A former stylist for fashion ad campaigns with a degree in holistic nutrition, Vanessa Packer, 30, is quickly making a name for herself as a key player in the wellness world, thanks to her chic lifestyle site, Bonberi.com, which she started with writer Nicole Berrie. This year, she teamed up with trainer Justin Gelband—the man responsible for keeping models like Anne Vyalitsyna and Candice Swanepoel toned—to open fitness studio ModelFit in New York. Her health philosophy blends New Age thought with science: She favors the eat-right-for-your-blood-type program developed at Dr. Peter D'Adamo's facility in Connecticut. "It's fascinating that each of us has this lineage and history built into our blood that has evolved since the beginning of time. I've seen quite a difference in the way I look and feel!" Here, she describes a typical day.
6:15 A.M: I shower and finish with a cold rinse, which is good for the lymphatic system. Then I have warm water with lemon—sometimes I'll add turmeric and cayenne. It wakes up my digestive system and gives me energy.
7:15 A.M: People are surprised that I'm not in workout clothes all the time. I usually wear jeans and boots with my crystal necklaces. I went to school in Colorado and got into shaman-type stuff—astrology, tarot cards, Mother Nature, crystals. I still wear the crystals because I feel like they mellow me. My mom used to say, "Don't sweat the small stuff."
7:30 A.M: I'm not a breakfast-when-I first-wake-up kind of person. I like to let my body slowly wake by drinking a lot of water, and then I make chai or green tea (Harney & Sons and Yogi teas are my favorites) and take that on my 10-minute walk to work. Sometimes in the summer I'll stop for iced coffee because I really like it.
8 A.M.: I always light Diptyque candles (they're a major weakness for me) when I get to the studio. Our signature scent is the Baies one, which clients love because it's so fresh. Then it's time for work. My job is running the business and making sure it's a welcoming space with great vibes.
11 A.M.: I start wanting something to eat. Usually I'll do a smoothie with romaine, celery, kale or spinach, pear, apple, banana, water, lemon, and herbs. I like to chew my smoothies. My healer, Gil Jacobs, told me that it gets the enzymes going in the mouth, which helps with digestion.
2 P.M.: If I don't have a meeting, I go home for lunch. It's typically a big salad with grains or salmon and a bowl of fruit. I feel best when I eat the proper food combination, so I avoid starches with protein because that impedes my digestion. My diet is 90 percent healthy. It's not like it's a conscious decision; I just crave vegetables and grains.
5 P.M.: I normally have an afternoon snack. I was raised macrobiotic, so I always had an appreciation for food and quality ingredients but we were never allowed processed things. So now banana-almond smoothies are my junk food, basically.
6:30 P.M.: I try to take the last class of the day four or five times a week. And I do hot yoga when I can. Whatever it is, I want to sweat—but I'm not really into the boot-camp style. For some people, that works, but it just doesn't feel right for me. I think when you're in touch with your body, you intuitively know what works for you. I also love to run outside and be in nature. Humans were born to run. It's the right movement for us.
9:30 P.M.: Most of the time, I lean toward the vegetarian realm if we have dinner at home. But I do like fish, and sometimes lamb—never chicken. I think of my body as a bar graph I've been adding to my whole life, and in the chicken bar, I'm full—I don't need any more chicken in my life.
10 P.M.: I'm really into baths—I remember reading in an article that Tom Ford takes like five baths a day, and I totally feel him. I get so much done in the tub: I make phone calls or read magazines and books. I don't just sit and soak. I also like to have an herbal tea, like ginger or mint.
My one thing: "I always try to close my eyes for 10 minutes after lunch; it makes a huge difference. It's such a refresher, especially because I interact with people all day. It can't be more than 20 minutes or you go into a deep sleep and come out more tired."
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Image by Adam Kremer
