Candice Warner wears many beach hats. The former Iron woman, wife of cricketer David Warner, and mum of three girls, Ivy, 7, Indie, 5 and Isla, 2, says life is a constant “great but exhausting juggle”.
Here, Candice takes a deep dive into the motherhood juggle, perfect date nights with David, maintaining a healthy body image, me-time, happiness and her health hacks to stay at the top of her game…
The mummy hood
Before having kids, what did you imagine motherhood would be like?
“My mum always handles situations things so beautifully, so I saw ‘motherhood’ in the most positive light. I didn’t realise it would be so exhausting!”
What have been some of the biggest surprises?
“I never imagined my daughters would also be my best friends or the amount of unconditional love we have. For example, Isla, 2, said the most beautiful thing last night after reading her a bedtime story: ‘I love you mummy’. It was the first time she’d said it – and unprompted. Those special moments of love, they are so rewarding and beautiful.”
What are some of your biggest motherhood challenges?
“There’s a lot! The big one for me is teaching the girls life lessons – explaining ‘why’ we set rules or do things certain ways. It’s also challenging when David goes away for work, and I parent on my own. Being both a ‘mum and dad’ – and spreading my love and energy evenly whilst still having time for myself – is very difficult. I take my hat off to single parents who do this every day. It’s really tough – and to work from 9 to 5 too – is a huge achievement.”
What’s your approach during challenging times?
“It’s so important to be kind to yourself. There are times when you want to cry and scream… and you need to let our emotions out, but it’s also important to feel supported and know you’re not alone. Be very kind to yourself!”
What’s your favourite mum ‘time’ hack?
“With three kids and two at school, you’re almost guaranteed one child will have a morning meltdown for at least 15 minutes. Preparation is key. I make school lunches the night before – sandwiches, strawberries, cucumber sticks… so it’s ready to go.”
Tell us about relationship with your daughters?
“I have a really strong relationship with my girls – they’re fun, adventurous, balls of energy – ‘mini me and David’ to a tee. We spend so much time together. I don’t have a nanny – I’m as present as possible, doing school drops, pick-ups, after school activities… They drive me crazy and it’s exhausting but I love it.
In terms of favourites… when the girls are in trouble or sick, I’m the favourite. For fun, David is the favourite. He takes them for slurpees, lets them stay up late and push the boundaries.”
Health and fitness secrets
Tell us about your exercise routine?
“I exercise every day. I’ll train at the gym three times a week – I love going hard! On alternate days I’ll walk for an hour while chatting to friends on the phone, or swim at the beach.
Exercise is not just about looking good, it’s what it does for me mentally. It’s an escape, and really important that I get time out. I need balance. Exercise is a way to release endorphins, feel better, and that means I’m a better mum and wife for it.”
Candice’s Feel-good Green Smoothie
½ cup baby spinach leaves
½ cup kale leaves, deveined, roughly chopped
1 x kiwi fruit, peeled, cut into chunks
½ avocado, deseeded, cut into chunks
200ml unsweetened Almond Milk, chilled
1 scoop IsoWhey Complete Madagascan vanilla
METHOD: Place spinach and kale leaves, kiwi fruit and avocado in a blender. Add almond milk and IsoWhey. Blend for 2mins. Pour into a tall glass – enjoy!
Does exercise play into body image and weight control?
“I don’t exercise to lose weight. I train to push myself to the extreme limits – to test and push my body. It’s important for me to feel good about myself – whether that’s a walk, gym, spray tan.
Although, my weight has fluctuated. I put on 25 kilograms with each pregnancy. I had so many miscarriages that I had to do whatever it was to keep my pregnancies safe.”
Any other secrets to maintaining your healthy weight?
“I have a green smoothie after light exercise every day. On the days I’m doing hard training, I have an Isowhey Protein smoothie. And sometimes I have a sneaky Isowhey shake – for a mid-morning or arvo pick me up.”
Romance and relationships
Tell us about your relationship with David?
“We are without a doubt best friends. We both love being outdoors, spending time together, and are inseparable when he isn’t working away. We are both strong individually, but as a team, we bounce off each other. And we aren’t afraid to be really honest and have hard conversations. If either of us crosses the line, we’ll pull the other up!”
How important are your friendships?
“Our friendships are very tight. We’re private with who we let into our space. Pre COVID, we’d host lots of Sunday arvo barbeques and entertain friends. The solid friends are more like family.”
How do you manage stress?
“I’m not the yoga or mediating type…. For me, stress is about learning to communicate, talk about things before they become stress. Exercise plays a really big role. Sitting by the ocean or going for an ocean swim.”
Mother wisdom and advice
Finish this sentence…
My recipe for a healthy start to the day is… a shower, coffee, great brekkie.
Exercise is… something I can’t live without.
Food is… fuel.
School mornings are… hectic.
The secret to balancing ‘mum and friend’ with kids is … remembering your role. It’s important to be friends, but you have to guide and teach.
The best date night includes… my husband and a bottle of wine.
My instant pick me up is… chocolate.
My advice to other mums… be kind to yourself. You are doing a great job.
Brought to you by IsoWhey.
