If inspirational burns survivor Turia Pitt isn’t “squeezing” her baby bump into a wetsuit so she can go for a surf (“When I’m outdoors, I’m in my happy place. I feel like I’m really ‘me’ if I’m outdoors,” she tells us), she’s motivating others to live their happiest, healthiest lives.
But when it comes to taking care of herself during the later stages of her first pregnancy with fiancé Michael Hoskin, it’s all about slowing down.
Turia tells us she is due to give birth in early December.
“I think I was in a little bit of denial when I first found out I was pregnant, and now I’ve just realised that I’m carrying another little person and I have actually slowed down,” she says. “I don’t think that’s a bad thing!”
“So, you know, I’m not doing 42km runs – I’m doing long, gentle walks on the beach.”
Although, just because she’s steering clear of Ironman World Championships – for now – that doesn’t mean her health and wellbeing is going to suffer. If anything, she’s caring for it more than ever before.
This is why in her latest role as Avene Sun Care ambassador (Turia has been using Avene products to soothe her skin since suffering burns to 65 per cent of her body during an ultramarathon grassfire in Western Australia in 2011), she is stressing the importance of not taking your skin, as well as your general health, for granted.
“Our health is the greatest gift that we ever get but it’s so easy for us to take it for granted. It’s so fragile!” she says.
“It’s really one of those things that you only notice it once it’s taken away from you.”
“I want my son to get out there and enjoy the sunshine and live that Australian lifestyle, but I don’t want his health to suffer as a result of it,” she continues.
“I think it’s about recognising how lucky he is to be born in Australia in the first place, but also to have the gift of good health.”
Next year is undoubtedly going to be busy for Turia, becoming a first-time mum and all, but that doesn’t mean she’s losing sight of her health and wellness goals…
“I really want to do a marathon next year,” she admits.
“Even though I’m going to be becoming a mum, I don’t want to lose who ‘Turia’ is at the same time.”
“I’ll still work and do my online programmes (because I really love those!) and at the same time, I really want to be a good mum, even though I’m not a mum yet.”
“That will be my main priority for next year.”
And we can’t wait to watch it all unfold…
