Body Clock Hayley Westenra (3 December 07)

[Stephany]

Hello all,

Here is an article from the Irish Independent.

Body Clock Hayley westenra
3 December 2007
Irish Independent
(c) 2007 Independent Newspapers Ireland Ltd


When she's not craving Japanese food, snacks keep this opera singer going for long stints in the studio.

4am

Most days I get up at about 8.30am, but because I'm suffering from jetlag I wake far earlier this morning.

I drink a cup of green tea as I listen to music in order to gather ideas for my new album. A little later, I have some avocado and vegemite as I check emails.

If there was some bread in the flat, I would have spread vegemite and mashed avocado on a slice.

It's very cold today, and I make a sachet of miso soup to which I add seaweed. My choice of food for breakfast probably seems unusual, but I always eat what my body craves -- regardless of the time of day.

When she's not craving Japanese food, snacks keep this opera singer going for long stints in the studio

4am

Most days I get up at about 8.30am, but because I'm suffering from jetlag I wake far earlier this morning.

I drink a cup of green tea as I listen to music in order to gather ideas for my new album. A little later, I have some avocado and vegemite as I check emails.

If there was some bread in the flat, I would have spread vegemite and mashed avocado on a slice.

It's very cold today, and I make a sachet of miso soup to which I add seaweed. My choice of food for breakfast probably seems unusual, but I always eat what my body craves -- regardless of the time of day.

9.30am

I snack on some tinned tuna, to which I've added fresh lemon juice and cayenne pepper, then manage to squeeze in half an hour of vocal warm-ups along with some yoga poses and ballet stretches from my dancing days.

After my singing, I finish the tuna and have a cup of chamomile tea to calm me. Because I travel so often, I always keep tins of tuna and salmon in my flat so they're available regardless of when I come home.

10.30am

I shower, dress and dry my hair before listening to the track that I'm scheduled to record as a duet this afternoon.

12.40pm

Normally I take the Tube around London, but the weather is pretty miserable and I decide to get a taxi to the studio. I haven't had time to make myself a salad for lunch so I pick up packets of lentil salad and edamame bean salad from Marks and Spencer.

When I get to the studio, I eat a little of each salad and drink a cup of hot water with honey and lemon.

3.30pm

The recording is done and I finish my salads and drink some water before going to a friend's house.

4pm

My friend and I have a chat, watch a DVD, then go to the supermarket to pick up ingredients for dinner. This evening she's teaching me how to prepare chicken curry.

I recently bought a flat in London and finally have a lovely kitchen, so I hope to start doing a lot of cooking.

7.30pm

We eat the curry with rice and I allow myself a glass of red wine because I have no concerts over the coming days. Dessert is a brownie.

Generally, I don't usually eat much meat and avoid dairy products, coffee and caffeinated tea. Whenever possible, I try to eat organic food.

I'm a grazer and well known for my snacking. I always carry a packet of almonds or some fruit with me and will regularly have a nibble when I'm at the recording studio.

9pm

I leave my friend's because I am quite tired after my trip to Japan and want to get to bed early. I am someone who needs at least eight hours of sleep.

10.30pm

I'm in bed.

Hayley Westenra's Christmas concert with the RTE Concert Orchestra takes place tomorrow, in association with BT, in the National Concert Hall.

Stephany

[Stephany]

Hi again,

This article is now available online with a picture of Hayley.

Stephany

[dazza]

Hi Stephany,

Thanks for posting that, very interesting.

Dazza

[Mark]

Hi Stephany

Thanks for finding this article. I guess we more or less knew that Hayley likes to "snack" rather than to eat less frequent large meals. Of course, we also know about the avacado and vegimite sandwich filler - I'll have to give that a try myself Very interesting all the same.

Lots of love
Mark

[Dori]

How lovely and candid. I love her very unique eating habits!!

Regards,
Dori

[Tin]

Actually what does vegemite taste like? I never get to try it here in Hong Kong.

[Stephany]

Hi everyone,

Can you believe it - Hayley's diet has even been rated by a consultant nutritionist for The Independent.ie[/url].
They say she should do more physical activity

How does Hayley's diet rate?

By Nancy Previs
Monday December 03 2007

"Hayley enjoys a mixed and varied diet with plenty of fresh ingredients. In the morning, she has an avocado with vegemite. Avocados contain lots of vitamins and minerals, including vitamins E and B6, potassium.


"They are also high in mono-unsaturated fatty acids, which can help lower cholesterol. Half an avocado counts as one of the five portions of fruit and veg we should aim to eat each day. It is important to include carbo-hydrates in each meal too.

"Later in the morning, Hayley snacks on tuna. This is a great source of protein. If you are choosing the tinned option, try to opt for tuna in natural water.

"Hayley eats plenty of tinned salmon, which is a good way to include calcium in your diet. Tinned tuna is generally not a good source of calcium as the mineral is found in the bones, so salmon and pilchards are better.

"In the afternoon, Hayley has two great salads--lentil and edamame bean. Pulses can count towards your five-a-day and also as a starchy food. The fibre found in them may help lower cholesterol, so they are good for your heart. Pulses are a source of iron, but try to have some food or a drink rich in vitamin C with your meal. This is because the type of iron found in pulses is harder for the body to absorb than that found in meat.

"For dinner, Hayley has chicken curry with rice, which is a nicely balanced meal -- you can bulk this up with vegetables or serve it with a side salad.

"Afterwards, she has a brownie -- a small treat is fine.

"Hayley had a long day but it would be good to include some physical activity."

Dr Patricia Heavey, consultant nutritionist, Wilson Hartnell Public Relations

Stephany

[Stephany]

Thanks Sing - I just realized that (I thought you posted the top of the page article). It would have been better to put it here anyway so I would have locked the other thread either way. Thanks for letting me know and sorry for the inconvenience!

Stephany

[stevemacdonald]

Hayley eats plenty of tinned salmon, which is a good way to include calcium in your diet. Tinned tuna is generally not a good source of calcium as the mineral is found in the bones, so salmon and pilchards are better.

Unfortunately, canned tuna is also a source of mercury, especially albacore. They say if you must have any tuna, go for the "light" kind. Salmon has detectable levels of mercury also, and most salmon is farm-raised which means unhealthy coloring agents have been added.

[dazza]

Hi Stephany,

Thanks for the interesting article. I have recently been put on a strict diet myself so I am finding all this very interesting.

I'm no expert but does singing itself not require some physical activity? The nutritionist only judged Hayley on one day anyway, everybody is allowed some rest, especially if, like Hayley they have just returned from touring Japan.

Dazza

[Stephany]

sing said:

This is what I put on the how does Hayley's diet rate? post

Sing, I answered to you ABOVE (it's the second time you're posting this message).

Stephany

[Sing]

Hi Stephany, sorry about that I was trying to delete it instead of post the message again.
/Sing

[Martin]

Hayley certainly does have a heathy diet but come on Girls you can't fool me - I bet you all sneak some G + B''s chocolate without telling anyone.

I know I do. (not that I am a Girl!) .

Martin

[Stephany]

martin said:

I bet you all sneak some G + B''s chocolate without telling anyone.

Don't forget the brownie, Martin!

Stephany xx

[Martin]

tinmeigut said:

Actually what does vegemite taste like? I never get to try it here in Hong Kong.

It tastes similar to Marmite which is a yeast extract (Brewer's yeast residue to be precise). It's a good source of B vitamins, completely vegetarian, is a low fat food and is very low in sugar.

But I don't suppose you have that either in Hong Kong?

Martin