Celebrity Health – Nathalie Lennon

Health and fitness expert Nathalie Lennon has built a loyal following through her refreshingly balanced approach to exercise, nutrition and women’s health. Nathalie is a personal trainer and fitness and nutrition ambassador for the Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon. She also hosts the podcast, Shake the Ground, which explores inspiring stories of change and personal growth. Here, she talks to Rude Health about how her approach to health has evolved, the importance of strength and recovery, and why sustainable habits matter more than perfection.

We last interviewed you around five years ago. How has your approach to health and fitness changed over the years?

I’m still hugely passionate about health and fitness, but my understanding of health has continued to evolve so much year on year. Health is so much more than just aesthetics to me, which is what it used to be years and years ago. My own experience with under-fuelling, body image and losing my menstrual cycle for years has changed how I speak about women’s health online, and how I will do forever. I’m working really hard to promote strength, longevity, energy, performance and what your body can actually do.

You completed two marathons in quick succession. How did you find the experience?

So my first marathon was in Chicago, last October, and it was absolutely magical. Chicago is one of the World Majors and the support from the crowd is incredible. I wear open-ear headphones, but I could hardly hear my music because the crowd was just so loud all of the time! Then, the week after, I did the Amsterdam Marathon. Perhaps it was my ignorance, having never run a marathon before, but I said, “You know what? If I’m at the distance and I’ve trained lots, I’ll be able to do two a week apart.” The second one was a lot more difficult, but I really did love the experience!

Tell us about your new podcast, Shake the Ground.

The whole idea is conversations with people who have, in some way, shaken the ground within their own lives. So, that might be changing the path that they were on, overcoming something, taking a risk or going through an experience that has completely changed them.

I really wanted to get back to doing longer-form conversations and content than social media allows, because you can only connect with people so much on a video or an Instagram post. The guests we’ve had on have been absolutely amazing, from every walk of life. The one thing that is the same within each episode is usually that the guest has overcome something to get to where they are today. I feel like people can take that and use it as inspiration to do the same in their own lives.

What does your own health and wellbeing routine look like?

I’d say my wellness routine is probably far less glamorous than people expect. I used to be doing all the “healthy” things while actually not being particularly healthy. Years ago, I was far too obsessed with the numbers and trying to get everything perfect, whereas now I look at the bigger picture. Day to day, I make sure I’m eating enough, I move my body, I get outside and I really prioritise sleep. I’ve also started to prioritise the people I have around me and who make me feel good, because I think your environment can really affect your overall health as well. My health and wellbeing routine is far from perfect, but that’s what makes it so sustainable for me.

What are some of your favourite healthy foods?

I will never get tired of making a big yoghurt bowl – a high-protein yoghurt of some kind, then berries, maybe collagen or protein powder, cinnamon, granola, honey, peanut butter and banana. I’ve also made a big effort this year to cook dishes from scratch again. I love to make Pad Thai, and I also love chicken with loads of veggies. I’m not someone who divides foods into healthy and unhealthy anymore. I’m more interested in what my overall diet looks like and making sure that I’m getting good protein, healthy carbohydrates, plenty of colour and fibre.

Do you take any supplements?

I take Revive Active and have done for nearly a decade now. I’m a brand ambassador with them, but I started taking their supplements before working with them, so it’s a really lovely, authentic fit. I also take omega-3s and vary between their joint complex and beauty complex, depending on how my joints or skin are doing.

What does your exercise routine look like now?

I’ve gone through so many phases with my training over the years. In the past, there was definitely a lot more emphasis on burning calories and how exercise made my body look. Now I’m far more interested in performance. Strength is still so important, but it’s sustainability, longevity and how my body is going to be able to keep moving in a healthy way as the years go on. Currently, I strength train three to four times a week. When it comes to running, if I’m training for a race I might be running three to four times a week and only strength training twice.

What advice would you give someone who wants to improve their health but doesn’t know where to start?

I’d always say start much smaller than you think you need to. So often people decide they’re changing their lives on Monday morning and suddenly they’re going to train five days a week, get 10k steps, meal prep everything on a Sunday, drink three litres of water – and that is overwhelming. Pick one or two behaviours. Maybe that’s going for a 30-minute walk Monday, Wednesday and Friday and adding more colour to your lunch and dinner. I think you have to build consistency with one behaviour before you can focus on them all.

How important are rest and recovery?

Definitely don’t underestimate the importance of recovery. I think most of us have learned that the hard way. Consistent sleep and wake times really make a big difference. I will always be aiming for a minimum of eight hours’ sleep a night. Rest days are really important too. Know that if you’ve been training, it’s okay to take a few rest days. They are productive. Your body is healing so that you can be stronger or faster in the future. And really listen to your body. They say your body whispers before it screams, and if you listen to it when it whispers, you’re going to be okay.

To find out more, follow Nathalie on Instagram at @nathalielennon_ and listen to Shake the Ground on Apple Podcasts and other major podcast platforms.

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