The very healthy woman behind Schkinny Maninny, a range of workout-enhancing ready-made meals, opens up her pantry and gym bag and talks tips for getting fit and fabulous.

How did you get into the health industry?

My background, bizarrely enough, is actually in psychology and business. But I have always been a self-confessed health and fitness junkie. I love everything to do with being fit and healthy. I don’t have any formal qualifications but have practically read every book on nutrition and looking after yourself. I started Schkinny Maninny because I really wanted to give something to health-oriented people out there who want a good healthy food option that will benefit them when working out.

What’s your personal health philosophy?

It’s really about loving your body - doing the right thing by your body and loving life.

Tell us about Schkinny Maninny…

Schkinny Maninny is a business that supplies fresh pre-packaged fitness foods to gyms. The meals are designed in conjunction with a personal trainer and nutritionist so they are all calorie controlled, carbohydrated controlled and portion controlled. They’re really healthy foods and if you eat them as an exercise-oriented person, your workoouts and general health will really benefit. We’re just in Sydney at the moment but have growth plans for Melbourne and Brisbane early next year.

What’s the best way to lose weight?

This is going to sound really annoying but there’s no quick way. It’s ultimately about the basic energy equation of energy in and energy out. Your body uses food for energy and if you’re putting energy in then you need to be burning that energy off for your body not to store it as fat. You need to eat the right foods and do the right thing by your metabolism. Do your cardio to burn  your energy, work your muscles to build your metabolism, and ensure you’re not overdoing it in terms of the food you’re putting into your body.

What’s the most common health crime you see women making?

When women skip meals because they think that will help them lose weight. I strongly believe in feeding your metabolism. The only way that you’ll get you body into an efficient energy-burning machine is if you actually feed it so it knows it’s getting the energy it needs to then burn off. The body is really clever little machine. If it thinks it’s getting less, then it’s going to start burning less because it’s not sure when the next fill-up is going to happen. So if you skip lunch and have a chcolate bar in the afternoon to get you through to dinner , the body puts that into storange because it’s not sure when the next energy hit will come, and it burns that energy very slowly. High metabolism means your body burns energy really efficiently. To get your metabolism up, you need to eat regularly.

The other big crime - and I am guilty of this too - is over-eating. There’s a huge misconception about how much we should be eating and most of us eat way more than we should. We’ve been brought up to finish plates full of food and to have big meals three times a day and to want to feel really full at the end of the meal. You should just eat enough so you’re satisfied.

What’s a perfect meal?

It should have a portion of wholegrain carbohydrates, so brown rice or wholemeal pasta. And a portion of lean protein. And make sure it is lean, because animal fats have a lot of fat and calories. And then a heap of vegetables, particularly green ones like broccoli, spinach and green beans, which are full of fibre and antioxidants. Avoid excessive potatoes. While they are vegetables, ultimately they’re in the carbohydrate family.

What about some good healthy snacks?

I have unusual tastes when it comes to snacks. I love a piece of celery with organic peanut butter and honey. It kills your sweet craving and you get a bit of protein as well so it fills you up. Ryvitas are awesome because they’re wholegrain, so if you put some ricotta and tomato, you’ve got your protein and wholegrain and fibre, plus it’s low-GI. If you don’t have time to prepare anything, go for raw nuts and sultanas, so you get your protein and fibre. And, of course, heaps of fruit is always good.

Is it okay to treat ourselves every now and then?

Of course! If you go crazy on just healthy food you can actually go a little crazy. Go for healthy foods and meals during the week, then on the weekends, relax a little. My favourite treat is a large-sized Freddo Frog. It’s not as much as chcolate bar, and doesn’t have those added sugary biscuit bits, plus it’s more satisfying than the small Freddo.

What’s always in your pantry?

• Brown rice - and I always cook it in a rice cooker, it makes it so much easier.
• Tuna in springwater.
• Legumes like chickpeas and brown lentils.
• Wholegrain oats.
• Ryvitas.
• Peanut butter and honey.

And in the fridge?

• Low-fat milk.
• Lean protein.
• Low-fat ricotta - white cheeses tend to be lower in fat than yellow cheeses.

What are the best choices when eating out?

Choose meals that have a high component of vegetables. Stay away from anything in a creamy sauce because that’s going to have higher calories. Think about what makes you feel good. You’re not going to feel great after eating massive bowl of white pasta and creamy sauce.

What’s the best thing you’ve ever done for your health?

Avoiding a lot of breads. Of course, there are lots of good breads, such as pumpernickel and rye. But the best thing I did for feeling good inside was to stay away from anything too processed and refined. Personally, making sure I was having my Ryvitas and oats and brown rice was better for me than eating bread. It has just made me feel so much better.

What exercise do you do?

Everything! I surf on the weekend. I do lots of high energy classes at the gym, such as Body Attack and Body Combat. I run a lot. I do weights twice a week to keep my metabolism up. I walk every day. And I also do a lot of stretching, it makes me feel balanced.

What else do you do to look after yourself?

When you do a lot of exercise you tend to get very tight in places so occasional massages are very good for realigning yourself. I love Perfect Potion Bare Faced Exfoliant ($29.95 from Perfect Potion) – it’s a white powder that I mix with yoghurt and massage in. And my favourite body cream is Johnson’s 24 Hour Extra Rich Body Lotion ($6.99 from pharmacies). I have really dry skin on my body and this is the best fix I’ve ever found.

Any other favourite products?

For skincare, I love M.D Formulations (see True Solutions). Their products contain glycolic acid, which is great for refining the texture of skin. Although you need to be careful in the sun. I’m never without an SPF30+. And my favourite haircare is Bain de Terre (from selected salons, call 1800 111 770). The Recovery Complex serum is particularly great – I spend so much time in the surf and sun and this is fantastic for sealing hair so it doesn’t split, and for keeping it shiny.

Any final words of health wisdom?

It’s really important to be happy and do what makes you feel good on the inside – and this will show on the outside.