Christine Mcguinness’ week in fitness
What type of workouts do you enjoy?
I focus on weights. For years, I tended to do running or spin classes, which are great for cardio, but for me, that wasn’t what I needed. I wanted to build strength. It was never about being slim, I wanted to feel strong and healthy.
How do you motivate yourself?
More so now than ever, it is harder to keep that motivation with the kids at home [Christine has twins Leo and Penelope, seven, and daughter Felicity, three, with husband Paddy]. You feel like I should be playing with them, but you have to remind remember you need time for yourself. I do think that new gym wear really does help. You buy it and then can’t wait to wear it.
What’s your favourite activewear brand?
I never found any gym wear that I loved, so I created my own. They were all quite bland, and I wanted something that was still feminine and felt good, but was really practical, comfortable and supportive in the gym. I wanted high waistbands and good support for my boobs. I just thought, “I’m going to do my own”, and I’ve done it during lockdown!
How much sleep do you get a night?
My sleep is terrible and it’s something I’ve always struggled with. I usually get around three hours continuous sleep a night, which seems like nothing. I tried CBD oil, which helped, but I don’t want to rely on anything. Once the kids go to bed, that’s my time to catch up on emails and with friends. If I got five hours’ sleep, that would be an amazing night!
What’s your go-to cheat food?
I’ve got such a sweet tooth! I can’t give up sugar and I’m sure I’m addicted to it. With three kids, there’s always treats in the cupboard. I walk past the cupboard all the time and my hand just finds itself in there and I pull something out. I’m a secret eater when it comes to sweets.
Who do you follow for fitspo?
Tammy Hembrow [@tammyhembrow] and Chontel Duncan [@chontel duncan] are both fit Australian mums. I love how into their exercise they are, but that they also have children, too. A lot of fitness models and celebrities haven’t got kids, so of course they’re going to look amazing. I’ve done my own fitness programme and one of the main points for me was that it has to be quick – 45 minutes max, as mums have busy lives. n
‘It was never about being slim for me’