When ELLEFit went to one of fitness instructor Janine George's famous Metaburn classes at Third Space for our Wednesday Workout we became a little bit obsessed with her, and her unbelievably amazing abs.
Rather than just stalking her, we thought it would be easier to find out exactly how she spends her day working out, motivating people, and then eventually relaxing and recharging.
5:30am Wake up
The first thing I do is drink 500ml water - not having consumed any food or drink after a long sleep will leave you quite dehydrated; so once I have downed at least a pint of water I feel fully awake and alert.
Our body repairs itself during sleep, balancing hormones and replenishing energy; toxins and waste materials are released and need to be flushed out.
I then eat a banana (the potassium helps relieve muscle soreness, contains fibre and curbs hunger) and I take Multivitamins. Vitamins and minerals are normally found in food sources, but as I am on the go a lot, I like to know I'm achieving my daily quota.
I'll also have an Optimum Nutrition Hydro Whey shake with water. Hydrolyzed whey protein is a broken-down version of whey that's fast digesting and supports muscle growth and maintenance.
It's best taken in the morning, before workouts and immediately after workouts, as the hard working muscles will benefit the most and recover quicker.
I've noticed that a good whey supplement is very helpful in keeping my energy levels up, especially during training and also contains a good source of amino acids; which help to support my muscle growth.
7:15-8:00am Teaching MetaBurn at Third Space
This high-intensity metabolic conditioning workout uses a mix of upper and lower body exercises combined with cardio intervals designed to overload the muscles and tax your cardiovascular system, for a super-toned physique.
Weight based work and compound power moves are all incorporated to help build a lean and strong body. Burn it, firm it.
500ml water during class
MetaBurn is a demanding class; physically and mentally I am on go, go, go. I feed off the energy that all my members exude and am coaching and cueing throughout.
At the end of every 45-minute session I feel like I have emptied my tank and need a few minutes to catch myself.
Quite often I perform some of the moves for camaraderie and 9 times out of 10 my muscles are screaming out too. When this happens I ensure that I have magnesium flake baths in the evenings (a body with sufficient magnesium will be more supple, resist fatigue and will be able to repair itself better).
8:00am Breakfast
3-4 scrambled eggs; 2 handfuls of spinach; 1 salmon fillet; 1 slice of brown toast; black coffee no sugar.
Food is fuel so I ensure that whatever I eat serves a purpose. I prefer to eat this meal for breakfast as it's rich in protein - around 47g, carbs 19g and fat 27g.
Depending on how I feel on any particular day, I may add an extra slice of toast; more so when I know that I'll be very active throughout the day.
Typically I will drink no more than 2 cups of coffee a day; the amount I consume will depend on the training that I have planned. I won't touch any coffee if I drink a pre-workout shake on days that I train, as it contains caffeine.
8:30-11:30am
Business administration; follow up emails; telephone calls; class planning; goal setting – SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time).
This helps me prioritise my weekly tasks and the vision that I have for myself in the future. I can quite easily get distracted, and a full day can usually feel like I am fighting fires and multitasking from morning till night. It is also a useful way to stay motivated and to track your progress.
12:15pm-1pm Teaching Legs, Glutes and Abs
Tone up, firm up and burn fat for a lean and strong lower body and abs.
500ml water during class
I don't feel that I am delivering the best class experience unless I get stuck in. I usually complete 4-5reps to set the tone and then continue coaching.
1pm Snack
Handful of Almonds or Opti Lean Whey Bar
If I want to get a training session in, it's best that I don't eat anything too heavy at this time. Protein or a protein with a healthy fat snack will help direct the body to fat stores for energy during my workout and prevent muscle loss and slow digestion to prevent hunger during my workout.
1:15pm-3:15pm My own specified training
Third Space is pretty quiet at this time so I have free reign of all the equipment on the gym floor.
I take an Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard BCAA Train & Sustain during training.
Branched Chain Amino Acids are made up of 3 essential amino acids; leucine, isoleucine and valine. They are easy to digest and therefore reach the muscles quickly. This drink helps during intense training periods and reduces tiredness.
My training usually consists of legs and glutes reps, squats, kettlebell lunges - kettlebell training teaches the body to contend with a constantly changing centre of gravity while helping you to develop a strong grip.
When I want the extra burn, I'll do a Finisher - 10 rounds of interval sprints:-
30 Seconds speed 14mph-19mph, Incline 0.5%; 30 Seconds recovery; Repeat x 10
Through alternating the levels of intensity, low and high bursts, this is a very efficient workout. The body will work harder than when doing steady state cardio in the same time frame.
3:30pm Afternoon Meal
Another Optimum Nutrition Hydro Whey shake; brown rice; chargrilled chicken; spinach; cabbage; lettuce; 500ml water. This is around 430 Calories.
It's crucial to eat a good quality meal after training if you expect to make a difference to your performance and physique. Proteins and carbohydrates help to fuel the muscles for growth. Amino acids and glycogen (sugar) which have been lost during training will need to be replaced.
4:10pm-5:40pm Personal Training session
Fitness session with a 7 and 10 year old - home visits or activities in the park.
It is important that children are motivated from a young age to be active; building strength, coordination and confidence. Most children will enjoy fitness as long as its fun. Some parents hire me due to concerns about their child's weight and want to incorporate as much strength (using resistance bands) cardio and stretching into their child's lifestyle at dedicated times every week.
6pm Snack - banana and some almonds
6:15pm-7pm Teaching Legs, Glutes, Abs
Tone up, firm up and burn fat for a lean and strong lower body and abs.
500ml water during class
7:05-7:50pm Teaching MetaBurn
500ml water during class
By now I just want to be quiet and take my time to eventually wrap up my day. This is when I would love to be carried all the way home.
8:10pm-8:40pm Unwind
Depending on my mood at the end of the day I may opt to sit in the steam/sauna for 20mins or head straight home for a magnesium flake bath.
It's so important to unwind and relax to decrease blood pressure and relieve stress. If you do not take this element seriously you can find yourself becoming tense; mentally and physically.
750ml water
8:45pm Snack
Carrots and humus; dried mangoes - these snacks are quick to buy when leaving the gym and can be easily consumed when travelling home on the train. It curbs my appetite until I reach home for dinner. The calories are roughly 400 calories but as I am still active and continue to drink water I am good with this.
9:30pm Dinner
Grilled Chicken or Salmon, green beans and sweet potatoes, with 500ml water
I go through phases where I'll consume lots of fish or a lot of meat, it also depends how hungry I am and the duration I am prepared to wait for my food. Salmon is great grilled and I bake the sweet potatoes at the same time; which takes max 40mins. I love the taste of green beans so it's a bonus to be fuelled with more potassium.
11:30pm Midnight snack
Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Casein - Casein is a high quality protein but is digested slower than whey, so it supplies the body with small amounts of protein for longer periods of time and therefore best taken before sleep. It supports muscle growth and maintenance. Casein comes in powder form, I mix it with 300ml water.
I also take my omega oils (3, 6 and 9) at night as research has shown that our body's circadian rhythm influences our hormonal balance and the body's ability to absorb these supplements, improving health conditions the next day. Omega 3,6,7,9 contribute to a healthy heart and cognitive functioning (brain).
Midnight
Lights Out (sometimes)
Janine George is an Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Fitness Instructor and Lead Trainer at Third Space.
