OH! Magazine - Australian Version December 2013 (Australian Version) | Page 28

MEET AN EXPERT What’s your personal philosophy about food and nutrition? Working in the fitness industry I definitely love healthy food but as I’ve gotten older I’ve taken a more realistic, less restrictive attitude towards fuelling my body. I’d consider myself a ‘flexiblarian’ (yes, I made that up). I love to eat healthy, unprocessed food as often as possible but certainly don’t beat myself up for having the odd glass of wine or piece of chocolate. I’m a huge advocate of finding ways to make healthy food taste delicious and being flexible to the ever-changing needs of my body and my life. I’m also an aerial silk instructor and performer so eating well the majority of the time helps me to perform the best I can, both physically and mentally. How do you come up with such delicious recipes and who is your lucky taste tester? I usually start with something I’ve seen or eaten elsewhere and then add, subtract and substitute ingredients until I get it tasting the way I want. Often I’ll revise a dish four or five times before I find the right balance. My husband, Gareth, is the lucky (and at times, given the trial and error nature of recipe creation, very unlucky) taste tester. He’s always super-encouraging no matter what I serve him, but if he goes back for seconds, then I know I’m onto a winner. What do you love most about being a travel writer? What’s not to love? I get to travel the world, meeting interesting people, seeing 28 ISSUE 5 ( OH! MAGAZINE ) Name: Alisha Smith Expertise: Recipes & Travel Writing A woman of oh-so-many talents, and a darned nice chick too, Alisha Smith is a multi-talented author and fitness professional who brings a unique passion and expertise to the pages of this magazine. She’s also an impressively flexible aerial silk instructor and performer. the best that a country or region has to offer and experiencing things that most people only dream of. And, above all else, I love being given an opportunity to retell the experience – to share stories of the things I’ve seen and done that, hopefully, inspire other people to get out there and grab life by the kahunas! Have you had the opportunity to blend your love for healthy eating and travel?  Food is fuel. We need it to exist, to power our bodies through life – both in the seemingly mundane, day-to-day activities, as well as for the more adventurous ones. Yet, food is so much more than that. It’s at every social occasion, we use it as a means of getting together to catch up with friends or to bookend a day, by bringing our family together around a table for breakfast or dinner. Travel is no exception. Whether I’ve been at a fitness retreat in Bali, where the culinary focus has been on healthy fuel, or sharing fresh lobster with new friends on a subsistence island in the South Pacific, I’ve been very fortunate to be able to combine my two passions of food and travel! Describe the greatest culinary and/or travel experience you’ve ever had? When my brother and I were younger, we’d ask my mum who was her favourite child*. She’d always answer with ‘I love you equally, but for different reasons’. This question makes me understand her statement. I’ve had so many amazing food and travel experiences that it’s honestly impossible to just choose. Definite highlights have included eating an exquisite Japenese-style degustation at Tsubo Restaurant on Mt Hotham, after a day of snowboarding and spa treatments; as well as enjoying a cider and tapas with new friends in Seminyak, Bali after a week of surfing, running and training. Every travel experience offers me something memorable – be it the food, the culture, the people or the fitness. *Clearly I was… and still am! What does ‘optimum health’ mean to you? To me, ‘optimum health’ means having an approach to movement, to fuel, to relationships (with yourself and others) and to pursuits (both career and pastimes) that makes your body and soul feel and perform the best they can. To find out more about Alisha Smith visit http://alishasmith.pressfolios.com/ or email [email protected]