Yugasya Kolyada (writer): ‘Pie, ketchup, mayonnaise and sausages are forbidden’
Beauty requires sacrifice. Even when you are 33, a beautiful figure and good posture cannot be if you do nothing; it is a result of work. It is necessary to attend a gym three times a week and a constant limitation of food as a norm. Pies, ketchup, mayonnaise and sausages are forbidden words in my lexicon. One does not need to go anywhere to gain health: it is necessary to force oneself to exercise every day, to be in the open air, not to eat much and to get enough sleep.
Igor Chernyavsky (Head of the Department on Protection of Historical and Cultural Heritage of the Ministry of Culture): ‘I prefer physical activity in the village’
I love to ski and cycle, and also spend time in the swimming pool. I prefer physical activity in village during the summer — the swimming pool, if possible, once a week. I travel much, especially to my native Myadel District. After all, it is too a healthy way of life!
Dmitry Kokhno (showman): ‘A good sleep. Vitamins in the morning’
I constantly go in for sports. I cannot live a week without training. I like team sports, or single sports. It is beach volleyball. It is billiards. It is kite-surfing. A regime is needed for sports. Alcohol — not more than once a week; a good sleep and vitamins in the morning. I cannot imagine how people live without sports.
Mikhail Bychenok (television producer): ‘When I have free time in the evening, I go for a cycle ride’
I have snowboarded for 10 years. Every winter I go to the Alps. Snowboarding is a sport which develops all groups of muscles, reaction and the main thing — endurance. I am also fond of free riding (snowboarding on wild slopes). Belarus has a good training water skiing base. For me, it is a new kind of sport, and I recommend it to those who have never stood on a water ski! In the summer, I try to eat more vegetables, berries and fruits. In general, I am not a meat fan and I can simply eat only vegetable food. When I have free time from work in the evening, I go for a cycle ride. Apart from the physical activity, I receive an aesthetic pleasure from it. I do not cease to be surprised how Minsk changes for the better! I recommend to all to try finding time for doing sports — not only for health, but also self-discipline!
Valeria Klitsounova (Chair of the Country Escape; the Association for Rural and Ecotourism in Belarus): ‘I swim in the river, do simple gymnastics and walk barefoot’
My work is connected with tourism, and I travel across all the continents a lot. For me, it is both work and rest. But I have a real rest only at home, at my country cottage in Dudutki. Only here do I reach harmony with the world around me and I receive a supply of energy. Every morning, I swim in the river, I do simple gymnastics and I walk barefoot in the dew. In general, I prefer walking. Another important factor for a good state of health is food. There is even such a saying: ‘You are what you eat’. I prefer ecologically pure products, which are grown by small manufacturers — villagers or farmers. I personally know the people from whom I buy something. Big supermarkets, obviously, are not my format. I am supporter of the Slowfood (slow meal) movement. It means that I am for traditional dishes, pure products grown in the place where I live, though it is difficult to hold the shape. A meal in village is very tasty, and no one feast can do ‘without compulsion’
Artem Akhpash (radio and TV anchorperson): ‘It is possible to see me at various stadiums near Minsk Kuntsevshchina’
As I remember, sport has always been in my life. Most of all I am interested in various martial arts. In my childhood it was Greco-Roman wrestling. When I was 6 years old, I had a busy schedule every day: in the morning, school, after dinner, musical school and in the evening — training. I did my homework late. Then films starring a young Jean-Claude Van Damme started to appear on screens and Muay Thai or Thai boxing appeared in my life. When I was 13 years old, I joined a section and since then I’ve gone to training 3-4 times a week, sessions and competitions. For 5 years I twice became silver prize-winner at the Belarus Thai Boxing Championship. Studying at the University of Culture, I opened the Minsk branch of the Brazilian school of capoeira — FICAG — in which I was training for two years. Now I do Muay Thai in the Patriot club under the direction of the legendary sportsman and trainer, Dmitry Pesetsky. I train only for myself, but together with professional fighters. If I have free 1-2 hours in the evening, I do cross-fit training in the open air. So it is possible to see me at various stadiums near Minsk Kuntsevshchina. One more main aspect of a healthy way of life is food! My wife helps me with that. Not so long ago, she worked as adviser on healthy food. Our day begins with a special cocktail — it consists of 2 bananas, a pack of 4-5 percent fat cottage cheese (no more) and a little milk of 1-2 percent fat, whipped in a blender; and a tasty and useful breakfast is ready. For dinner we prefer vegetables with meat — it is more often chicken breast (without the skin). It can be salads, like Caesar salad with various seasoning. No mayonnaise — only seasoning based on olive oil. Steamed or grilled vegetables. We eat brown rice, buckwheat and sometimes pearl barley. For supper; in the summer we prefer light fruit salads dressed with natural yoghurt. In general we try to avoid ‘food garbage’ — ketchup, mayonnaise, chips, Coca-Cola (and other carbonated drinks), diluted juice. Before out food intake (5-10 minutes before) we drink a glass of pure potable water.
Adam Globus (writer): ‘I eat oatmeal porridge for breakfast’
Every day, in any weather, I go for a jog in the park, near the opera house. I refused wine and tobacco a long ago. It was more difficult to refuse a wine-glass than a cigarette, but I managed! I drink my coffee and tea without sugar. For breakfast I eat oatmeal porridge. I travel around Minsk on foot. Well, I have almost forgotten... I like to exercise with hula hoop.
Ales Susha (Deputy Director of National Library): ‘It’s vital to be an optimist’
I have understood long ago and have decided for myself that sport is not healthy, despite the fact that, for many years of my childhood and youth, I professionally went in for sports: 5-7 days a week for 3-5 hours. Today, I understand that too much is really not good. Much more important is a healthy way of life. Better to say, to look fit, it is not necessary to do sit-ups, to do exotic diets or to do liposuction, but to eat less, eat better and at the right time. In general, I am an optimist and I like life. Maybe, therefore life likes me. In general, I do not remember that I have ever been ill.
Olga Sakharova (TV anchor): ‘Day off? Go to travel!’
I exercise a lot. I cannot deprive myself of food as it is one of the relax pleasures in my life. I like to cook, I like tasty food, I like beautiful table appointments and huge company at the table. Now is an ideal time for barbecues, so everything is on fire: from fish to bread and cheese! My sport is my children. We do not sit in one place in general! Day off? We travel! We go both abroad, and with pleasure to quiet places in Belarus: The woods or the river and fire is an excellent supply of energy, beauty and health! If I need rest the family knows. It is enough to simply leave mum for one day at home and not to touch, not to call and not to write. Health is movement plus 8 hours of sleep!
Yekaterina Zabenko (TV anchor): ‘I press 50kgs and I squat with 60!’
I constantly go in for sports. I have tried them all: from dance, fitness and tennis to power lifting; and I chose the latter — 3 times a week. My trainer, a master of sports on power lifting, Pavel Maslovsky, quite seriously hopes to persuade me to participate in competitions. The combination of cardio and muscle-strengthening exercises gives the necessary result — relief. I try to eat correctly — long ago I forgot the taste of rolls, pies, mayonnaise and pork. I eat basically chicken with vegetables, or shrimps. I press 50kgs and I squat with 60! It is the weight of my body. It is difficult to believe it. After all, in life I am a rather delicate girl without any sign of muscles.
