Lorna Jane’s top 5 health and wellness tips

Lorna Jane founder Lorna Jane Clarkson.
Lorna Jane Clarkson founded her eponymous activewear brand in 1989 – now, her distinctive workout gear can be seen in stores, on gym-goers or worn as casual wear around the world.
To this day, she’s passionate about fitness, health and wellbeing, and not just as the face of the brand.
Before she coined the term “activewear”, Clarkson, 59, was a fitness instructor. A self-described foodie, she’s also written two cookbooks focused on healthy eating, Eat Good Food and Nourish: The Fit Woman’s Cookbook.
“I move my body with regular exercise, eat good, nutritious food and try to face each day with a positive outlook,” she tells the Herald.
Here, Clarkson shares her health and wellness non-negotiables, from intuitive eating to morning exercise and taking time to rest and reflect.
“I love a good morning routine, and for me it starts with going to bed a little earlier and establishing a night routine that makes for better sleep,” she shares.
“My night routine starts by reducing my caffeine intake from lunchtime and switching off from technology around 6pm. I keep my bedroom dark, choose reading over watching TV and have a magnesium drink just before going to bed.
“I like to begin my day slowly, which sounds unrealistic, but I make it happen by setting my alarm for 5am. The first thing I do is drink a big glass of water, then some stretches, play with my dog (yes, he sleeps by my bed!) and go downstairs for a pre-workout snack of fruit and, of course, coffee.
“Getting that glass of water in my system first-up is a big thing for me because I’m looking for hydration after seven to eight hours of sleep. My morning workout is also a must, as well as walking my dog (which is also a pre-work catch-up with my husband, Bill) and a good breakfast that will keep me full until lunchtime.”
“I exercise every morning (no excuses) and have done for as long as I can remember,“ Clarkson says.
“I’ve always worked out in the morning, but it used to be more cardio-driven, where now it’s all about building muscle and feeling strong.
“I weight train with my husband twice a week, do yoga two to three times a week and hike on the weekends. I love working out in the morning because it increases my energy levels, makes me feel good about doing something for myself, and puts me in a good mood for the rest of my day.
“I also know that if I don’t get my exercise done in the morning, it won’t happen because I’ll talk myself out of it during the day.
“I think you always find time for the things that you consider important – and for me my workouts are very important.”
The founder admits her life can get “pretty chaotic”.
“So to stop any feelings of being overwhelmed, I take time to reflect at the end of my day where I think about what went right – gratitude – and what I can improve in the future.
“I then revisit this the next morning – sitting quietly, mentally going through my day and how I want it to play out.”
Through the process of writing her cookbooks, Clarkson has “learned more about nutrition, so I think my eating has improved too”, she shares.
“I try to eat intuitively – but still think about getting a balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
“I also stay on track with the nutrients in my fruit and vegetables by ensuring I get a variety of colour in my diet each day.”
“I love to hike, so going for a long walk in the country or along the Byron coastline is a great way for me to relax and get in some much-needed thinking time,” the Queensland-based founder reveals.
And like many of us, she can’t go past a good book.
“I also love reading, so curling up under the shade of a tree with a good book is heaven for me.”
Bethany Reitsma is an Auckland-based journalist covering lifestyle and entertainment stories who joined the Herald in 2019. She specialises in telling Kiwis’ real-life stories, money-saving hacks and anything even remotely related to coffee.