Today’s Inspiring People Interview is with one of the people who inspires me the most when it comes to health and fitness, my partner Kyle!!
Kyle has always been relatively active and has competed in bodybuilding competitions so he knows a thing or two about getting fit and healthy! Often if I don’t feel like training or want to eat shitty food Kyle is the one that gets me to think twice (often without him even knowing) and just freaking do it.
This is the first Inspiring people interview with a Male on Move Love Eat as well 😉 Without further ado let’s hand the reins over to Kyle.
Hi my name is Kyle Murray. I’m a personal trainer and currently running Wanganui Bootcamp with Amanda. I’m also a (natural) bodybuilder and I love anything related to the health, wellness, resistance training and lifestyle niche. So in any given week I may be performing bodybuilding training, power lifting programming, strongman workouts, cross-fit style workouts and yoga sessions to improve my health, strength and to ultimately sculpt my idea physique.
Tell us about your health and fitness journey, how did you to get where you are today?
I was always active. I remember having friends over when I was really young (maybe 9-10 years old) and I would drag them around a bush walk close to my house – just a casual hour and half round trip. It was quite an up and down track with lots of stairs and tree roots and I would normally bike it, so would think that it was quite an easy and relaxed thing to walk it. My friends would almost die on me half way round!
My family was into cycling and I did mountain biking from very young. I was doing some serious training and going away to race by the age of 12. I started road cycling and racing soon after for mountain bike training and I would ride both mountain bike and road until about 17. I reached the stage where I no longer enjoyed the long distance and lonely endurance training necessary for success in the sport and I stopped racing and stayed riding mountain bikes recreationally.
Throughout this time I had always been interested in the gym as my Mum would go off to pump class most nights of the week, but as my Dad, brother or friends never worked out with weights I never experienced lifting weights. This was also a time (mid to late 90’s) that the gym culture in New Zealand was non-existent and it was still unusual to lift weights. However, from an early age I did push ups, chin ups and ab crunches most days. I built up to doing 16 chin ups and over 100 push ups and lots of abs. I also did lunges and noticed that my cycling performance was improved with the extra strength.
Despite this body weight training I was still pretty lanky and thin from all the cycling that I did. It wasn’t until I was about to head off to university when I was 18 that I joined the local gym with a 3 month membership. I had a very good exercise consultation and I followed the supplied program and eating tips and 3 months later I was 3kg heavier, gaining all the weight as muscle. I was immediately hooked on the feeling of being stronger and seeing my physique and confidence change almost overnight.
Some of the local bodybuilders made complimentary comments and suggested that I could enter competitions. I declined but maybe that thought planted a seed. Fast forward 15 years and I still love the thrill of a solid training session and seeing progress. In 2012 I did my first bodybuilding competition and the following year I entered 6 competitions including Nationals and placed no worst than 4th. In the same year I also picked up my Personal Training certificate while working full time as an accountant in Auckland city.
What’s your approach to balance & moderation in life?
If i’m not physically active I go nuts! So I need to do some sort of hard physical movement or yoga/stretching ideally once a day to be mentally balanced. It is hard for me to have rest days but I now appreciate the need to allow the body to fully rest/heal/recover from training. I try to be a fully balanced and I think meditation helps to bring me back to centre and relax.
In terms of moderation, my general outlook is to do a little bit each day, honing your craft slowly over time rather than go full bore and burn yourself out. When it comes to food my base is meat, vege and kumara. If I’m training hard that day I will up my carbs and fats and if not training I will reduce these. I see food as fuel and medicine for the body however I I do have treats often, but if I’m preparing for a competition I have these less often.
What is your favourite form of exercise to do?
Weight training! Muscle and strength are good things.
In your opinion why is it that many people fail to see great results despite appearing to live in the gym?
Simply not training hard enough to change the body and poor nutrition (eating too much or not enough, or the wrong things), or a combination of these things.
What things really grate you about the Health and Fitness Scene?
Incompetent personal trainers, wide spread steroid usage, and the fakeness of social media.
What is your favourite healthy food/recipe?
This is a really hard question for me as I don’t really eat food that requires a recipe! But Amanda’s Bliss Balls are great and a nice treat for me is simply peaches mixed in with greek yoghurt. Mandarins are also a nice snack and good for vitamin c. Lindt 90% cocoa chocolate is a nice treat that gives a nice anti-oxidant and magnesium hit, and its low in sugar.
What are your top tips for those who want to live a healthier life?
Sleep 8 hours every night, drink 2-3 litres of water per day, eat 3 meals a day containing meat and veges, sit less, move more, read more, watch less.
What are your favourite healthy living blogs/websites or tools?
This one of course! Also My Fitness Pal for food tracking, various podcasts including Under the Bar, Robb Wolf, Barbell Shrugged, website Mobility WOD for mobility stuff.
How can we find you?
You can check out what we do on our website, facebook or instagram.
Thanks so much for agreeing to be interviewed Kyle!! xx <3