A Day In The Life…
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Posted in Hot Yoga
Ever wondered what a typical day looks like for your yoga teacher, gym manager or personal trainer? … how are they so energetic in the face of super early mornings, late shifts and multiple workouts? It turns out sleep, food and mindfulness are key.
We asked Laura, Gayle and Hollie from the Hot Yoga Club, EGYM and the gym floor how their day stacks up. They’re a busy bunch, but manage to prioritise their own health and wellbeing, including preparing nutritious meals and snacks to fuel their day.
Who gets up at 4.30am?
Who starts their day with meditation?
Who admits to singing (badly) on their way into work?
Who listens to ocean sounds to drift off, and who stays up the latest?
Who’s hooked on reality TV?
Who’s motivated by you – the members?
Find out here!
LAURA | Hot Yoga Club Manager and Teacher
Tuesday is my early day, so my alarm goes off at 5.50am. My pre-packed bag typically contains hot yoga kit, towels, change of clothes, shower gear and gym clothes to train after work…I have a big bag! I leave the house at 6.15am, driving up the M3 and M25, to get the studio at 6.45am and make sure the studio is ready for the 7.15am Rise & Flow class. On a Thursday I often work from home, as it’s one of the only days I don’t teach in the studio. I’m up for 7am, have a cup of tea and some boiled eggs and open the laptop from 8am, working through until 4/5pm.
Once I’m up, I’m up, but the alarm going off before 6am is early for me! I used to be a very early gym go-er (5am) but not anymore.
“What motivates me? When I know I am coming in to teach a studio full of students ready to enjoy a hot yoga class that will set them up for the day.”
Some days I start and teach early morning, other days I start and finish later. I’m always busy with meetings, admin, marketing, social media, sales, reporting and spending time with students and members. Sometimes I don’t manage to tick anything off my to-do list, but I’ve had great conversations and developed relationships with new people which is important for a small business.
My ideal morning at work would start with a hot yoga class (teaching or practising), followed by a nice cup of tea whilst I look at our daily studio reports. I like to catch up with students and hear feedback, then make a productive plan for the day.
I try to be organised and bring lunch in – a sandwich, a nice hearty soup, or something like a bean and avocado salad (I had a phase of eating too much of this, so haven’t had it for a while!). Sometimes I pop to the local Co-op or grab a tuna baguette from the lounge downstairs. I eat at my desk whilst multitasking. At least four days a week I don’t eat until midday, so kind of do fasting without realising it. I drink far too many cups of tea in a day (often they go cold as I get distracted). A snack attack can be anything from fresh fruit to a packet of crisps.
If I’m on a later shift (Wednesday) I attend a midday meeting then spend the afternoon immersed in admin, reports, social media planning, web/app updates, organising class covers, communicating any updates and changes to teachers, and writing member communications. At around 4pm I start to get the studio ready for the evening classes which start from 5pm. This includes checking the heating is on, making sure the studio is clean and tidy, whether we have any new students coming, and then welcoming people throughout a busy evening. I teach the later evening hot yoga classes, Sculpt & Candlelit, and I am always done by the end of this super busy night! I’m normally home by 10.15pm and am not far off just rolling into bed!
Being a teacher and studio manager, I am here a lot of the time. I sometimes jump on Reception if we’re struggling due to holiday or sickness, but we have a great team and they will swap/cover as needed. I always enjoy being front of house, seeing students and interacting with the teachers.
If I had more time, I would love to utilise our beautiful studio for self-practice – pop on an online class on and just move for myself. I subscribe to Alo Moves which has some great online content and yoga classes led by great international teachers, but I don’t use it enough.
If I am working late, I help the receptionists with daily banking, cleaning and hanging out rented yoga mats / grip towels, tidying away props and making sure the studio is ready for the morning – ensuring everything is turned off – heating, humidity, fans and music system.
To unwind, I fit my gym sessions around my early or later starts at the studio. I have been into CrossFit for a long time but have just changed up my ‘fitness’ approach with a new online coach focussing on specific strength and conditioning work to hit new goals. I’m excited to see the results over the next few months.
“I must get into the habit of reading instead of getting sucked into reality TV. I’m currently hooked on ‘Sort Your Life Out’ and now want to reorganise everything in my house!”
