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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Western chapter.

This week is Body Health and Image Awareness Week at HC Western Ontario. #HCLoveYourBody

Her last name is a handfull, and so is she — but in the best possible way. This busy girl took the time to tell me a little bit about her dedication to her body and health.

Hometown: London, Ontario

Age: 22

Program: Nutrition and Dietetics

Relationship Status: Single

What does a typical workout routine usually involve for you? Do you have a favourite?

My workouts are different based on what day it is, but it mostly involves strength training with free weights and some machines. Leg day is definitely my favorite!

What led you to deciding to begin a more healthy lifestyle?

I’ve always had an interest in health since I grew up playing multiple sports and being involved in dance. Turning it into a lifestyle happened after realizing I was turning it into an unhealthy obsession with calorie counting, under eating, over exercising, and just a general negative outlook on myself. 

What’s your go-to fast snack?

I’m generally really well prepared with my meals, but I have a few go to bars that are great substitutes while being healthy and still really delicious. These include: mini energy Lara bars, vega sports bars, or cliff energy bars. 98% of the time I have one in my bag just in case! 

What food is your guilty pleasure?

Although any form of potato is my guilty food pleasure, sweet chili heat Doritos definitely take the cake! That 3 hour stomach ache is more then worth it once in a while!

Are there any foods you would absolutely never eat?

I’ve gone back and forth with vegetarianism and was vegan for over a year, I recently started re-introducing white meat into my diet, but I will definitely never eat red meat again. 

What does “loving your body” mean to you?

Loving my body means taking the physical aspect out of it. To me it means realizing that every function my body performs is to keep me alive, that is it’s sole purpose. There is nobody else in the world with MY body. It is my sanctuary so I am realizing more and more each day that it’s my job to be nice back to it! 

What would you say to someone who is looking for motivation to change their lifestyle?

If somebody is looking to change their lifestyle, the biggest point I would stress is WHY. There are so many people out there who decide to work out or eat healthier because they want to lose weight, or people may make fun of them, or anything like that. You have to change for yourself and because you want to have energy and be happy! Weight loss will just be a bonus if you take the focus away from external factors (celebrities, fad diets) 

Do you have a part time job(s)? How do you balance everything?

I have two jobs. I’m am the stock associate at Garage clothing, and I am a chef at Farmboy. My schedule is definitely crazy but balancing it is easy with a lot of preparation along with a daily planner! I meal prep twice a week, as well as label EVERYTHING. There’s no excuses when you are prepared! 

What’s one natural remedy that surprised you that you’d recommend to everyone?

Essential oils can fix everything and have worked wonders for me! Everybody should definitely look into them if they haven’t! 

Who is your inspiration?

For some reason this is a really hard question. I have never really looked up to one person and said “I want to be like them.” I suppose my inspiration is my old self, and getting as far away from the person that I used to be. Seeing my own progress is all the motivation I need, after all, I can’t ever become anybody else, so I’d rather be realistic. 

QUICK QUIZ:

Biggest pet peeve: When people clip their nails in my presence

Nickname: Joben

Favourite song right now: “She Treats Me Well” by Ben Howard

Favourite quote? “When all other avenues are closed, he is the one to call upon, often his help comes at the last moment.” (I’m not religious at all, but this is about St. Jude – patron saint of lost causes, for some reason it just speaks to me)

TV show you’d binge on: Definitely have binged watched gossip girl an embarrassing number of times

Something you hate that everyone loves:  Summertime

Favourite thing to do on weekends:  Go out to eat, party and drink on occasion, snuggle

Describe yourself in three words: Fun, driven, chill

Favourite beverage: Any kind of tea

YAY or NAY:

  • Leggings: yay 
  • Miley Cyrus: big nay 
  • The colour pink: nay 
  • Uggs: yay 
  • Taco Bell: nay 
  • Teen Mom: yay
  • Sour Patch Kids: double yay
  • BeyoncĂ©: undecided 
  • Ceeps: nay
  • Coffee: yay
  • “Uptown Funk”: yay 
  • ‘The dress’: ……
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Alexie is a graduate from The University of Western Ontario where she majored in English and minored in both Writing and Anthropology. She is now a graduate student at Western, where she is completing a Masters of Media in Journalism and Communications. Reality TV junkie and social media addict (follow her on instagram: @alexie_elisa and twitter: @AlexieRE_Evans), Alexie is ecstatic to be on the alum team of HC Western Ontario after loving being the campus correpondent in her undergrad!