Day in the Life:
Gina Rodriguez
Gina Rodriguez is most famously known for her role as Jane Villanueva in CW’s “Jane the Virgin”. Before she was Jane, Gina studied at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Since then, her career has flourished as she has been nominated for over 25 awards and won the Golden Globe for Best Actress. Gina loves to share posts on Instagram that show her fitness journey and highlight minorities in the film industry. Although she may appear completely confident in her fitness photo shoots, it wasn’t always easy for Gina to feel confident in her body and accept herself. When Gina was 19, she was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s, an autoimmune disease in which the thyroid is gradually destroyed.
This made it difficult for her to control weight which led to depression and low energy levels. Despite being diagnosed with this invasive disease, Gina has learned what works best for her body in order to be a productive and healthy individual. Today, she is more confident and radiant than ever. She has started her own production company titled, “I Can & I Will Productions” and supported various charities while serving on the Hispanic Scholarship Fund Board of directors. So how does Gina balance all of these things in her life? Let’s take a look at some vital daily tasks in her health and wellness routine!
Prayer & Gratitude at Sunrise
Gina’s morning routine usually consists of three tasks: watching the sunrise, praying, and practicing gratitude. Ideally, she’s awake in time to see the sun come up no matter what time zone she’s in. She says a prayer in the morning and follows it up with her daily mantra that she reminds herself of every day in the mirror, “Today is going to be a great day, I can and I will.” This mantra keeps her mindful of how the energy she gives out every day can help her reach her personal success and happiness. She wraps up her routine by taking a moment to be grateful for the most important people in her life. She says, “Love your family tight today because we are a collection of the beautiful memories they have brought on to us. Whether your family is ordinary, extraordinary, looks different than normal or is normally different.” On top of sharing her gratitude for the people in her life, she loves expressing appreciation to other artists in the film and television industry. She tends to focus on Latinos who have faced adversity yet are successfully breaking through in the media industry. That’s why she takes advantage of her platform to direct the spotlight to minority actresses like Yalitza Aparicio and Lindsay Mendez.
Treat Your Food as Your Daily Fuel
Gina knows that in order to feel strong and productive during the course of her busy schedule she needs to consume lots of protein and vegetables in her diet. “What I’m putting in my body, how I’m taking care of my body is important. It’s my instrument and if I want to be able to continue to do all this work and try to be of service to others, then I need to be as strong as I possibly can be.” Nutrition is a key element in Gina’s life because it fuels her in boxing and acting. Gina’s diet often consists of spinach smoothies or eggs in the morning. Lunch and dinner often consisting of salad with chicken or fish. She loves eating seaweed chicken wraps and other healthy alternatives that do not drag her energy down or make her feel lethargic. While she does focus on eating healthy as often as possible, Gina indulges from time to time while keeping moderation as a priority. She absolutely loves pizza and says you won’t find her saying no to Taco Bell!
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Exercise, Mindfulness, and Self Acceptance
Gina has consistently used boxing to not only strengthen herself physically but mentally as well. She usually boxes every morning around 11 am or in the afternoon around 2 pm. She boxes in order to combat her everyday struggles with acceptance of herself and her body. Through her battle with Hashimoto’s disease, she has learned that health and mental wellness need to be managed daily. Boxing serves as meditation for her and reminds her to stay present. She used an Instagram post of her in boxing gear in order to spread an important message: “Today I tore down insecurity, I tore down that voice that wants to tear me down, I tore down every nasty thing anyone has ever said to me and I turned them into power. I am enough today. Today, Friday the 19th I am right where I need to be.” By reminding herself to appreciate the present moment, she is able to handle her insane schedule and set realistic expectations for herself. She shares, “I’ve got to embrace the fact that when I’m shooting Jane, I can’t work out as much. My body is going to look different, and that’s OK. I’m not willing to wring the joy out of my life to kill myself in the gym.” Whether she’s had a chance to workout every day of the week or hasn’t had the chance to work out at all, Gina practices self-acceptance by appreciating her body and its capabilities.
Daily Rituals: Self-love and Self-care
Gina has shared on Twitter that self-care is essential for happiness. She knows self-love does not begin outwardly but, in fact, inwardly; “I self-love. I turn on my heart and give her all to me. I care for every wound on my body and inside I cradle the wounds unseen.” Through boxing, healthy eating, and listening to her bodies needs Gina is able to practice self-love daily. She has openly accepted and learned methods to manage her anxiety and insecurities. She is quick to open up about her struggles publicly because any tips she puts out on her social media accounts may help someone else in need. “Remember that fear always exist between your two ears. Should someone say something negative to you, remind yourself that ‘hurt people hurt people’ and turn the other cheek. Decide to protect yourself from that demon that wants to drag you down and not enjoy the life and body you have been given.” Balance and healthy daily habits are the keys to Gina’s wellness journey.
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