With her bright blue eyes, vibrant smile and girl-next-door good looks, it’s easy to see why Olivia Rogers was crowned Miss Universe Australia. While her outward appearance initially drew Australia’s gaze, it’s Olivia’s inner passion for health and wellbeing that has caught our attention. Here, she chats to JSHealth about her battle with disordered eating, her current approach to nutrition and her passion for becoming a role model for young women.
Tell us a little bit about yourself …
My name is Olivia Molly Rogers, I’m the current Miss Universe Australia, a qualified speech pathologist and a self-taught artist. I have been using my title as Miss Universe Australia as a platform to talk openly about my personal experience with anxiety and depression, and to help promote positive body image – two things I’m very passionate about. I love food and exercise and I am currently the happiest I’ve ever been. A significant reason for this is the shift in my relationship with food.
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What inspired your passion for health and wellbeing?
There wasn’t an exact moment for me; I feel that it was quite gradual. It stemmed from my personal battle with anxiety and pressure from the modelling industry to be thin. Years ago when I was 19, I moved interstate to model full-time. I was 12 kilograms lighter than I am now because my modelling agency encouraged me to be that way. I was going to ridiculous lengths to maintain this very unhealthy weight and I was consistently told to ‘keep it up’. I was exhausted, miserable, cold and hungry all the time. I knew what I was doing was wrong but I wanted to ‘make it’ in the modelling world. It wasn’t until I went back home to Adelaide and quit modelling for a while that I started to get my priorities straight and decided to stop seeing food as the enemy, and to start treating my body as it should be treated, rather than punishing it.
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Walk us through a typical day in your life …
At the moment, my schedule is forever changing, so I don’t really have a ‘typical’ day. However, when I’m not travelling for work, a day at home in Melbourne will go something like this:
I get up at around 6.30am and work out in the morning. I do either running, boxing or a HIIT workout. After, I head home to have a shower as it can really affect my skin if I don’t. Brekky usually consists of a smoothie bowl or an omelette, depending on what’s in the fridge. I’ve never been much of a snacker, but I love coffee, so I usually have a couple a day, generally between meals and always with coconut milk (my absolute favourite).
For lunch, my go-to is a chilli tuna salad, with lots of veggies, dressed with apple cider vinegar.
For dinner, I love to cook so I mix it up as much as possible. Generally, I have some sort of protein, such as fish or chicken, with roasted veggies on the side. My favourite meal is salmon with mashed sweet potato and a vegetable salad. I always cook up a big batch so I can have leftovers the following day. For an after-dinner treat, I love chocolate or my favourite raw snickers slice. Also, peppermint tea is a must!
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Coffee or tea?
Both! If I could only choose one for the rest of my life, it would be coffee with coconut milk.
What is your indulgence of choice?
Chocolate – I’m such a sweet tooth. Although, I also love a good cheese platter.
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What’s your go-to snack for those days on the run?
Bananas, apples and protein bars.
What are three foods you can’t live without?
Salmon, vegetables (broccoli is my favourite) and bananas.
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Do you have any tips for those starting out on their health journey?
Try to stop looking at different foods as ‘good’ and ‘bad’. Instead, see them for how they can nourish your body and make you feel. Be grateful for the food on your plate and for the amazing social experiences that come with loving food.
