Alice (@aliceq) had a great job working in advertising, and indulged her creative side by mixing records for friends on the weekends. What started out as a hobby has turned into a career - Alice is now one of Sydney’s most sought after DJs who plays for private clients at events like fashion shows, working with the likes of Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Veuve Cliquot and other luxury brands, plus she makes music on the side. This means she works most nights, so while she has the day to work out, eating dinner is usually on the run. Here’s how she keeps a healthy mind, body and spirit throughout her week - when she's not pregnant!
We did this shoot with Alice pre-pregnancy, and she says that right now at 7 months pregnant, she's not this active, but it's nice to look back fondly on these times when she was so fit!
FITNESS
I strength train three days a week with the Base Body Babes which has changed my body so much. We lift heavy weights which I had never done before. Things like squats with a weighted barbell and I try to increase the weight every week. It’s half heavy weight lifting and half circuit.
It’s really helped my posture because when I’m DJing, I stand up for hours and I’ve got my head down the whole time so it’s bad for my posture. When I took a month off the strength training, I noticed I started hunching over again.
Because I’m building so much muscle, I do yoga two days a week to stretch things out, usually a power vinyasa class at Body Mind Life.
On the weekends I might have a swim in the ocean or do the Bondi to Bronte, but nothing is locked in, it just depends what I feel like doing.
FOOD
I eat three meals a day now, I used to skip breakfast but then snack all day, until my trainer told me I needed to eat breakfast. Now that I’ve made that change, I don’t need to eat in between meals.
Brekky:
I rotate my meals which sounds boring but it works for me. On a normal day for breakfast I’ll have gluten free porridge with almond milk, protein powder and berries. On days I train I eat Naturis rice bread which I’m obsessed with. Topped with avocado and an egg. IGA stocks Naturis bread but it’s not always easy to find, I got put on it by a naturopath and didn’t like it at first but now I love it. I’m not gluten intolerant but if I eat pasta I don’t feel good afterwards so I try to eat gluten-free most of the time. I’ll still eat pizza or pasta once a week though.
I’ll usually make a protein shake as well - something like green apple, kale, ginger and almond or coconut milk with ice, protein powder and Vital Greens. I chuck it all into my Nutribullet which is pretty much the best thing I’ve ever bought. I also have coffee - a strong almond milk latte. I haven’t cut out dairy completely, but I don’t drink milk. I’ll eat cheese if it’s on my pizza or in pasta but I wouldn’t do a cheese plate. The whole dairy industry grosses me out. Another shake I have is frozen banana, protein powder, cinnamon, almond milk and nut butter. It’s like dessert.
Lunch:
Lunch is usually something healthy and light like chicken or tuna salad with quinoa rice or a soup. I go to the farmers markets on a Saturday and buy organic tomatoes to make a beautiful roasted tomato soup. I make bone broth as well and keep it in the freezer. Sometimes if I’ve overdone it over the weekend with eating out, I’ll have a liquid diet for two days to reset. I’ll do a juice for breakfast and then soup for lunch and dinner, and then I feel like I’m back to normal. Also I’m trying to eat less meat so this helps.
Dinner
Dinner is tricky because I work most nights so I’m out of the house at 4.30 and not home til at least 10, so it’s basically whatever I can get my hands on. If I’m not working, I’ll eat fish at home, or something super healthy, or if I go out to dinner I try and eat something healthy there. Sometimes I’ll splurge on pasta and pizza but if I’m trying to stay healthy or lose weight a light dinner is always a good idea.
MINDFULNESS
I try to meditate every day but realistically it’s four times a week. I did a vedic meditation course two years ago and found it really useful. If I’m getting a little unbalanced I go back to it regularly and it makes me feel better. Unfortunately it slips away when you’re busy and things are hectic. And then yoga is also like a moving meditation for me. You have an hour of not being in your head, you’re in your body.
SUPPLEMENTS
I’m drinking magnesium right now! I have a scoop of magnesium in water. I go to a kinesiologist once a month to chat and get balanced and this time round she said I needed magnesium. Kinesiologists talk to your body, which sounds strange but it’s amazing. It’s good for clearing emotional stuff.
BEAUTY
I’ve got super sensitive skin, the less I put on it the better, I pretty much can only use Cetaphil cleanser and moisturiser on my skin, I get eczema if I use anything else. Makeup is simple: Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation, a Nars bronzer and an Estee Lauder mascara and blush. Also Goof Proof eyebrow pencil and Gimme Brow from Benefit. I find that if you do your lashes and brows then you don’t have to worry about anything else.
SUSTAINABLE LIVING
The main sustainable thing I do is try not to eat a lot of meat, I think the meat industry is one of the biggest environmental culprits. I’m not a vegetarian but I’ll eat it once every two weeks or so. I don’t like buying meat and not knowing it where it comes from. Same with dairy.
I also try to not use plastic so much and recycle as much as possible, I donate to Greenpeace, I make sure I always take a water bottle with me and I have a keep cup for takeaway coffees.
WHAT’S YOUR SUPERPOWER?
I’m pretty good at daggy dancing. I can dance like a superdag.
Photos: Chris Mohen