Welcome to the Aaptiv Trainer Diary series. Get to know the Aaptiv trainers—how they balance their personal and professional lives and what it looks like to walk in their shoes while they make time for fitness and fun. Up today: Jennifer Giamo!
Jennifer Giamo is the real thing. Based out of New York, Giamo has been professionally affecting positive change in people’s lives for nearly 20 years and is showing no signs of slowing down. After several years spent managing corporate fitness programs in some Fortune 500 companies on the east coast, Giamo started her own fitness consulting business that comes to your door called Trainers in Transit. As an Aaptiv trainer she is certainly a powerhouse and heavily in demand as well.
As you can imagine Giamo doesn’t back down from a challenge. She’s completed seven marathons individually and helped countless clients perform their best marathon times along the way. The key to her consistency and over achievement? Go hard and then unplug to recover just as aggressively on the weekends. “I like that time to re-charge, hang out with friends and focus on growing my business. It helps me to be more present and energetic for the coming work week,” she told us.
Below is a typical work week for Giamo:
6 a.m.: Wake up, drink warm water with lemon, take vitamins, walk my dog and take him to daycare, grab a protein bar (usually Quest Bar or Proti-Diet bars). I typically stick to high protein/low calorie ratio bars.
7 a.m.: First client of the day. Train private clients from 7am-12:30pm.
12:30 p.m.: Second protein bar or shake and a piece of fruit.
1pm – 2:30 p.m.: Home for a break—either a quick nap or a workout depending on how I’m feeling.
3pm-4 p.m.: Teach class in Central Park.
4:30 p.m.: Dinner—usually a big salad with lots of veggies and grilled fish.
5:15 p.m.-7:30 p.m.: Train two clients.
8 p.m.: Snack – Babybel cheese with fiber crackers or a few spoonfuls of Halo Top ice cream (my cheat food). I typically walk about 18K-22K steps per day moving around between clients, walking from the subway, etc.
10 p.m.: Meditation for 15-20 minutes which usually puts me to sleep.
As for the weekends…
“I take weekends off and typically wake up no later than 9am on Saturdays and Sundays. I have no set schedule on these days but I like to get my workout done in the mornings—either a run, a yoga class (paddle boarding in the summer/fall), a Beachbody on-demand workout or an Aaptiv class!” Giamo said.
“Eating is much more consistent on the weekends when there is more time to prepare, slow down, and enjoy my food. Lunch is tuna with avocado and tomato and a diet Snapple or Kombucha drink. Also, I’m currently studying for my Corrective Exercise Certification. As my clientele ages, it’s helpful to meet them where they are physically—flexibility can decrease, bone health may suffer, they may not have as much lean mass as they once did, so I would like to help them stay strong and fit safely as their bodies naturally age,” said Giamo.
Giamo continued, “I’ll typically spend a few hours during the day reading the materials to prepare for that certification. Dinner is usually out with my friends or my boyfriend on Saturday and I try to choose healthy options like grilled fish (I don’t eat much meat or dairy) with a salad, a glass or two of wine or mixed drink. Occasionally, we will share a dessert too! Later evening is often a movie at home with my boyfriend and bed around midnight.”