8 Classes in 5 Days: A Week in the Life of a Marketing Pro Who Coaches at Solidcore on the Side

Read up on what it takes to fuel a week in the life in this Solidcore instructor food diary. Photograph courtesy Rachel Sandler

Welcome to Sweat Diaries, Be Well Philly’s look at the time, energy, and money people invest in pursuit of a healthy lifestyle in Philly. For each Sweat Diary, we ask one Philadelphian to spend a week tracking everything they eat, all the exercise they get, and the money they spend on both. Want to submit a Sweat Diary? Email ccunningham@phillymag.com with details.

Who I am: Rachel Sandler (@rsandler13), 27, from Montgomery County

What I do: I’m a marketing manager for an intellectual property law firm by day, and a Solidcore coach by night (and occasionally mornings).

What role healthy living plays in my life: “Finding and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is extremely important to me, and the steps I take to achieve a healthy life help me be the best version of myself. I’ve spent some quality time sick and unable to work out, so I appreciate what it’s like to get back on the proverbial fitness horse. I devoted this year to reclaiming my personal strength and it has been really powerful. I don’t personally believe in adhering to a diet based on excluding key ingredients, so I try to consume foods that are nutrient dense the vast majority of the time and avoid overly processed and sugar-laden foods. I’m also fortunate in that I’m not a big fan of alcohol, soda, or cake. However, when I do decide to make a less than nutritious choice, I make sure I’m eating the very best version of that food. Life is too short to ‘waste calories’ on crappy foods! My mantra is always if you’re going to eat the snack or the dessert, make it super rewarding!”

Health memberships: $99 per month for an unlimited membership to RIDE studio in Southampton, PA. The studio offers spin, barre, and TRX, and it’s an amazing deal. I also have a membership to LA Fitness ($35/month).  I also pay for the Aaptiv premium account so that I can pick from workouts on demand ($99/annually) which is ideal for when I walk into the gym and can’t decide what I want to do. I like having someone in my ear pushing me.

Monday

In this Solidcore instructor food diary, you’ll learn what it takes to hustle from a full-time job to the studio. Photograph courtesy Rachel Sandler

4:45 a.m. — Wake up. I never, ever hit the snooze button. Once I’m up, it’s game over for sleep. I get dressed for spin and run out the door to RIDE with a triple draft latte in hand. Lauren is teaching the 5:30 spin today. I sweat out any Monday blues and head home to get ready for work.

6:20 a.m. — Home and getting ready is kind of a mad dash at this point. I’m teaching a 5:30 p.m. Solidcore class tonight, so my bag ends up embarrassingly over-packed for the day. I throw in an apple and a Justin’s almond butter travel pack to take with me for the day as a snack.

7 a.m. — Out the door and driving to the train station. I take SEPTA Regional Rail which means every day is kind of a new adventure.

8:02 a.m. — Arrive at Suburban Station. I usually take the train in with my mom, which is always a nice way to start my day. We stop by Di Bruno Brothers and I get a bagel and cream cheese and a small latte with almond milk. Carbs are important to me in the morning! Mom picks up the tab (thanks, Mom!), and we walk to our respective offices.

11:45 a.m.  — I realize I need to pick up my  Snap Kitchen order for the first half of the week ($41). Meal prep is my weak point. Snap Kitchen’s meal subscription is my savior. Today’s lunch is chimichurri chicken and it’s A++++.

2 p.m. — I’m starving. Thank God for the apple and almond butter in my bag. I wolf the snack down and mull over my sequence for tonight’s class.

5 p.m. — I get changed at the office and speed walk to the Rittenhouse Solidcore studio. Clients trickle in for the 5:30 class and I’m excited.

6:30 p.m. — Class is finished, clients are shook, and I’m en route to my train home. Normally I’d try to take a class before or after my own, but that morning cardio coupled with a long day means I’m in need of some puppy snuggles at home and an early bedtime.

6:35 p.m. — I make it to the train and look over emails on the ride home.

7:22 p.m. — I stop by Be Well Bakery & Cafe on my way home to pick up dinner. I get the Super Salad (copious amounts of kale with chicken) and a Go Green smoothie for an extra dose of veggies. It’s one of my favorites and I could eat it every day ($17.26).

7:55 p.m. — Home and eating my salad while Teddy, my Bernese mountain dog, begs me to share a piece of chicken. I give in. He’s satiated and settles in for snuggles before we go upstairs for sleep.

Daily total: $58.26

Tuesday

A stop at Vernick makes it into this Solidcore instructor food diary. Photograph courtesy Rachel Sandler

5:30 a.m. — No spin this morning since I’m planning on doing Solidcore tonight. I’m up, showered, dressed, and sipping on my coffee while Teddy does his thing in the yard.

7:11 a.m. — On the train into the city. I decide to swing by Vernick Coffee Bar for breakfast. I have the egg and cheese breakfast sandwich ($4.50).

12:30 p.m. — Lunch today is bison quinoa hash from Snap Kitchen.

3:30 p.m. — My Solidcore class tonight is a little later, and I’m feeling the hunger already creep in…snack time is a necessity for me to function well in workouts and class. I head over to Sip-N-Glo for a smoothie and decide on the Goji Glo ($10.60).

4:45 p.m. — I check the schedule and there’s room in Patrice’s 5:30 class in Center City for me to drop in, which means a sprint is in my future. I change and get on my sneakers while closing out a few things and get ready to dash from my office to the studio.

5:19 p.m. — I made it! Patrice is one of my favorite instructors because she is crazy challenging and insanely knowledgeable about the body. I know I’m already grateful to have the break in between this class and my 7:30 to recover because I’ll be 100% certified shook.

