While writing these words I ordered a cappuccino – my second one for the day. And despite the one-coffee-a-day rule I’d made five years ago, when the cappuccino arrived at my table I felt totally at peace.
These days my life is not about rules, shoulds or can’ts – particularly when it comes to what or how much I eat, or how or how often I exercise. These days I’ve come to a place where I’m all about listening to my body, and working out what it needs and wants. When it comes to my body, and to my health, strict rules are simply not the answer. And you know what? I’m all the better for it. It wasn’t easy reaching this place, but I believe in flexibility, in balance, and doing what makes my body happy and makes me feel good.
I ran my first 60-metre sprint at the age of three, competed seriously as an athlete until I was 15, and then spent the next 10 years travelling the world working as a model. I’m now a television host, brand ambassador and co-creator of things I love, including my online fitness program, a range of cold-pressed juices and a superfood formulation. I’ve also been lucky enough to work with fashion labels co-creating capsule collections.
I’ve spent the majority of my life using my body as my work. My body is my job, essentially. And as part of that, my body has been pushed, primed and presented in different ways on different days. It has been challenging at times, to be constantly thinking about the way I look, which ultimately determines the outcome of my work and my income.
There have been times when I’ve let that all too familiar negative voice inside my head rule my thoughts and actions. Before I began on my journey of self-love (which I’ll speak more about later), I needed reassurance on photo shoots through compliments, and I would always question my worth. How silly that sounds to me now. But until I educated myself on what it meant to be healthy beyond salads and smoothies, this was the place where I was at.
Insecurities come naturally to most of us, and our inner critic is something we all have to learn to manage – it can become a constant unless we act upon it, to change it. For me, learning my craft and getting more experienced in my profession was very important in feeling more comfortable in my role. But most important was developing my own inner strength, finding happiness and accepting who I was.
I can honestly say now that I’ve come to a point where I’ve never felt happier or more confident with my body and my life. I believe happiness should be shared but I also believe our challenges need to be shared too, to help heal ourselves and others.
So let’s talk about you, and that gorgeous body of yours. How do you feel about it? Do you love it? Or do you have conflicted, sometimes unhappy, thoughts about it? Are you carrying a bit of extra weight that you just can’t shift? Do you feel lethargic? Do you yearn to have more vitality, more energy, more happiness? Do you want to make a change to how you live, eat, move and think about yourself?
Well, whatever reasons you had for picking up this book, or however it fell into your hands, thank you for being here and welcome to the start of something special.
MY ADDICTION
I say this all the time: I’m addicted to feeling amazing. And I want you to feel amazing too. I get so excited feeling the natural high after a good workout, the mental clarity after drinking fresh juice or the tingling sensation during a massage. On a deeper level, knowing my body is combating illness and disease through the love and care I give it, and that (fingers crossed) I will be able to ski down a mountain with my daughter in 20 years’ time, makes me want that amazing feeling more and more. I love it and I crave it.
And so, this is the place I’ve arrived at – a book for you that shares my health and wellness philosophies, crafted from my journey so far towards health and happiness. I want to show you how I found my way to happiness, health and strength. And I want you to find and enjoy that place, too. Easily and simply.
MY SIMPLE APPROACH
I’ve lost count of the theories I’ve come across out there on how to live a healthy life. You just have to search the word ‘diet’ online and thousands of pages appear, all prescribing different ways of eating, exercising, and training the mind. You could spend your whole life trying these different options and still not find an answer. It’s all too complicated and overwhelming.
In our modern society I think many of us have lost touch with our raw sense of feeling. These days few of us are connecting with our inner ‘knowing’; we’re not following our intuition. With thousands of options for everything to consider, our brains are so busy trying to sort out this high volume of external messaging, important internal messages are overlooked. Despite all of the technological advances and access to incredible amounts of information, we’re living pretty much disconnected from our selves.
We have come to overcomplicate so much of our life that we are truly living in a fuzzy ball of mess. With 24/7 technology, a workday that never ends, family commitments and social engagements, and then trying to fit in exercise, it’s no wonder we are seeing increased rates of illness and disease. The intense juggling act of life is insane and is taking its toll.
Just a few generations ago, our options were limited and life was much simpler. Food was prepared based on what was available and in season. People went to work and just went home – their workplace didn’t usually invade their home, and they walked more. I think we can learn a lot from this kind of lifestyle. It’s more important than ever to harness this simplicity.
