Ask Alesha

Ask Alesha: How to Reduce Stress, Maintain Balance and Not Burn Out

Alesha on the tricks and tips she relies on to keep her and her family healthy and happy in body, mind and soul.

Finding time to eat right, workout, nurture relationships and work hard is a virtually impossible daily juggle that can be really hard to get right. No stranger to figuring out that balance herself, Alesha, NobleBlu founder and singer-songwriter-businesswoman-mum-TV-personality (phew) spills the beans on how she manages it all, plus the hacks that keep her sane.

What does wellness mean to you?

I genuinely care about my body, my health and my mind. I think wellness is about growing and getting to a place where you can feel like you’re able to be your best self. The minute I’m not taking care of myself – not eating well, not sleeping well, not exercising – I feel lethargic, impatient and irritable. I’ve just got to that time of my life where I know what works for me. It’s been trial and error, but I know what helps me succeed and what enables me to shine. To me, wellness is taking care of myself so I can take care of others. It’s about harmony and balance, about connecting with your inner self, being in tune with what your body and your mind needs, so that you can live the best life you possibly can.

We’ve all just lived through one of the strangest times of our lives; have you taken any valuable lessons from lockdown?

Lockdown has taught me to be more present. I spend a lot of time planning and rushing around, and juggling, so lockdown taught me to just be more in the moment and allowed me to slow down. It’s given us lots of things to be anxious about, but it’s also given us time to be grateful and think about what we do have.

What’s your diet like and what do you look for in supplements?

I think I’m very – I hate the word normal, but I’m going to use it – very normal in that one day I’ll wake up and I’ll make porridge with blueberries and it’s all healthy and lovely before a workout, and then I’ll wake up on another day and it’s sourdough toast with chocolate spread.

I always make sure I tick a certain number of boxes with what I’m eating, and I’ll add supplements or vitamins to that to make sure I’m hitting that target. I’ve learnt to listen to my body, so for example if I’ve had a weekend where I’ve drunk a lot of red wine, had a lot of chocolate and then on Monday I feel tired, then I know, ok, right, don’t have any chocolate for a few days, have some more food with life in it. That will help me feel more alive and not as tired and get the balance right again.

How do you deal with stress?

I wonder how many women can relate to just going in the bathroom and counting to ten, taking a deep breath. When I didn’t have kids, emotions just used to fly everywhere but with kids I keep it together, I go and have a quiet moment in the bathroom by myself, take a few deep breaths and keep it moving. If I feel really stressed, I work out. That helps me dust off a few cobwebs and helps me when I’m feeling a bit anxious.

Oprah once said, that if you can’t even find five minutes for yourself in the day, then you’re doing yourself a disservice. I need to find a small window in the day, where I don’t have to talk to anyone and can just be alone with my thoughts. I’m practicing meditation more too, this is also a very helpful tool for stillness.