under the microscope
Singer and Celebrity MasterChef winner Kimberly Wyatt, 33, answers our health quiz
CAN YOU RUN UPSTAIRS?
I CAN. I try to do some form of exercise for at least 25 minutes every day. My husband [model Max Rogers] and I are really into calisthenics — it’s like gymnastics and you use your own body weight to do balance work on bars. I also take our dog, Ty, for a 1.5-mile walk each day, I dance and do hot yoga.
GET YOUR FIVE-A-DAY?
I DON’T trust that I’ll always get my fivea-day, so I start the day with a juice — usually cucumber, apple, pear, lime and beetroot. That way I know I’m getting the nutrients I need in one big shot.
BIGGEST PHOBIA?
BEING separated from my family. I remember being stuck in the States when the volcano was going off [in Iceland in 2010] and not being able to fly. It would be my worst nightmare if I was stuck there now that I have a family in the UK. But I don’t have snake or spider phobias. I grew up in Missouri and I’d stay after school to feed all the animals and spend time with the pythons — I was so fascinated.
ANY FAMILY AILMENTS?
CANCER. My uncle on my mum’s side had throat cancer — although he hadn’t told anyone — and, a couple of years ago, he committed suicide because of it. A private investigator looked into it and discovered he’d been dealing with the cancer for quite a few years. My aunt on the same side was diagnosed with breast cancer five years ago and survived.
EVER DIETED?
NOT really — I don’t know if I believe in diets. I try to make good choices and I’m determined to gain as much knowledge as I can about food, especially after watching Jamie Oliver’s documentary Sugar Rush — there’s so much sugar in unexpected things, such as orange juice.
ANY VICES?
SINCE having my daughter, Willow, ten months ago, I drink more cappuccinos. I try to have just one in the morning, sometimes none, but if I’m working 12hour days and Willow’s been up every night for a while, I have up to three.
WORST ILLNESS?
C. DIFF [the bacterium clostridium difficile that causes food poisoningtype illness]. I was touring in Europe with the Pussycat Dolls and I suspect it was something I ate. I had diarrhoea and couldn’t keep food down. I was pulled off the tour and admitted to hospital. I had a few weeks off to recover and took antibiotics.
EVER BEEN DEPRESSED?
WHEN I was 14, I went through quite bad depression and saw a psychiatrist. She used games and workbooks to get into my head as I wouldn’t talk to her. She diagnosed social anxiety and put me on medication called Paxil. I hated it and only took it for a month. It made me feel numb. Instead, I did more dancing, which helped.
HANGOVER CURE?
A NAUGHTY takeaway — pepperoni pizza, cheesy garlic bread. Some good stodge.
LIKE TO LIVE FOR EVER?
NO. KNOWING that your time is limited allows you to live to the fullest.
KIMBERLY has teamed up with the Tesco Flame Academy to help get the nation cooking. Visit tesco.com/realfood