Actually, I use the word ‘simplicity’ a lot in my life, and lots in this book. Because I believe it’s what we need to apply to everything we do. I thank my dad, who taught me the ‘KISS’ (Keep It Simple Sweetie) principle from a young age, for this belief. And it’s one of the most important lessons I want to share with you. As such, I mention it often throughout this book and I encourage you to really harness simplicity in your life. I swear it will make a huge difference!
FINDING YOUR SIMPLICITY
So what do you need to do? Quite simply, stop and listen to what your body is saying. I believe that no-one can know what you need better than you, and that by tuning in to your own body you can use its signals as clues to better health. In fact, I think one of the most important things for my body that I have learnt on my journey so far is to do what I feel.
Unfortunately, thanks to the complexity that probably rules your life at present, this simple principle can be one of the most difficult to master. I know it was for me. Influences like technology and toxins can quickly cloud our judgement and decisions on everything from food and drink to relationships, career, happiness and rest.
When you consider where and when our species began, the concrete buildings and buzzing phones of today are relatively new for humans, and with such developments comes the need for change in actions and emotions in response to them. Technology gives me the power to talk to my brother on the other side of the world whenever I want – and don’t get me wrong, I love that I can – but we need to manage the consequences of these developments with our health in mind as well. We need to process and simplify the complexities, for our own good. We need to find our own simplicity – get in touch with what essentially makes us tick and what we basically need – and then develop the flexibility to respond with that simplicity to what’s happening outside of us. So that two cappuccinos in a day is sometimes simply okay.
It is possible to be completely in touch with and at peace with your body, and although it doesn’t happen overnight and all the time, it will and does happen. Keep reading and I will show you how, through the lessons I have learnt. And how happy, healthy and strong can become the core of your simplicity.
THE HAPPY PART
I have been blessed in my life so far to experience much of the magic in our world – its sounds, smells, colours, tastes and textures. In my 28 years I have come to know that time flies by before we know it, and cherishing every day is the best option.
I grew up in Townsville where I played a lot of sport and spent oodles of time outside. I played touch football, netball, volleyball and soccer, and competed in cross country, swimming and athletics. Some of my most precious memories are of days spent at athletics and sport carnivals, competing alongside friends from morning until sunset. Every time I smell freshly cut grass or sunscreen I am reminded of the butterflies I felt just before the race gun went off or a whistle was blown. This is why I love incorporating a lot of sport and fitness into my life today. I can’t imagine a life without movement. As a family we spent every Sunday on the river water skiing. At the time I didn’t realise how important that connection to nature and sport was for my health and happiness. Now, I am eternally grateful.
When I was 15, I was spotted in Townsville by a modelling scout, who gave me an entry form for a modelling competition. At the last minute, I decided to give it a go and try something new. I remember running around madly with Mum, finding outfits and high heels to match. I was lucky enough to actually win the competition and walked away with a modelling contract.
I spent the next six months exploring this new world I had stumbled across, test shooting with local photographers to start building my book and getting experience in front of the camera. Once in a while I would get a low-paying job. Then, when I finished high school, I moved to a New Zealand-based agency to help build pictures for my book, until three months later another request popped up for Singapore. Slowly I started shooting with more photographers and publications, and began to learn how to move in front of the camera and what was expected as a model on set. For the following four years I lived and worked in Germany, America, London and Australia.
Despite not earning much at all and having Mum and Dad send money regularly, I had the time of my life. I was exploring new parts of the world, and learning more about myself and the importance of hard work. I lived in many model apartments with girls from across the globe and made friendships I still value dearly. It sounds glamorous, but there were many challenging moments, including dirty, overcrowded apartments, minimal privacy, chasing work every day and the constant pressure to look good.
Lots more has happened since then – including winning the Miss Universe Australia competition and marrying the man of my dreams, Michael – but perhaps my biggest lesson and blessing of all has been giving birth to my incredible daughter, Violet. Becoming a mum has changed the way I view everything in life. Not only have my priorities shifted, but I have seen myself change from a girl to a woman. Having a child has taught me so much about juggling a schedule, managing priorities, and staying healthy before, during and after pregnancy. But most of all, Violet took me beyond happiness and propelled me into a place of utter and incomparable bliss. And now my dream is to share those feelings of bliss with you through this book, and help you find your happy place – even if everything is not yet where it should be for you.
