Kirsty Gallacher, 46, TV and radio presenter, and contestant on Celebrity MasterChef2022, invited editorial director Katy Sunnassee to her home to share how she stays in such great shape through fitness and nutrition, plus why she left GB News…
Kirsty Gallacher on fitness & weight training
‘It’s important for me to stay fit, healthy and active. I know when I don’t do my fitness during the week, I start to feel a bit down. It’s so important to be kind to your body and listen to it. We go through different phases in life and things change. There are always stressful times when we’ve got different things going on, so we need to be kind to ourselves and find what helps us feel good.
‘It took me a while to find the right exercise for me, but it helped finding the right trainer. Going into a huge gym and seeing all the machines lined up, and working my way around in a sort of robotic fashion, just didn’t appeal. But now I love weight training as I’ve found a way to make it interesting and a challenge.
‘Mel Deane, my trainer of the past five years, helps mix in cardio fitness with weights, where we do some deadlifts and Olympic lifting moves. We also do these little sets where it’s not all weights and it’s not all really heavy. It’s just a great mix that includes some fun stuff. Weight training suits my personality – I’ve found something that suits me.
Kirsty Gallacher: ‘We go through different phases in life and things change. There are always stressful times when we’ve got different things going on, so we need to be kind to ourselves and find what helps us feel good.’
‘I love that feeling after having trained, feeling quite sore the next day but then once that has passed, feeling strong. I feel as if it helps me stay in control of every part of my body and also life. It’s brilliant for us women in our 40s, too, as it’s so good for bone health. I also like the look of women who have a bit of strength to them. Some people don’t like that but I think it’s great. And it makes you feel better.
‘You’ve got to be careful, though, with weights, as you must take advice on what you’re doing. If you’re not training with someone who really knows what they’re doing, it could be dangerous so I guess that can put some people off. It’s so important to get the technique right, making sure your shoulders are back, your weight is back, and you’re standing correctly. You really need the right advice, otherwise you might injure yourself and then you won’t be able to do any of it. But I’d still recommend it as you get so many benefits.
‘A few years ago, some friends said I was looking too muscly and that it didn’t suit me. I’m quite petite and, because of the training, I was getting bulky as I was lifting too heavy for my frame. I think you’ve got to find out what’s good for you and how you want to look. Now I’ve reduced the weights a bit and I’m at a place where I’ve got strength and I’m not bulky – it didn’t look right on me before, and my clothes were popping!
Kirsty Gallacher: ‘[Weight training] is brilliant for us women in our 40s, too, as it’s so good for bone health. I also like the look of women who have a bit of strength to them. Some people don’t like that but I think it’s great.’
‘I’ve signed up for the Windsor half marathon, which is at the end of September. So now I’m adding running to my training as well as weights, plus a lot of stretching because I don’t want to get injured. I did the London Marathon years ago, and when I reached the halfway point, things went downhill – I was utterly exhausted! I’ll probably enjoy a half marathon a lot more! Truthfully, I’m not a long-distance runner, I’m a sprinter, but I like a challenge! This is going to be breaking barriers for me. Sometimes, I think I must be mad!
‘To recover after a workout I use foam rollers – I even have one that vibrates! You just put it on the spot that’s tender and let it do its magic. I probably don’t do enough stretching to be honest – it’s so beneficial. I think most people tend to forget it a bit – I know I have to get out the mat and stretch, but it’s always like “I don’t have time!” But as I increase my running, I’ll have to do more stretching or I’ll end up injured. I like a nice bath to recover, as well.
‘I’ve also got a Wattbike at home. It’s fun to compete with friends, doing virtual races. There’s so much you can do at home these days – you don’t have to have a bike though, you could just have stretch bands and weights and things.
‘During lockdown, I did a few Instagram lives about how to do a make shift weights session at home. It’s hard to juggle the work-life balance and fit exercise in. It’s also harder for me now as I don’t live in London and my trainer, Mel, is in Richmond (West London). So, now it’s a big round trip to go and see him.
Kirsty Gallacher: ‘To recover after a workout I use foam rollers – I even have one that vibrates! You just put it on the spot that’s tender and let it do its magic.’
‘But it’s so important to me that I make the effort as I know it will pay off. It’s about finding what’s right for you and something you can afford and commit to. I know loads of people that don’t go to the gym but they love netball or tennis. Whatever it is, it has to suit your lifestyle and what you want to achieve.
