My healthy day

The Jamaica Moves campaign was developed as a call to action for Jamaica ns to take charge of their health. One way we encourage them to do this is through their companies, which we push to invest in the health and wellness of their employees.

My Healthy Day is a face-to-face interview with select key individuals who have told us what they do on an average day to stay healthy and active. It also speaks to how they are revolutionising wellness in their workplaces.

Today, we hear from Carey Wallace, exec utive director, Tourism Enhancement Fund, and Donna Hussey, corporate affairs manager of Main Events Entertainment Group Limited.

Carey Wallace

How did your interest in fitness and health first develop?

There are so many things I want to do in my life that as I got older, I felt like I’m not getting a lot of them done, so I needed to stay younger and fitter in order to live longer to accomplish those things. Plus, I saw the correlation between the way you feel and how fit, energetic, and enthusiastic about your life you are. So from that standpoint, it motivated me to work out and eat well.

What role do your family and friends play in helping you maintain an active, healthy lifestyle?

When I relocated to Kingston about two and a half years ago, I decided to lead an active lifestyle, so I joined the Pacers Running Club, and I run about two to three times weekly. The other two or three days of the week, I go to the gym, so that takes up my mornings. In the mornings is when I get my exercise routine out of the way, and then I feel comfortable for the rest of the day.

What is the toughest event or workout that you have ever done?

I did the Reggae Marathon 10K about a year ago – that was the toughest.

What is your approach to nutrition?

I am a pescatarian, so seafood and vegetables are what I mainly eat, I cut out red meat about 20 years ago. I believe that one day, I’ll become a strict vegetarian, but for now, I’ll live a little. For Christmas and special occasions, I do indulge a bit, but for the most part, I just have seafood and vegetables.

We’re curious, what do you eat on a typical day?

I try and get to work early to beat the traffic, so after the gym or after a run, I’ll just have a blended shake with eggs, bananas, almond milk, and raw peanuts. I work in New Kingston, so for lunch, I’ll order something from next door – usually an ackee patty or maybe one of those fish breakfasts. For dinner, I’ll have a meal with seafood and fish again.

What would you say to someone who believes that he/she is too busy to make their health and fitness a priority?

With your body being healthy, you have more energy, your brain gets more oxygen, focuses more, and it’s in a more creative state. If you don’t exercise, you have diminishing returns, meaning you think you’re saving the time, but you’re taking longer to get work done. It’s like trying to saw a piece of wood with a dull saw – if you spend the time sharpening it, you cut through the wood so much faster. Likewise, that’s my approach to exercise; when your body is fit and healthy, you get so much more work done in a shorter period of time.

What advice would you give to companies and leaders who want to build healthier cultures but aren’t sure where to begin?

I think friendly competition is always helpful, and that’s why we joined the corporate challenge. Once they’re on a team and they’re competing against another team, they end up putting out more effort. So I think that’s a good way to start. Once the team comes out in their numbers, it not only makes them healthier, but it also builds camaraderie and staff morale. They will start looking better, gain confidence, and as those things spiral, it gets better over time.

Donna Hussey

How did your interest in fitness and health first develop?

Well, I’ve always been into fitness on and off for years, but as soon as I hit my 30s, I realised it all went south, so I decided that I needed to be fit.

What is your approach to nutrition?

I stopped eating meat more than two years ago. I haven’t been tempted to go back, even though I love a good Argentinian steak. I’m also an animal lover, so that also made the transition easy.

What is you r go-to healthy snack?

Almonds. I’ve discovered salt and vinegar almonds; they are divine. If I want something high-protein, I’ll have a boiled egg.

Cardio or strength training?

Mostly cardio, but I got into strength training over the past year. I’ve recently joined a new gym, and they have a lot of strength-training equipment.

What is your workout heaven?

Workout heaven? Is there any such thing? (laughs). I like the stair climber. It makes me go from zero to 100 in a minute and start sweating; it really gives a high-intensity workout in a short period of time. I like to watch Stranger Things to make the time to go by.

And your workout hell?

Step class. After five steps, I’m out of breath (laughs).

Do you have a favourite song or artiste to listen to while you’re working out?

I’m a music junkie; I listen to rap while I’m working out.

What role do your friends and family play in helping you to maintain your healthy lifestyle?

At Main Event, we all decided to join a gym and put together a package membership. Our company is really good at helping us to subscribe to gyms. We work out together in the evenings and motivate each other.

What would you say to someone who believes that he/she is too busy to make their health and fitness a priority?

Well, I am the living proof of that. I’m going to be honest, sometimes it’s really hard, but it really c­ontributes to making your job easier. I find that working out in the mornings gives me clarity and gets my mind ‘clicking’. So try and fit it into your routine.