beauty

Laura Dundovic has an awesome trick for dragging herself out of bed to exercise.

As any non-Morning Person will understand, meeting super fit people who struggle with the a.m. hours as much as you do is hugely comforting. Case in point: despite being a Nike+ Training Club Tour ambassador, occasional marathon runner, and I’m a Celebrity… survivor, Laura Dundovic is one of us.

Didn’t see that coming, did you?

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“I’m not a morning person … I love to work out in the evening but it always ends up having to be the morning,” she says. So how exactly does the former Miss Universe Australia coax her sorry self out of bed and into her joggers? She’s got a few tricks up her sleeve.

“I changed the alarm on my phone to be a really exciting song, something a bit gangster, so I wake up singing then and I’m out of bed. I also plan my outfit the night before, so I leave it on my dresser with my bag all packed and ready to go, and then some sort of protein snack to take in the car with me. If I don’t do that, then… uh-uh,” Laura, 27, explains. Duly noted. (post continues after gallery)

The Glow caught up with Laura earlier this week to discuss the upcoming Nike + Training Club Tour — a full-day training challenge in Sydney — and all things health and fitness. She revealed a few things that may surprise you. Spoiler alert: it’s possible she’s more addicted to chocolate than you are…

How did your time on I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here effect your health?

“I lost about 5.5 kilos … but I’ve put it back on fairly quickly. I think a lot of it was in fluid. Last time I checked I’d put back four kilos so it’s fine; I’ve bounced back with lots of dinners and socialising. We couldn’t really exercise in there, but I tried to; there were stairs so I did some stair runs and box jumps. I was quite tired as well but I find exercise gives me energy so I tried to keep that up. I did a lot more meditation, stretching and yoga there so I came back feeling good in that way.”

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What was the first thing you ate when you got out?

Laura Dundovic fitness
Laura and Tim following their escape from the jungle. Image: Network 10

 

"I think I spoke about chocolate so much that they had a block of chocolate waiting for me. I got eliminated at the same time as Tim [Robards, from The Bachelor], but I didn't realise that block was supposed to be shared, so I polished it off and then Tim came in and I went, "Oh... I didn't know you were having it too!" So they got us another block which we halved. So I had one and a half blocks in the first sitting."

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As a fellow chocoholic I'm so happy to hear you say that. Easter's coming up...

"Oh, it's already Easter, it started months ago. As soon as the Easter eggs come out it's Easter. I love the big chocolate bunnies because they're quite thick at the base."

Can you tell me about your experience with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)?

"I got sick when I was 16, and then when I was 21 I was really really sick and they couldn't work out why. I ended up getting shingles and I've got a genetic disorder as well, so all of that just took its toll. I now say I had CFS;  I don't think you ever go back to normal, but I don't tend to get sick any more. I just get run down and a bit tired, whereas before I was just sick all the time."

RELATED: How to tell if you’re affected by chronic fatigue.

Does your fitness regimen help you manage that?

"Obviously I find it hard to get out of bed and work out, but when I work out I feel really good for three or four days, and if for some reason I have to have a few weeks off [from exercise] my body's just exhausted. So I find that it really really helps me. I love the physical benefits of exercise, and also mentally — I think it's a great stress reliever. I take really good care of my body now; I manage when I'm eating and working out. So it's not all a bad thing."

The Nike Training Club Tour starts on May 2. How have you been preparing for it?

Laura with Nike trainer Bec Wilcox

 

"Because it's such a big day of training, in the leadup I'll be doing quite a few sessions with the Nike crew, which is exciting. We did a partner workout the other day which was great, and tonight I'm going to a run club. I love running so that's exciting."

What's your go-to workout song?

"I actually have a playlist on Spotify that I call 'Work it, baby', and I update it all the time. Most of it's rap - I like to rap when I'm working out. There's a bit of Kanye West, he's quite popular on there. I think Black Skinhead is a great one to work out to - as soon as it starts you're like, 'I'm up, I'm at it'."

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You've taken part in marathons and triathlons before. How do you prepare for such huge events?

"I guess I just keep fit all year round. For the full marathon I was doing a lot of sand running, so when I got to doing the actual marathon running on the road was easier than being on the sand. With the triathlon I already do a bit of running and swimming anyway, so I do a bit of work on my bike." (post continues after gallery)

Have you tried any new fitness trends lately that you love?

"On the Nike Training Club app there's a really good abs and bum workout. What I love about that is that you can change how long the workout goes for, so if I haven't got much time I can do a quick 15 minutes."

What's your go-to quick dinner?

"A good stiy fry's always easy. I love flavouring things with garlic and certain herbs, I find that quite easy when I'm in a bit of a rush. I do tend to have a lot of socialising and eating out, so when I'm home by myself I tend to just cook as clean as I can to balance out all the other foods I've been eating."

RELATED: A week’s worth of healthy breakfasts that you can actually stick to.

How do you spend your free time?

"I love having coffee with mum, I love going to the beach and taking my dog for a run."

Sydney is hosting Australia's first Nike+ Training Club Tour on May 2, a full day of studio workouts and high-intensity training with 2500 other women. If you want to get involved, head over to the Nike website and register before April 17. If it's any incentive, Laura Dundovic will be there to cheer you on.