‘In midlife, you do have less time than in your 20s. Sometimes my Mum thinks I push myself too much, especially when I moan about being tired. But fitness is part of my life; it keeps me feeling good. And if I think, “Oh I won’t bother” each time I feel tired, I won’t feel good in myself. I see it as an investment in myself. Instead of buying more clothes or going out for an extra meal, I put money into sessions with a trainer who gets the best out of me. But life changes, and maybe in five years I will think it’s too much and won’t want to drive so far to do my training, so I’ll stay closer to home and do more Pilates and things like that.’
Kirsty Gallacher on supplementation
‘I take quite a few supplements, which I feel help my overall wellbeing. I work with sports nutrition brand Kinetica and a lot of their stuff is for high-performance sportsmen and sportswomen but other people can use it, too. When I’m training, I use the whey protein shakes – they’re great for when I’m running around and am too busy to cook a proper meal.
‘I also take quite a few vitamins, the main ones being a B complex, vitamin D – because we don’t usually see that much sun in this country – and evening primrose, which is brilliant for balancing hormones. I’ve taken that since I was in my 20s as my doctor said I might benefit. It’s incredible and it’s natural.
‘Some people say you don’t need supplements. But even if you’re eating brilliantly, if you’ve got a busy or a stressful life or are anxious, your body can become depleted. I think it’s good to have that extra support to help you feel good and be at your optimum. You have to do your homework and find out what you need to take, and what’s best. I see it as an investment in my health, like with my training sessions.
Kirsty Gallacher: ‘Even if you’re eating brilliantly, if you’ve got a busy or a stressful life or are anxious, your body can become depleted. I think it’s good to have that extra support [from supplements] to help you feel good and be at your optimum.’
‘And if you do a DNA test, you can see where you’re at and what you need to take. Sometimes you’ll find that you’re doing exactly what you thought you should be doing. And sometimes you’ll discover something you didn’t know – like your liver not breaking down fats or you can’t process whatever correctly – which can set you on the right path.
‘I love taking the Kinetica collagen shots – they’re amazing! My skin quality is one hundred percent better than before I started using them. It took a couple of months to see changes, and I didn’t take before and after pictures, but I did look at a picture of myself the other day and thought, “Gosh, what a difference!”. That was from the start of this year and my skin wasn’t great. Now, it’s loads better. I know some people say collagen is just another trend, but it’s worked for me. It’s great for plumping up my skin and I just feel healthier.’
Kirsty Gallacher on beauty and skincare
‘I’m the least pampered woman you’ve probably ever met! I do my own nails and I have the simplest skincare routine. I cleanse but I don’t do toners as I’ve got normal to dry skin and I just find them too drying. Last night, I was hosting an event and I did a good cleanse while in the shower using a muslin cloth, being careful not to completely pull my face around!
‘I quite like a nice serum under a moisturiser, and I’ll use a day cream and night cream, but that’s it. I don’t do much. If I remember to, once a week I’ll do a face mask or exfoliate. The cleanser I like most is by La Roche-Posay for sensitive skin. It’s really great for removing heavy make-up, which I have to wear for TV or hosting events.
Kirsty Gallacher: ‘I’m the least pampered woman you’ve probably ever met! I do my own nails and I have the simplest skincare routine.’
‘I don’t normally wear foundation in the day, and I never go to bed with make-up on. It would just get all into my eyes! I also like supporting small, niche skincare brands such as Ark. It is British and also very ethical and doesn’t test on animals, which is important to me. It does age ranges for each decade – the products are lovely.
‘I also love Spectacle Skincare by Olivia Falcon. There’s a fabulous moisturiser and again, the brand is very ethical and the packaging is made of sawdust! I also recently came across new niche Japanese skincare brand Tatcha who sent me some skin and hair products, which are great. When it comes to moisturiser, I want a thick, glossy one that leaves a bit of a sheen.
‘I don’t always get on well with eye products, especially at night as they make my eyes swell up – I’m probably putting them on too close though! Also, I can’t do face oils as they block my pores. I would love to be able to use them as there are so many lovely oils out there but they give me these little bumps under the skin, so I avoid those.’
