( OH Wow ! )
THE HEALTH SECRETS OF HARRIETT BROWN
We caught up with World Ironwoman Champion Harriett Brown , to find out her secrets to health and optimum performance .
hat do you believe are three key
W attributes or personality traits
necessary to become the current World Ironwoman Champion and Nutri-Grain Ironwoman Series Champion ?
Number one , dedication . To be great at any sport you need to be able to commit to training , day in and day out . When things get tough , you can ’ t give up or give in to the temptation to take it easy .
Next , a willingness to learn ; to accept constructive criticism , learn from coaches and others around you ; and always look for ways to improve . I ’ m constantly trying to improve , even if it ’ s just by one per cent every day .
Finally , you need to work – hard . You may have all the dedication and drive in the world , but you also need the willpower to push your body to the limit at training and in competition . I regularly have to push my body through pain , but I love that feeling after a tough session when I know I have given it my all .
In 2016 , you suffered from a broken , wired jaw , but bounced back from it by becoming a world Ironwoman champion ! What is your advice for people who feel like they ’ re facing insurmountable obstacles to achieving their goals ?
Dealing with a broken jaw was a pretty tough time for me . Unable to work , train , eat properly , or talk , I had a lot of time to myself . During this time , all of my competitors were training and preparing for the World Championships – exactly what I wanted to be doing .
I felt frustrated and helpless but I tried to stay positive and distract myself as best as I could . When I was finally able to return to training , I made a plan to take it one session at a time . I tried not to get too caught up in how fast I thought I should be , or how far behind the other girls I was . By focusing on achieving each small goal I set for myself , and by training harder than I ever had before , I was able to reach my peak fitness and win the world title .
I truly believe that we learn the most from the hard times , and they make us stronger . For anyone who is facing obstacles , my advice to you is to create a progressive plan , and take it one step at a time . Nothing is insurmountable if you stay positive and just take it one day at a time .
What motivation tips do you employ yourself , during times when your own training mojo might be at a low ?
Believe it or not , I don ’ t always want to jump out of bed at 4:30am and train ! Most of the time I enjoy training , but it ’ s not always easy and – like everyone – my motivation comes and goes . To continually make progress , I set short and long-term goals to keep me focused and motivated . I also have an ultimate ‘ dream goal ’ that I am working towards . I make a plan and that way I don ’ t give myself the chance to opt out or talk myself out of doing someething .
If I find my motivation is really low , I may take a session off , or mix it up a bit and do something different , like a Pilates class or go for a bodysurf .
What role does nutrition play in your performance / success ?
I enjoy good food . It has taken me a few years to figure out how to properly fuel myself . I now feel the difference in my body , concentration levels and performance when I eat well . I try to eat mainly whole foods and aim to prepare most of my meals myself .
What are three nutrition tips that can make a big difference health or performance ?
1 . Eat mostly whole , unprocessed foods , or those with the fewest number of ingredients as possible , preferably those you recognise and can pronounce !
2 . If you are training regularly , make sure you ’ re eating enough to fuel your workouts .
3 . Eat protein at every meal to help with recovery and to keep you feeling fuller for longer . Good sources of protein include lean meats , beans , eggs , nuts and dairy .
You have so many interests and talents – ocean swimmer , exercise physiologist , Pilates instructor , surf lifesaver and public speaker , to name a few – if you could only do one or two of these , which would you choose ?
I love keeping my life balanced with multiple interests . I enjoy challenging both my body and my mind , and enjoy learning new things in the process . However , at the moment , my absolute favorite activity is Surf Ironwoman racing . Aiming to be the best Ironwoman and stay the best , is my number one goal .
6 OH ! MAGAZINE ( SEPT 2017 )