As part of our new year goals for 2018 we’re talking to fitness, health and well-being bloggers on what “being the best you you can be” means to them.
Next up in the series, fitness blogger Elle Linton from Keep It SimpElle
What does well-being and being the best you can be mean to you?
Personally, it’s all about balance and learning not to compare myself to others. Balance for me comes from listening to my body, taking adequate rest, enjoying eating a variety of foods and being in the moment. With social media being such a huge part of our lives now, it’s easy to see what other people are doing and create a story around that which makes us feel inadequate. But we don’t usually know the full story so we’d be comparing ourselves against unrealistic standards!
Where does your interest in fitness and healthy food come from?
It originally stemmed from a love for science and what was as a child and teenager, a natural talent for sport. I was also in the arts (drama & dance) so fitness became a way of combining everything I loved and enjoyed!
Why do you think getting fit and eating well is so popular right now?
There are just so many options and ways to get fit that I think there is honestly something for everyone out there! There is also so much information available at our fingertips now too and again, social media allows us to share so much more than before. People were always working out but now they have a platform to inspire others and I think it’s actually working.
As for eating well, the media has played a huge part in getting messages out about healthy eating (even if not always the right message) but it’s certainly helped to raise awareness, make people more mindful of what they eat and even make healthy eating become “trendy”.
Do you have any rituals to boost your mood when you need a lift?
I don’t have any specific rituals but I will just do what I feel like doing, eat what I feel like eating and move if I want to. A little me time usually works wonders for me to feel great again and I definitely feel lifted after a good workout or teaching!
What’s your favourite cheat treat?
If I wanna be really healthy but have a treat, it’s this chocolate dessert made with banana and avocado. If I’m going all out, I love the Indian takeaway meals from Marks and Spencer’s and can’t walk out without a bag of Colin Caterpillars, veggie Percy Pigs, sweet and salty popcorn, chocolate covered peanuts or salt and vinegar crisps (not all at once though!).
Where do you get your recipe inspo from?
I have a collection of cookbooks at home which I refer to when I need inspiration for what to cook. Otherwise, Instagram is great for giving me ideas; when I’m scrolling I’ll see something and think “mmmm, I could eat that”.
What keeps you motivated to work out/keep in shape?
I struggle a lot with motivation but I think knowing how great I will feel afterward is what keeps me going! Also as a fitness professional, I get hugely inspired by those in my classes. Seeing how hard they work is a great motivation for myself to put in the extra effort when I think I can’t be bothered.
Share your favourite recipe with us?
Has to be these chia and flax superpowered vegan pancakes for any morning that I have more than 5 minutes to spend on breakfast.
What key ingredients should everyone always have in the kitchen?
Oh now this could turn into quite the list; coconut oil, nutritional yeast, agave nectar, puy lentils, spelt flour, almond/rice milk, chia seeds (once you’ve got everything you need to make pancakes, you’re good!)
What advice would you give to any newbies getting into health/fitness
I’d imagine that starting is the hardest part so as they say, just feel the fear and do it anyway! If you need a little bit of support rope a friend in to train with you! Also, you don’t need to splash too much cash to get yourself an outfit that makes you look and feel the part, then just start small and build it up.
There are so many resources and workouts out there ranging from the couch to 5k app to get started with running or the Nike training club app for HIIT, yoga and other fitness workouts. There’s plenty of inspiration on places like Instagram and YouTube too, along with lots of (professionally qualified) fitness bloggers who often share short workouts you can try yourself! …and most of all, Make sure you enjoy it! If the thought of one particular activity doesn’t fill you with excitement then keep trying different things until you find what does!
Get inspired with all things well-being here.