I enjoy a glass of wine at the weekends, playing Mario Kart with the kids, doing DIY projects, having people over or socialising with family. I can’t wait for some nicer weather to go for some long weekend walks with my partner and a nice pub lunch on the weekends. My most difficult evening is Friday; this is the end of the week for most people, but I teach early on Saturday mornings, so I have to really force myself to get to bed at a decent time on and not watch ‘just one more episode’ of the latest TV binge!
If the alarm is going off at 6am I try to be asleep by 10.30pm to get 7.5 hours. I use a Garmin Fenix watch which analyses my sleep quality and training recovery, so I am learning to use and understand the data more. My sleep quality has definitely improved.
GAYLE | EGYM Manager & Wellness Coach
5am: time to wake up. For the first 10 minutes of my day, I meditate and practise deep breathing while setting an intention, feel gratitude for all the goodness in my life and visualise the best version of me.
If I’m disciplined, I can squeeze in a 20-minute workout before showering, taking health supplements and making coffee and green teas. I pack my breakfasts and food for the week and head off to work by 6.15am. I drive, dancing in the car and singing (badly).
“I’m a full-on night owl, so I struggle with mornings and have to be strict with myself and keep healthy habits.”
My tasty breakfast consists of a protein shake made with chocolate vegan protein powder, frozen spinach, frozen blueberries, chia seeds, flaxseed, wheatgrass and almond milk. I leave it thick or use it in protein overnight oats, topped with seeds and pomegranate.
During the morning I’m busy greeting members and checking appointments, bookings, emails and my to-do list. Sometimes I do inductions, write updates/handovers and process memberships. I mainly interact with my colleagues on reception, in the main gym, management and accounts. Tea and coffee (prepped at home) keep me going!
“My ideal morning is greeting happy members and helping them reach their goals.”
I usually eat lunch at my desk: something filling and nutritious like homemade vegetable soup.
Next, it’s time to put on my other hat and focus on client work: wellness coaching sessions, trauma therapy, reiki and crystal sound bowls sessions.
To wrap up, I set a list of tasks and jobs for the next day, adding notes for the team if they need to pick anything up.
Once home, I write up all my clients’ sessions and clinical notes, plus monthly reports for each client’s assessments. I then plan subsequent sessions and file paperwork.
To unwind, I like to have a bath to relaxing music (when I have time), otherwise it’s a quick shower before bedtime. Even though I’m a night owl, I force myself to go to sleep at 9pm so I can get up at 5am.
I take magnesium tablets and spray magnesium oil on my feet to help me sleep well.
I also listen to sounds of the ocean as I drift off.
HOLLIE | Personal Trainer, Fitness Instructor & Bodybuilder
To make it to work for 5.30am, my alarm goes off at an unsociable 4.50am!
Once I arrive at work, I open up the gym which usually involves turning on and wiping down all equipment to ensure everything is clean and ready before we open at 6am. Next, I turn on the EGYM machines.
By 6am it’s breakfast time, which will always be an omelette and a bowl of oats with blueberries and peanut butter.
“I love this breakfast (omelette and oats with blueberries and peanut butter) as it’s a balance of protein, carbs and fats.”
I teach my first class at 7.15am which is Workout of the Day. This usually involves a circuit style with a combination of weights and cardio. Then I’ll check the gym is tidy and look over the diary for any appointments.
As I’ve been up early, lunch is early! Around 11.30am I’ll eat before teaching my 12.15pm Strength and Tone class. At 2pm, my shift is over, so it’s time for my own training. I always start with back and biceps, which usually lasts around 60 to 90 minutes.
I head home about 3.30pm and have my post-workout meal which is currently a chilli con carne with rice. Then I will start to prep all my meals for the following day!
At 4.30pm I make my way back to the club to finish my daily steps off. I usually like to pose within this time to ensure I am still practising for future bodybuilding shows during my off season.
After this, I will train a client. I’m currently working with a lady whose goal is to build muscle. We’re on a 4-day workout split, so it could be leg day, for example.
At 6.30pm I have my last class of the day: Women’s Weights Workshop. We work hard, completing a full body weights session.
I head home around 7.15pm to have my dinner which I will have prepped the night before. This helps me stay on track and hit my macros for the day.
At 8.30pm I hop into bed, turn my phone off and read a book to completely switch off. ZZZZ.