Self-care will forever be our favourite hobby but we appreciate that recharging and putting yourself first looks different for everyone. Each week, we'll be asking the celeb lot to share their ideal self-care Sunday routines, the hard-working beauty products they recommend to their friends and which TV show they're currently binging…
This week it's all about Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins star and WBA world champion, Shannon Courtenay.
She's here to prove you can be the best boxer in the world and still love pornstar martinis and hair extensions. A girl after our own heart.
Shanno chats exclusively to heat about game-changing books, wellness habits and how she spends a rare day off...
On accidentally becoming a boxer
After spending her teens partying, Shannon found herself in a boxercise class aged 21 and the rest was history.
Shannon explained, "[Becoming a boxer] was purely by chance, to be honest, I didn't want to box. I was a really heavy smoker, I was a bit of a drinker and I was extremely overweight. I was really unhappy with life. Then I stumbled across boxing through a boxercise class and they said I was quite good, so I went to an amateur club and just fell in love with the sport. It dramatically changed my life overnight. I quit smoking instantly, lost loads of weight and then before I knew it, I was turning professional."
On Celeb SAS
Channel 4's hit TV show, Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins looks brutal, but is it really that tough or do they all get treated to a bubble bath and a hot chocolate as soon as the cameras stop rolling? Er, not quite.
Shannon says, "I was an idiot and had never seen the show, I signed up and then watched a half an hour clip the night before we actually went in and I thought: 'What have I signed up for?!'
"But I thought you know what, it's TV, surely when the cameras turn off we all have a roast dinner together? But, oh my god, I was so wrong. Literally, the cameras never turn off, there is no respite, and it's 24/7. I just can't believe how horrible and harsh and hard it is, to be honest. You're on minimal calories and very minimal sleep. They make you sleep in wet clothes. They don't show you the half of how horrible it is."
On self-care
What does an ultimate self-care day look like for Shannon?
"When I wake up, I don't like to go on social media straight away, I think you should have some time for yourself. So first things first is coffee, I have to start my day with a coffee. Literally, don't even talk to me if I haven't got some sort of caffeine in my system! Then I write in my manifestation journal and I always write down three things that I'm grateful for. I feel like we don't spend enough time counting our blessings and we're always wishing for more. So if you're grateful in the morning, it really sets up the day.
"I don't do it every day, but I think it's quite important to have a cold shower or a cold bath. The health benefits are crazy, they're so good for you. So I'll do one of them and then normally on my day off I'll try and spend some time with my family, spend some time with my friends if I can. I always try to make time for shopping.
"Even though it's my day off, I like to go for a gentle jog. Because my training is so hardcore and every run has got to be timed and it's got to be strenuous. So just a nice jog where I can listen to a playlist that I like or a podcast and have this time to myself. Then I like a nice hot bath with candles and then a nice cup of tea on the sofa to watch a series or a film."
On skincare
"Because of my job, I have to put a lot of vaseline on my face because I'm sparring a lot. To try and make the punches glide off your skin and not cut your skin open. The vaseline can give me quite bad acne so I now always make sure to do a thorough cleansing regime. I always use the Natalie Marie Skincare 24K Gold Serum and it gives me the most incredible glow. It's not a huge brand, it's a girl that owns the company, but honestly, I swear by it. I started using it a year ago and the glow I get from my skin now is incredible."
On make-up favourites
Shannon's make-up always looks incredible, so which products are her ride-or-dies?
"I only got into make-up around a year and a half ago. I never used to make a big thing of it and I started getting a bit obsessed with watching beauty videos online. I love watching Huda Beauty founder, Huda Kattan on Instagram, she gives the best make-up tips.
"With foundation, I go between Nars Natural Radiant Longwear and MAC Studio Fix Fluid . I always wear MAC if I'm going out because it looks great in photos and reflects light off the skin. I use theMAC Blushand MAC Give Me Sun Bronzer . I swear by the Kylie Jenner Lip Kits and love the shade Koko. They match perfectly."
On wellness habits
"I think taking time for yourself is really important, especially in the world I'm in. In my gym, I'm the only female surrounded by men every single day, so I make a point of talking to my girls on the phone because I think friends are so vital for your mental health. Even just a little girly catch-up makes all the difference. Especially when I'm away in camp, I miss my friends so much. We make a point of every night trying to FaceTime because it gets quite lonely when you're away in camp."
On life-changing books
"I read a book years ago called Winning by Tim Grover and he was the motivational coach for Michael Jordan. He made a massive difference to my mindfulness and overall mindset."
On great advice
"A rule that I stand by in life is 'what's meant for you will never pass you by'. If things aren't going right for you, then just be patient. Even the worst day is just 24 hours and what is meant for you will never pass you by. I'm such a big believer in fate."
Quickfire round:
What show are you currently watching? Wednesday on Netflix, I'm obsessed.
How do you like your cuppa? I have a coffee with coconut milk and sweetener.
Go-to loungewear brand? I'm not really a pyjama girl, I like to dress up on my days off because I'm normally in gym gear.
Favourite face mask? I like a charcoal face mask.
Go-to takeaway order? I don't really have that luxury as I'm always dieting, but if I'm not in camp I like a prawn shashlik with tomatoes, saag paneer with Peshwari naan and if we're pushing the boat out, coconut ice cream.
Favourite candle? Yankee Candle in Coconut Splash .