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5 Minutes with Nikki & Hannah Crerar

18 Jul 2018

We caught up with Nikki and Hannah Crerar - the babes from our Q3 STIRLINGWOMEN Photoshoot. These girls and killing in it their respective careers, so we thought we'd check in to see what they get up to on the daily, how they balance a busy schedule and what inspires them.

Name: Hannah Crerar

Age: 27 years old

I have been practicing yoga for a little over 10 years. I decided to complete yoga teacher training a few years ago. I was hungry to learn more about the way yoga truly connects body, mind and soul. It was the beginning of something magical. My yoga practice has taken me to my edges, I’ve met amazing people, travelled incredible places, learnt a whole lot about myself, and the human condition.

Last year I quit my desk job to pursue yoga teaching and psychology study (after 9 years of studying and working in the field of law and commerce). Safe to say – I let my passions take the drivers seat. As I continue to learn more about the human condition, I realise on a subtle level, we all hold negative beliefs that we can work through. That is why I’ve set off on this mission to learn more about the body and mind and how we can all get to know ourselves at a deeper level and ultimately feel whole and happy.

Name: Nicola Crerar aka Nikki, Nikora, Nik, Knockers, Knock, Cola, Squatty

Age: 24 years old

I have recently returned from Sydney where I was modelling and soaking up my fair share of vitamin D, what was meant to be a 6-week trip turned into 10 months - Safe to say I was enjoying myself!

My passions are in health and wellbeing, in particular having a healthy relationship with food and exercise. I am a certified personal trainer and am currently in my final year at university studying psychology & nutrition.

You girls are killing it at the moment, what does your average day look like?

H: Most days start with oil pulling, tongue scraping, meditation, journalling and some kind of body movement. Personal rituals help me to feel grounded and ultimately allow me to better connect to class energy when I teach yoga, to derive creative inspiration for blog posts (hannahyogaandsoul.com), and to feel calm and clear when studying. I teach a mixture of lunchtime and evening yoga classes both for corporate workplaces and yoga studios. I am super excited to start teaching Yang Yin Nidra @ Studio Red – it’s an incredibly deep and rejvenating class. In between teaching I will either be studying, class prepping, researching or scribbling creative ideas in a notepad. I really geek out on everything body, mind and soul. I love to meet friends for drinks, dinner or walks during my week. Walking and talking is one of my favourite ways to catch-up with people – conversation is always so good when the body is moving!

N: No day is ever the same for me, I've never been one for structure or sticking to the rules. Although I can't leave the house without breakfast no matter how early it is so I guess I do have something consistent. I will move my body in some way most days like I say structure isn't really my thing, I just do what my body is feeling (thankfully my body does feel like moving quite a bit). I'm very fortunate that my boyfriend shares similar interests and is also a personal trainer specialising in boxing and tennis, so where he can fit me in I get to mix up my activities. I say activities because the terms training and exercise sounds more like chores to me, whereas this is just straight up fun, check him out - @fitnessalltogether

Who or what inspires you everyday?

H: Podcasts inspire me on the daily – I love listening to conversations that combine science and spirituality – some of my faves are Oprah Super Soul Conversations, That’s So Retrograde, and The Life Stylist Podcast.

N: Super fortunate to have so many inspiring people in my life on the daily, I don't need to look anywhere else. I could start listing them all off but think I would end up with a novel.

Who is better in the kitchen?

H: Nikki is a bit of a weapon in the kitchen and I'd be happy if she cooked for me for the rest of my life. We both learnt to be quite creative as neither Mum or Dad followed recipes or rules.

N: I love to cook! I really enjoy finding ways to make a meal yummy and healthy, and I'm not talking vegan or raw or low carb, just good hearty meals that are free from all the nasties. I try to avoid most packaged food as they typically contain processed salt, hydrogenated fats, additives, food colouring, MSG, and genetically engineered ingredients. I also hate wasting food, so thinking of ways to be resourceful and incorporate all the leftovers in the fridge is always fun. I'm not saying Hannah isn't a wiz in the kitchen because she definitely knows how to achieve that chargrilled flavour (this is not sarcasm I truly do like things overly crisp, I just don't have that sort of patience)

Guilty pleasure? (e.g. chocolate, a tv show, etc.)

H: Extra long hot showers, and solo dance parties.

N: Hhmm this is a tough one, I'm not a TV series binger or moviegoer (my attention span does not allow for it), however, I do have an addiction to carrots! I kid you not, I eat soo many that the palms of my hands are yellow, and I have an all over tinge of orange. So I'd like to make a shout out to carrots for my year round 'natural' fake tan as well as giving me a sore stomach … I may have to reassess the pros and cons.

Being so busy, what to do you to take a break/take time for yourself?

H: I love to wind down with epsom salt baths, traditional Chinese massage and time in nature.

N: I am a huge believer in finding balance in your lifestyle, we all live very busy lives which are filled with constant distractions and influences and it's important to slow down the pace when needed. When I do manage to catch a break I use this time to hang out with friends and family, play tennis, practice yoga with my Sister, stretch and prepare food.