Health

The Wellness Set

Staying strong, being mindful and nourishing your body have become bywords of the zeitgeist, but making these a daily practice gives lasting results. We asked Ireland's top fitness experts to share the secrets to improving mind, body and spirit.




The Pilates Guru


Milena Byrne is the MD of Platinum Pilates (platiniumpilates.ie), Ireland’s largest reformer pilates studio

Tell us a few fitness and diet myths?
One of the biggest myths is that cutting carbs is a great way to lose weight – eliminating any major food group isn’t clever. You might lose weight initially, but the impact on your health may not become apparent until later. Another one is weights make women bulky. When I was working as a personal trainer, this was biggest fear female clients had. Now, thanks to a wave of social media influencers, women are less worried about resistance training!

How do you switch off?
I’m a workaholic, so don’t do much switching off from September to May, but I take the summer off with my three daughters. We usually spend long, lazy days on the beach in Spain. Of course, you never completely zone out when you own your own business, but I definitely enjoy the slower pace during the warmer months.





White and grey train times bra, €58, matching wunder under hr 7/8 tight leggings, €98; both by Lulu Lemon, navy hooded short rain jacket, €630, by Moncler, white high sock trainers, €180, by Adidas



What are your must-have foods?
Lemons – I use them in everything from water to salads. They do wonders for the body, including helping reduce inflammation. I also avoid refined sugar at all costs, so no fizzy drinks, biscuits, cake or chocolate. It’s hard at first, but if you can cut it out or even cut down, your body will thank you for it.

What’s in your post-gym beauty bag?
I’m currently obsessed with Sisley Black Rose Creme. A friend introduced me to it because I was complaining of dry, tired skin after working out. It's miracle in a jar. I also use Jo Malone Velvet Rose & Oud Body Creme.

What’s the best fitness tip you’ve ever been given?
Move your body every day – it’s as important as brushing your teeth.

One of the biggest myths is that cutting carbs is a great way to lose weight – eliminating any major food group isn’t clever.

Milena Byrne



The Personal Trainers


Paul and Siobhan Byrne are the husband-and-wife team behind exclusive Dublin PT studio BodyByrne (bodybyrne.ie)

What’s the best fitness advice you’ve been given?
Stop thinking of exercise as a chore. When you start getting into it and seeing results, you’ll fall in love with training.

If you could only do one exercise, what would it be?
Can we choose three? No one single exercise can work out the entire body. Let’s go with bench press, squats and deadlift.

What’s in your post-gym beauty bag, Siobhan?
Anything from Mio and Crème de la Mer, though I love trying new products.





Red high neck floral embroidered jogging jacket, €1300, matching leggings with side side-stripe, €590, white leather platform trainers, €690; all by Gucci



What are the best foods for wellbeing?
We follow a very clean diet Monday to Friday and ease up at the weekend. We’ll always have oat pancakes, turkey burgers, sweet potatoes, avocados and lots of veg and nut butters in the house. We avoid overly processed foods. Our motto is, “If it doesn’t have a face or doesn’t grow in the ground then don’t eat it.”

How do you switch off?
Our favourite thing to do is sit down with a good box set. We also have a no laptops or phones after 7pm policy.

What advice would you give to a fitness beginner?
Take things slowly. Jumping straight in is unsustainable and will lead to burn out. Start with a walk at lunch time around St Stephen’s Green or another green space. You’ll easily clock up a few kilometres without realising it and beat the mid-afternoon slump. If you’re never exercised before, aim for two days a week.

Stop thinking of exercise as a chore. When you start getting into it and seeing results, you’ll fall in love with training.

Paul and Siobhan Byrne



THE NUTRITIONIST AND YOGI


Katie Richardson is a nutritionist and yoga and pilates teacher, as well as a brand ambassador for Lululemon

Tell us about your daily wellness routine.
As a new mum, my ability to maintain a wellness routine is constantly evolving. Wellness can’t be achieved in quick fixes – it involves creating healthy rituals and habits. The minute I wake up, I take five deep breaths and mentally list three things I’m grateful for. Then I’ll sit down and have a lemon water or herbal tea before a protein-rich breakfast of eggs and mushrooms. Last, I get out for some exercise. A quick tip to encourage yourself to workout is getting straight into your activewear. The simple act of putting on my leggings and runners first thing means I’m more likely to get myself out the door and raise my heart rate.

What are your must-have and must-avoid foods?
Eating whole foods and a balanced diet is the key. My must-have is real food, so unprocessed fare that comes from the soil. We grow a lot of our own food and eat mostly organic. Brassicas are a particular favourite. I avoid anything that comes in a tin or jar. My top tip for eating better is learning how to cook. When I first became interested in nutrition I signed up to a course at Ballymaloe. I can now open my pantry and cook a tasty, wholesome meal with whatever is there.





White swiftly tech t back tank top, €68, white energy bra, €58, black crop wide leg track pants with floral embroidery, €1200, white leather trainers with embellished tongue, €790; both by Gucci



What’s your ultimate comfort food?
A Sunday roast. I’m a sucker for crispy roast potatoes.

What’s your go-to stress buster?
Yoga. Nothing helps me slow down and ground myself more than time on my mat. The best thing about yoga is you never achieve perfection – you can always work on improving even basic poses.

What’s your best advice for people who are on the mat for the first time?
Leave your ego at the door. This is the reason most people get injured in yoga – trying to do the most advanced poses. Stick with the basics and do them really well. Who cares what the person beside you is doing – they could be doing it all wrong! Also, breathe. Breath is the basis of yoga – movement comes second.

Wellness can’t be achieved in quick fixes – it involves creating healthy rituals and habits.

Katie Richardson