Diary of a fitness model: Ryann Fraser

Having competed in two Ironman Triathlons, Ryann Fraser obviously does more than model fitness. "When your lifestyle involves staying fit and being healthy, fitness modeling fits into it naturally, and you don’t have to change much," says the recent NYU grad who lives on a rotating schedule of cycling, yoga, Pilates, running, swimming, surfing, stand up paddle boarding and skiing. "I don’t want to perpetuate a false image — of course there are some sacrifices that need to be made — but I’m an athlete and modeling just happens to be another result of training. I don’t train to model. I model because I train." Here, three days in the life:

Monday
8:30 am:
"I wake up and go for Udi’s gluten free Millet-Chia toast with peanut butter and jam, a cup of black tea, and a clementine. I have celiac disease so I am completely gluten free, but that doesn’t stop me from eating carbs, and I generally like eating them in the morning."

9:30-11 am:
"At Equinox Soho I warm up with 30 minutes of cycling on the bike and then head to a Pilates class. Pilates is new for me and has completely changed my core. It's my newfound love because it's both challenging and balancing."

11:20 am:
"Because I’m on the go, I have to eat bars all the time. It used to be a challenge finding a good gluten free one, but now I eat Think Thin bars throughout the day. I also drink tons of coffee!"

11:45 am:
"I'm at a casting for a phone commercial near NYU, and I'm asked to dance in front of the camera. I pull out some of my favorite dance moves from Slumdog Millionare..."

5:00 pm:
"I down a mixed greens juice from Liquiteria on the way to the subway. I’m addicted to their juices."

5:30 pm:
"I have a go-see — a pretty basic 5-minute meeting with the bookings editor at a women’s fitness magazine. She takes a few pictures of me in shorts and a sports bra, I demonstrate a few moves like push-ups and a plank, and then I’m on my way home."

7:00pm:
"Dinner in the East Village: quinoa salad with butternut squash, kale and toasted pumpkin seeds."

8:30 pm:
"I head home for tea, a bite of chocolate and clementines (for a sugar addict like I am, they are a great sweet to have)."

Tuesday
7:00 am:
"I have coconut milk yogurt with gluten free granola and coffee for breakfast. In general, I try to limit dairy because I feel better that way. I eat to be healthy and feel good; modeling does not influence my diet unless it is a dinner before a shoot, in which case I just avoid dessert!"

8:00-10:00am:
"I go to physical therapy to keep my body healthy, working and strong."

10:00 am:
"I walk from PT to the Wilhelmina offices, which is nearly 30 blocks, and I eat a Luna Protein bar on the way."

12:30pm:
"Lunch with my friend: spinach salad with grilled chicken and a lemon olive oil dressing and coffee."

6:30 PM:
"Pilates at Equinox with Sasha — she is such an awesome instructor."

8:00 pm:
"I have dinner at Angelica Kitchen in the East Village: Dragon Bowl with tofu, vegetables, beans and rice."

Wednesday Shoot Day
7:00 am:
"I wake up and shower (for shoots, they prefer you to arrive with absolutely no makeup on and clean hair). I eat a bowl of gluten free oatmeal and head to the studio."

8:00 am:
"During hair and makeup, I have some coffee and some fruit at the studio."

9:30 am:
"We start shooting a 6-move workout, and I have to go through each workout move not only with perfect form, but also with a perfect easy smile on my face. We're shooting this for an interactive iPad app, so for each exercise, the camera is flashing for about 30 seconds. We shoot each from a few different angles too. There was a lot of sweat involved, and I know I'll be very sore tomorrow."