Health

What a Former Redskins Cheerleader and DC Fitness Trainer Eats in a Day

As a former Redskins cheerleader and fitness trainer at West End’s high intensity interval training gym, Blast, Christa Aiken (a.k.a. DC Fit Chick) keeps to a pretty active schedule. For her, staying fueled involves plenty of protein and water. Take a peek below at her diet on a day that started with teaching two classes and ended with another class followed by her own personal workout.

Breakfast

All photographs courtesy Christa Aiken.

“Mondays my day starts super early at 5 AM to teach a 6 AM and 7:15 AM class at BLAST DC in Georgetown. I usually don’t have time to eat beforehand, but sometimes I like to grab just a bar and maybe have it right before or after I teach,” says Aiken. “On this Monday I’ve been trying out the Quest Nutrition’s cereal bars which are amazing!”

Tea Break


“Usually I bring my own chai tea, but since it was such an early start, I went to Starbucks and bought a chai tea with a shot of espresso with coconut milk,” says Aiken. “If you know me, you know I drink a ton of water so I’m refilling my water bottle throughout the day.”

Lunch

“I recently found the Blu Cafe (which is connected to the Ritz Carlton on M Street), and I absolutely love it! Great prices for fresh, healthy food!” says Aiken. “I went there for lunch got salmon, wild rice, and a turkey and quinoa meatball.”

Dinner

“I had another class to teach in the evening and then stuck around to get my own work out in! I was pretty hungry for some protein and nutrient-dense food!” says Aiken. “Mighty Meals, which is a meal delivery service in DC and Virginia, is one my favorite go-tos to order my meals from so I had some in my fridge when I got home that night. This one is called [Steak ‘N Gainz] and it had steak, mushrooms, and more rice. This was such a long and active day I ate a little bit more carbs and proteins than I would on a day where I was not teaching as much or working out as hard.”

Have a Food Diary you’d like to share? Email ccunningham@washingtonian.com.

Consult with your doctor before beginning a new diet. Washingtonian does not endorse any diet without the supervision of a medical professional. 

Associate Editor

Caroline Cunningham joined Washingtonian in 2014 after moving to the DC area from Cincinnati, where she interned and freelanced for Cincinnati Magazine and worked in content marketing. She currently resides in College Park.