The importance of being happy is researched, talked about and written about a lot these days – for good reason. Research, which includes a 75-year Harvard University study that began in 1938, has shown without a doubt that happiness and good health go hand in hand. In fact, scientific studies have shown that happiness can improve heart health, strengthen the immune system, and improve the quality and length of your life. Happiness can also help combat stress, and help manage pain, disease and disability. It also feels really good.
And how do you get happy? The specifics may vary, but it’s generally agreed that time spent outdoors, regular exercise and good sleep feed happiness. As does meditation, making or listening to music, having hobbies, writing about how you are feeling, keeping busy and practising gratitude for the good things in your life. There’s also spreading joy, having friendships, looking after yourself, eating well, doing yoga and letting go of frustrations and bad feelings.
No one’s life is perfect, no matter how it might appear on the surface. Everyone goes through tough times. But I do believe that whatever you have endured, lost or never had before you came to this moment, there is a beautiful, happy life ready to be lived – even if your pain or loss is happening right now.
THE HEALTHY BIT
Good health is the driving force behind a lot of decisions I make in life. Of course I haven’t always been healthy, and even now I’m not perfectly healthy all the time, but that’s okay (and that’s exactly the point I want to make). I feel we put so much pressure on ourselves in everything we do – oh no, we’re eating too much bread, not getting enough sun, we’ve missed a gym session! Shame on us!
From a young age I learnt all about self-discipline in training, the workings of body mechanics, using food as fuel, how to set goals, the drive behind competition and how far I could push myself. Even with all of this awareness, my relationship with food wasn’t always great. Most kids indulge in a childhood of cupcakes, pizza and fizzy drinks. It’s normal. And I was the same. As a young person I didn’t fully understand what being healthy meant and why I should have been thinking about what was best for my body. I ate fast food frequently, slept poorly and did not treat my body well, even though Mum and Dad set a good example. It wasn’t until I was in my late teens that I began to make proper healthy choices, but I also haven’t let my unhealthy habits of the past rule the world I live in now.
Do you have a history of making not-so-good food and lifestyle choices but feel it’s too late to change? The fact is, it never is. What you eat or do today is what matters for now, and if you relapse this afternoon, you can always do better tonight. Our bodies are magical machines that work constantly to restore and replenish. So if I choose to indulge in cocktails with the girls on Saturday night, I’m not going to beat myself up about it, because I know on Sunday I’ll just go back to eating normally. Guilt is a waste of time.
Personally, I have reached a point where I am actually finding real joy in letting go of the temptation and listening to my body. I understand it’s an ongoing adventure but I’m committed to the more life-affirming ride.
Listening to your body helps when you go to the other extreme, too. Perhaps one of my biggest ‘Ah-ha!’ moments came when I became so strict on my diet and fitness regimen, I stopped menstruating for many months. I cut out all types of carbohydrates, only ate super-clean meals and pushed my body through ridiculous training sessions every day. I know, it sounds absolutely stupid that I didn’t realise what would happen, but while I was doing it, I felt so good about myself. I was kind of blinded. I was the lightest I had ever been on the scales and I liked what I saw, despite how deceiving my reflection actually was.
I eventually came to understand that good health is not about this extreme kind of behaviour, and I had to work through many issues and change what I was doing dramatically before my periods returned. My body was sending an important message and, thank goodness, I eventually listened and responded to its call.
I’m sharing this because as a woman I don’t want you to search for something else in the mirror to feel beautiful. The mirror can lie if you invite it to distort your reality. No-one knows why it happens, but conditions such as body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) affect the way we perceive our appearance and in a profession such as modelling, your appearance is what everyone focuses on, intently and obsessively, every moment of your working life.
My way of getting real was to turn my eyes from the mirror and look inwards – to connect with the love of the smell of cut grass and sunscreen – and to listen for the sound of the water parting as the skis skimmed through it and the laughter and screaming that came with the inevitable fall and splash. How you think others see you and how you compare to them is so complicated. If you opt for simplicity, it is merely how you feel about yourself that counts, and your body is the best judge of that.
Health is not just about eating green stuff and lifting weights every day. The dictionary states the meaning of healthy is ‘in good physical or mental condition’. That’s pretty general. I like to think being healthy is being completely at peace with yourself and your decisions, and choosing love over fear at any moment in time. I have to work on this Every. Single. Day. But it’s a beautiful thing when you can let go of self-doubt and allow only goodness to enter your body.
There is an inner confidence and drive that comes with good health that can have powerful effects, and I am inviting you to discover it and feel the benefits – always checking in with your own body, of course.
