We love finding out about the philosophies of Aotearoa’s experts on health, nutrition, wellbeing and fitness! This week we asked Nicole Alyce, a Kiwi personal trainer who has recently relocated back to Auckland after a stint across the ditch on the Gold Coast, the NZ Real Health 10 Quick Questions:
1. In a nutshell, what do you do for your job?
I’m a qualified personal trainer, advanced nutritionist, active children’s trainer and boxing instructor. However, I like to think of myself as an all round lifestyle coach.
2. How did you get into your line of work?
In 2006, I moved from Auckland, New Zealand over to the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. It didn’t take me long to realise that the city was buzzing with everything relating to health and fitness.
Never having stepped foot into a gym before nor had the interest, I was quick to jump on the band wagon and join the local gym to see what all the hype was about. Needless to say from the moment I walked through the doors for the first time I was hooked.
Since then, it has been a whirlwind of going from strength to strength and continuously striving to improve myself in all fitness aspects inclusive of strength, body image and aesthetics, general health and energy, and overall quality of life.
3. What’s the best thing about your job?
I get to help people make positive changes in their life every day. I meet the most amazing people and have such motivated positive clients both locally and internationally.
4. What do you do to keep fit?
I love to mix it up with a combination of gyms, plyometric movement-based dynamic functional training, heavy weight training, and cardio both indoors and out. Especially during summer time, I love lunging through parks and doing beachside cardio!
5. What’s your philosophy on nutrition and diets?
When it comes to training and food, I wholeheartedly believe in the 80/20 rule. If you follow the books 80% of the time you have room for movement the other 20%.
I believe everything in balance, you should have your staple foods the majority of the time but also allow yourself some relaxed meals, there is always a time and a place for ice cream and pasta!
6. What does keeping healthy mean to you?
It means keeping well and nourishing my body from the inside out. If your organs, blood, bones, heart, and brain are healthy and happy, then so are you.
Ditch the quick fixes and fads and nourish yourself; you will find that eating whole natural healthy foods are more satisfying and your quality of life and mood will increase naturally with it. Let foods be your medicine.
7. What motivates you to stay on track with your own nutrition and training?
Love, passion, commitment, dedication, motivation. It’s easy, if you love what you do! 🙂
8. What’s your best health or fitness tip?
Stop giving up. forget the fads, make a decision, stick at it. I promise that if you put in the work you will receive the reward.
9. If you were stranded on a desert island, what three things would you want to take?
I love learning, so a really big nutrition book, Channing Tatum (does he count as a thing?) and my puppy.
10. Any favourite inspirational quotes?
“If you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe then you will be successful” – Eric Thomas
For more information on Nicole and her personal training services, visit www.nicolealycefitness.com.
Image / Supplied