It is amazing to see us both on the road of fitness and that is why i am so thrilled to share her story with my readers. Kate is not only a model with the Andrea Roche agency but also food science student. Kate has decided to take her love for nutrition and take it to new levels, by taking on a new challenge with the hopes of getting into the world of fitness modelling. One thing that really struck me during her interview, was her want to help others. Kate also wants to help those with eating disorders in the future.
Check out our interview and leave a comment below
Photo by Alex Hutchinson
Name : Kate McDaid
Age : 21
City : Dublin
Occupation : Food Science Student/ Model/ Sales assistant/ Basketball coach
Favourite workout technique ; Interval training
Pet peeve : When I see someone with a finger to the nose – Makes my stomach turn!
Nickname : Cookie (Courtesy of my massive appetite and outrageous sweet tooth:0)
Secret addiction :
Describe yourself in two words : Ambitious and Driven
Hi Kate a huge thank you for speaking to us and sharing your story. We know you have a background in modelling, pageants and are also a student. Could you tell us a little bit about that and your background?
Hi! Thanks so much for having me! I am a final year Food Science Student in UCD. I am signed with Andrea Roche Model Agency and have two titles under my belt: Miss Irish Sun 2011 where I went on to come third in Miss Universe Ireland 2011 and the ‘Irish Specsavers’ Wearer of the Year 2009’ which allowed me to compete in the ‘International Specsavers’ Wearer of the Year’ final in London. My passion is Nutrition so I hope to go on and do a Nutrition masters after I get my Food Science degree. So fingers crossed that all goes to plan.
Photo By Richie Buttle photography
2 ) Were you sporty as a child ?
I have always played sport growing up. I used to play a bit of tennis, gaelic football and camogie in primary school, as well as Irish dancing. However things really got competitive when I got to secondary school. It was here that I took up basketball. I remember I wasn't going to start at all, the thoughts of training 3 times a week didn't appeal to me. Nonetheless, friends talked me around and before I knew it I was playing 7 times a week and loving every minute!
I have been extremely fortunate to have captained both an Irish and Dublin basketball team, which has given me the opportunity to play in other countries such as Belgium, Bulgaria and Denmark. I am still playing basketball now with a club team and in the next few weeks I will hopefully start training with my college team for the Varsities tournament, which will be played this coming April.
3) You are currently studying food science in college and only have a couple of months left, what is it about that subject that interested you and how did you make the decision to do it in college ?
To be honest I never thought I would be doing Food Science. I really wanted to do Human Nutrition and Dietetics in DIT, Food Science was only my third choice. However I did not get enough points in the Leaving Cert. so Food Science it was. I have to say, although it has been a very challenging degree I have really enjoyed it and have gotten so much out of it. We still get to study some nutritional elements too which I love, as well as gaining an insight to how food is made and the chemistry and processing that goes behind it.
4 ) What did you hope to gain out of the course ie Jobs knowledge etc
I hoped that I would learn a lot about the way in which different ingredients work within one’s body and in various products. I study subjects such as Food Ingredients, Food, Diet and Health and Food Chemistry for example which all cover those aspects. I would like to go on and do a Nutrition masters in either Coleraine or Loughborough to develop my knowledge further. My dream job would be to work as a sports nutritionist with a team of some sort and maybe even specialize in eating disorders. However I am also extremely interested in personal training so I may combine that with my nutritional knowledge and see what happens. Early days yet sure
5 ) Did your interest in the fitness world come from studying nutrition in college or did it develop somewhere else ?
As I mentioned earlier, I have been heavily involved in sport in the last few years, so it has had a major influence on my life. I have been fortunate to work with some nutritionists over the years which made me realize the importance of food in an athlete’s diet, as well as its significance for everyone. My Dad is a diabetic so I have been trying to keep him on the straight and narrow for years! I do modeling also and given that I train so much I thought that the fitness side of the industry would suit me better. As well as this I think it would be a great way for me to promote health and fitness among others.
6 ) What is your current goal, how do you plan on achieving it and why are you so passionate about it ?
