...
11 Do you have a daily exercise regime?
I used to do lots of gym classes, but since I go to the gym at so many different times, it's easier for me to just work out myself. I understand my body and how to get the most out of a session at the gym now. I do a mixture of core, legs and arm work. I used to do a lot more cardio and I would like to get back into that as part of my prep for Miss World in November.
12 Best tip for everyday fitness?
Find a time when you work best in the gym and then you will get more out of it.
13 On a scale of one to 10, how fit do you think you are and how fit would you like to be? I'd say I'm around a six. I'm quite happy with that, but there’s always room for improvement.
14 Have you tried, or would you try, alternative therapy?
I’ve never tried alternative therapy and I don't know very much about it either, but I'm open to trying most things.
15 Were school sports happy times or do you have a memory you would rather forget?
I was never overly good in sports day events, especially in primary school. I'm more of a long distance runner than a sprinter, though – I finished first in the 3,000m race and that's the only good thing I remember from school sports.
16 Did you ever have a health epiphany which made you change your lifestyle?
No, I'm so thankful my health has always stayed the same.
17 Best health/lifestyle advice you were ever given and would pass on to others?
The best lifestyle advice ever given to me was to drink three litres of water each day. At the start, I remember thinking, 'How could you drink that much?' but now it’s just part of my routine.
18 Who inspires you or who would you try to emulate in terms of fitness / attitude to life? A person who inspires me is the former Miss Northern Ireland, Anna Henry. She's an amazing personal trainer who not only physically trains people, but also boosts their confidence at the same time. She's on a fitness journey and a great inspiration to others.
19 What time do you normally get to bed and do you get enough sleep?
I try to get to sleep around 11pm or 12 o'clock, so I'd say 90 per cent of nights, I get eight or nine hours which Is plenty.
20 Would you say you have a healthy attitude towards your own mortality?
Everyone knows that life circumstances can change in the blink of an eye. I don't like to dwell on things that may happen. I believe that life is to be lived and lived to the fullest, making the most out of every opportunity.
