Inspiring People: Leah

Next in our Inspiring People interviews we have the Lovely Leah from Naturally Leah. 

I have known Leah for quite a few years now, before she moved overseas we entered a couple of runs here in New Zealand together. She has recently completed her first Marathon and has become a running inspiration for me over the past couple of years.

Take it away Leah…

Hi, I’m Leah – a kiwi girl currently living in London. I’m a health and fitness blogger at Naturally, Leah and I love running, yoga and undertaking Whole 30’s!

What forms of exercise have you done before and what do you currently do/why?
When I lived in New Zealand I was an avid gym goer – I loved Les Mill’s classes, especially Body Pump, Body Step, and Body Attack. However, once I started travelling I found that a gym membership wasn’t the ideal solution for me as I didn’t want to be locked in to a contract that I might not be able to get out of, or afford.

I lived in Canada for a year and it was here that I started practicing yoga and running outside in the summer, and then learnt to snowboard in the winter. That kept me really fit! When I moved to London it took me a while to get back into my fitness groove, but eventually I found my love for running and never looked back. I now compete in races as much as possible!

Why do you run?
Oh wow – so many reasons to list here!

I run because I love the challenge. I’m short and curvy (my fiancé likes to refer to my “stumpy legs”) – basically I’m everything that “typical runners” are not. And yet – I just completed my first marathon a few weeks ago! I love the feeling of achieving something that I never thought I would, or could.

I also love the social aspect of running – its how I have made some of my closest London friends, which can be hard to do when you move to a new city. I often plan “bRUNches” – a weekend run which ends at a cafe with a coffee, a slice of cake and a good girly chat!

And of course the bling. I’m a medal addict and I love looking at my shiny achievements hanging on the wall!

I know you have a great support network, tell me how this support keeps you going…
Through my blog network, I started Team Naturally Run. It’s a network of female London runners who regularly meet up to train and race together. These girls are fabulous! There is a huge range of abilities from the seasoned marathoners to the newbie runners, and it’s awesome how we all support each other to achieve our goals.

My other number one supporter is Jase, my fiancé. He has been on the sideline of every single race (and become an awesome race photographer!). He believes in my ability more than I do sometimes – he was the one who signed me up for Paris Marathon because he knew I could do it!

You have undertaken a few whole30’s before, can you briefly explain what it is all about and your experience with them?
A Whole 30 is a 30 day nutritional reset developed by Melissa and Dallas Hartwig of Whole 9 Life. For 30 days you go back to complete basics in your diet – eating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, nuts, meat and fish, herbs and spices. Yes, that does mean that dairy, grains, sugars and legumes are completely out – and while it’s a challenge, it’s not as hard as it sounds!

I’ve completed 3 Whole 30’s, and documented my experiences here. During, and after a Whole 30 I feel absolutely amazing – and I continue to eat to these guidelines 80% of the time to help maintain a steady weight, stable energy levels and a healthy radiance. If you are interested in the Whole 30, I can highly recommend reading the book “It Starts With Food”. It’s my favourite!

What is your favourite healthy food/recipe?
Pretty much anything that Melissa Joulwan from The Clothes Make The Girl makes. Her cookbooks (Well Fed and Well Fed 2) are constantly open in my kitchen – almost all her recipes are Whole 30 compliant and SO TASTY. If I had to pick one – Moroccan Meatballs.

What’s your current fitness/health goal?
Get wedding dress ready! Unfortunately my toned runners legs are going to be hidden by my wedding dress, and so I want to shift my focus to upper body and tone up my arms, back and shoulders!

And of course, competing in plenty more races throughout the UK summer!

What is one piece of workout equipment or clothing that you swear by?
I’m a massive Icebreaker running sock fan. Throughout all my marathon training, I only ever got 2 tiny blisters on my toes. These socks are well worth the money to keep your feet sweet!

A very close second would be the Shock Absorber Ultimate Run Bra. I’m a D cup, so keeping the girls in place is essential!

Thank you so much Leah, I love hearing all your race recaps and experiences with the Whole 30! You can find Leah in the following places:

www.naturallyleah.com
@LeahNaturally
https://www.facebook.com/NaturallyLeah