I am currently after embarking on a new journey, working alongside Matt Kelly PT at Elite Training and Nutrition. I will be put on new gym program and different diets with the aim of becoming a fitness model in the next few months. I would love to travel to London and get signed as a fitness model with an agency over there as the fitness industry is a lot larger in the UK. I love modeling and I have been blessed with all of the great experiences I have been given, however I think that fitness modeling would let me combine my passion for modeling as well as that for health.
7 ) Do you have any plans to do it competitively ?
Well if I go to London and please God get signed, it is always going to be competitive in the sense that you are going up against other athletes who are also after the same jobs etc. Nothing is definite yet but I would love to sign up for a show and compete in that to see how I would get on.
8 ) Where do you see yourself with regards your goals and dreams in a years time ?
I hope that I will have gotten the contract with an agency and that I can motivate others to start working out or eating healthier. I would like to have gotten my Nutrition masters under my belt by that stage too so that I can begin to work with
people on a more professional level.
Photo by Alex Hutchinson
9 ) Who would be your ideal company to model for , if you could pick any in the world ?
Victoria S……:P There are a few out there who I would love to model for like Optimum Nutrition for example, however I would be honored to model for anyone who is passionate about the well-being and success of their customers. As I said before I really just want to promote health and fitness among all because I really believe it is so important.
10 ) Do you think your experience in both modeling and pageants will help you in your current venture ?
Yes, I like to think it will. Modeling can be quite cut-throat so it has definitely toughened me up which will certainly help me when I am facing a set of deadlifts for example (I hate them!). I have also gained some confidence through my experience in pageants which I think will help me with stage presence when and if I hopefully get to compete one day.
11 ) What are the major differences between fitness modelling and being a model here in Ireland ?
Model and fitness modeling can be similar in the sense that all models need to eat clean and work for their desired body. They over- lap in the way in which there are competitions too. The models in Ireland are not expected to be as tiny as those in Milan or Paris which is the way it should be, I think
however with fitness modeling there is a demand for a different type of physique. There is more emphasis on a lean body, one that is conditioned and nourished. There is a greater focus on certain muscles and their development and there is a lot more room for a bit of a bootay;).
12 ) What is it about fitness modelling that interests you ?
I am an extremely active person who is a health and fitness fanatic (if you haven’t guessed already) so I could translate that into a field such as fitness modeling. I also really enjoy a challenge and this certainly is one! Already I have been put to the test and I have only started working with Matt two weeks! I really have so much respect and admiration for those who have chosen this way of life. Going to the gym day in, day out and trying to push yourself that bit harder each time really isn’t easy. Not to mention the focus one needs to have in relation to a good diet. It takes a lot of courage, discipline and motivation.
13 ) Who is your fitspiration and why ?
I am slightly obsessed with this Australian fitness model called Emily Skye. I have been following her Instagram account and I think she is unreal! She covers everything from workouts to food and she seems like she has her head well screwed on. She has a great stomach too which I wouldn't mind having myself. She has a great body.
14 ) Have you a favourite healthy recipe you could share with Bikinibrawn readers ?
As my nickname suggests, I have a terrible sweet tooth! I recently came across a recipe which combines my two favourite foods; chocolate and peanutbutter. It is so simple that it is just begging you to make it and it is of course healthy too ;)
Peanut butter Delights
200g 85% chocolate
1 tablespoon of agave
4 large tbs of peanutbutter (can vary depending on the amount of filling you want).
1) Melt half of the chocolate and pour some into muffin cases, just enough so that the chocolate lines the bottom of the case. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes.
2) Mix the pb and agave together and remove the chocolate from the freezer (once the 10mins are up).
3) Cover the chocolate with a layer of the pb mixture.
4) Melt the rest of the chocolate and cover the pb layer with it.
5) Leave it in the freezer for another 30mins and voila! Delish!
15 ) What is your typical diet at the moment ie breakfast lunch dinner etc ?
