Celebrity Health - Chloe Madeley
TV presenter and fitness expert Chloe Madeley talks to Liz Parry about healthy eating, her favourite supplements and her daily training regime
I’ve been taking supplements on and off now for about five or six years and CoQ10 was one of the first I started taking. It’s found in a lot of anti-ageing products because it promotes cellular energy in the body, so it’s good for cellular regeneration, but I take it to help improve my training.
I take ubiquinol, which is the active form of CoQ10, and is therefore more easily absorbed by the body. I find that there are so many benefits to taking it, from overall health to energy, stamina and training ability and of course it is also an anti-ageing supplement.
I also take a daily multivitamin. It might be a placebo effect, but I just feel better when I take it. I’m very active – I train six days a week – so I feel that I need something to help my body keep ticking over. I also take a fish oil after every meal to keep my essential fatty acids at a good level. Sometimes I use protein supplements too, but not always.
I time my carbohydrate intake around my training. I usually start the day with a bowl of protein oats – this will be porridge oats mixed with a scoop of protein powder and hot water. Then, after my training I’ll have something like a wholemeal roll or a bagel with a source of protein like chicken or egg. Then for the rest of the day I focus much more on protein, veg and fats. For lunch I’ll normally have a chicken salad, maybe with some egg or avocado.
When it comes to dinner that’s when my boyfriend (England rugby union player James Haskell) is normally home, so I will cook dinner for both of us. It’s normally something like steak, chicken or fish with lots of veg. For snacks I will have zero per cent fat Greek yogurt, a protein shake or perhaps another small salad. I track my calories and macros, so I have certain numbers that I need to hit each day.
James and I have a very modern relationship, but I would be lying if I said I didn’t take good care of him, domestically speaking. I really enjoy that though. He gets through 4,000 calories a day and I love cooking, so I really enjoy being able to cook meals for both of us that meet our daily needs.
I always train the same. Each day I will do a weights session in the gym, usually after breakfast. Then I will finish with 15 minutes of cardio either in the form of a HIIT session or something more steady like a walk. But if I’m really trying to get in great shape, my cardio will normally start around the 20-minute mark and as the week progresses I will normally work my way up to 45 minutes. That’s how I’ve been training for the past six years.
My philosophy is all about being fit and healthy and feeling good about yourself. Ultimately, life is short and we are all trying to live the happiest, healthiest life we can. I’m an advocate of weightlifting for women, but it’s not for everyone. If you don’t want to lift weights then that’s fine. You don’t have to. There are a million other ways to train your body.
I would just say try to find any way to be active several times a week – six days a week maximum. It might mean walking or cycling to work, walking the dog, joining a gym class or going swimming. But most of all, find something you enjoy. If you don’t enjoy whatever exercise you’re doing then you’re not going to keep it up.
In terms of healthy eating, my advice would be to try to gain an understanding of nutrition. There are proteins, fats and carbohydrates, plus fibre, and you need to be having a balanced intake of all of these things. Try to keep all of those sources as healthy as possible. Sirloin steak isn’t going to be as good for you as a salmon fillet, whereas avocado is a much healthier source of fat than, say, margarine. And supplementation can be really helpful as sometimes your body just needs some extra help.
Chloe is an ambassador for Kaneka and the ‘Powered by Ubiquinol’ campaign, quality sports supplements for muscle recovery and endurance. For more info visit www.powered-by-ubiquinol.com
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