This series is about everyday people making every day count. We met up with personal trainer Stephanie Cuvelier, tracking her every day hustle while on the move during her active lifestyle, and also delve in on how she keeps her day on track with us.
What do you do?
I'm an Exercise Physiologist & personal trainer at Calibrate Studio, specializing in lifestyle change and exercise rehabilitation.
What's your daily routine?
Wake up - meditate, morning CARs, coffee & walk to work if I have enough time
Morning exercise - yoga / gym-based strength
Work - 1v1 clients & classes
Walk home
Post-client training - rugby / netball
Unwind - 20min stretch & read my book
Bed time (zzz)
As a trainer, how do you balance work and play?
I'm a firm believer in practicing what you preach, so I am definitely a morning person who enjoys early evenings as well. Work and play revolve around my close circle of friends, but that doesn't mean I veer too far away from my regular routine. When it comes to socials, I do have my late nights here and there, but these tend to be once in a blue moon / on occasion only. Apart from that, my playtime comes in the form of the team sport that I still partake it, and in all honesty... going to work for me is already part work, part play, as I am constantly surrounded by such a fun team and environment.
What's a good way to keep your clients motivated in keeping a healthy lifestyle?
1. Accountability: The power is always in their hands. Educate them on choices that they make, rather than tell them what to do. No matter how many tools I might provide to my client, it is up to them to choose what to do with it.
2. Support: Create or join a community and finding likeminded individuals who can support your journey to better health. There is no point continually going to late-night socials that are filled with booze and junk food, just because your friends do so. Suggest alternative social events if the late nights don't support your morning gym routines. Suggest healthier dining establishments for socials based around eating and drinking. Remember, just because they want to drink, doesn't mean you have to! Having the willpower to say no to friends may seem hard at the start, but real friends will ultimately support your goals regardless of what they are :)
3. Routine: Make an effort to understand what their everyday routine is like, and try to add onto that, rather than trying to get them to change everything and go from 0 to 100. It's about taking baby steps to walk in the right direction, rather than going from extreme to extreme. At the end of the day, we are looking for sustainability, so what better way to approach this than working in incremental steps?
What are 3 things you must carry every day?
1. A change of gym clothes
2. My notebook / daily planner
3. Water bottle
What are your go-to secret spots in town?
Cafe:
Kim & Co. Cafe on Hollywood road. Just close enough to the studio and far enough from Central to be able to clear my head or get admin work done, in a cozy environment with great coffee!
Nature:
Upper happy valley ... but I won't disclose where, as it won't be a secret anymore!!
What's your idea of a day well spent?
Waking up with a solid night's sleep, getting my morning exercise & yoga fix, ideally getting my daily dosage of sunshine and spending it outdoors in great company!
What keeps you motivated?
Setting mini goals and keeping an eye on my long term vision board. It is so easy to get caught up in the moment and continue trucking along, falling into the trap of thinking there isn't ever enough time to get X done. Setting small goals and ticking boxes on my to-do list always helps to keep me in check. But most importantly, reminding myself of what makes me happy. And quite frankly, it is as simple as being balanced, carefree & healthy.
Follow Stephanie's daily adventures:
Instagram: @stephcuvelier or @calibratebystephanie
Website: calibratebysteph.com