My health and fitness journey with Erica Rose McGough
Meet Erica,
The ultimate lover of swim, surf, scuba, skate & snow!
Instagram: @erica.mcgough
1. What was it that got you to start your health and fitness journey ?
Honestly, it was my child; Lillie Moon.
I had previously been a very serious athlete and when I retired my unhealthy relationship with food and exercise began. After spending 10 years as a competitive swimmer and training, 6-8 hours a day. I felt like I was done with ANY exercise for the rest of my life.
Being an athlete all of my teenage years, I never had to learn to eat a healthy balanced diet. The amount of training I was enduring, I could eat as much of whatever I liked and never had to think twice about it. This relationship with food didn’t stop when I retired from my swimming career, I continued to eat as much as I wanted whenever I wanted.
Before long, I was heavily over-weight, self-conscious, depressed and had an emotional binge eating disorder.
In 2018 at 92kg’s I fell pregnant with my daughter and from that moment on I decided my health needed to become a priority. If I couldn’t find the will power to better my health for myself then I needed to do it for the innocent, helpless, beautiful baby I was growing. January 2019, my baby girl Lillie Moon was born, and she gave me all the motivation I needed to start exercising and getting my fitness back. I couldn’t stop picturing my little girl running around having fun and me being too tired and overweight to run around and play with her.
Two years later, 25kg’s lost. A happiness and love for life gained.
It was the love I have for my child that got my health and fitness journey underway.
2. What have you loved about it so far, what have been the highs for you?
I found my love for exercise again. The endorphins, the feeling you get during and after a good sweat session, it’s just the best!
And learning for the first time at the age of 25, how to eat a healthy balanced diet. I feel lighter, fresher, and all round happier when I eat whole foods.
3. And what about the lows?
I still have days where something in life will upset me and send me off to the supermarket or nearest fast food joint to eat away my miseries. But I am learning that doing this only makes me feel worse. Instead I go for a run or smash a weights session when I am feeling low. Getting those endorphins running makes me feel much better than eating so much KFC I need to be sick.
4. How do you make the time to exercise?
Being a stay at home mum there isn’t much time for exercise. Therefore, you’ll find me at the gym at 4:30am so I’m back home before my partner goes off to work or you’ll find me running at dusk when my partner gets home from work. I’ve learnt I have to make the time, and plan! If I don’t plan it out, it doesn’t happen. Life’s too busy, I have to really try to make time for myself. Even if its half an hour, it’s better than nothing.
5. What is your go to brekkie?
A banana berry protein smoothie on busy mornings OR eggs on Vogel’s toast for those luxurious days where there’s time.
6. What is your go to healthy snacks to fix that afternoon snack attack?
A piece of fruit with some yoghurt. I love having a kiwifruit or some grapes mixed with Anchor’s protein yoghurt in the afternoon, I find my energy levels really low come 3/4pm so having a piece of fruit gives me that little fructose pick me up I need to get me through to dinner time.
7. As we know all food is food, but in context so our readers understand, what is your favourite “treat” food?
Chinese dumplings! Yum Yum Yum.
8. On the weekend what is your favourite active activity to spend some time doing?
When I’m with my family it would have to be running around the beach with Lillie and our puppy Sunny.
When I get some time alone, I love to snowboard!
9. Do you prefer a podcast or music when you workout ?
Definitely would have to be music for a workout. I love to listen to a podcast before bed each night, it helps me relax and ensures I’m not staring at my phone screen just before I close my eyes.
10. If you could give our readers some advice from your own personal experience during your health and fitness journey so far what would it be?
It takes time. It’s a journey. It doesn’t happen overnight, it doesn’t happen in 8 weeks, it doesn’t happen in 3 months. Health and fitness goals are lifelong. We are human, we will never be fully satisfied. When we reach our current goals, we will create new goals.
Listen to your body. Learn about your body. Respect your body. Our bodies are more than a number on a scale or how many rolls you have on your stomach. Celebrate your body, it’s magnificent!
Be proud of who you are, where you’ve come from and where you're heading.
