Who’s a “Fitness Fashionista”? She’s fit, smart and sassy with a good heart. She’s inherently stylish, whether sporting gym gear or out for a night on the town. Meet her, learn her ways and borrow (steal) her effortless fitness style secrets.
Amanda Griffin Jacob spent her teens and twenties modeling around Asia before breaking into TV. She became one of the TV hosts for “F!” in the Philippines as well as a VJ for Channel [V] International, based in Malaysia. Off camera, she’s had stints as a book publisher, a swimwear boutique owner and an event company owner.
But nothing has been as rewarding and fulfilling as her role as a mom. The busy mother of three is “overwhelmingly thrilled about everything to do with mommyhood — even the challenges!” It’s where she feels “most comfortable and at home.”
What’s her secret to being glamorous and successful? “Living each day meaningfully, honorably and respectfully of everyone and everything around me,” she says. For Jacob, this means living green and eating clean — her family mostly follows a plant-based diet.
When Jacob has time off from working on her latest TV project “Loving Life” and her book Project Mom, she edits her My Glam-O-Mamas website — a perfect outlet for her to combine two of her loves: fashion and being a mother.
Read on to learn how she balances motherhood with career, and healthy living with traveling.
MAYYA Movement: Who or what wakes you up first: the alarm clock or the kids?
Amanda Griffin Jacob: Usually my kids. Either my 5-year-old will stumble into my room at 6am or my 8-month-old daughter will need a feed. And if by some miracle my kids sleep in then my internal body clock wakes me up by 6:30am [at the] latest anyway. I haven’t needed an alarm clock for the last 6 years.
MM: What’s your favorite time to squeeze in a workout?
AGJ: Morning without a doubt. I’m a morning person, it’s the time that I have the most and best-quality energy of my day. Since I’m awake at 6am I usually have time to fit everything in. If I don’t manage to workout before lunch, chances are high that I won’t workout that day because I’m usually wiped out by early evening. I mix up my exercise routine by doing running, yoga (different kinds), and a bootcamp program at home.
MM: What’s your approach to managing your schedule?
AGJ: I live by my planner. I’m totally old school; I don’t use my iPhone calendar. I need to manually write it out (I find this helps me remember my schedule better) and I need to see the day and week laid out in front of me. It’s all about the strategic planning of my day. But I know I have be prepared to adjust and adapt to the different things that crop up during the day.
MM: What’s the single best tip you’d give to someone when it comes to organizing their day?
AGJ: Make a list. Everyone has so much going on in their lives, having a tangible list helps you get it all done.
MM: What’s your advice for staying healthy on-the-go?
AGJ: Plan and pre-prepare [sic]. I always have something healthy in my bag to snack on. I also schedule my exercise time in like any other meeting. I find it’s important to do so, otherwise I won’t end up doing it.
MM: What are the three most essential things you think a woman can do for her beauty?
AGJ: It’s so clichéd but having a positive and happy attitude does wonders for your outer appearance. Stress is a number one factor of aging. Other things include always remembering to moisturize (I love argan oil) and go as natural as you can with your beauty products. All those extra nasties in your beauty products aren’t doing you any favors.
MM: Describe your workout style. Do you think it’s important to look good in your gym gear?
AGJ: I’m totally about comfort, fit and style. Matching isn’t a priority for me, but I do like my workout outfits to be cohesive. It is absolutely important that you feel great in your gym attire because it’s a big motivator to actually get yourself into gear to workout.
MM: What’s your favorite fuel for the day?
AGJ: Either an organic spinach salad with walnuts, organic cucumbers, avocados with dressing or a lentil salad — yum.
MM: How do you motivate yourself when you’re in a slump?
AGJ: Being your own boss comes with perks and pitfalls. Obviously I get to dictate my own hours, which is important to me as the mom of three kids. On the flip side, no one pushes you except yourself so when you do get in a slump it can be quite a challenge to get out of it. When that happens I take a step back and evaluate what’s going on. If I need to I take a break to recharge and get back some inspiration. I’m lucky that my website gives me the option to do this.
MM: What daily healthy practice can’t you live without?
AGJ: Eating raw greens. I need to have some form of them at some point in my day, usually spinach.
Amanda’s picks for looking good on-the-go
1. Lorna Jane gym yoga tank tops: “Love the slogan tees”
2. Nike Air Pegasus Zoom
3. Kleen Kanteen stainless steel bottle: “Great for yoga and running”
4. Tarte Amazonian clay blush: “I use blush to give me some life when I’m feeling pale and run down. No nasties in Tarte”
5. Beyond Yoga Take a Bow legging: “Softest yoga pant ever”