Health is an ongoing science. Just about every theory on health and wellness can be supported by a survey or science report, and yet we have only scratched the surface. All the possibilities in the world of health are what make it an exciting industry to be a part of.
But as much scientific knowledge as we discover and learn, it means little if we don’t communicate first and foremost with our own body. And that’s why I’m so passionate about listening to my own body and making my own judgement on what’s right; and why I want you to consider yourself first in everything I suggest in this book. Your body is always right, so trust it.
BEING STRONG
Strength is not just about bulging biceps that can lift heavy weights. You need to be strong mentally and emotionally as well as physically to reach your goals for good health and happiness. It’s part of maintaining your wellbeing to stay strong in the mind and spirit as well us in your muscles. I’m sure world weightlifting champions have to stay strong in all three ways to win and defend their titles.
Happy, healthy and strong are all interrelated in a holistic way in my mind. Do you find it hard to feel happy when you’re feeling run down and exhausted? Or when you’ve been stuck in the car on the road for hours on end day after day, doing no exercise and eating takeaway food for every meal? How do you feel when you’ve been at your desk all day and working late every night for a week, with no time out for a walk or a workout or a home-cooked meal? Staying active, eating well and practising meditation will work together to create a happy, healthy and strong you – a person that’s better equipped to face the daily challenges of modern life.
I have a special interest in fitness to help build a strong body, mind and attitude, so while writing this book I extended my knowledge by studying and qualifying to become a personal trainer. Studying that course in itself was a challenging process that pushed me even further – and made me stronger. I discovered a lot about training styles and body mechanics that have helped shape my overall approach to fitness. And while I learnt course material approved by governing bodies, I have included in this book the parts that I truly believe in and know will get results.
Choosing and striving to do well in the work or profession you have chosen is another way of being strong. Be the ruler of your world! When I was starting work in television and the media industry, I read loads and educated myself so that I was always on the ball. I took a course in television presenting to expand my skills and read articles and blogs on the industry. Always know what’s happening in your industry or field. Knowledge is power.
Strength comes with having inner confidence, too. Whether you are a chef, doctor, nurse, small business owner, scientist, model, fashion buyer, makeup artist, politician, CEO, baker or whatever, self-belief will play a huge role in your success. Practise mindful meditation to harness this inner power and you will surprise yourself at how much better you perform at work, on set, at castings or wherever. Being strong in yourself is an important part of being successful, no matter what you do.
I also have a strong support team around me. I used to be someone who didn’t ask for help and wanted to do everything independently but I have learnt the importance of reaching out and have become so much happier because of it. Humans are designed to interact and work together. Network with people who can help open opportunities and teach you more.
MY DREAM FOR YOU
It has been a dream of mine for a long time to share my health philosophies and beliefs with other women around the world, to inspire them to make positive changes in their own life. I have brainstormed ideas, explored theories and workshopped my thoughts and feelings to a point I never thought I would reach. But here I am now, offering this book as my dream for you.
My goal in doing so is for you to not feel guilty when you occasionally eat chocolate hazelnut spread straight from the jar – and to move your body the way you want, to freely reach for your dreams and to tell yourself you are beautiful every day. I want you to want to love yourself in the deepest way possible and I’m here to guide you along the way.
As a health coach, personal trainer, mum, model, television host and ordinary woman living in a modern world, I have been blessed to ride a huge wave of self-discovery, and I’ve been lucky enough to learn unique lessons about who I am and to work with mentors who have shown me how to believe in myself. And I am lucky to be able to share what I have learnt with you.
This book has been created and crafted with love and is designed for you to do anything you wish with it. Dog-ear pages you like, circle sections and make it even more beautiful by writing within it.
It is divided into three categories – EAT, MOVE and MIND – which are meant to be considered as related to each other in a holistic way. As I mentioned earlier when talking about being strong, just having the perfect diet will not make you happy, exercising seven days a week without eating the right food will not make you disease-proof, and becoming a meditating yogi without the right food will not make you healthy. We need a holistic approach for optimum health and wellness, which means eating well, moving your body and nurturing your mind – that’s the path to being happy, healthy and strong.
This holistic approach is what has shaped my life and allowed me to achieve my own dreams in my career, health and family. And writing this book has been one of the most special journeys for me professionally. I’m so happy you’re here with me, because this book is for you, and if you have any questions or simply want to say hi, get in touch with me via social. Good luck on your journey, and I would love to hear about it!
Facebook – Rachael Finch
Instagram – @rachael_finch
Snapchat – @rachael_finch
