I am excited to present my September edition of the #BeHonestlyFit series. For some background on what I hope to accomplish with this series, please click here. 

Meet the amazing Mel K.

Hi Mel, introduce yourself! 

I’m Mel, a 24 year old fitness blogger from Perth, Western Australia. I was born in the UK but moved to Perth when I was 5 years old. In 2013, I graduated with a Bachelor of Primary Education and I moved to London, UK to teach Year 2. I taught for two years before moving to Luxembourg to live with my boyfriend.  

How can someone who is new to healthy eating get started? 

Devise your own program, something that works for you and that you know you can stick to. It has to be maintainable because you’ll want to do this lifelong. Include all food groups, do your research, enjoy the occasional treat and modify anything in your program that isn’t working for you.  

What does the day in the life of Mel look like? 

When I wake up, I try to remember to have a glass of warm water with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. I think this helps kick-start my digestive system after my nights sleep. Breakfast usually consists of healthy fats and protein if I am working out later in the day or protein and carbs if I have already worked out. I also have a smoothie shake post workout where I add a protein powder (usually INCA organics when I have it). Lunch will be something lighter on the fats, with a focus on protein and lots of vegetables. My go to lunch is usually a chicken salad. For dinner, I usually keep it quite light, again focusing on the protein and vegetables. I try and limit my snacks but when I am feeling like I need something, I will try and choose savoury foods such as cheese, rice cakes, peanut butter or nuts. I don’t take supplements (apart from my INCA organics protein powder) anymore as I am trying to reduce my intake of processed foods. 

Did you always love fitness? If not, how did you start working out? 

I had always been sporty as a child. I used to do gymnastics and dance, loved rollerblading, scooting, swimming and riding my bicycle but once I hit high school, sports took a back seat. I still engaged in dance but any other form of PE was not on my high priority list. I hated running and walking and often took the bus wherever possible. My friend introduced me to boxing when I was still in Perth. It was probably around the age of 19 or 20 where I went to any gym for the first time. It was called Hurt Locker and they trained all of the Miss Universe Western Australia contestants. After seeing their bodies and what they could do with a boxing glove I was sold! I then moved to London and stopped going to the boxing gym. In January 2014, I stumbled across Kayla Itsines Instagram. She had about 700,000 followers back then and I remember seeing @0403natalie’s progress pictures. I was very reluctant to buy an online guide, but after seeing other girls’ progress pictures I wanted to give it a go. 

What does your week of workouts look like? 

After 5 weeks on holidays, I have just decided to go back to the BBG 1.0 guides in alignment with friends back home and other friends I have made on Instagram. Prior to this, I was following The Skinny Bitch Collective by Russell BC. I complete all 4 workouts and on the other days I like to do yoga, HIIT sprints or LISS on the treadmill.  

How did you find The Skinny Bitch Collective? 

I was scrolling through Instagram and one of his videos popped up on my discover page. I saw these amazing moves and fierce girls. I just had to get involved!  

Exercise move you can’t live without? 

The reptilian crawl by The SBC. It is a great dynamic stretch and warms up the hip flexors, works your core and whole body. The lower to the ground the better.  

What’s your morning ritual? 

I usually like to work out on an empty stomach but the first thing I do is drink a glass of water with apple cider vinegar before working out so that my digestive system is ready for my post workout refuel meal.  

How do you juggle healthy eating with working out? 

I generally find it easy to eat healthy because I figure that if I am spending the time working out, I don’t want to ruin my efforts by gorging on unhealthy foods. You can exercise all the time in the world but if your eating is not consistent you will not get the results you want.  

What are your tips for eating healthy while traveling? 

Be prepared! For on flight snacks, I like to pack my own. Some examples of this are mixed nuts, rice cakes and peanut butter or homemade protein balls. When I am traveling I like to choose foods that are similar to what I would eat at home — salads, grilled meats, etc but still enjoying the occasional treat/traditional foods. Some trips I take I am budget traveling so I head to the local supermarket, stock up on eggs, vegetables and meat and make my own food in the hotel room.

What is your favorite indulgence? 

Peanut butter and chocolate! However, since eating healthy I have noticed I have become intolerant to the chocolates in the stores. I aim to eat chocolate that is over 85% or make my own using cacao powder, rice malt syrup and coconut oil. My favourite clean treat to make is clean peanut butter cups. 

Is there anyone you look up to for inspiration? 

I am inspired by all of the women on instagram. From those that have 100 followers to 100,000 followers, it doesn’t matter to me. I think we are all empowering and inspiring each other through our stories, journeys and commitment. I am so proud to be a part of this amazing community! 

How can we stay connected with you? 

You can find me on Instagram – where I am most active @lifestylebymel or you can follow my blog www.lifestylebymel.com

What advice do you have for Honestly Fitness readers that want to get fit and healthy for life? 

1. Be your own motivation to get fit and healthy. Don’t do it for anyone else but yourself 
2. Want to change to become stronger, not for aesthetic reasons 
3. Start off with small goals and work yourself up to the bigger goals. 
4. Be consistent with eating and working out and find what works for YOU.  
5. Make it a routine — set alarms, write up a workout schedule, stick your food plan on your fridge. Organisation is KEY 

A huge thank you to Mel for coming on Honestly Fitness and helping women around the world get inspired to live  healthier lifestyle.

Did you like the interview? What questions would you have asked Mel? Who else do YOU want to see on the #BeHonestlyFit series?

Honestly yours, 
Alice

Thank you for all of your support! For more Honestly Fitness, check out my Instagram, Facebook, Twitter & Pinterest and don’t forget to subscribe!