Profile: Benn West, Exercise Physiologist

benn_blog.png

When and how did you start working for Ethos? November 2011 after resigning from a job with Medibank.

Describe your role in one sentence. Varied…Jack of all trades – one day I could be working with cancer patients and the other
I could be working with rugby players.  

What’s the best part of your job? Helping people across all walks of life.  

What’s the worst part of your job? When people aren’t able to reach their goals. 

What do you enjoy outside of work? Sport, sport and more sport! Especially cricket and rugby league. Also family. Not in that order!

Can you tell us something we probably don’t know about you? I worked in a restaurant when studying at uni. The role involved food
preparation and some cooking

(Note: we should have known from the sensational chicken sandwiches Benn is known to make for work events).

Anything unusual about your childhood? Growing up at Harden, NSW. The population of the ‘twin towns’ Harden-Murrumburrah is about 2,000. Harden is 30 minutes from Young, 90 minutes from Canberra, and 3h 40min from Sydney.

What makes you smile? St George winning on the weekend.

What keeps you awake at night? My son Albie.

What do you do to stay healthy? Lunchtime exercise sessions at Ethos gym.

Any health tips? Move!

Who does the cooking at home? Me… except on Wednesday nights when I finish late at work.

Can you share a recipe?

Benn’s Spaghetti Bolognese

A favourite of Benn’s kids. The leftovers are good too!

Ingredients:

• Butter, 10g
  
• Red onion x 1, diced
  
• Garlic x 4 cloves, crushed
  
• Pork mince 500g (premium)
  
• Passata 500ml jar
  
• Zucchini x 2, grated
  
• Baby spinach 1 bag
  
• Parmesan cheese
  
• Pine nuts x 4 handfuls, toasted – sprinkled on top at end
  
• Penne pasta 

Instruction:

• Melt butter in a large saucepan. Add onion and garlic and cook until transparent. Add pork mince and stir frequently until browned through. Add passata
  and zucchini. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add baby spinach and cook until wilted. Serve with penne pasta. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and pine
  nuts.  

Anything else of interest you feel we should know about? I’ve applied to go on Hard Quiz. A client, Will, is my personal tutor.