Since Art and Matilda found love – yes, true love – on The Bachelor NZ, the trim, toned twosome have enjoyed a healthy, high-octane relationship where cooking nutritious, delicious meals and working out in tandem are some of the duo’s favourite things to do.
A passionate paleo advocate, fuelling up on fresh, unprocessed foods has long been important to Art, 27, who has penned his first book on the ever-popular nutrition regime Eat Clean Live Clean. It’s a healthy-living action plan packed with dietary advice, easy recipes and achievable exercises. But it’s not just a handbook for the exercise junkies of the world; anyone who wants to be the healthiest, fittest and strongest version of themselves can benefit from adopting some of the principles of paleo. Just ask blonde beauty Matilda, 25, who tells Good Health Choices she’s reaping the benefits of her boyfriend’s balanced lifestyle.
Describe your nutrition and exercise regime before meeting Art…
Matilda: If I’m honest, not amazing. I tended to go through bouts of extremes, either exercising my bum off every day and eating super low-carb, or going for months on end with no more than a walk from the car park to the office. I’ve always been reasonably healthy in terms of food, but I’m naturally quite lazy, so exercise wasn’t really my favourite thing.
Is it true the couple who work out together, stay together?
Art: We do have quite an active lifestyle; we both try to exercise daily on our own and do a bunch of physical exercise together. We love going for walks in the mornings before work, leg days at the gym and we play social sport. This summer we’ve been getting out in the kayaks a bit too.
You’re making us exhausted just thinking about all that activity. Are you just as disciplined with your nutrition?
Matilda: Art and I love our food and we cook together far more than we eat out. We love getting creative and making delicious healthy meals using wholefoods but we definitely have off days. We try not to think of them as slip-ups because sometimes it’s good for your mental wellbeing and mood to allow yourself to eat something that may not be so healthy for your body. When we want to treat ourselves it’s usually with an almond croissant, dark chocolate or some nice red wine.
What makes you feel good about your body?
Matilda: I look and feel my best when I’m happy, healthy and active, but I don’t have a set workout regime, I just exercise when I feel like it and that seems to work for me! I play netball and touch socially every week, I’m a huge fan of long walks and I really enjoy lifting weights at the gym – I find it hugely motivating when I feel myself getting stronger.
To read the rest of this story, including Art’s perspective on paleo and their couple’s workout, pick up a copy of Good Health Choices magazine on stands now with Art and Matilda on the cover.
Interview: Ashleigh McEnaney
Photography: Emma Bass
Hair & makeup: Claudia Rodrigues
Styling: Lulu Wilcox
