Angelike Psoinos-Norrie, graced the cover of Oxygen magazine with her beautiful hard-earned figure and stunning features, but what you can't tell from the cover is that the beauty and inner strength shine like a beacon from her core. A third degree black belt and former martial arts professional is one indicator of her tenacity and inner drive.
Angelike gives us some life improving tips in our motivating interview. Read on if you would like some inspiration and training/health tips.
Gabrielle Reilly: What attributed to you achieving such great physical success?
Angelike Psoinos-Norrie: Consistency. Commitment. Discipline. All the intangibles. That's first. The rest, diet and a solid training regimen of course. But it starts with what you can't see. You have to have vision. When you commit mentally to a goal your body will naturally follow that mental image. If you exercise discipline, nothing can stop you from gaining success. We are all capable, we just have to realize we all are equipped with intangible tools that we must keep sharp and available all the time. i.e. discipline, focus, prowess, commitment, persistence, vision, faith.
Gabrielle Reilly: How do you fit your overall training/dieting into your lifestyle?
Angelike Psoinos-Norrie: Make it a habit, like anything else. How is it that it seems so hard to find time to take care of ourselves? Since becoming a mom, it often times seems near impossible to keep a solid workout routine. However, our body is our one and only vessel that enables us to keep us strong for our daily lives and tasks. So it's imperative to treat it like any other habit that we make part of our routine. If we don't take care of it, it will be far more difficult to enjoy the other activities anyone chooses to make a priority in their lives when our body breaks down; I assure you. As long as we keep our mental and spiritual muscles sharp it's easier to stay motivated to keep the body strong and sharp as well.
Gabrielle Reilly: What motivates you to stay in such great shape?
Angelike Psoinos-Norrie: So many things! My husband, so I can keep up with his high energy and desire to always be on the go. My brand new little girl, so I can be around for a long time to love her and guide her to take care of herself as well. My parents so that they want to emulate a healthy lifestyle so I can keep them around as long as possible. My followers so that I can continue to be a source of inspiration for their motivation. And my peers so that I can constantly be surrounded with like-minded people to ensure to always keep my physical health and emotional wellness in check.
Gabrielle Reilly: What weight/cardio training do you do in a week?
Angelike Psoinos-Norrie: I do not believe in one modality of training. I try to engage in a variety of training methods to keep it less redundant so I don't burn out and also to prevent my body from adapting. I think the key to fitness is balance. I believe weight training is essential to staying lean year round, since the more lean mass you have the less fat you carry. Cardio is always a chore for me, but to try to keep it interesting I walk some, use the stepper, elliptical or super set my weight training workouts to keep my heart rate up and supplement my cardio when I am pressed for time. I am also a huge fan of Formula 55 workouts which turns any weight bearing workout into a cardio workout.
Gabrielle Reilly: Do you have days when you don't want to exercise?
Angelike Psoinos-Norrie: Of course! And there are days I don't! But consistency is key. If you're consistently not working out then your body and mental state will show those results. If you're consistently training then your body and mental state will show THOSE results. It's up to you. But it's important to keep a balance. If you need a day or two break, then take it! But remember it's easy to fall into a pattern of putting things off. On days when I don't want to train because I don't "feel" like it, I usually have a little chat with myself and remind that little pessimist in my head that I will "feel" like it once I am half way through my workout and feeling good about my decision!
Gabrielle Reilly: What time do you normally work out?
Angelike Psoinos-Norrie: I usually find my energy is best at night. I do not think there is a right or wrong time to train. Just get it in when your schedule allows for it. There is no one size fits all. Commit to something that will keep you consistent with your schedule.
Gabrielle Reilly: How much sleep do you get?
Angelike Psoinos-Norrie: Sleep it 1/3 of your results. Your body repairs, grows, and metabolizes when you sleep. I try to get 7-8 hours every night.
Gabrielle Reilly: How do you prevent yourself from becoming bored with working out?
Angelike Psoinos-Norrie: Again, variety is key. Try new things. Get off the treadmill and get outside if you can. Don't put yourself on a hamster wheel, otherwise you will easily burn out. Need to relax? Try yoga. Want to blow off some stress and challenge yourself? Do CrossFit. Like to track your progress and have a predictable schedule? Write your goals and workouts down so you can see your results unfold in front of you. I try a little of all of these things. I also bounce off my peers. I utilize their workouts as well to switch up my routine when I feel my focus has gone stale.
Gabrielle Reilly: How many calories do you consume a day off-contest and pre-contest?
Angelike Psoinos-Norrie: I used to calculate my food much more closely than I do now. Obviously, it's imperative to keep you calories up so that your body doesn't go into starvation mode. That's the biggest mistake people make. Most have this misconception that if they limit their food intake, they will lose weight; which is true, temporarily. But that only sets the body up for a yo-yo loss and then big gains. I don't think it's really safe for anyone's caloric intake to be under their BMR (basal metabolic rate). Our BMR is what our body burns just to exist and if we stayed in bed all day. I try to keep mine between 1800-2100 calories a day. But more importantly is where those calories come from. I make sure my diet consists of lean protein, whole grains, fruit and veggies. When it comes time to prep for a shoot or show, I tweak my diet and turn up the cardio a bit to attain my goals. I no longer look at my life as "on" or "off" season. My lifestyle is a healthy balance overall and that is truly what keeps my stress levels down and my desire to stay consistent up.
Gabrielle Reilly: Do you have allocated binge days/meals?
Angelike Psoinos-Norrie: I try to keep them at minimum. I am really not a fan of decadent meals or binging. It was just never a weakness of mine. But when I do have cheat meals, I limit them to one or two meals a week unless I am prepping for something in particular.
Gabrielle Reilly: What do you do when you feel like breaking your diet?
Angelike Psoinos-Norrie: I never really feel like breaking my diet. It's not something I salivate over while thinking about. If it does happen though, I just get back on track the next day. No sense stressing over it. Just resume your healthy habits again. Your body will forgive you.
Gabrielle Reilly: What are your top three healthy snacks?
Angelike Psoinos-Norrie:
1. IsaLean Isagenix protein shakes or bars.
2. Almonds (10-15) and Greek Non-fat plain yogurt.
3. Apple with almond butter.
Gabrielle Reilly: When you were about 5 or 6 what did you dream you would do when you grew up?
Angelike Psoinos-Norrie: I think I wanted to be a doctor, and bank Founder and CEO, and President of the United States. All at the same time. :)
Gabrielle Reilly: Thanks so much Angelike. We look forward to featuring your thoughts on encouraging children to be healthy in an upcoming interview!