6:20 p.m. — Class is done. I am, indeed, shaking. Second-stage muscle failure is no joke and my legs are super wobbly. It’s the best feeling. I drink some water and stretch while waiting for my clients to arrive.

7:30 p.m. — I teach class and it’s a fun mix — some new clients trying it out for the first time and some who have been coming for quite a while.

8:30 p.m. — Class is over, and we close down the studio before heading home. I take an Uber because I didn’t have time to drive in to work and the evening train schedule kind of sucks ($26.81).

9:20 p.m. — Home for puppy snuggles and sleep. Thankful for a good day and seeing so many great people and friends, but very grateful for my bed right now.

Daily total: $41.91

Wednesday

Siggi’s with raspberries is a part of this Solidcore instructor food diary. Photograph courtesy Rachel Sandler.

5:30 a.m. — Rising. Shining. The whole bit. I pack a snack of raspberries and a Perfect Bar. I drink my coffee and Teddy gives me some early morning snuggles.

6:30 a.m. — Off to catch the train and get on with my day.

7:34 a.m. — I get into town. I decide to go to Sip-N-Glo and get the Buzzed smoothie because hi, it has coffee in it. Under normal circumstances, I make sure I don’t drink coffee later than 9 a.m. or else it makes it hard for me to sleep ($10.60).

8:02 a.m. — Settling in at the office, my voice is a little hoarse from coaching. I make myself a (decaf) green tea with a little bit of honey.

11:30 a.m. — I’m shamelessly eating lunch early.  Today it’s chimichurri chicken with vegetables and I’m not disappointed!

1:30 p.m. — The weather isn’t too bad, and I need fresh air and a walk. I decide to take a quick break to pick up a snack on my way. I end up at Snap Kitchen where I decide on the celery, carrot, and hummus snack pack ($2.99). I get back to my office and munch while I work.

6:23 p.m. — I’m finally home after a long day. I’m tired but I get changed for spin anyways. It’s a fusion class tonight: 45 minutes of spin and 15 minutes of abs.

7 p.m. — Spin fusion class at Ride.

8:15 p.m. — Back home from spin and very happy with my choice. It’s 100% true that the only bad workout is the one you don’t do! I shower and snack on some Siggi’s yogurt with raspberries for bed. I’m not overly hungry today so it’s mostly snacks for me. Plus, I’m not a big fan of eating a large meal before I go to sleep.

8:45 p.m. — I decide to tack on a quick yoga class from Aaptiv before bed. I do a quick vinyasa class and then I’m asleep before I know it.

Daily total: $13.59

Thursday

Nothing like cereal for dinner. Photograph courtesy Rachel Sandler

5:30 a.m. — You know the routine. I get ready for work, I pack two changes of clothing and down some coffee. I throw a banana and a nut butter in my bag for later!

7:27 a.m. — I stop by the Suburban Square Di Bruno location for a small almond milk latte and an everything bagel with cream cheese ($5.48).

12:40 p.m. — It’s lunch, and today it’s chicken fried broccoli rice. It’s a personal favorite and tastes like something I could make at home but ten times more delicious.

2:30 p.m. — Snack time. I’m taking the 5:30 p.m. today at Solidcore and teaching the 6:30. This banana and nut butter is very important to me right now.

5:15 p.m. — I do a quick little sprint to the Rittenhouse studio and drop in to class. It’s Patrice again and I kid you not, my legs are 100% done by the end of her class. Hello, hamstrings!

6:20 p.m. — I get ready for my class. Today is a little extra fun because some of my colleagues from the office are coming to take my class. For most of them, it’s their first time. I’m also curious to see how many friends I have after class is done…

7:30 p.m. — I still have friends, I think. They’re just a little stronger/sweatier/shakier than when they walked in!

8:40 p.m. — I’m home and honestly, so tired I just want to fall asleep. I chug a bunch of water and eat a bowl of my favorite cereal (Whole Foods 360 brand protein and fiber mix) with raspberries and almond milk. Shortly thereafter, I pass out for the day.

Daily total: $5.48

Friday

Green smoothies make an appearance in this Solidcore instructor food diary.

4:45 a.m. — TGIF. Starting my day at spin with Katie at RIDE studio. I think cardio is such a mood-elevating workout. Katie’s classes are exactly what the doctor ordered — so much great energy.

6:47 a.m. — I head out to catch a train and do the Friday thing. Triple draft latte in hand, which means I have enough caffeine to pretty much conquer anything. I hope.

7:40 a.m. — I’m in the office, and breakfast today is almond butter pancakes with berry compote from Snap Kitchen. It’s delicious and I have zero regrets. I have a few meetings and calls this morning so it’ll be nonstop until lunch.

1:15 p.m. — Finally lunch. I’m on the verge of hangry so I devour my Snap Kitchen meal. It’s naked beef (lightly seasoned steak) with green beans and cauliflower.

6:22 p.m. — I’m home and it’s the weekend. On my way back from the train station, I stop at Be Well Cafe again and get my Super Salad with chicken and a Go Green smoothie ($17.26). It’s a blessing/curse that the cafe is only 10 minutes from the house. I get home and check my schedule one more time. I have a few classes scheduled (teaching/taking), so for tonight I mostly hang out and relax. Teddy is happy about it too!

Daily total: $17.26

Weekly Totals

Money spent: $136.50

Classes taught: 3

Spin classes taken: 3

Solidcore classes taken: 2

Yoga workouts: 1

Healthy smoothies: 4

Salads: 2

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