There’s a good chance you’ve heard of Dogpound, the personal training studio that’s sculpted half of Hollywood from Ashley Graham to the Victoria’s Secret model squad. Sure, it’s a hot spot for celebrity sightings, but it’s the trainers like Julia Brown that have put the studio on the map. 

Brown accredits her healthy lifestyle to one simple rule, “Live a full, healthy, and happy life,” she tells Nutritious Life. “I motivate my clients the same way I motivate myself by setting goals and being my best for them.”

She sits down with Nutritious Life sharing her personal pandemic journey and reveals the tools that have helped her push through—from at-home workouts to her favorite sleep-aiding app. 

How Julia Brown Lives a Nutritious Life

What are some of your tips to stay focused…especially now?  My advice on how to bring focus into your life during this pandemic is to set short and long-term goals. Your short-term goals should cumulatively guide you into your long-term ones. Journal and write about them as if you’ve already achieved them. If you are a visual person, a vision board can help you see what you want to manifest. If routine works for you, create a healthy and consistent schedule for yourself. 

Do you prefer to work out in the morning or evening? Morning. That is when I have the most energy. 

What is your fitness philosophy? Not one body is the same, so do what works best for you. and do it well. 

How often do you exercise, and what’s your workout of choice? I exercise 4 to 5 days a week, mixing strength training, cardio, and HIIT.

How do you motivate yourself (and your clients) to work out? I motivate my clients the same way I motivate myself by setting goals and being my best for them. 

If you had to name your healthy diet, what would you call it? The Thrive Tribe. The goal is to live a full, healthy, and happy life. 

Has it been hard to stay on track with your nutrition while in quarantine? In the beginning, yes, because snacking is one of my weaknesses. When I started to notice how much weight I was gaining, I cut down and got back on track. 

What’s your go-to breakfast? I typically fast in the morning. To break my fast, I’ll have a juice or a smoothie

Your go-to workday lunch? A nice, green, crunchy salad filled with chickpeas, seeds, pickled onions, cucumbers, and olives.

What’s the one food you always have in your fridge? Fruits and vegetables.

What do you eat before and after a workout? It depends on the workout I am doing. Typically,  I’ll keep it light before a workout, unless I plan to lift heavy. Before, I’ll have juice and rice cakes with peanut butter, or slices of apples with peanut butter. Afterwards, I’ll always have a protein shake. 

Your favorite food indulgence?  I absolutely love thin french fries with the perfect amount of crisp, and salt and ketchup on top. 

Other than water, what do you sip regularly? Wine, preferably red. 

What causes you stress? A high volume of work causes me stress. To manage it, I’ll make a list and prioritize what needs to be done first.

How do you pamper yourself when you need it?  I pamper myself by listening to my body and what it wants that day. Pamper days include treating myself to a massage and spending the day by myself, preferably by the ocean.

How do you express and spread love? To me, love is an act of kindness sprinkled with generosity. It’s doing something out of your own willingness with pure intention. It’s putting your all into something and still feeling whole. You can spread love with positive actions and words. 

How have things changed for you since COVID-19 hit? Amidst the pandemic, my physical environment changed. I had to adapt my approach with clients to ensure that they could stay motivated at home and still achieve their fitness objectives. The biggest challenge was that my client interaction was now through a screen! I am a very hands-on trainer, and I found it difficult not to be physical with a client (such as correcting form or even high fives!). With the city shut down, my home became my workspace; and at times, it was hard for me not to be distracted.

Being inside allowed me to reflect more. I took the time to figure out what was working for me and what wasn’t. Did I like routine or flexibility? What emotions was I feeling and why? For me, it has been about digging deep into my issues, tackling them head-on, and finding solutions. COVID-19 has made me appreciate life even more. It has allowed me to see things in a different light. Although we are still in a pandemic, I now choose to see the positive wherever (and whenever) possible. 

What is your evening routine to wind down at the end of the day? I wind down once I’ve completed my work for the day by taking a nice warm shower and doing my nightly facial routine. I crawl in bed with my dog and turn on Insight Timer, my favorite meditation app. I use sound frequencies to fall asleep. Sometimes, I’ll meditate and journal before going to bed, but that doesn’t always happen. 

Bonus Workout

Grab a timer and do each exercise for 30 seconds followed by 15-20 seconds of rest after each exercise.

Complete 3 rounds. 

  1. Pulse squats 
  2. High knees 
  3. Jack knives 
  4. Side lunge 
  5. Push ups 
  6. Spiderman plank 
  7. Mountain climbers 
  8. Burpees 
  9. Shoulder tap plank jacks 

 

(photo credit: Dogpound)

About Ashley Camuso
Camuso works in New York City and lives in the Hudson Valley, indulging in a healthy balance of city subway adventures and quaint country hikes.

WANT A SNEAK PEEK INSIDE THE PROGRAM?

Get FREE access to some of the core training materials that make up our signature program
– Become a Nutrition Coach.

Don’t Miss Out on Living a Nutritious Life

Sign Up for our newsletter!

Nutritious Life Newsletter - articles sidebar

Bioptimizers

WANT TO KNOW THE RIGHT MAGNESIUM SUPPLEMENT FOR YOU?

Magnesium Breakthrough contains all 7 forms of magnesium designed to help calm your mind and help you fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake up refreshed.

For an exclusive offer, go to bioptimizers.com/nlkeri and use promo code NLKERI for 10% off any order.

Interested in joining our wellness community and becoming a Nutritious Life Master Certified Nutrition and Wellness Coach?

Enter your info, get free access now to a sample class!

Inside Articles page - take a free class form

"*" indicates required fields

I agree*
I would like to receive text messages, and agree to the Terms of Service & Privacy Policy. Reply STOP to cancel, HELP for help. Msg & data rates may apply. Msg frequency varies.