Kirsty Gallacher on nutrition
‘I eat pretty healthily in general and I want my boys to be healthy. I was brought up like that because my Mum is a dietician. Growing up, she was all about a balanced diet. It’s not about fads or cutting out loads of things as the brain is clever – and when you start denying yourself something, you’ll go and gorge on it. Or, if you try and restrict your eating, two days later you’ll most probably eat more than you’ve eaten all week! So, it’s about balance; a little bit of everything.
‘Although, I do think as I’ve got older, my body can’t tolerate what it once did. I used to be able to eat anything but now bread is a no-no, as I can’t seem to digest it – I don’t know whether it’s to do with stress or what. I used to get bloated before, but I feel as if now – and maybe it’s to do with perimenopause and hormones changing – my gut health is worse. Also, I don’t have a proper intolerance to gluten but it just doesn’t make me feel good. I’m very aware of when I don’t feel amazing and I’ll think, “What did I eat? Oh yeah, a pizza or lots of bread!”.
‘Also, stress really affects your digestion and I’m often eating in a rush. My major weakness is curry. Curries don’t always have to be unhealthy, of course, but you’ve got to have lots of rice. And naan bread! I’m not a sweet person, I’m savoury all the way. And cheese is my big thing. If there are chocolate or sweets around, I’m not that interested. But if there’s a cheese board I’m right in there! That’s my other food weakness.
Kirsty Gallacher: ‘I was brought up like that because my Mum is a dietician. Growing up, she was all about a balanced diet. It’s not about fads or cutting out loads of things as the brain is clever – and when you start denying yourself something, you’ll go and gorge on it.’
‘I drink gallons of water a day. I get a jug of water and squeeze a couple of lemons into it then drink it lukewarm as that’s better for you than cold. The lemon is alkalising – plus, I love citrus in general. And I’m obsessed with grapefruits! I like them fresh but also the juice squeezed into water. I’ve tried to like coffee but I never enjoy it. It’s taken me around six years to realise my body just doesn’t like it! It makes me feel a bit sick. I also don’t drink much alcohol. The odd glass is OK now and then.
‘I’ll often do intermittent fasting where I don’t eat before midday. Then, I’ll stop eating at around 6pm. It’s a small eating window but it encourages my body to naturally go into ketosis so it can rejuvenate overnight. Of course, it’s not always practical – if I go out for a meal I can’t do it. But, in general, intermittent fasting makes me feel so much better.
‘I also drink kefir as I was told it was good for me. I worked with nutritionist Pippa Campbell (see p98) who got me to do a DNA test and it revealed things that validated what I already thought I knew, such as with my gut. Pippa said my gut needed kefir and that I also ought to be eating beetroot, so now my fridge is packed with beetroot and kefir!
‘She also said high-fat things will never be good for me as my liver finds it difficult to break down fats. I do recommend DNA tests as then you can have a personalised eating plan. It’s a great thing to do at midlife because our bodies change and we need to support them. Since I did the tests and made changes, I just feel so much better.’
Kirsty Gallacher on why she left GB News
‘I left GB News mainly for health reasons. I was presenting the breakfast show with Simon McCoy. I’d found out last autumn that I had an acoustic neuroma in my right ear, which is a small, benign tumour that causes low-level tinnitus. It often deprives me of good-quality sleep, so getting up early to do breakfast shows took too much of a toll on my health.
‘I’m a big campaigner for animal welfare. I’m a “friend” of Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, where I got Frank, my black cocker spaniel, this March. Betsy, my British bulldog, was also from Battersea. Plus I also have Bertie, a French bulldog, but she’s not from Battersea. I’ve spoken in the House of Commons twice in recent months. Once to try to abolish the caged hen industry, the second, about bear skins, which are used by the MoD.
Kirsty Gallacher: ‘I left GB News mainly for health reasons […] I’d found out last autumn that I had an acoustic neuroma in my right ear […] It often deprives me of good-quality sleep, so getting up early to do breakfast shows took too much of a toll on my health.’
‘Doing Celebrity MasterChef was areal challenge! Even though I have a lovely kitchen, I’d describe myself as a “functional” cook; I don’t make fancy things. The challenges on the show were incredibly tough but I learned a lot and it was fun. I can’t say too much though – you’ll have to watch!’
Kirsty is an ambassador for supplement brand Kinetica. Find out more about its range of supplements and protein shakes at uk.kineticasports.com. She also presents the Saturday afternoon show from 1-4pm on Smooth Radio, and is a contestant on Celebrity MasterChef on BBC One this summer. Find her at instagram.com/gallacherkirsty.
