On the treadmill (or perhaps not)
Advice on how much exercise is necessary each week is forever changing. We ask eight prominent figures in Cyprus what they do to keep in shape and how important they consider a healthy diet
Andreas Cariolou, 24
Cyprus Olympic windsurfing athlete – Athens 2004 and qualifier for Beijing 2008
How well do you eat? As an athlete, I pay a lot of attention to my nutrition. Firstly, I believe you get out what you put in and secondly, because my sport is weight sensitive I don’t allow myself to eat more calories than I burn in a given day. While it is important for me to stay light in terms of weight, it is crucial to be as strong as possible as windsurfing demands strength and endurance. My diet is shaped by the demands of my sport so I have to keep a good balance of carbohydrates for energy, proteins to build and repair damaged muscle tissue without neglecting vitamins, which help to maintain a healthy immune system.
What is your exercise regimen? As for most athletes with Olympic dreams, this is quite demanding, training hard for 11 months of the year with a month of active recovery at the end. The training year has three distinct phases, the first of which is called ‘base’ training and focuses on low intensity endurance and strength – between 24 and 30 hours of exercise a week is normal including cycling, running or rowing and of course many hours sailing on the water. Second phase ‘intensity’ training is when we train at very high intensity and the focus is on quality rather than quantity as you really need to reach your limits. During the ‘competitive’ phase, the main focus is to conserve your strength and energy from one competition to another, which is tricky as we are constantly travelling during this period. This is by far the most taxing period for an athlete as you are constantly being called on to give your best in competitions that really count so you keep gym work to once every ten days.
Any advice? I’m not a fitness expert and I specialise only in my sport but I believe you can keep your fitness at a good level just by doing medium intensity training like cycling or running for 25-50 minutes three times a week. It’s important to find an activity you enjoy as well and not to just do it for the sake of being fit as you will probably lose motivation fast.
Marios Matsakis, 53
Politician and member of the European Parliament for the Democratic Party
How well do you eat? I wouldn’t say I do anything out of the ordinary but I do eat healthily. Vegetables and pulses are a big part of my eating lifestyle and although I am extremely against greasy foods and meat, I still enjoy a steak once or twice a week. Although I should eat breakfast, I don’t; a coffee is enough. But I do eat lunch and dinner.
What is your exercise regimen? “I’m not really a fan of pseudo-exercising like going to the gym. I don’t really believe it’s a proper way to exercise and although it may work for some, my exercise routine is walking. I walk everywhere in Brussels. In fact, I would say I walk 10-15km a day! I’m also very active around the house when back home in Cyprus on the weekends. I love gardening and any DIY activities.
Any advice? I don’t think people should view healthy lifestyles as something difficult and unattainable. The basics are widely known and are based on common sense, so there’s no need to go to the gym and go out of your way to eat healthily. A few simple steps are all that’s needed.
Rudy Graff, 35
Teacher, board member of the Union de Europ?ens F?d?ralistes and triathlete
How well do you eat? I don’t really follow a diet although I pay attention to it of course – the most important thing is not to go to excess. The week before a race I eat a lot of pasta and fish as it’s important to recharge energy with proteins and carbohydrates. I also eat a lot of fruit and vegetables for minerals and drink 600ml of fresh juice daily just after I wake up, in addition to three litres of water to help eliminate toxins. I avoid all fats, not specifically for my sport but for my health, because what we eat today shows itself tomorrow. I think all meals are important and I don’t agree when I hear that breakfast is the most important meal of the day as what you eat in the evening before sleeping is also crucial. If you don’t eat a sensible dinner you will not properly recover from your day’s work or training.
What is your exercise regimen? I train every day and have a rest every nine days; it’s very important to train correctly, daily if that is possible. Training is different depending on the time of the competition season. I am competing now so in the four weeks between triathlons I train for endurance and intensity. It’s good to have another hobby and a rest between two seasons – just doing the things you don’t have time to do during the training and race season. You suddenly start to appreciate being able to do small banal things like going to the cinema or out for a drink.
Any advice? Not to do things to excess but to take time to practice a sport for 30 to 40 minutes three or four times a week. Exercise helps the body to eliminate a great number of toxins but sleep is probably one of the most important factors of good health. The best advice I can give is to listen to what your body tells you.
Andreas Christou, 59
Mayor of Limassol and former Minister of the Interior
How well do you eat? I wouldn’t say I have a specific lifestyle but I try to avoid meat, although I’m not a vegetarian, it is healthier to cut down on fats and anything that puts on weight such as sugar. I do like bread very much and I eat of lot of that. I don’t have breakfast, just a coffee, and then a meal at lunchtime with Cypriot herbal teas as they have less caffeine and help to prevent high blood pressure. For dinner I often have a yoghurt with two apples, unless I am going to a function, in which case I will still try to have a light dinner.
