IFBB professional bodybuilder and personal trainer, George Brown, walks us through his fitness routine, motivation strategies and the fuel he reaches for along the way. Scroll on to see what he has to say to get inspired to take your own regime to the next level.
Lively: We're happy to have you with us, George! Can you start by telling us what a day in the life of a professional bodybuilder typically looks like?
George Brown: A day in the life of a bodybuilder typically starts out with fasted cardio. It’s a structured day. You have a set amount of meals that you eat every 2 to 3 hours. Then you have either 1 to 2 workouts depending on if you’re getting ready for a show or not. So whatever combination works for you, you’re pretty much going to have those things involved in a typical day.
L: How are you staying dialed into your fitness goals without access to gyms? Are there any regimens/programs, in particular, you like to follow?
GB: I am fortunate enough to have access to a facility to use during the quarantine. When I don’t, I have many cardio programs that I can use from an app called Cardio Boss (you can download it on Apple). My main focus during quarantine has been to stay active because I believe as long as I stay on my diet and eat correctly, I will come out okay.
L: Without any shows on the calendar (in the near future!) to prep for, how do you stay motivated and on your A-game?
GB: How I stay motivated without any shows on the schedule is still looking forward to those shows being on the schedule. I know that this [quarantine] will come to an end and so other people's mentality will fall during this time where you just have idle time. I took the approach of attacking this. So when everyone was on pause, I will get ahead and I believe I succeeded with that.
L: Let's talk about food. What do you eat to optimize your performance? In terms of meal prep, are there any recipes you lean on?
GB: As far as diet, I get all of my food from Icon Meals. They have a wide selection of lifestyle meals, but they also have meals that I can get a customized so I can stay perfect on my diet to prep for shows. My go-to is their turkey and rice, it tastes amazing. You can use my code [King George] and check it out for a discount!
L: How has Vital Proteins® come along with you on your bodybuilding journey? Which products are your go-to's?
GB: Vital Proteins has definitely come along with me on my journey. I wasn’t educated on the benefits of collagen before [using it] but now it worked its magic... the ultimate benefit is that I can train like an athlete again because of joint support** from the blue cap flavorless collagen [Collagen Peptides]... that’s clearly my go-to! Also, I always tell people it’s a two-for-one when you get Vital Performance™ products - I love the PRE. You get all the benefits from collagen, but you also get the EAA and the BCAA benefits as well.
L: Lastly, for any aspiring bodybuilders out there, do you have any words of wisdom to share with them, especially during this difficult time?
GB: Words of wisdom that I will have for up-and-coming competitors are, first things first, always believe in yourself more than anything. Another thing is to work hard but don’t forget to work smart. Take the good with the bad but always remember you’re going to get where you want to go as long as you believe, as long as you put the work in! I think that’s all you need. Long live the king!
