Q&A with Natalie Goodchild of The Blonde Ethos

In our Q&A with Natalie Goodchild of The Blonde Ethos health and fitness blog, we chat weight-training, being curious about our bodies… and Percy Pigs.

What made you want to start a blog?

When I started The Blonde Ethos, I knew nothing about the blogging – the ‘blogosphere’ wasn’t as well populated three years ago as it is now! I was working full time, about to start studying for a degree and decided that I wanted to start a project to get back into the habit of writing regularly. Naturally, I chose to write about my interests, but I’ve progressed from simply documenting my own fitness experiences to investing a lot of time researching health, fitness and nutrition in depth, to provide other people with the knowledge that they need to make healthier choices.

We read on your blog that you enjoy and have even taught Pole Fitness classes. What is it about Pole Fitness that makes it such a great workout?

I was by no means top of my PE class at school, but I always enjoyed out-of-school dance classes and continued dancing after I left full-time education. When Pole Fitness emerged on the fitness scene, I couldn’t resist trying it! It was an awesome workout and gave me so much confidence. Learning the different spins and tricks can be tricky at first, but gives you a massive sense of achievement as you see progression. Linking these moves into a routine is a cardio workout, and having the strength to perform tricks such as inverts, requires you to gain strength. It’s a great all-rounder.

We see that you are also really into weight training. What advice would you give someone who wanted to get into it but didn’t really know where to begin?

I know that beginning weight training can seem daunting. I’m naturally quite competitive and I remember seeing a PT training a client who was squatting with heavy weights, and thinking, ‘I want to know how much I am capable of lifting.’ I started taking Les Mills Body Pump classes, which were a great compromise; I had the familiarity of the cardio-based group exercise classes that I was used to, but learnt the basic techniques for free weight movements. And, although it seems like a basic step now, learning how to load a barbell and squeeze a clip was really helpful! I would also recommend investing in a few sessions with a quality personal trainer. They can guide you through the most suitable movements, teach you technique, monitor your form, and help you decide what weights you find manageable, all of which can be difficult or daunting on your own.

And what is your favourite naughty cheat treat?

I have a very sweet tooth. Not so much for cake, biscuits or desserts, but pretty much full-on sugar. I love proper sweets like Haribo and Percy Pigs. I often curb my sweet tooth with popcorn too, as it is relatively unprocessed and less sugary, especially when I pop my own.

We love your guides and reviews of different protein powders and supplements as they are really useful to those wanting to take that step but are unsure how to go about it. What supplements do you take as part of your fitness regime?

Thanks! I hope to produce many more guides in the future, demystifying other supplements and health-related topics. I supplement my protein intake with shakes daily. I always have a protein shake with breakfast, after workouts and sometimes before bed as well if I feel that I haven’t reached my protein goal for the day. I never use shakes as meal replacements though. My supplements are really tailored to my needs but there are a few that I take without fail every day and that I think almost everyone would benefit from having in their cupboard. Those are multivitamins, vitamin D, omega-3s and probiotics.

How did you come up with the ethos behind your blog? (Be curious: 01. About how incredible your body can look, feel and perform, and 02. About everything that affects your body)

For a long time, whenever I tried to articulate what my healthy living ethos was, there were too many components to consider from eating, to training, to physical and mental health. What it always came down to was that I wanted to learn more about all of those things, to learn what impact my lifestyle was having on my health, and to encourage other people to do the same. Being curious about your body and how your lifestyle affects it is the first step towards making improvements to feel happier and healthier.

Your ‘Healthy Little Black Book’ section on your site is great for linking people together with other health and fitness professionals. What was the inspiration behind this idea?

I’ve always sought out professionals who are highly qualified in what they do; personal trainers who also have a sports science degree, massage therapists with a sports therapy degree, or beauty therapists with a knowledge of the biology of skin and hair. The investment of these professionals in their career is usually due to passion, and it shows. I created my Healthy Little Black Book so that other people can experience the massive difference that it makes to invest in experts like this.

What is your favourite way of working out?

Lifting heavy weights without a doubt. Since I started weight training, I’ve seen the biggest changes in my body composition and have never been happier with the way that I look and feel.

I weight train around three times a week, sometimes doing high reps with short rest periods or introducing supersets to keep my heart rate high to get effects of cardio training too. I’ll also try to squeeze in a HIIT session once a week.

Who inspires you?

I find great motivation from people like Jessica Ennis-Hill. I think that everyone should train like an athlete in that they should make every session count, tailor it to their needs and push their bodies to find out what they’re truly capable of. I also really respect how some bodybuilders train and how long and hard they have worked to achieve their bodies.