Irish TV Host and fitness model, Amanda Byram, 42, looks the epitome of health with her incredibly toned body and campaign dedicated to positive body image for women. Here’s how – and why – she does it
Amanda Byram, 42, best known for her roles as a television presenter on the BBC’s Total Wipe Out show and fitness model. Amanda has just become the ambassador for 9 BAR, ‘I used to be known as ‘nutty seed girl‘ as I was so obsessed with nuts and seeds, so when they approached me, I was like, YES!’ Amanda is a firm believer in a high protein diet and reveals that ‘it wasn’t until I approached my late thirties that I actually understood how to look after my body properly.’
‘I started eating good carbohydrates like sweet potatoes and brown rice and was shocked at how much my body shape started to change’.
Amanda reveals that she spent her late teens though to her thirties struggling with an eating disorder. ‘There are a lot of different types of eating disorders, it is not just bulimia or anorexia,’ she says. ‘I used to exercise to be skinny rather than healthy. I would avoid all carbs and high fat foods and if I did let myself indulge I would then go on a juice fast straight after.’
Whilst living in LA, she was a lingerie model for Stuff magazine. ‘I didn’t want to be airbrushed in the photographs any longer, it wasn’t real, so I decided to hire a trainer.’ This she remembers, is when her mentality changed completely. ‘I started eating good carbohydrates like sweet potatoes and brown rice and was shocked at just how much my body shape started to change’. Amanda reveals that, ‘people who deny themselves of whole food groups and sugar have just as much of an eating disorder as anorexia or bulimia.’ She reveals that ‘what you do to your body when you are younger, you will have to deal with later on; because of my diet I messed up my metabolism, my body would store the carbs or fat I ate because it was expecting me to over-exercise or go on a juice fast.’
After years of struggling with her own body image issues Amanda now focuses on ‘being strong and healthy’, rather than skinny. She wants to be a role model for a healthy and positive body image for women of all ages.
Everyday women will look in the mirror and feel depressed because their stomach isn’t flat
‘It upsets me how everyday women will look in the mirror and feel depressed because their stomach isn’t flat,’ she says. ‘Or they don’t think they are thin enough, their whole day will be determined by how they feel when the look in the mirror.’
Food is fuel, food is there to help your body exist.
Now an avid fitness and health enthusiast Amanda has changed her relationship with food. She says, ‘food is fuel, it’s there to help your body exist. Our digestive system has brain cells, and If you look after your gut the brain cells in your digestive system will help you stay healthy’. It’s when your digestive system is in a bad place that problems such as skin breakouts or bloating reactions will happen, Amanda believes.
More: 8 Foods for glowing skin
3 tips for a healthy body from Amanda Byram
Stress less – All symptoms come from within the body, if you are stressed it will lead to disease which can cause inflammation and lead to problems such as breakouts and bloating.
Eat good carbs and good fats – ‘If you look after your body and feed it well whilst cutting out alcohol and processed sugar, you will not only look better you will feel better too.’ Amanda reveals that she normally opts for avocados, nuts and seeds and salmon for her fats whilst including sweet potatoes and brown rice as her healthy carbs.
Listen to your body – ‘Don’t obsess over food, there is a reason if you are moody or stressed.’ Amanda tells us, ‘we need to listen to our bodies, food is there to help us exist, if you are hungry eat!’
Amanda’s typical daily diet
Breakfast porridge with chia seeds and berries or rye toast with 2-3 boiled eggs, avocado and smoked salmon she says ‘I will always eat good fats in the morning to keep me full throughout the day.’ Amanda reveals, ‘normally I will eat breakfast before heading to the gym to give my body enough fuel to get through the workout’.
Snack Amanda will choose a 9 BAR which is filled with nuts and seeds or oatcakes with almond butter for her mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks.
Lunch will normally be brown rice and fish with vegetables or a salad, and to get a boost of omega 3’s, she will sprinkle udo’s oil on top.
Dinner Amanda loves a roast dinner, as well as barbeques with prawn skewers. If she wants a quick and healthy option she says ‘I will make a chicken stir-fry’.
Although Amanda follows the Paleo diet, she reveals ‘I do limit red meat in my diet’ she says she will opt for white meat such as chicken or turkey instead. Her typical dessert will be cacao nibs with goji berries and mulberries.
So what does Amanda do in the gym? ‘I used to exercise seven times a week before I started listening to my body’. Amanda says she now mixes lifting weights with cardio, ‘I am a firm believer in lifting weights, I think everyone should do it, it is an amazing way to build muscle, I will lift weights about three times a week’. Amanda also is a huge fan of spin classes and Pilates. ‘If I am feeling exhausted I will go to a Pilates class as it is great for keeping your core strong.’ Amanda also uses EMS training, (Electrical Muscle Stimulation, a total body workout using electric impulses that make your muscles contract and expand). Amanda reveals, ‘I normally exercise five times a week now and will always listen to what my body wants’.
MORE:
Fitspiration: Denise Van Outen
Like this article? Sign up to our newsletter to get more articles like this delivered straight to your inbox.
