Singer Finbar Wright loves exercise as it clears his head, eases his worries and frees his soul. Patricia Westontalks to the man behind the voice.
What exercise do you do?
Hiking, walking, swimming and horse-riding. The best form of exercise for me though is gardening because it leaves you pleasantly aching all over.
How often do you exercise?
I like to walk every day. When I'm touring, I usually have to revert to a treadmill, but my own choice is to walk in the fresh air.
Would you consider yourself fit?
Being a singer my breathing apparatus has to be in fine fettle; other than that, I have well-functioning muscles in all the right places.
As a performer do you worry about your appearance?
I am reasonably casual about it, but when you are in the business of show, you have to dress well and look happy.
Do you eat a balanced diet?
Travelling makes sensible eating difficult at times but I have learned to be careful, particularly with serving portions in America. I love home-grown organic fruit and veg, when in season. I eat apples every day wherever I am.
Unfortunately, dairy products can be a problem, as they tend to stuff up my sinuses.
Ever tried any faddy diets?
Not really. A sensible doctor once told me, no alcohol, no processed foods, ease back on sugar, salt and red meat, eat fresh organic produce when possible, eat less, and exercise more and I have followed most of his advice pretty well.
What stresses you?
Not being adequately prepared and rehearsed.
Have you ever used alternative medicine?
Yes. I have found propolis, which comes from the honey bee, an effective remedy for throat infections. It works best when placed under the tongue in its raw state; any beekeeper can get you some.
What's your attitude towards exercise?
It clears the head, eases your worries and frees the soul, especially when I get a chance to lose myself in the wild fresh highways and byways of west Kerry.
• Patricia Weston recommends:
Gardening can be a great way to achieve a good, aerobic and anaerobic workout. Follow these tips to turn your outdoor garden chores into a fat-burning, muscle-toning, dynamic workout:
• Exaggerate your movements in order to work the muscles and be aware of the muscles you are working. Don't just pull weeds with your right hand, alternate hands to work both arms.
• When you are raking, put your left foot forward and your left hand on the lower handle and lunge, and then change by putting your right foot forward and your right hand on the handle and lunge again. Repeat.
• Break up your gardening tasks; don't just dig, weed, rake or trim shrubs all day. You'll get a better all over body workout and less muscular strain if you break up the tasks into 20 or 30-minute intervals.
• Digging is a high intensity anaerobic activity; you can burn up to 350 calories digging for just 30 minutes.
• Gardening can cause back strain so remember to use your leg muscles and bend your knees when you lift rather than bending over and contract your abdominals when you are upright.
• Once you've finished for the day stretch out all the major muscle groups - the arms, back, shoulders, chest and legs.
Patricia Weston is an NCEHS fitness instructor, personal trainer and Pilates teacher.
• Consult a physician or qualified healthcare provider before embarking on any exercise regime and always warm up beforehand and cool down and stretch afterwards.