My name is Naomi O'Neill. I was born and bred in a rural village in the south of Ireland, surrounded daily by endless green fields, farms and bucket loads of rain. My sisters and I decided at a young age that we wanted a life of entertainment, away from the constant grey skies of our homeland, so we formed a singing group, worked hard, practiced daily and accomplished many amazing things together, from sharing the stage with huge European acts, to red carpets in New York and L.A., to film sets in Louisiana ( but thats story is too long and for another day or perhaps another blog!)
During our time in the entertainment business (over eight years so far) we've lived in New York, New Jersey, Los Angeles and finally, now in New Orleans. My interest in Nutrition, Health and Fitness accumulated for various reasons over this time (from having an ex-boyfriend who was a professional natural bodybuilder to having an Aunt undergo bypass surgery, to my Dad developing an as of yet undiagnosed stomach problem, to the mysterious appearance and then disappearance of cellulite on my sisters legs (yes cellulite can dissappear!) to now having a biochemist for a brother in law) Many things kept leading me searching for answers to my questions about health and beauty, and especially being in the business we were in, it was important to know these things so we could look our best!!
I eventually undertook an online course in Nutrition and Alternative healing, where I received my diploma but nutrition and health is so ever changing that one cannot stop learning, as new findings appear everyday and old standards are constantly rebuked by new research that voids old theories about food.
During a two year period, I have gone from being a meat eater, to a vegetarian, to a vegan ( only lasted two weeks), I even once went as far as to buy a book on the raw food diet but needless to say it would have been way way too time consuming. And now here I am back to a fully fledged meat eater again, happy, full and healthy and honestly I probably eat more red meat now than I ever did before in my life!
It was during my recent move to New Orleans, for acting related purposes, I started using my free time ( which actors and performers in general, tend to have alot of) to start becoming a sort of independent researcher on nutrition and health and fitness. And after hours upon hours on my little leather chair in the corner of the Borders bookstore, alternating between reading plays by Chekhov and reading every nutrition book imaginable, I've made some very interesting and exciting realizations about food and how to properly nourish our bodies, that isn't exactly widely known.
I've tested these new food theories, ( I say new as they're new to me , but in fact most of the things I've learned have come from hundreds of thousands of years of nutritonal history) and what Ive noticed is my body has become leaner and toned, I've so much more energy now (considering I have had chronic fatigue all my life) , the complete disappeance of depression (another long term battle of mine) and generally just an over all feeling of better health, not to mention better skin, hair and nails!!
If it works for me, I know it can work for you too and I am so much happier these days eating all kinds of delicious food that I foolishly believed were bad for me, and avoided, while I starved myself thinking I was doing my body and health and looks a favor!! It's never too early to begin eating right, and it's never too late to remedy years of bad food choices either! Thats why I'm writing this blog. I want to share any and all information I've learned that could possibly help someone out there make better food choices and live a healthy, delicious,bountiful life of nutritious and nourishing foods.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS BLOG
The reason I've titled my Blog "Eat like an Actress" is not only because that is my career path but because whether or not young girls like me out there are pursuing a career in entertainment, we still all look to the actresses and stars, and idolize their bodies and pour over their eating habits and fitness routines in hopes of looking something like them. But the truth is, they are people too, just like you and I, and they are often as confused about what food choices to make as we are. This is clearly evident in their often fluctuating weights and appearances. We undertake crazy diets thinking they will be the miracle cure that will transform us into an image of a super hot celeb, but then we lose all hope and motivation when we struggle through these ludacris "diets" and end up starving and then bingeing and back where we began only 5 pounds heavier!
It doesn't have to be this way! Life can be worth living, full of deliciousness and happiness and yes you can still look amazing while eating yummy foods!
Everyones bodies are different, no two people are the same so what works for you may not work for your friend or vice versa because our chemical makeups are all different BUT i promise you, a balanced, nutritious, scrumptious life is achievable for all!!
