As personal trainer to the rich, famous and fabulous Steve Mellor has to keep himself in top condition. On top of a client list that reads like a Who’s Who of London’s finest and fittest, he runs the gym at luxury hotel Claridge’s.
Championing his innovative Freedom2Train method - a grueling combination of HIIT, yoga and CrossFit - day in and day out takes its toll, so Steve is careful to train, eat and recover with particular care.
The early bird gets the abs, and Steve rises at 5.15am, training clients from 6am to 1pm. His first meal of the day is lunch, and he “generally eat[s] a paleo-based diet” of meat, fish, fruit and vegetables.
Even trainers have to take time to train themselves, so after lunch Steve heads to the CrossFit Perpetua gym. For Steve, taking time out to workout is important. It’s his “time to disconnect, unwind and have a bit of therapy, as it were, to finish off the day.”
If you’ve ever done a workout and been unable to walk the next day, you might want to consider your post-exercise recovery plan. Steve stresses “It’s important to look after yourself post-workout” from the moment you leave the gym. “What you can do at home can help you [recover]”. He recommends a hot bath with menthol, epsom salts, or ELEMIS Aching Muscle Super Soak , £36, to help “increase blood flow to your muscles” and relieve any soreness.
Consistency is key when it comes to Steve’s training methods. Rather than shocking the system with a sudden change in diet and exercise, “I try and make sure everyone that I work with never does anything radical.” Instead, he mentors them through a “progressive process” to meet their health goals. As part of a holistic approach he encourages his clients to move towards a diet based on fresh produce - “things that come out of the ground” - and natural nutrition.
For Steve, the most rewarding part of his job is seeing people “go on that fitness journey with you”. “I absolutely love coaching people.”
Steve’s Skincare Top Three:
Elemis Anti-Fatigue Day Cream , £36
Elemis Musclese Active Body Oil , £34
Elemis Instant Refreshing Gel , £31
Created in collaboration with Elemis.
Follow us @getthegloss , Steve @Freedom2Train and India @IndiaBlock .