Nadia Bartel’s name has been everywhere over the past few months.
Aside from stripping down for Seven special The All New Monty: Ladies’ Night in the name of charity, the former AFL WAG has had her personal life exposed in the media after her marriage with Jimmy Bartel came to an end.
WATCH: Nadia Bartel speaks about being a ‘time poor’ single mum after Jimmy Bartel split
The 34-year-old moved out of their marital home and into her parents’ home in June after it’s believed she discovered the former Geelong player was having an affair with UK woman Lauren Mand.
According to reports, Jimmy flew to the UK to spend time with his new flame in July.
But it was in August when the Bartels’ split first came to public attention after fans noticed they had unfollowed each other on Instagram. Nadia has been laying low ever since.
“Although I’m heartbroken, I don’t want to comment specifically on what’s been reported about Jim’s trip to the UK as I don’t think that is in anyone’s interests,” Nadia told the Herald Sun. “My single focus now is to continue to protect, care and provide for my two beautiful boys as this is a personal matter.”
While being mum to the former couple’s two children Aston, three, and Henley, 11 months, has been Nadia’s main focus, the Instagram star and fashion label owner is keen to continue her work for Channel Seven including Ladies’ Night and will also take part in the red-carpet coverage for the Brownlow Medal on Monday, Sept. 23.
In her first interview since announcing her split, the blonde bombshell opens up about getting naked just four months after giving birth, body image, her health and fitness tips, and running a business.
How did you end up on the show and what made you want to do it?
I received a phone call from my manager asking if I was interested in being on the show. Initially I was a little hesitant. I come from a traditional Italian family, but once I realised the show was all about raising awareness for breast cancer, I was really keen. I think all of us know someone that has been affected by breast cancer – it’s such a huge issue in Australia. If it triggers someone watching at home to go to the doctors or speak to someone to get them self-checked and potentially save one life, I will be happy.
Have you or anyone in your life been affected by breast cancer?
Yes, unfortunately I have known quite a few friends and their parents that have been affected as well as my second Aunty. It runs in our family.
Did you have any reservations about taking your clothes off?
Yes, I did, as it’s totally out of my comfort zone to be half naked in front of a bunch of people. When we shot the show my second baby was only four months old which I was a little nervous about.
Did your eldest son realise what you were doing on the show?
I explained to him what mummy was doing, as he also travelled with me to Sydney when I shot it, but I think he was a little young to fully understand.
How did you train for the show to get your body into shape?
I didn’t get to train a lot for the show as I was only four months postpartum but running around after my three-year-old and looking after my newborn kept me fit and I also tried to fit in a few long walks.
How do you usually keep fit?
I love Pilates. I have a beautiful Pilates teacher Sara, I have been seeing her for years. I also love to walk with the boys and squeeze in some high intensity weight training. I am always on the go; I get bored if I sit down for too long.
Do you have any nutrition tips?
I am pretty relaxed with my diet, as I am a big foodie and love eating out at restaurants. I do try to stick to a diet filled with lots of vegetables and protein. I eat a lot of fish and I love tuna. I also live on nuts, eggs and cheese. I also love my carbs and have pasta a couple of nights a week. I really believe in everything in moderation, so you don’t crave anything and binge. I also have a bit of a sweet tooth – soft lollies like Chicos or anything sour is my weakness.
Is body confidence something you’ve ever struggled with?
I think sometimes it’s only natural to have those little negative thoughts that creep into your head, I know I have had them over the years, but I am lucky that I had a really supportive and balanced upbringing from my mum and dad and the way we looked or what we ate was never a focus. Instead as a family we always kept very active together as we were always outdoors playing every chance we could get. I think that helped to create a positive mindset from a young age.
Do you have any advice to others who struggle with body image?
I think it’s important to surround yourself with people that support you and only want the best for you. Also take time off social media, it’s not reality and it’s only the best parts of people’s lives so you don’t want to compare to that and think its reality, as everyone has up and down days. Find a positive distraction if it’s a new hobby or working out always keeps my mindset positive.
How did you get along with the other women on the show?
I had such a great connection with all the ladies on the show. We all come from different backgrounds, but all connected about our passion for raising awareness for breast cancer. We still keep in contact now.
Did you know any of them prior to the show?
Yes, I knew Rachael Finch. We have crossed paths at many events over the years.
Who did you form the closest bond with and why?
It’s hard as I feel I connected with so many of the girls for different reasons, but I always had a good laugh with fellow Melbourne ladies Simone Callahan and Ella Hooper. And Lisa Curry is so beautiful, she is an inspiration that I turned to for advice.
What have you got coming up on the work front?
I have some really exciting things happening. My sister and I recently launched a new clothing brand Henne – which we have been working on for such a long time and we have been overwhelmed by how well it has gone. We will keep developing this and also have a very exciting fashion project launching later this year. I’ve been also working more in television and have presented two property shows this year, one of which will be on air later this year. I’ve always had an interest in Real Estate and have loved learning to further develop my skills and confidence in front of the camera.
Do you ever feel pressure to be a role model for your hundreds of thousands of followers?
I think there is always that pressure when you know that so many young women that are watching what you do. That’s why I always try to be true to myself and keeps things real.
How does it make you feel when people label you an ‘influencer’?
It’s interesting, as the majority of my work is actually based around my three businesses – my online store The Connection, clothing brand Henne and tanning business Spray Aus or my presenting/hosting work. I do understand that some people only see what I do on Instagram and base their thoughts around that.
As a businesswoman and entrepreneur, do people need to start taking Instagram seriously as a business tool?
When I first started Instagram all those years ago – I used it as a photo editing tool. It wasn’t the huge business tool it is today. I do think that it is key for businesses today. Especially for new brands wanting to get their name out there. As it gives you great reach and insight into your audience. It’s also very measurable so you can see instantly what works and what doesn’t when you are marketing to your audience.
What’s the most challenging thing about running your own business?
Getting a new business off the ground is tough, and we have had to learn a lot of things along the way. One of the most important things was how integral it is to get the right team around me, it’s important to pull in external parties to assist, advise and guide me. This can be hard when your business is small, as cash flow is tight, but you can find incredibly skilled people that are available for a couple of hours/ or days a week to start and I noticed when I pulled in people that had skills that I was missing, it allowed my businesses to grow at a much faster pace.
THE ALL NEW MONTY: LADIES’ NIGHT airs Sunday, Sept 29 at 7pm on Channel 7
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