‘HOW WE STAYED FIT WHILE FILMING’
THE ACTIVE COUPLE REVEAL THEIR SECRETS TO WELLBEING AND HARMONY
Brisbane pair Tamara and Rhys are a self-confessed “fitness couple” whose love story began at the gym. So, it doesn’t come as a surprise that despite being on House Rules: High Stakes and spending hours renovating each day, the duo managed to find time to squeeze in their daily workouts.
“We had to make a conscious effort to do it,” Tamara, 28, tells New Idea. “We tried our hardest to keep training and we were finding gyms so if we had spare days we would go and train. “But for us the hotel gym became our best friend and I took up skipping to keep up my fitness. Every morning, Rhys was doing push-ups and sit-ups in the hotel room.” Of course, Rhys, 29, admits it wasn’t always easy and says there were some days when the renovations kept them too busy to fit in a workout.
“It was really hard to find time,” he says. “Especially because as soon as your day’s over, you’re off to the hardware store and you’re there for a few hours, then you go home and plan and study – you just never get out of the zone.”
But keeping fit and healthy isn’t all about the workouts. The pair said they also tried to be mindful of what they were eating during the show, although their hectic schedules made it difficult.
“The catering was always amazing, but I never ate as much as I usually do because you are so busy,” says Rhys.
“Yeah, we just had to adapt because we couldn’t do our normal schedules,” adds Tamara.
It seems those workouts are paying off for Rhys, who has gained plenty of fans with his impressive physique. Many have even taken to social media to gush over the fitness pro. Rhys admits the compliments leave him a little red-faced.
“I’m not good with compliments like that, to be honest with you,” he says. “But look, it’s very flattering.”
While Rhys’ body is getting a lot of attention with fans, it’s Tamara’s ‘resting b--ch face’ that has got everyone talking, but she takes it all in her stride.
“I have to own it, because I honestly cannot help it; it is just my face,” she laughs.
“But if you talk to me you will realise my face doesn’t match my personality.”
“Yeah, she is actually a big sweetheart,” Rhys gushes.
While the couple are head over heels for one another,
Tamara and Rhys admit that they had their fair share of tense moments on House Rules: High Stakes.
“We were that couple that said we never argue, until we went on House Rules,” Tamara laughs.
“We are opposites on any given day, but our approach to work is different so we clashed a lot, but by the second or third home reno we learnt how to work with each other.”
And they have certainly done that. With minimal renovation experience, the couple have worked hard to deliver some amazing rooms, but are yet to have their own house renovated.
Having purchased a rundown house, Tamara and Rhys realised it would take a lot more work to repair than they initially thought, which is why they turned to the hit renovation show.
“I saw the house and it was so run down and dilapidated, but it was a bargain, so we bought it,” says Tamara.
“We updated the bathroom and kitchen, but once we moved in it was very much halffinished and we realised it needed a full layout change and heaps of money spent on it. So, we applied for the show.”
Now as they eagerly await their turn, the couple reveal just how much it would mean
“WE CLASHED, BUT BY THE SECOND OR THIRD RENO WE LEARNT HOW TO WORK WITH EACH OTHER”
for them to have a new house.
“[It] would give us financial freedom,” says Tamara. “It’s knowing that we have this house that we can afford, and we don’t have to spend more money on it, and we will be able to have kids in it one day.”
HOUSE RULES: HIGH STAKES, MON.-TUE. 7.30PM & SUN. 7PM.