WELLNESS WEDNESDAY WITH HOLLY CARPENTER
For my final Wellness Wednesday of 2015 I’m delighted to be chatting to Holly Carpenter. Holly is one of the most grounded and down to earth girls you could meet. Since winning Miss Ireland back in 2011 she has appeared as a finalist on ‘Britain and Ireland’s next top model’ where she placed 7th out of 32 contestants. The former NCAD student then signed with top model agency ‘Andrea Roche Models’ and makes regular appearances on the pages of glossy magazines, newspapers and TV shows such as Ireland AM and Xpose.
In recent years the 24 year old has been doing some more writing and you can now pick up ‘Holly’s Dublin Diary’ every Friday in The Herald newspaper or read Holly’s humorous opinion pieces on Holly Carpenter’s Blog. Holly is currently the face of ISPPCC Childline’s Christmas campaign, a charity very close to her heart.
But for Be Complete I wanted to find out how she juggles her daily life and finds balance…
How would you describe your lifestyle?
I guess I have a bit of a hectic lifestyle. Every day I’m working on something different whether it’s a photo shoot, writing my column for the Herald or coming up with content for my blog. I find it exciting though and I’m always grateful for the doors that have been opened for me along the way.
What’s your favorite food? Naughty or nice.
My favourite healthy dish is a big fresh cobb salad with chicken, prawns, boiled egg and avocado (I like avocado with everything!) when I’m in the mood for a treat then either toast with lots of real butter or maltesers always hit the spot!
Do you exercise and if so what do you do to keep fit?
I recently started training with Jenni Murphy in Fit Studios in Fairview. We usually do intense 1 hour sessions with a mixture of cardio, high intensity interval training, boxing and TRX. Boxing is my favourite because you immediately get a sweat on and it’s great for relieving any stress or tension! I’m going to be training really hard with Jenni in January and I can’t wait to get back in the gym after the madness of Christmas.
How do you find balance in your day-to-day life?
Although I don’t have a 9-5 job I still like to treat my ‘days off’ as working days. If it’s a Wednesday and I have no modeling jobs or deadlines then I’ll make sure to use the day to get things done and stay productive. I like to let my hair down at the weekend and treat myself but I don’t usually like going out on nights out during the week.
How do you manage stress in your life? Do you meditate? Have you ever tried it?
If I get really stressed I find it helpful to just sit down, close my eyes and take really deep breaths for a couple of minutes. It’s a simple yet effective way of just calming yourself. I find it difficult to sit still when I’m stressed though so it’s not always easy. I’ve never really tried meditation but I’ve heard great things and I’d be up for giving it a go!
People often set goals or intentions as they go through life. Is this something you do?
I’m a big fan of setting goals and writing out to do lists and timelines. I’m so excited for January because I love starting a fresh new year with a clear vision of what I want to do and where I want to be. Time flies by if you procrastinate so if I don’t have a list of goals set for the beginning of each month I feel like it passes in a heartbeat and I don’t like feeling like I could have done more.
How do you unwind after a busy day?
I love just lighting scented candles in my room and listening to music while I take off my make-up. I can’t stop listening to Justin Bieber ‘Love yourself’ at the moment. I find it quite therapeutic to cook my meals at night for the next day. I usually have to pack different bags of clothes, make-up and gym gear too, the feeling of being organized really helps me unwind. I definitely sleep better knowing that I’m organized and ready for tomorrow.
It’s the weekend, what do you do for fun?
If I’m having a night in then I love getting stuck into a good box set and a bag of pic’n’mix in my pjs. If I’m heading out with the girls then I usually allow myself hours to get ready so I can enjoy having a hot bath and putting my hair up in rollers etc. We usually head to our favourite spots on Fade Street or South William Street. My mum cooks an amazing roast most Sundays and that’s always a lovely way to end the weekend with the family.
What’s your top health tip for our readers?
Sleep and water are so so important! I haven’t had enough of either over the festive period and I’m really noticing a difference in my skin and energy levels. I usually drink 3litres of water a day so I need to get back on that horse!
Finish the sentence – Being complete for me means… When the people I care most are healthy and happy then I’m happy. It’s the best feeling in the world to feel loved and to have people in your life that you can love and trust. That’s what it all comes down to at the end of the day.
FOLLOW HOLLY ON: