Discover Laura Whitmore's health and beauty secrets

A familiar face on our TV screens, Laura Whitmore has fronted MTV’s international music channel for over 10 years and has interviewed some of the biggest names in show business, from Coldplay to Sir Michael Caine, Justin Timberlake and Justin Bieber. She’s hosted the LIVE red carpet and backstage at the Brits for ITV2 and at BAFTA. She also presented ITV2’s I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here Now! for five series and earlier this year hosted a new format for ITV2 – Survival Of The Fittest. Laura hosted her very first radio show for BBC Radio 5 live this summer.  In 2016, she got her dancing shoes on for BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing and in July 2018 she was announced as Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF Ireland.  Here, Laura chats to us about how she stays top of her game and her secret weapon: Manuka honey.

Do you have any daily health rituals?

I’m a big fan of Bikram Yoga, especially in the morning, after a cup of tea of course. I always prefer working out at this time. I don’t like the gym, I prefer doing things that fit around my lifestyle and are easy to follow, so if I don’t get to go to an actual class I like to be able to do it at home.

What’s your most important piece of health advice?

The best advice I was ever given was to just find the balance that works for me. Our bodies are the only one thing we take with us for our whole lives, so look after it. It doesn’t have to be anything major; there is a lot of pressure today to take things to the extreme taking into account people’s different body shapes, so find your balance in life. There’s no point doing crash diets or working out 7 days a week if that’s not what works with your lifestyle. Find the smaller things in everyday life that just give you that extra healthy boost.

Talk us through your morning beauty regime

First thing I do is wash my face; when I was a teenager I had an awful habit of sleeping with my makeup on, so since then my mum has instilled in me that I have to always take it off before bed. I moisture with Manuka Dr’s Skin Lotion, as well as using an SPF base primer or foundation as I’m conscious of protecting my skin from sun damage.

What are your thoughts on DIY beauty?

I’m a big fan of DIY beauty! Having said that, within reason, I’ve had some disasters. I got an at-home epilator and had a nightmare with that, I guess some people are better than others but for me I like to leave some things to the professionals. My regular makeup artists use a lot of natural, high street products which I love, I like to know that what’s going on to my face is good for it. I read many quirky beauty tips a lot, like staining your lips with beetroot juice… I’m yet to give that a go!

How do you stay healthy with such a hectic lifestyle?

It really goes back to finding my balance, I fit in exercise when I can but I certainly don’t go to the gym every day of the week. The same with cooking, I absolutely love it but aren’t always at home to do so, so I have to find places when I’m out and about that are more than just fast food. I look at my schedule for the week and work around this, finding healthy meals that are actually nice too. When I first started working, I’d go into dressing rooms and find biscuits and picking snacks laid out, I’d end up munching throughout the day and feel terrible by the end of it; so I always avoid constant bad snacking now. I don’t over indulge but I definitely give myself treats when I fancy them.

What’s your one tip for body confidence?

Body confidence is such a personal thing, so I don’t think somebody else can ever really tell you how to be ‘confident’ – it really comes from within. We’re all human, we’re all going to have parts of our body that we don’t like, me included! However, there will also be parts of our body that we like more. When it comes to fashion, only wear clothes that you feel great in, highlight those parts of the body you like.

What are your top tips for when you’re feeling low or run down?

What we put in to our body has a huge effect on how we feel day-to-day; You might be tempted to reach for sugary food to comfort yourself, but I would say try to avoid this, as yes you get that sugar-high but then you also get a sudden crash. Try to find that sweet treat in other forms, natural sweeteners like fruit and honey are perfect for hitting your sweet tooth without making yourself feel even worse. I’ve used Manuka honey when I’ve been feeling run down with a sore throat before and it’s worked wonders!

What are your go-to healthy foods/snacks?

The first thing I do in the morning is have a bowl of granola, usually with a dollop of Manuka honey on top for a natural sweetness! I also swear by Quest Bars, they’re perfect for on the go as I don’t always have time to cook big healthy dinners. I always have a bag of almond or cashew nuts, to help curb snacking when I’m on the move. I used to always have a banana too, but I found myself forgetting it’s in my bag and finding it, very brown, the following week – so I tend to stick to snacks that don’t go off now!

What’s your signature dish to cook?

Last New Years, our planned party was cancelled at 4pm, so I ended up inviting all my friends over to our house and even offered to cook – I hadn’t really thought it through. I ended up cooking fajitas for everyone, and everyone loved it! I did homemade guacamole and salsa, roasted vegetables; I even did a honey-infused sour cream, which went down great! Handpicked content: One Pot Dishes: Smoky Tofu Fajitas with Spicy Tomato Salad

We already know you’re a massive fan of Manuka honey, what would you say your favourite use of the product is?

Honestly, I just love Manuka honey in its purest form - I hosted a show for MTV and ended up losing my voice earlier in the day. I lived off Manuka honey in the hours leading up to the start of the event; eating spoonful’s and it got me right through it, so I’ve sworn by it since. I think it’s a TV presenter’s hidden secret.