Sally Gunnell OBE shares the one food she’s always avoided

Sally Gunnell OBE; the Essex Girl who captured the hearts of a nation, remains the only woman ever to hold four major track titles concurrently – Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth. Whilst the Olympics is currently on, she caught up Chill Tubs to discuss her current wellbeing routines, the one exercise she swears by and the one food she completely avoids.

Chill Tubs: What are your current wellbeing routines, whether its certain exercises, relaxation methods, anything that you do to prioritise self-care?

Sally: Always start day with a stretch, it’s important to get my muscles working at their best, increasing flexibility and strength first thing puts me in good stead for general mobility and exercises during the day. I also use my ice bath most mornings, to help make me alert and awake, whilst also decreasing any inflammation, aches or pains I have from training.

Chill Tubs: Can you name three meals or types of food that are your go-to for a boost?

Sally: I always opt for protein yogurts to keep my protein up, they’re quick to eat on a busy day and are often delicious. Healthy soups and smoothies are my go-tos for lunch and breakfast, you can pack them with healthy ingredients and they are easy on the go.

Chill Tubs: What are your current fitness routines?

Sally: Currently I do weight three times per week to concentrate on muscle strength improvement. Then for cardio I love to go running, it helps completely clear my head and keeps the fitness levels up. Then I challenge myself with yoga or Pilates once per week.

Chill Tubs: How do you prioritise self-care with such a busy lifestyle?

Sally: I’m not the best person at sitting still, so I try to incorporate exercises with self-care. Stretching is fantastic, and I also focus on breathing work. Using my sauna or ice bath is also a method of recuperation.

Chill Tubs: Are there any exercises you swear by throughout your career?

Sally: Hill runs they help improve my leg strength and a good cardio workout,  I aim for 6 x 2 sets up a 60 metre slope with a jog or walk back between sets.

Chill Tubs: Do you have any key fitness goals right now?

Sally: My main focus is to be strong and mobile, whilst having a good VO2 max level.

Chill Tubs: What is causing you stress right now and how do you counteract it with relaxation?

Sally: There is always a bit of stress in my life with lots of work, however I counteract it by doing all the nice selfcare in a morning to get me mentally strong for the day.

Chill Tubs: What are the main benefits you find from using an ice bath?

Sally: It gives me a strong mentality, waking up first thing and getting in the tub completely wakes me up and sets me up for the day.

Chill Tubs: What are the three wellbeing tips/fads you’d tell people to avoid?

Sally: Eating too many nuts, there are lots of calories in them so keep them to a minimum. Train most days, but remember rest days are equally as important, so don’t aim to completely fill your week with workouts every single days. Use an ice bath any time of the day if you can, it doesn’t have to be just the morning, it can help completely reset you at any point in the day.