Louise O'Neill: Frame your exercise in terms of mental health, not weight

'When I was struggling with an eating disorder, I viewed exercise in terms of weight control - in recovery, I don’t go to the gym for anything to do with weight'

Louise O'Neill: Kindness is a core value I try and live my life by, even under the most difficult of circumstances. Pic: Anna Groniecka

It’s a rainy day when Louise O’Neill takes my call from her native West Cork but inside, the author is busy working on something exciting.

Following the success of Idol, O’Neill is preparing a new novel for next year.

Currently in the editing process of her latest work, she admits it is the part of the process that she “dreads”.

“When you’re in the process of actually writing the book, there’s this lovely sense of creative flow and it feels like there’s a real sense of inspiration with it,” she says. “Whereas I think the editing is much more painstaking."

Since Idol’s release in 2022, O’Neill says life has been hectic. “It has been a very busy year and I’m just trying to stay as balanced as I possibly can,” she says.

Louise O’Neill’s paperback version of Idol is out now.

How do you keep fit?

I grew up in a household where exercise was seen as an integral part of your daily routine. I do a mixture of weight training, spin classes, and kettlebells. I really like reformer Pilates and I walk my dog Cooper every day.

Do you have a morning routine?

It kind of has three parts: The first one is no phone. I try either to leave my phone in another room or in a drawer, so I don’t turn it on in the morning. The two other parts are transcendental meditation, and my morning pages. Every morning when I wake up, the first thing I do is write three pages of a sort of stream of consciousness.

What are your healthiest eating habits?

I eat a lot of fresh food and I get a meal kit service which I think has been really useful in terms of being a bit more experimental with my home cooking. I also practice intuitive eating, which I came to two years into recovery from my eating disorder. Basically, it’s just eating when you’re hungry.

What keeps you awake at night?

Literally anything. I am such a delicate sleeper. If someone is breathing too heavily, if someone rolls over in the bed in the room next to me, if the bedroom is too hot or too cold, if I feel anxious or I feel stressed.

How do you relax?

I absolutely love a bath.

Louise O'Neill. Picture: Miki Barlok

Who are your sporting heroes?

He will be so mortified by this, but my sporting hero is my dad. He would have been very involved in Clonakilty GAA. Growing up, he has always been incredibly wise and just so supportive and a rock during difficult times. I think a lot of that is informed by his awareness of sports psychology.

What is your favourite smell?

I love roses. My grandmother had this amazing rose garden with yellow and pink and red roses. Whenever I smell roses, it’s so evocative of that garden and it always reminds me of her. She died at the end of 2019 and I miss her so much.

What is the best health advice you’ve ever been given?

The best health advice I’ve ever been given is to frame exercise in terms of mental health rather than weight. When I was struggling with an eating disorder, I viewed exercise in terms of weight control and in recovery I don’t go to the gym for anything to do with weight. It’s really about how it makes my body feel.

What traits do you least like in others?

Kindness is a core value I try and live my life by, even under the most difficult of circumstances. When I see someone displaying a lack of compassion or a lack of empathy, I find it really telling in terms of their character and it’s hard for me to come back from that.

What traits do you least like about yourself?

I’m very hard on myself.

Do you pray?

I do. I’m not religious anymore, but spirituality is still very important to me. A belief in a power greater than myself has been a huge comfort.

Who would you invite to your dream dinner party?

Oprah, just because she’s so wise; Michelle Obama, I found her book Becoming really moving; and Lynn Ruane, who is doing such incredible work in this country — I consider her a friend and I think she’s incredible. Another friend, Marian Keyes who is my ‘anam cara’ as they say, and Joanne McNally who is just hilarious. I would also like Beyoncé there for a private performance.

What quote inspires you most and why?

‘Life is not happening to you, but for you.’