Celebrity Health - Lisa Cannon

'Powerlifting changed my body for the better'

Lisa Cannon is a showbiz reporter for Ireland’s primetime entertainment show Xposé (weekdays 6-7pm, TV3) and is the chief movie critic for Ireland AM. She also judged the desserts made by judges Biddy White Lennon and Paul Kelly on TV3’s The Great Irish Bake Off Christmas Special.

What sort of exercise do you do to keep in shape?

"Last year I did some powerlifting for a TV3 documentary called Presenter to Powerlifter – it filmed me over eight weeks and I competed in the Irish Powerlifting Championships. There was some heavy competition and extreme results. I was on a diet of mixed carbohydrates and protein – a real cavewoman diet. It was very hard – no chocolate, no alcohol, which became very dull after a while."

Are you still powerlifting?

"Recently I decided to go back and do it again but this time it’s not for a film crew but about getting back into shape for me. I usually do about 45 minutes every three days one-to-one with an instructor, which is quick and very effective. I might go to the gym at 7am or 9pm to fit it around work. I find powerlifting is good for legs, core strength and my state of mind – it helps to get frustrations out. When I can see the weights increasing I really feel like I am achieving something. It is also good for burning body fat. Now I see my powerlifting as more of a maintenance thing because I am not going in for competitions."

What sort of foods do you eat to stay healthy?

"I am a massive foodie and love food. I am tired a lot of the time from the long hours and the change in the Xposé format to an hour, so sometimes I go for convenience foods which I know are not good for me. I relapsed a bit after the powerlifting programme ended because I had been too strict with myself. When you can’t fit into your jeans you say ‘enough is enough’. Now I have got back into cooking my chicken breasts and taking cashew nuts and protein bars into work. Finding the time is the hard bit – I work six or seven days per week and have been on 12 flights in the last three weeks."

How do you relax when you are not in the pubic eye?

"I like to go for a walk with my fiancé and my dog, watch movies and catch up with friends. I find that exercise is good for relaxing."

Health tips

These tips are important, and I need to work on them myself:

Try to look after your stress levels before they start to dominate you
Cooking from scratch is healthier than buying the easy alternative
Take a few minutes for yourself, even if it’s just having a cuppa
Everything in moderation
Try to get enough rest – if you’re rested you feel able to cope with anything. It’s good for your body and your moods

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