Interview with Diana from Happybody

One blog that caught my eye recently was Happybody, written by Christchurch gal Diana.  She’s soon to be studying Personal Training and has a keen interest in health and fitness.  She shares some pretty amazing looking recipes and I loved her honesty around her struggles with food.  She kindly agreed to do a little interview with me, so here it is!

Firstly, can you tell us a little more about yourself and what got you interested in healthy eating?

I live in Christchurch and am a part time health & wellness blogger, and soon to be full time Personal Training student. I truly immersed myself in the world of healthy eating in 2010 when I began to educate myself through the Internet about food and the many issues around it. It really shocked me to know that the foods I thought were ‘normal’ and even healthy are actually incredibly dangerous and, even worse, they’re widely promoted throughout NZ society. It is through speaking with so many people, learning first hand from health professionals, reading countless research papers, as well as my own experience with healthy food, that I have become very familiar with what I feel is healthy for me and those around me.

I grew up eating whatever I wanted, and I was fortunate to have delicious healthy meals cooked for me by my mother. But there was never a shortage of burgers, chocolate, and ice creams because I would get on my bike and ride to the nearest dairy or fast food joint when I could. I LOVED sugar and fat! I was incredibly active so never had any issues with weight, but I know that my body was suffering greatly.

In my late teens I decided I would start feeding myself, and started rejecting meals that were prepared for me because I wanted to diet and lose weight. I lost a lot of weight and to combat the weight loss, I started binging on food to gain the nutrients I was lacking. What began with overeating once a month turned into excessive consumption of food most days… and weight gain. This was my new normal. I tried losing weight through adopting this new way of eating but I never made much physical progress due to the constant mental challenge that comes with binge eating. Now, 5 years later, I have found appropriate resources to teach me to override my bad mental habits. I don’t look at health food like I used to – as a way of losing weight.

I now eat healthily to provide my body with array of nutrients, and I want to encourage those who follow Happybody on Facebook, Instagram, and the website to learn that too. When we feed ourselves with natural foods and stop restricting our food intake, our intelligent bodies know what to do – lose the excess, and return to a normal state of equilibrium.

We love to know what other healthy people eat! – What is a typical day’s eating for you?

I always start the day by drinking water. I then have a big smoothie which will have at least 4 bananas and a selection of delicious fruits and greens. At lunch time I like to a have a big big salad with heaps of vegetables or I feel like something more substantial I’ll cook up a batch of brown rice. At dinner I have something warm, hearty and cooked. I’m all about roasted vegetables, soups, tofu balls and healthy warm sushi this winter!

What foods are your fridge and pantry staples?

Fridge/freezer: Capsicums, lettuce, coriander, parsley, broccoli, spinach, kale, pumpkin, almond milk, frozen berries/bananas.

Pantry: Brown rice, almonds, bananas (so many bananas!), dates, avocados, oranges, lemons, mango, nut butter, garlic.

What is your favourite way to keep fit?

At the moment I’m loving my 30 minute workouts that I can do at home. Sometimes getting to the gym is the hardest part, but now that I can workout at home, there’s absolutely no excuse to go a day without working up a sweat. I go for short run, and then workout with weights doing pushups, squats, crunches etc. I honestly feel so wrecked afterwards, it’s the best!

Favourite healthy meal?

I love Mexican food, so I like to make myself a bowl full of brown rice, lettuce, guacamole, roasted capsicum and different salsas! The flavours meld together so beautifully and I’m always left feeling super satisfied and happy 🙂

Favourite food indulgence ?

I have made so many delicious sweet treats in the past few months and my favourite would have to be the healthy chocolate cake you can find here. It’s so filling and wholesome and will satisfy any chocolate lover! Click here for the recipe

Do you have a “food philosophy” that you aim to follow?

I haven’t always had a healthy relationship with food, so it’s a process for me as much as it is for anyone else. Everyday my goal is to eat for nourishment, not short term pleasure and long term weight gain. So many of us live to eat, and I’m determined to help spread the message for us to eat to live.

What are your top 3 tips for staying healthy and happy?

1. Drink more water.

2. Move your body.

3. Eat more fruits and vegetables

Check out Happybody here, and she’s also on Facebook here