I am currently on a detox diet which means that I am eating green veg/cauliflower/mushrooms/ onions with either beef/poultry/ fish and scrambled eggs in the morning. Lunch and dinner are the same with the exception of the eggs. I try to change both the meat and veg as much as possible and I also add
spices to keep the flavors interesting. I will add avocado or seeds to my dishes too or even sometimes a little bit of pesto. I will have berries/nuts or a Quest bar as snacks as well. After a basketball session it is important that I restore my glycogen levels as it can be quite demanding aerobically. Therefore I will have porridge made with water and some milk, some cinnamon, banana/berries and some Linseed. I also have a whey shake after each time I train. I am allowed a little bit of dark chocolate (85%) each week to keep me saneJ. Once this is finished I will start carb cycling and introducing more veg and fruits to my diet.
16 ) What is your workout schedule like at the moment and are you finding it hard to transition ?
I train 3 times a week for basketball (2hour sessions each time) with one game on most weekends. I have two programs that Matt has made for me which I am to do twice each, every week. However my body does not have enough time to repair if I have a game so I sometimes can only get 3 weights sessions in. Basketball season is nearly over so the amount of times I hit the gym will be increasing. I started lifting weights last summer however Matt has introduced me to a whole new range of exercises and type of training. I am two weeks in and already it has been tough both physically and mentally but I am definitely enjoying the challenge. Plus I feel unreal after a good lifting session!:)
17 ) You have also set up a facebook page to track your progress and get people involved , what were your reasons for that and have you had a good response ?
I set up a Facebook page called ‘KMD-The Journey’ which will monitor my progress over the next few months with regards to achieving my goal. I wanted to give people an honest account of my highs and lows to show that we all have our ups and downs but we are all capable of coming out the other side. I realize that my goals are far from those of others but I thought it might help others embark on their personal journeys if they see that they are not alone and that hard work can and will pay off. We also always get to see the ‘end result’ so I thought it would be good to demonstrate all of the little niggly bits from start to end. Technically I am a fit and strong woman however the program Matt has put me on has been very difficult as it is very different to my normal work out. I post all of my meals on the page, as well as some workout videos and meal suggestions to try and help everyone along. I have been overwhelmed with the positive support I have received so far. You guys really keep me motivated and help me rise above the times where I find I am struggling. So thank you all who have followed me so far.
Check out Kate's progress photos that she includes on her Facebook page KMD - The journey
18 ) What advice would you give to a women or girls, suffering with self esteem issues relating to her body or image ?
This is a tough one as we are all so different. I have been through many times where my own self -confidence has been at an all-time low when it comes to my appearance. I have learned and sometimes I know it is easier said than done, but talking to your closest friends or family really helps. You can be so cruel and hard on yourself so a lot of the time you are painting a distorted image of yourself. It is good to talk to people who care about you because they will tell you the truth and set you straight or offer you a solution. As cliche as it sounds, we are all beautiful and we have so much to bring to the table. It is important to always remember that. You don’t always need to be everyone’s cup of tea.
19 ) What are your top five tips for getting started on a healthy & fit path ?
1) Set realistic goals - Baby steps are key because slowly things will become a habit rather than a chore and you can keep progressing.
2) Get a gym/ work out buddy – It helps so much if you are starting a new way of life with someone else. You can encourage each other and stay focused and motivated together.
3) Expect a challenge – It won’t be easy. You will have your ups and downs but push through, you’ll love what is at the other end.
4) Your diet is so important – If you eat clean, you will see the benefits so much quicker and you will feel amazing too!
5) Stay POSITIVE – You started this new path for a reason and a great reason at that. You will have tough times but you will overcome them and come out the better for it!
20 ) What foods do you tend to avoid ?
I will always avoid highly processed foods, so foods where sugar is their main ingredients or that have a lot of preservatives. Having said that I don’t mind a few jellies and milk chocolate if they are going now and again but I really do try and limit them as much as possible. I am also now enjoying treats that are more along the line of the peanut butter cups I posted above or Quest bars. I am so busy with college and sport that I don’t have the most riveting social life so alcohol isn’t too much of an issue for me but I like to limit when and how often I drink also (I hate the way it messes up the next day and it can make all your hard work almost counterproductive if you are not careful!).
So why not follow Kate's journey ?
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/kmdthejourney
Twitter : https://twitter.com/kate_mcdaid
Instagram : http://instagram.com/katemcdaid
Also check out the man behind Kate's training and diet
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/MattKellyPT
Website : http://www.elitetraining.ie/
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