It was an emotional week for Vick Hope, as she and her Radio 1 co-host Jamie Laing said their goodbyes as she finished work ahead of maternity leave.
Vick, 35, is expecting her and Calvin Harris' first baby, and while she is still busy recording her segments for Countryfile, her work on Radio 1 is done for now.
Before hanging up her headphones, Vick sat down with HELLO! to share her wellness essentials – and we're sure they'll see her through her maternity leave!
1. Me-time
"It's never easy to prioritise yourself when you have a family or a busy life, and we're all guilty of setting aside our own wellbeing, but looking after yourself can be as simple as taking a few moments to do some breathwork or even just going for a walk.
© Instagram"I'm quite into 'woo woo' stuff, and recently went to a sound-bath session, which I loved. Sound is such a powerful force – just tuning into birdsong can have a profound effect on how you feel."
2. Music
"There's nothing better than dancing around in the kitchen every morning: it's definitely in my toolkit of things I know will make me feel good, whether I'm on my own or dancing with my husband.
© Jed Cullen/Dave Benett/Getty Ima"I've made music my job because I love it. It's the accompaniment to life's highs and lows and can be really healing, so take a moment to engage with it, even if it's just for the three-and-a-half minutes it takes to put on an absolute banger and give in to the pure, unadulterated euphoria of dancing. Aretha Franklin is always a go-to for me, but I'll tailor the soundtrack to how I want to feel that day."
3. Micro-meditations
"I like to do yoga and meditation, but again, it can be as little as doing some micro-meditations or reflecting on your day.
© Brian Rapsey"Sometimes you just need to take a couple of minutes to sit and think about what you're grateful for or what you're proud of, and you'll find that suddenly, these affirmations come faster than you expect them to.
"I like to do journalling first thing in the morning, especially when it feels as though there are insurmountable thoughts and feelings that I can't make sense of. Sometimes, simply by getting them down on a page, they start to make more sense and feel less overwhelming. It's about separating what you can control from what you can't."
4. Nature
"It can sound a little clichéd, but getting outside can have a huge impact on how you feel, and yet it's often something we forget. I live in London and spend a lot of my time in a windowless studio, so it can be hard to immerse myself in nature, but just getting to some green space or even appreciating a flower on my way to work can change my day, as nature really does help calm our central nervous systems.
© Instagram"Taking a couple of minutes to breathe can be transformative, too. When I feel stress rising, I use the 4-7-8 technique, which involves breathing in for four seconds, holding for seven and then exhaling for eight. So simple, but it is magical."
5. Bedding down
"I do a fair bit of travelling for work and it can be difficult to get a good night's sleep when you're in a different location every night, but I find that having a bedtime ritual helps.
!A bath is my go-to, as it helps draw a line under the day; then, taking the time to turn off my phone and switch to a good book helps me unwind. It can be easier said than done, but I know that if I'm looking at what's going on in the world just before bed, I'll end up thinking about it.!
6. Healthy eating
"For a long time, I didn't think about what I ate at all, and that's fine when you're younger, but I'm now trying to look after myself better and eat a more balanced diet.
"I've realised that if I start the day with some protein, I'm less likely to have an energy crash and compensate with coffee, which is what I used to do – especially when I had to get up at 4am for my radio show.
"Making sure I don't skip lunch and adding in my Perfectil supplements has been transformative, too. It's amazing what an impact a bit of nourishment and some vitamins and minerals can have. You've got to be realistic, though. I'm sitting here eating a croissant because although it's important to sustain yourself, you need to enjoy yourself, too."
7. Core work
"Taking part in Strictly Come Dancing [in 2018] taught me that your core is important not just for dancing or exercising, but also in daily life.
© Photo: BBC"Just sitting up straighter and opening up your shoulders can make such a difference. I used to think of my core as six-packs and abs, but it's so much more than that – it's about feeling strong.
"It's also why I love Pilates; I realise it can be hard to fit into a busy schedule, but I can't shout enough about what a difference it’s made to my life. My physio recommended it after I slipped a disc, and it got me to the point where I'm now better than I was before my injury.
"For the first time in my life, I was doing exercise not because I felt I needed to look a certain way, but because I wanted to feel a certain way. That was a total shift in mindset and has been a freeing realisation."
8. Enjoying life
"The best piece of advice I'd give my younger self - not that she would have listened - is to enjoy yourself, though it's so much easier said than done. We spend so much time dwelling on the past or worrying about the future when we just need to try to enjoy it."
