Double Olympic champion Jade Jones has partnered with leading supplement brand Bioglan to help Brits fine tune their health with the launch of Bioglan Pit Stops. We caught up with the Olympian to talk about keeping fit during lockdown and staying motivated.
How has the past year been for you and have you kept training?
‘It was mentally tough, just like it was for everyone. I also had an injury over lockdown which meant that I couldn’t train for a few weeks. With gyms closed, I obviously had to adapt my training but I’m lucky to have a great team around me that really helped me keep pushing and doing tough workouts from home.’
Did you manage to stay motivated despite the ups and downs of the pandemic?
‘It wasn’t easy but the main thing that kept me going was knowing the Olympics were still going to happen. Having that goal of becoming a three-time Olympic champion is something that really pushes me on, so that’s always what I think about to get me through the times when my motivation may be lacking.’
Congratulations on your win at the European Championships! How did this feel and has it inspired you to train even harder?
‘Thank you! It was great to get back to competition and it’s obviously nice to win the Europeans again, but the main goal for this year is the Olympics. The victory has given me confidence, knowing that I can raise my performance for when it matters, and now I just need to keep pushing. It’ll be weird not ti have my family by my side in Tokyo, as they were all planning on heading over to cheer me on, but I know they’ll be cheering on back home.’
How are you mentally and physically preparing for the Olympics?
‘I’m not for one minute thinking that the Olympics won’t go ahead. I’m making sure that everything I do is so I’m in the best possible shape for when it’s my time to fight in July. I train Monday to Friday, usually twice a day. I put in as much as I can into each session and then try to recover correctly, get the right amount of sleep, eat the right things, and take my Bioglan supplements to keep myself healthy. Knowing I’m doing all I can to be at my best gives me confidence and is part of my mental preparation.’
What would winning a gold medal at the Olympics mean to you?
‘It would mean the absolute world to me. Nobody in the world has ever won three Olympic gold medals in taekwondo and I’ve been told I would become the first women to win three Olympic Games for Team GB, which would be a really nice honour to have.’
With restrictions now easing, what are your tips for supporting physical and mental health in this climate?
‘I think it’s important to find a balance between finding time for yourself and finding time for others. With restrictions easing, it’s so easy to want to jump back into everything but you have to still listen to what your body and mind wants and needs, which does include ways to relax and switch off. I love relaxing by taking a nice bath, going to the spa and just watching some TV and playing FIFA!’
You’re working on Bioglan’s new Virtual Pit Stops Campaign. Tell us a bit more about it…
‘I spoke to an expert from Bioglan who recommended a few supplements that could help with my health and inflammation. I was told to add red krill oil, active magnesium and active curcumin into my daily supplements, and I can say that it’s definitely made a difference. My body has to perform well. If you put the wrong fuel in, it isn’t able to work properly, so on top of making sure I’m fuelling with the right foods, it’s great to now be able to fuel it with the recommended supplements. I definitely think a lot more people could benefit from checking in with their body and the Bioglan Pit Stops will help you learn what’s out there to help.’
What advice would you give to those who want to start getting active?
‘Do it! Being active is great for so many reasons, so just go for it. Don’t overcomplicate it; do what feels right for your body and remember that everybody has to start somewhere – change doesn’t happen overnight. You can maybe start off by increasing your daily step count, finding an activity or sport that you like and try to do that once a week, for example.’
What is your diet like? Do you follow a plan?
‘It depends on what stage of my training I am in and when my next fight is. If I’m trying to make weight by losing a few pounds, I have to be more careful with how many calories I am consuming, but I also need to ensure I’m getting in enough energy to fuel my training. I’ll eat a good amount of carbs before a workout and have a protein shake afterwards. Generally, I try to make sure that I am consuming enough protein and at the right times, getting in key nutrients by eating some fruit and vegetables, drinking lots of water and taking Bioglan supplements to help maintain my overall health. Brunch is my favourite meal, so I look forward to the weekends where I’ll usually make a nice brunch of sourdough toast, avocado, smoked salmon, eggs and a big cup of coffee!’
What are you most looking forward to with restrictions now easing up?
‘Being able to go for a nice meal with my friends and family!’
Olympian Jade Jones has partnered with leading supplement brand Bioglan to launch the Bioglan Pit Stops – free, virtual health consultations with a leading wellness expert to help you ‘fine tune’ your health. To book a virtual Pit Stop and receive a free supplement from the extensive Bioglan range, tailored to your needs, go here: bioglan.co.uk/bioglan-pitstop/
