Personal trainer and nutritionist Nicole Harrison has been a fixture of the Dundee fitness scene in recent years.
Formerly based in the city centre PureGym and now with her own business, NH Wellbeing, she aims to help people achieve their fitness goals by ditching diet culture and healing their relationship to food and their bodies.
Now taking on a masters in psychology, Fifer Nicole, 25, is expanding her focus from food and fitness to mental wellness too.
I sat down with Nicole to find out more about her world, covering everything from body positivity and break ups to mac and cheese and music taste, in this quickfire Q&A.
‘You’re not less worthy because places haven’t made space’
As a PT, nutritionist and now psychology student, you’ve studied movement, eating habits and now the mind. What’s the most important aspect of health, to you?
I would say, arguably, your mental health and mind is going to be the most important. Because I think that when you’re physically done in, you can still kind of look after yourself from a mental wellness point of view.
But when your mental health is done in, it’s very hard to do that, or to look after yourself physically.
So I think if you’re looking to prioritise, you should prioritise your mental health always.
What does body positivity mean to you?
For me personally, it means everyone should get respect regardless of their weight or their size.
Anyone should be able to walk into any space and not feel self-conscious or that they don’t belong, which unfortunately isn’t the case.
The gym is an obvious one, but there’s also things like high street stores that just don’t cater to people above certain sizes.
There’s so many people who can only buy their clothes online, or who don’t, for example, fit great in ‘standard’ aeroplane or cinema seats.
I think body positivity is about having respect for everyone’s bodies, but having respect for your own as well, and knowing you’re not any less worthy just because these places haven’t made space for you yet.
What’s your go-to comfort food?
Mac and cheese!
And your go-to easy workout for a bad day?
Probably a nice yoga workout. If you want an actual workout, just 10 squats, 10 push-up and 10 sit-ups three times will do the job, but I think with yoga, you get more of a challenge than you realise.
And if you’re doing a nice video, the time passes a lot more quickly than doing loads of sit-ups!
What would you have done if you hadn’t done the job you’re doing now?
My degree was in history, funnily enough, so I probably would’ve been a history teacher.
‘I was so scared of being alone, I took too long to end things’
Where in the world are you happiest?
On a beach, near a beach. Near the water is where I feel most at peace.
Favourite part of Scotland to explore?
Anywhere up north. I love Aviemore – but really just anywhere I can go a walk and be in the hills.
Biggest regret?
Probably staying with my ex for so long. I knew early on that he was not the one, but I was so scared of being alone and unsure of what that would look like, that I took far too long to end things. I wish I’d trusted myself a bit more.
Last book you read?
Oh, it was a trashy little romance by an author called Kristen Ashley, Law Man.
Music you listen to in the car?
I’ve been getting into rap which is a bit rogue for me, but I’ve been listening to a lot of Qveen Herby, who is a female rap artist. She’s good!
Who inspires you?
Whenever I think about motivation, I think about my mum and dad.
My mum especially, she’s always had 2-3 jobs at any one time, and they both just get things done.
Your house is on fire – what one item do you save?
Probably my Nintendo Switch.
First thing you’d do if you won £1 million?
Give my mum and dad a good couple of hundred grand, blow the rest on a house maybe?
If you could rule for a day, what would be the first thing you would do?
I would abolish all student debt and tuition fees.
Favourite holiday destination?
Disneyland Paris.
What makes you happy?
Reading is probably the thing that makes me happiest.
What makes you sad?
If I think about the news too much!
‘Don’t worry about being on the right path’
Do you believe in love at first sight?
No.
What was the first album you ever bought?
I think is was actually 3OH!3’s self-titled album (2007). I stand by it, it was a great album.
What is the best advice you have ever received, and who did it come from?
Probably from my dad – if you don’t like something, leave. Life’s too short.
What do you do to unwind?
Can of diet juice, a nice mindless TV programme, blanket, candle – sorted.
What or who are you proudest of?
I think it’s myself, I can’t lie. I feel like even though I’ve not been around for very long, I’ve done a lot of stuff – started my own business, got my undergrad, and now I’m doing my masters.
I’ve always done my own thing, and I’ve managed to make it work one way or another. I think that’s pretty cool!
What’s the hardest thing – physically or mentally – you’ve ever had to do?
Get over my very first breakup. That was a ballache! Happens to us all, eh?
Finally, what advice would you give your younger self?
Don’t worry about being on the ‘right’ path, just worry about doing stuff that makes you happy.
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