In June 2016 The Health Bloggers Community hosted their first ever awards ceremony titled the ‘HBC Blog Awards’. The event was in collaboration with That Protein and sponsored by ourselves along with other great brands such as; Linwoods, Protein Haus and The Soil Association. The awards were a friendly and fun celebration of the fast-growing community of health bloggers which continues to grow and evolve each day.
Here at SuperFoodLx we have chosen to interview a few of the winners and finalists from the HBC Awards. Each interview provides a mini insight into each blogger but what SuperFoodLx liked the most about the interviews was learning about what makes a great health blog and each health blogger’s favourite health tips.
Today we will be interviewing Lisa-Jane Holmes Winner of “Best Fitness Blog” at the Health Blog Awards 2016 Wild Cat Fitness When you get the chance, reach out and follow, like and subscribe to her respective channels on social media as they are a great way to stay informed on the health community.
Who are you and what do you do?
My name is LJ and I am a Personal Trainer, Fitness Instructor and Fitness Blogger from West London. I’ve been working in the fitness industry for over 7 years now, firstly as a Group Exercise Instructor teaching classes across London, then as a Health Club Manager, before studying and qualifying as a Personal Trainer and Sports Nutrition specialist. I set up Wildcat Fitness, an all-female Personal Training business back in 2013 and about a year later decided to start Blogging about health, fitness and nutrition under the same Wildcat Fitness brand.
What inspired you to start your blog?
It started initially because I was finding that my PT clients and class members were often asking me the same questions – things like what they should eat before and after training, what kind of trainers were best for their workout, how to train to maximise fat loss, inspiration for healthy dinners…. and I figured if they were asking me the same questions chances are many other people were curious too. So I started writing my Blog to help share some of the fitness and nutrition knowledge I have gained over my many years in the industry, in the hope that I could reach a wider audience and help inspire more and more people to lead a healthier lifestyle. Another driving factor was that I wanted to get the message out there that despite what people see or indeed presume from my exterior that actually I’ve had to work really hard to get where I am today and that several years ago I was overweight, unhealthy and terrified of the gym. So many of my clientele are shocked to discover that I haven’t always been lean or sporty or eaten well – so I wanted to show people that with hard work, dedication, and above all the correct knowledge that truly anything is possible.
What do you enjoy most about blogging?
My degree is actually in Journalism – I have loved writing ever since I was a child – and when I first graduated I worked in the media. I loved the industry, but not the competitive, cut-throat and insecure nature of it, and so presumed that maybe it wasn’t for me. I did always miss writing though, so it really is amazing how things have now come full circle, and I’m able to use my Journalism background and training and combine with my passion for health and fitness to help inspire and educate people around the world.
Do you have a favourite blog post and if so what is it and why?
It’s hard to pick one particular favourite, but I find when I write very open, honest posts about things like weight loss and body image and my personal feelings and journey around this that I get a huge response as so many people can relate to the feelings I’m writing about. One of my most recent posts on the subject of Body Dysmorphia and the negative influence of comparisons via social media: https://wildcatfitnessuk.com/2016/04/17/the-eye-of-the-beholder/ is probably up there with my favourites as I received so many lovely comments from people who had read the post and felt they could relate to what I had written about, but also that knowing someone like me – in the public eye and in the heart of the fitness industry could feel this way has really made them stop and think and potentially re-evaluate some of the things they saw daily being posted on Instagram, Twitter etc. All I have ever wanted to do with my Blog is open up conversations like this – to show people the reality behind social media, to show people that even PTs, Instructors and Fitness Models can suffer from bad body image, but also to reach out to people on their own fitness and weight loss journeys and let them know they’re not alone.
What plans do you have for the future of your blog?
I really want to start devoting more time to my Blog and creating more content that my readers will find useful and inspiring. I’d like to build up a wider library of healthy recipes – I always get lovely comments about the ones I post and often see people making them and sharing photos on their own Blogs or Instagram accounts, and to know I’ve helped someone make a healthier choice and showed them that good nutrition doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated is an amazing feeling. As more and more people start to look at their diet and realise that eating well doesn’t need to mean you have to be a Michelin Starred chef, I’d love to create more recipes that can become people’s “go to” for easy healthy lunches, dinners and snacks. I’m also keen to start writing more about fitness specifically – reviewing classes, sharing workouts and also tips and techniques for working out. Anything that will help my readers become the best versions of themselves!
If you had to choose one meal to eat everyday for one year, what would it be?
