As a SoulCycle instructor, Kate Champagne gets in a lot of exercise. Teaching over a dozen classes a week, she’s constantly on the go. For that reason, she knows it’s important to keep her body fueled.
“When you sweat as much as I do (usually about 14 classes a week), eating and hydrating is as much a part of the job as the workout itself,” says Champagne. “My general food philosophy is ‘moderation not elimination.’ I love eating out in DC and don’t believe in depriving oneself of the things you enjoy. That being said, my physically demanding schedule requires a lot of attention to nutrition, so I try to be mindful and give my body what it needs to stay strong and energized.”
To she how she does it, here’s a peek at Champagne’s six-meal schedule on a day she’s leading three SoulCycle classes.
First Breakfast – 5 AM
“On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I teach a 6 AM and 8 AM class, which means two breakfasts.
I get up and eat a small bowl of Special K vanilla almond cereal, organic 2% milk and half a banana, and a cup of coffee (usually Starbucks brand in my Kurig),” says Champagne. “This works for me because it’s light and give me a little bit of sugar and caffeine for energy and a light dose of protein potassium, which my muscles will need for recovery. I drink a bottle of SmartWater during class number one and a second one when class is over to which I add an electrolyte powder (BCAAs with Glutamine) to aid in muscle recovery.”
Second Breakfast – 7:15 AM
“I leave SoulCycle MTVN for my 8 AM at SoulCycle GTWN and have a snack (today it’s avocado toast, but sometimes it’s a croissant from Paul—I have a weakness!) before my 8 AM,” says Champagne.
Morning Snack – 9 AM
“After class I get the Peanut Blast protein smoothie from Southblock YUM! It’s almond milk, bananas, peanut butter and 20g of whey protein. I spot friends from Lululemon Georgetown who have just taken class and order a green matcha creation at Grace Street Coffee and stay to chat,” says Champagne. “After a full morning of classes, I head home to answer emails, catch up on social media, do some stretching and foam rolling and take a nap.”
Lunch
“When I’m up from my nap (I aim for two hours on days where I teach three classes, like today), I eat lunch,” says Champagne. “Today it’s my riff on a quesadilla. Inside the wrap is two eggs, homemade artichoke mash, scallions, crushed red pepper and a little bit of Colby Jack cheese to make it melty and delicious.”
Afternoon Snack – 4:30 PM
“I work on playlists for the evening and next morning and catch on personal odds and ends (i.e., heaps of sweaty laundry!) and reach for a snack about an hour before I leave to teach my last class of the day, which is at 6:30 PM,” says Champagne. “Fage 2% yogurt is a go-to because it’s high in protein and great for digestion. The acai bowl (like this one from South Block) is another great snack option.”
Dinner – 8 PM
“After class number three, I’m starving and can’t wait to get home to eat, take an Epsom salt bath and Netflix!” says Champagne. “I have two more classes tomorrow and a training session, so a balanced meal of lean protein, fiber, and some slow burning carbs is what’s for dinner. I’ll make whole wheat pasta and sauté together in a pan with a little olive oil chicken sausage with roasted red peppers, organic baby portabella mushrooms and toss it all together with a little Rao’s marinara sauce. (Salmon greens and lentils is another quick and easy dinner fave.) And I pour myself a glass of wine. After all, my middle name is Champagne.”
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Consult with your doctor before beginning a new diet. Washingtonian does not endorse any diet without the supervision of a medical professional.
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.
