Entrepreneur Nicole Liu is open about having good and bad days (or weeks) when it comes to exercise, saying she never sticks to a regular exercise routine for very long but loves trying new things.
She also concedes she can struggle with motivation, and so strives for progress and to “show up”, always knowing that a ten minute workout is better than nothing.
As the Founder of Kin Fertility, a women’s health empowerment company revolutionising fertility wellbeing with a contraceptive delivery service, Liu is busy with work and her business, managing a fast-growing startup that’s changing women’s lives.
She’s the latest to feature in our weekly Women’s Health News column on how different women manage their health alongside their careers and other work.
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In the morning, I…
I usually get woken up by my Golden Retriever puppy, Milo. He has decided that my bed is his bed too, so I usually wake up to his stinky breath, smiley face and a big ol’ lick. Nothing brings a smile to my face faster in the morning.
His absolute inability to hold in his pee for very long in the morning gets me out of bed faster than my alarm clock ever could.
I get up and get dressed in my #activewear and take Milo out to the park. We’re really lucky that there’s a gorgeous spacious dog park nearby – it’s such a nice way to have a nice slow morning and just breathe. Depending on what I feel like, I’ll walk around, work out or hang out with the other dog owners at the park.
Next stop, coffee. The guys at Single O are my go-to source for fuel. Speaking of fuel, I’ll make myself brekkie when I get home. My housemate has recently converted our household into having Vegemite Toast, Avo and Eggs for breakfast. It’s an acquired taste but I’m totally for it now.
My exercise routine includes…
Ha. Calling what I do for exercise a routine is definitely generous! I have my good and bad days…or weeks. (But, I always try my best and that’s what counts right?)
I actually don’t stick to a single routine for very long. I exercise to change how I feel – mentally and physically! But, I find the hardest part of any workout is actually dragging myself to do the workout in the first place. So I try to listen to my body and do the thing that motivates me most at the time to just get up and move!
I love having variety and trying new things. I find the most effective way to get myself to exercise is to shake things up a bit every now and then.
I love following the programs on fitness apps (like KIC and Sweat). Sometimes, if I need someone shouting in my face to motivate me, I’ll do long stints of in-person classes like Barry’s or F45 (obviously, before lockdown). And to mix it up, I’ll try to learn a new skill, doing classes in Boxing, Yoga or Pilates.
My favourite workout is…
The workout I stuck with the longest was definitely Boxing. I loved how intense it was and it was just such a good way to take any stress you felt out onto the bag. Plus, it was nice to know that if I ever needed it, I had a mean right hook handy.
But, my latest obsession during lockdown has been the Peloton app (without the bike). It’s basically like having a live trainer but on your phone. The music is so well-timed to the workouts and the trainers have so much energy.
I find balance in…
I love taking my dog out to the beach, especially around sunset. Literally nothing resets me more than the sound and feel of soft ocean waves, a pastel sky, paired with an overly excited puppy running all over the place having the absolute time of his life.
With my phone notifications off, it’s often the place I can hear my own thoughts the clearest.
On health, I encourage women to…
The most useful advice I’ve heard lately is to “strive for progress, not perfection”.
I actually struggle with this a lot. It’s really easy to feel disappointed in yourself for a “bad” workout. Or feel shitty for not finishing a workout because you’re exhausted or unmotivated. Or that you ate a bar of chocolate a few days into trying to eat healthier foods.
But, a ten minute workout is still better than nothing. It doesn’t matter if you don’t do the exercises perfectly or you can’t complete them – that just means you challenged yourself. And that bar of chocolate? That’s okay, it’s a small slip up in the grand scheme of things. Forgive yourself and keep on going.
Massive progress doesn’t happen overnight. It happens in the small, compounding actions you make over long periods of time.
At the end of the day, what’s most important is that you showed up. And that you did it for yourself.
Just keep showing up, and be kind to yourself!