I hate to be a stereotypical health blogger, but it really would be smashed avocado and poached egg on rye bread! My absolute favourite, for breakfast or lunch, of course topped with a squeeze of lemon and sprinkle of chilli…. my mouth is watering just typing that!!
What do you do to relax and de stress?
Putting my body through as much as I do on a weekly basis, I try to get a sports massage as often as I can. It doesn’t always feel amazing at the time, but by the end releases all those knots feels incredible, and I sleep so well afterwards.
What is your least favourite health fad and why?
Crash diets or detoxes. The whole Beyonce Maple Syrup diet, or similar regimes that are basically one step up from starvation really irritate me, because they ultimately do people more harm than good. Not eating depletes your body of vitamins and nutrients, makes you sluggish and lethargic, and actually sends your body into starvation mode which slows down your metabolism – the exact opposite of what you need it to do to lose weight. Yes you might feel “skinny” after three days of drinking lemon juice, syrup and cayenne pepper, but it is generally dehydration and actually muscle loss, and the minute you start eating normally again the weight will creep back on. Anything that promotes a “quick fix” is a bad thing in my book, because a healthy lifestyle is not a quick fix – it’s exactly that – a choice for life, and anyone trying to sell you a great body in a week is lying! There’s no magic pill and no short cut and it makes me sad that marketers are selling this unattainable dream to vulnerable people who want to change their bodies but don’t know how.
What is your favourite superfood?
I’ve actually always loved healthy eating, and enjoyed many “superfoods” long before they achieved super status! I’ve always been a big fan of greens, so I suppose I’ll have to say kale – which my Dad grew in his garden when I was growing up, so it’s been a superfood of mine for over 25 years!
What is your most trusted natural remedy or keep healthy tip?
To listen to your body – and only YOUR body. We live in an age of comparison now, and where so many people are sharing their workout/diet/health secrets via blogs and social media, so it’s easy to get caught up in what other people are doing and try to emulate them. But the reality is we are all different and all have different genetics and lifestyles, so what works for one person won’t necessarily work for another. My biggest piece of advice is to find out what works for YOU and to be in tune with what your body needs. It’s not about competing to do more workouts in a week or eat less calories in a day than your friends – it’s about finding your own personal balance. If you feel tired, sleep. If you feel hungry, eat. If you love yoga, do yoga. If you hate cardio, find something you love instead to get your heart rate racing. You’ll soon find that a healthy lifestyle is easy if it’s made up of activities you enjoy and food you love.
If you have a tip (recipe, natural treatment) for keeping yourself healthy
would you be able to provide one.
I swear by taking probiotics. There are so many external factors now that affect their health of our gut, and people don’t necessarily realise what a negative effect on their body and wellbeing bad gut health can have. Antibiotics, illnesses, chemical in food, long haul travel can all affect our intestinal flora, and when it is out of whack it can lead to a whole host of health problems. So I take a strong (50 billion) strain of probiotics every day, straight from the fridge just before bed. I truly believe it helps keep me healthy and energised and able to cope with a busy lifestyle.
If you could offer one piece of advice (about anything) what would it be?
To be yourself. We are all unique and we all have something to offer the world and it makes me so sad to hear so often that people don’t feel skinny enough, strong enough, instagram worthy enough….. you are YOU and that is enough, because no one else can offer that. The old saying goes that “comparison is the thief of joy” and it’s something I have to remind myself of on a daily basis, but it’s true. Embark on the journey to be healthier, fitter and stronger for YOU and do it YOUR way. Be inspired by bloggers and friends and social media and celebrities along the way, but focus on the destination, enjoy the journey and rock it in your own style!
Kale and Almond Hair Growth Smoothie
Here is a kale inspired smoothie using Lisa-Jane’s favourite superfood
Kale is loaded with vitamin A and vitamin C, which are important nutrients in healthy hair growth, hair loss prevention and scalp circulation. Vitamin C also helps the body to produce collagen, which aids our skin health and iron absorption which is an important nutrient for the hair. The bananas add more of this vitamin and other nutrients to the mix, while the peanut butter gives you extra protein, a building block for our strands.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup organic almond milk
1 organic banana
1 tablespoon natural peanut butter
small 1/4 cup of cold coconut water
4 large kale leaves
Instructions:
Add all ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth
Wild Cat social media links
Instagram: http://instagram.com/wildcatfit
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wildcatfit
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wildcatfitnessuk