WELLTH OF KNOWLEDGE
New foodies on the block: Laura Jackson and Alice Levine
OUR FITNESS
Laura: My busy days mean that I move a lot. It’s not unusual for my fitness tracker to say I’ve done 15,000 steps. I don’t follow fitness accounts on Instagram but I love watching the videos my friend Fearne Cotton posts of herself doing yoga in the kitchen. I wish I could be that bendy! Aside from her, the people who inspire me to get moving aren’t the ones wearing Lycra in gyms; they’re the ones hiking through a forest or along a coastal path. Give me a gorgeous setting and I could walk all day – preferably if there’s a pub at the end. Alice: I don’t live for fitness but I pepper my routine with movement because it makes me feel good. I can be panicking about something before I get to my local lido but propelling myself through the water forces me to switch off. I love cycling too, and l get off the train early and walk the last half-hour of my journey home. I’ll do the odd Frame Pilates class too – but I try not to heap pressure on myself to do too much. Setting small goals means I’ll actually meet them.
OUR FOOD
L: We’re happiest when cooking for people, so food plays a big part in our wellbeing. But we’re not about having a plan or being prescriptive. We just focus on quality seasonal ingredients. I see what looks good at the greengrocer’s and go from there. Earlier in the year, I had a load of courgettes, so I ate them chopped and topped with burrata, broad beans, olive oil and lemon for dinner a lot. A: Growing up, food wasn’t just food. Preparing it was a way to show someone you enjoy their company. Now, I’ll try to make every meal a bit special. I’m an East London stereotype and love avocado on toast for breakfast – but I’ll elevate it by adding Indian spices or topping it with pickles. We’ll often eat lunch together when we’re working. White beans with roasted garlic and tomatoes are a staple, topped with a dollop of Greek yoghurt, harissa paste and fresh herbs from Laura’s garden.
OUR FACES
My mum used to give me Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser (£14.50, Boots) every Christmas – and I still use it with a hot cloth to clean my face every night. In the morning I’ll apply an oil: right now I’m using one by a Danish brand – Rudolph Acai Anti-ageing Facial Oil (around £99, rudolphcare. dk/en) – but I change it up every month. When we’re hosting our supper clubs, we’re always in a rush, so all we have time for is bold lipstick and a flick of eyeliner. It’s a bit like our armour: giving the impression we’ve got it together... until it ends up across our foreheads. When I’m done presenting, I can’t wait to take off my heavy TV make-up with Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant (£48). I’ll follow that with my favourite moisturiser: Sisley Black Rose Skin Infusion Cream (£128, John Lewis). You can apply it like a mask and leave it on overnight – but it’s so expensive I use less than a pea-sized amount each time.
OUR FOCUS
It’s easy to overwork when you do a job you love. I block out time with friends and family to get everyone together for dinners – or a weekend away. I value my sleep, too. Every night, I run an Epsom salt bath, don my comfy pyjamas and spritz my pillow with lavender to help me get the solid eight hours I need to help me live tomorrow to the fullest. It sounds a bit sad but I really like my life and I want to ensure I make the most of it. I like the idea of balance, but never manage to find the perfect ratio of work, seeing friends and enjoying time alone. Sometimes I push myself too hard and end up running on adrenaline; other times I catch a train to my parents’ house in Nottingham and just enjoy the quiet for a few days. I cherish my downtime in London too: those days when I put my phone on airplane mode and don’t venture further than a one-mile radius of my house.