What is your exercise regimen? I don’t have a regular exercise programme; I used to swim and still do if I can find an hour in my schedule to take a 25 minute swim either early in the morning, in the afternoon or evening. It is my favourite form of exercise and though I can’t do it every day I try to do it as often as I can.
Any advice? My advice, especially to people of my age, in regard to food is the quality and quantity of what you eat is more important than exercise. Exercise must be moderate at this age, for example a quick walk or light jog but swimming is best for exercise and also easy because in Cyprus you can swim in the sea eight months of the year.
Natali Hadjiloizou, 28
Sydney Olympic swimmer and member of the Cyprus national squad. Winner of six medals at the 2007 Games of the Small States of Europe in Monaco and mother of three year old daughter, Anna
How well do you eat? I think the best reasons to keep to a diet are to feel healthy, to move easily and of course, for women, to look nice. My diet consists of a full breakfast, medium lunch and small dinner; the most important meal for me is breakfast, which is usually juice and muesli on cornflakes with milk and honey.
What is your exercise regimen? My training includes swimming, running and abdominal exercise. Swimming and running keeps my muscles hard and in good condition and the exercises are good, especially after pregnancy. I train in the morning and between five and seven in the evening, but for working people it is not easy and anytime you can find is good. After I had my daughter I was running at 11 o’clock at night because I didn’t have any other time. I started to swim again two years ago, just to keep fit and felt I still had power. I want my daughter to be proud of her mum.
Any advice? Any exercise without the correct diet will not give you good results and all of us, even if we are working and have kids, can find half an hour to exercise if we really want to. T
he most important thing is your mental attitude; never feel sorry for yourself and always be optimistic.
Chrysanthos Tsouroullis, 31
TV journalist at Sigma
How well do you eat? My eating habits used to be really bad. I loved junk food and ate quite a lot of it also because of workloads. However that excuse wasn’t working well with my partner and she made sure I started eating more healthily. I now enjoy lunch and dinner with half my plate made up of boiled veggies or salad and eat pulses three times a week. I don’t skip breakfast but because I get up very early (5:30), I just about have time for a bowl of cereal. Then until lunchtime, it’s fruit all the way!
What is your exercise regimen? I’m at the gym four times a week, an hour and a half a day. I do 35–40 minutes of aerobic training and then switch to weights.
Any advice? Quit smoking! Really, I used to smoke for ten years and quit two years ago and it has made such a difference. It was tough but with the help of exercise I managed to beat any impulses to smoke again and I feel so much better. I’m actually now a renowned anti-smoker!
Athena Christodoulou, 36
Professional dancer and yoga teacher
How well do you eat? I eat everything, mostly pasta though as it gives me energy. Of course, I steer away from fried foods but other than that I eat meat, vegetables and pasta mainly for lunch as I tend to have a light snack in the evenings. I always have breakfast too, which could include toast, or yoghurt and honey.
What is your exercise regimen? Well, I do my yoga very often but if I find I’m tired of it I’ll head to the gym and spend some time on the treadmill. I also dance a lot as I teach children and have a group. Because exercise is my whole life, I would say I spend three hours a day doing either one of these activities, five times a week.
Any advice? As far as food is concerned, I think people should learn to eat smaller portions of food instead of filling their plates up. And exercise should be fun! You have to be happy with what you’re doing, not dread it. So change every now and then. Take up swimming, karate, yoga or whatever makes you happy!
Demetra Sergiou
Miss Cyprus 2007
How well do you eat? Due to my love of sports and dancing from a young age I am used to eating sensibly. I tend to eat something every three hours but never huge portions. Something light between breakfast and lunch and something again between lunch and dinner like a coffee or a fruit. I never eat very late at night either. I find eating every three hours is one of the easiest ways to burn calories and speed up your metabolism.
What is your exercise regimen? I have always been involved in sports and I’m now studying to be a gym trainer/instructor and teach aerobics, so that’s my form of exercise. I spend about two to four hours a day exercising whether it’s dancing, running or lifting weights.
Any advice? There’s no reason to kill yourself exercising or starve yourself in order to lose weight. That is not the right way to go about it. By getting your body used to sensible eating habits and exercising frequently, even if it’s for 30 minutes three or four times a week, you’re on the right road to a healthy lifestyle.
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©Melissa Reynolds, September 2007
