Natalie Barr's body secrets

Raise a glass to Sunrise newsreader Natalie Barr – after 10 alcohol-free years she’s just discovered she can enjoy her favourite tipple again.

‘It’s only half a glass here and there, but it is the first time in years I’ve been able to drink and not get a migraine,’ she says. ‘I used to have severe migraines after even a couple of sips.
I was told I was allergic to alcohol,’ she says.

Natalie arriving at the 52nd TV Week Logie Awards on 2 May 2010.

She’s also allergic to MSG, a flavour enhancer used in some fast foods.
‘I’ve tried everything – acupuncture, kinesiology, alternative medicines, and no-one has been able to fix my migraines. Then I found an allergy clinic and they seem to have sorted me out,’ Natalie, 42, says.

Taking time out from her busy life as a working mum to her sons, eight-year-old Lachlan and five-year-old Hunter – Natalie says she has to work hard at keeping healthy to stay on top her gruelling 3am starts.

‘A couple of years ago I had pneumonia so I have learnt to listen to my body a bit more,’ she says. ‘If I am feeling tired or if I’m coming down with something, I go home to bed.
‘Sometimes I’m planning to go to the gym, and I think: “What I need is to go home”, so I climb into bed at about 11am and have a sleep.’

A healthy balance

Apart from those times, Natalie tries to exercise two or three times a week: ‘There’s so much focus on losing weight but I would like to see the focus on exercise for fitness and for your heart and bones.

‘I don’t exercise because I want to be a size eight. I exercise to be healthy. It’s not all about losing weight and being a smaller size.
‘I don’t want to grow old and not have any strength. It’s important to stay strong so we can go into old age without worry,’ she says.

‘One of my favourite things is a Pilates class with some of the mums from school. It’s casual, with a bit of a chat along the way.
‘Now and then I will go for a run but I much prefer gym classes such as body pump. When I’ve been up since three it’s nice to go to a class, switch off and do what the instructor says.

‘There are weeks when I don’t exercise at all, but I don’t beat myself up about it, I forget about it and start again on Monday.’

Don't be tempted

‘My problem is thinking because I’ve been to the gym, I can overeat and have two pieces of cake, but as my body gets older I know I can’t. But I’m not going to go on a diet; I don’t believe in them. If I need to drop a few kilos, I reduce my portion size and don’t eat between meals.

‘It’s easy for me to get to 3pm and think I need 15 biscuits to get me through the rest of the day, but I know I shouldn’t be doing that. Fortunately, because I eat with the boys at 5pm and don’t want to dish them up junk food, I eat mostly meat and vegies. The trick is not to eat a bowl of ice-cream or cake afterwards. I don’t really need it – well, not every night.’

How Natalie remains fighting fit

Always on the go and want a fit, healthy body? Here are personal trainer and director of Body Ergonomics Todd Coulthard’s tips on how you can get great results, just like Natalie!

Basic movement – lunge
Adding weights will increase the intensity of this move to help create strong, lean legs.
How-to:
1. Place a medium-heavy barbell evenly across the meaty part of your shoulders and take your right foot forward, left foot back in a split stance.
2. Keeping torso upright and tummy pulled in, bend knees to lower your body towards the floor. Keep front knee behind toes and lower body straight down as you can without touching the back knee to the floor.
3. Push into the front heel to stand back up, avoiding locking the knees.
4. Perform one to three sets of eight to 16 reps.

Interval cardio training
‘Cardio activity, even if it’s walking, for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week, is not only great for helping shift weight, it may also help reduce your risk of developing chronic illnesses,’ Todd says. ‘To increase your workout benefits, interval training is key.’

You can do this in the gym using the bike, cross-trainer, step machine or treadmill. Just mix it up by going hard and fast for up to a minute and then slow down for another minute, and continue mixing the intensity for at least 10 minutes.

Strength training – chest press
How-to:
1. Lie with head, neck and upper back on a fitball. Place feet flat on the floor with knees bent and keep body in a straight line, hips slightly lower than shoulders.
2. Grip barbell with hands shoulder-width apart. Start with light weights and, as you gain strength, work your way up.
3. Extend hands straight up. Do not lock elbows at top. Lower and repeat. Do eight to 12 reps for two to three sets.

Bend-and-stretch routine
‘It’s important to balance strength and cardio training with sessions that re-energise the body and mind,’ Todd says. ‘Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi or stretching sessions are a fantastic way to replace what a busy work and home life take out.’


• Sunrise airs from 6am to 9am, weekdays, on Channel Seven.

By Sandra White;photos Nigel Wright