Lightweight Eats

As training and work have progressed, I have been able to settle into something of a routine. I thrive on routine, so this has been super helpful for me. It's been a while since I've done one of these, so I thought I would share what a day in the life of a full-time athlete looks like.

5:30am - The alarm goes off. I drag myself out of bed and onto the scale. I weigh myself every morning, first thing, and record it in a chart in the bathroom. Although my weight fluctuates day to day, it helps me keep track of patterns. For example, I'm lighter when I drink plenty of water the day before and heavier when we have pasta for dinner.

5:45am - Breakfast! This is seriously my favorite meal of the day. It's usually hot or cold cereal with tasty additions, like coconut milk, bananas and blueberries. I also love a cup of hot coffee in the mornings, but only if the row will be less than 90 minutes.

6:45am - Practice time. (Yes, I like to take my time getting ready in the morning.) I bike down to the boathouse in about 10 minutes, drop my stuff in the locker room and head to the boat bay.

I first take my oars and water bottle down to the dock, then grab my boat from the rack. The boats are awkward--25 feet long and 30 pounds--but I've learned how to balance it on my head. The workout is 90' at medium-hard pace. My heart rate is around 150 bpm, and I try to row continuously for the whole workout.

9am - I've soaped down and washed my oars and boat. They are safely back in the boathouse. I eat a small snack, usually a piece of fruit, and bike home.

9:15am - I take a quick shower followed by more aggressive eating. I probably eat 500-750 calories at this point, focusing on getting fats and proteins, since my breakfast is usually carb-heavy. After eating, I stretch for 5-10 minutes and hop in bed for a nap.

I can't always fall asleep, but taking the time to decompress and relax is super important. Without it, my afternoon is unproductive.

If I wake up early, I do household chores or go frolic in the garden.

11:30am - Lunchtime. Although I haven't accomplished anything except sleeping since my last meal, the food I eat for lunch helps fuel my afternoon workout. I aim for a nutritionally balanced meal: carbs, protein, fat, with plenty of vegetables. If the afternoon workout is short or easier, sometimes I will just eat a small salad and some bread for lunch. Other days, I will make a stirfry with tofu and rice, or eat a huge homemade burrito.

Noon - Time for work. I work mostly from home, so I try to set aside chunks of time for work. Sometimes, I will go to a cafe for work, but most of the time, I enjoy sitting I our dining room with a nice big mug of some hit beverage. From there, I can enjoy the garden view and the sun beaming in.

3pm - I try to dedicate three hours to work. After that, it's time to prep for my second workout and do chores around the house. The second session is almost always a harder 60' cardio session or a lift. The cardio session I do on our erg at home. Boathouse access is limited in the afternoons, so I save time and do my workout on land. Lifting, I try to do at the boathouse when I can. The equipment is better there. Sometimes, though, I am too busy and have to do the workout at home.

5pm - Shower #2. I know it's probably bad to shower twice, but if I don't put on normal clothes during the day, I feel lazy and unproductive. And I refuse to go to sleep workout sweaty.

5:30pm - Cooking dinner! Sometimes, I'll start prep before my workout. Things like slow cooking beans or rising bread happen during the day. Dan tries to get home between 6 and 6:30 and I try to have dinner ready most nights. There are definitely days when I just sit on my butt after the second workout, though, and let him cook.

7pm - After eating and cleaning up dinner, all of my necessary activities are done! Dan and I often linger over dessert or watch 30 minutes of TV before starting to get ready for the next morning.

9:30pm - Bedtime! 8 hours a night is crucial to functioning for me, so we tuck in early almost every night.