Body & Fitness

Body confidence and finding balance with runner Lana Van Hout

The middle distance runner overcame teenage bullying and found her calling on the track.

People run for all sorts of reasons – to get fit and healthy, to catch up with friends, or to wind down after a busy day.

For middle distance track runner Lana Van Hout, the reason was escape and freedom. A simple jog to escape the pain of teenage bullying and the trauma of an abusive relationship meant finding her calling on the track.

Just 25, Van Hout has an important message for young Kiwi women – and those around them.

When did running turn from a passion to a career?

I was never a runner growing up, in fact I hated it with a passion. Running is the positive that came from some negatives in my life. It’s not really something I speak about, but I would like to be as honest as possible as it may help someone out there, if they are feeling challenged by life.

I was bullied at school, which changed me as a person. Then as a young woman, I was in an abusive relationship and kind of lost myself along the way. I started going for the occasional jog, as it became my escape, my freedom, my way forward to rebuild and feel proud of myself again.

I felt a sense of achievement every run I did and from that point I started to believe in myself and become passionate about running, which led me to eventually sign up for a few Half Marathons. That was when I realised I actually had an ability.I joined North Harbour Bays Athletics and started to be coached by Paul Hamblyn and have never looked back.

There’s so much pressure on young women to look good. How do you rise above the pressure to stay positive and happy in your own skin?

It breaks my heart that we, as young women, measure ourselves against others, but unfortunately a lot of us are guilty of it. We are all so unique and who we are comes down to a myriad of things, genetics, our upbringing, personal choices, life experiences, culture and education. What we see in a photo isn’t achievable, that individual is a different person to you and who knows, they may have the help of photoshop – or just a really good angle.

People will always have views [on others], but we are also guilty of having our own internal measuring stick and we can be so unkind to ourselves. If I could get this message to every young women or teen before the self doubting begins – it’s this: we leave our busy childhood of playing and running, not realising we were exercising this whole time, and enter our teens. We become more sedentary, therefore not getting the endorphins from exercise and not understanding the changes puberty brings. Our hormones take over and our world does not prepare us for the emotional changes the future holds. We are all fighting to be accepted and ‘fit in’, whilst being bombarded with beautiful images in the media, with a body that is changing and no longer familiar to us.

I’ve learnt exercising, even just going for a walk, can do wonders for your mental space and physical wellbeing. Every day is a different day, sometimes you feel amazing, others you just don’t and you have to push to get out the door. But you’re worth it and I promise you will feel a million times better doing something for yourself. You are just a thought away from better thoughts. Love yourself and accept yourself, no matter what size or shape, just be the unique version of you.

Is running your full time job?

Running is kind of full time in the sense that I put it before everything else. I run and train seven days a week, but because I’m passionate about it every day is a great day. I also study at Auckland Uni and model with Red11. My Instagram and new YouTube channel is always work in progress.

What does your weekly workout schedule look like?

I run every day, which usually equates to 100-120km per week. I do strength and conditioning at the gym 2-3 times per week. Aqua jogging happens once a week for an hour, which I love as I get to chat to all the grannies and being in the pool is great for my muscles and joints. Aqua jogging is the most similar exercise neurologically to running, so great for injures when you can’t run.

I love to cross train and I wish I had more time for it. Yoga is a bit of a necessity for me, as flexibility has never been my strong point so it’s always a work in progress and something I can do more of. I love kickboxing and boxing or going down to the local school and shooting hoops (well trying) with friends for fun.

Which sportswear item can you not do without?

I pretty much live in sportswear and I love how popular active wear now is. My favourite would have to be the new adidas Ultraboost X shoes. They are designed for women’s feet and literally feel like you’re running on a cloud.

What has been your greatest achievement to date?

Winning a mixed terrain Half Marathon in Rotorua. I’d only been running for three months and winning made me realise that, ‘hey I love this and I’m not too bad at it’.

When you’re having a rest day, how do you treat yourself?

My favourite thing to do on a lighter day would be to grab a coffee, go for a walk along the Auckland Waterfront, followed by a swim at the beach.

Talk us through your beauty routine…

Wearing sunblock is a must as I’m always outside in our harsh New Zealand sun. I drink a lot of water which is crucial when you are sweating a lot. And deodorant because no one likes to smell sweaty people!

But my beauty routine is as much on the inside as on the outside. I take Vitamin C, fish oil and drink a little Apple Cider Vinegar everyday. I always cleanse my face with Cetaphil followed by Kiehl’s Pure Vitality cream before bed. My tan is natural, thanks to my Dutch and Spanish genes.

You’ve just started a YouTube channel with your boyfriend. Are there plans for more videos? What can we expect to see?

Cam and I love being outdoors and exploring new places. We feel very passionate about how beautiful NZ is, and want to capture what we do on our weekends, where we run, where we hang out and what we see. We love what we share together, running tracks through our parklands, never knowing what’s around the corner or over the hill.

We started our YouTube channel to share our life and hopefully inspire our audience, no matter your fitness level, to get out there. We are also working on exercise videos. My experience of going to gyms, is that you get shown an exercise once and then you are on your own, potentially doing it wrong and uncomfortable to ask for help. Cam and I want to help people feel they have the tools and knowledge to workout wherever they want, no matter their budget. Exercise should be free, fun and achievable for all, no matter age or gender. We want everyone to believe in themselves and love who they are.

What are your tips for working out as a couple?

I met Cam through running. I feel very lucky to be with someone who shares similar goals and is also passionate about being fit and healthy. Everyone has busy schedules, so being able to train together is a bonus – not only do you get to sweat but you get to hang out. Go to the gym, your local park or get out of your area and explore new places with your other half.

I’d definitely recommend couples to have turns and create workouts for each other. I love the dynamic of training as a couple as we both want the best for ourselves and each other but we are also competitive. I feel when I train with Cam I push myself harder.

Another upside to training together is the emotional side. Injuries are part of running and every sport unfortunately, emotionally they take their toll and you tend to feel very alone battling through the injury. Having the understanding and support of a partner helps beyond belief.

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