A Day in the Life of Equinox's Creative Director

What does life look like when you help oversee one of the world’s premier luxury fitness companies? “Busy,” says Liz Nolan, the creative director of Equinox. But that doesn’t mean she neglects her own personal wellness routine. Nolan’s life is all about balance, and given the demands of her day-to-day gig, she’s something of an expert in this area.

Below, she gives us an inside look at a typical day in her life—from her morning rituals to evening guilty pleasures (and everything in between).

6:30 A.M.

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Liz Nolan)

“I’m an early riser and usually beat my alarm. I’m annoyingly perky in the mornings and wake up ready to go. I have a rule not to look at any work emails before 8 a.m., but I’ll do a quick skim of the headlines from The Guardian and BBC.”

6:45 A.M.

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Liz Nolan)

“The first thing I do every day is make an English breakfast tea and turn on the radio. I’ll either tune into NPR or BBC Radio 2 on my internet radio. Breakfast is porridge, fruit, or soft-boiled eggs.

“If it’s a workout morning, I take my amino acid supplement before I eat or drink anything else. Over the past few years, I’ve become a morning workout person, so I’m either training or taking yoga at Equinox. I like to get in four to five workouts a week. I learned yoga at Equinox as a member 15 years ago, and I still think it’s the best teaching you can find anywhere.”

8 A.M.

“For beauty, I am all about skin first. I exfoliate with the life-changing Joanna Vargas Exfoliation Mask ($75), then layer SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic ($166) and finally, La Mer Crème de La Mer ($170). I have extremely pale skin and have worn Clinique Super City Block SPF 40 ($25) on my face every day since I was 15. I don’t wear much makeup, but I never leave the house without Dior Show Iconic Mascara ($30) and a spray of Byredo Mojave Ghost ($150).”

8:30 A.M.

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Liz Nolan)

“I like to be at my desk before 9 a.m. I really enjoy that first quiet hour to catch up on emails and plan my day.

“The workday varies wildly depending on if I’m on set shooting something or in the office having meetings, but I like to stay very connected with my team. We are a fierce and closely connected unit who really take care of each other. We’re also known for our epic karaoke parties.”

1 P.M.

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Liz Nolan)

“Lunch is usually salad. I like to eat what I want on the weekends, so during the week, I’m pretty strict with myself. I try to get through at least two liters of water daily and a few cups of green tea.”

7 P.M.

“I don’t like to eat late, and I eat light in the evenings. I often meal prep on Sunday afternoon. I’ve been vegetarian for 17 years, so I’ll roast up a batch of veggies and eat that through the week. I’d call it ‘assembling’ rather than ‘cooking.’”

8 P.M.

“I like to unwind in front of the TV and catch up on some John Oliver or my guilty pleasure, This Is Us. I can’t help it—I love it!”

10:30 P.M.

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Liz Nolan)

“I’m not much of a night owl—I like to be in bed around 10 p.m., and I always have a stack of books next to me. I’m always concurrently reading a few different things. Right now it’s Celeste Ng’s Little Fires Everywhere ($15), a re-read of The Age of Innocence, and Six Four ($12). We have an Equinox book club amongst a few of us, but I’ve been a bit delinquent on my homework.”

Disclaimer

This article is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to be used in the place of advice of your physician or other medical professionals. You should always consult with your doctor or healthcare provider first with any health-related questions.

Victoria Hoff