In Part 2 of our WFH edition with DNAfit staff, we are looking at a day in the life of Amy, our Lead dietician and Head of Wellness. 

Her life is about consistent planning, planning and more planning - according to her DNA stress response, Amy is a level-headed worrior (aka strategist) who believes in the power of planning ahead to get things done early and lower stress levels. Strategists tend to have a less favorable response to acute stress and may find it more difficult to perform tasks and concentrate when under pressure. Creating such favourable conditions for herself includes doing activities that work with her stress response. 

“I either practice yoga or deep breathing regularly to train my brain to power down to a state of calm (which is useful when suddenly placed in a stressful situation)” Amy.

How does she do it, you may ask!

Morning routine

The early rising planner

As a morning person who always wakes up bright and early without an alarm clock, Amy goes to bed by 9pm so she’s rested enough to rise by 5:30am. Earlier parts of the day are her most productive time, so whatever requires heavy lifting is scheduled for then. 

“I am a morning lark (this is confirmed by my genetic chronotype). As such, I get tasks that require the most energy done earlier, like cleaning the kitchen, meal prep, and exercise” Amy.

Workout for stress relief

Her daily morning routine is coupled with a running session - this is Amy's favourite exercise due to her higher response to endurance. 

“I aim for 35-45 minutes of running every other morning, with the occasional resistance session thrown in between. I am usually able to cope with back to back exercises because I have a faster recovery rate, although if I am feeling fatigued I will take a day off” Amy.

Giving your body time to rest and recover is essential for healing, muscle growth and also helps avoid damage to your muscle tissue, resulting in stronger muscles. Also Amy's high carb diet aids in her recovery because during exercise, her body breaks down glycogen to fuel her workout. Taking rest when she’s feeling tired gives her body time to replenish these energy stores so that she’s able to give her all on the days that she works-out. 

For Amy, exercising daily is also a form of stress management as it gives her time to clear her mind and map out the day ahead. Her strategic mindset resulting from her genetic makeup propels her strong desire to prepare and plan, this is a preemptive move to reduce the prospects of stress that may be induced by an unmanageable schedule. Thus although being a strategist means she tends to have excellent cognitive and memory skills, high stress and pressure situations easily throw Amy off her game and makes it difficult for her to perform tasks at her best. 

Afternoon routine 

Evenly distributed carb diet 

Eating in partnership with her genes is important to Amy - this means a high carb diet 3 times a day and snacks in between twice a day to fuel her energy levels after a busy morning. She evenly distributes her carb consumptions throughout the day to help keep her powered up.

“I try to eat cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, rocket) daily, either in a salad, smoothie or as a side. My phase 2 detox is happening a bit slower so including my dark leafy greens each day will help speed things up” Amy. 

Evening routine

“With an optimal diet type that is low in fat, I tend to add whole grains and legumes as my main meals, with the occasional cookie for dessert, and a glass of fat free milk - to keep my saturated fat intake low” Amy.

After an early morning, Amy starts to wind down her schedule by 5pm as her body begins to feel the exhaustion of the day. This is the time of day when she focuses her efforts on tasks that don't require as much attention to detail and don't use up a lot of energy. 

“By 8:30pm my bedtime routine begins - to avoid triggering poor sleep quality, my TV (and other screens) go off, I brush my teeth, wash my face, and read a book. This routine helps me encourage a good night's rest. I have also recently invested in a king size mattress and blackout curtains to help create a conducive environment for good quality sleep” Amy.

If you haven't taken a DNA test yet, it's not too late. You can get HealthFit to uncover ways to build your perfect meal, with carbohydrate & fat response, alongside a genetically personalised training regimen designed to empower you to take control of your long-term health. Discover a new world that gives you access to a trainer and dietician in your pocket.