At first look, 2025 Biogen Face of Health cowl mannequin search winner Jalencke Coetzee’s week seems to be intense: early mornings, hospital shifts, heavy lifting classes, fastidiously ready meals, neighborhood commitments and valuable pockets of relaxation.
However look nearer and a extra insightful sample emerges. Her routine isn’t constructed round perfection. It’s constructed round consistency, restoration, nourishment and function.
Jalencke, a 27-year-old medical physician, sees well being as one thing far deeper than a quantity on the size or a mirrored image within the mirror. For her, health is a way of life properly throughout physique, thoughts and spirit.
“It’s about thriving bodily, mentally and spiritually. I consider in a balanced way of life that values consistency and sustainability over extremes.”
What makes her routine work?
Essentially the most highly effective lesson from Jalencke’s week is that stability doesn’t imply doing much less. It means figuring out what issues, then constructing repeatable habits round it.
Her schedule combines demanding hospital work with structured coaching, sensible vitamin, religion, household time and restoration. That blend provides her routine resilience.
She loves exercise, however she additionally makes room for quiet time, date nights, fellowship, social meals and sleep. Her objective isn’t merely to look match, however to domesticate a life that feels robust, grounded and sustainable.
“For me, it’s about cultivating a physique, thoughts and spirit which might be wholesome and thriving.”
- Meet Jalencke
Occupation: Medical physician
Instagram: @jalencke
Per week in her life
Right here is how Jalencke constructions a full, demanding and deeply intentional week.
Monday: Begin robust, then set the week up
Jalencke begins Monday at 06h00 with espresso, Bible studying and prayer earlier than fuelling up on oats with Biogen Iso-Whey, peanut butter, banana and frozen blueberries.
By 07h30, she is on the hospital for ward rounds, affected person care and greater than 10,000 steps.
Her day is constructed round easy, sensible meals: grilled hen with roasted potatoes and steamed greens, adopted by mince and rice later within the afternoon. At 17h00, she trains glutes and hamstrings with staple actions like squats and deadlifts. The night is for meal prep, dinner and winding down earlier than lights out at 22h00.
Tuesday: Gasoline for a 24-hour shift
Tuesday is a reminder that health has to adapt to actual life. Jalencke begins together with her morning routine earlier than a full 24-hour hospital shift.
Breakfast is her go-to protein oats combo, adopted by a protracted day within the ER with loads of motion and duty.
As a substitute of counting on probability, she packs meals and snacks which might be straightforward to handle throughout a demanding name: a hen wrap with avocado, cottage cheese, cucumber and cherry tomatoes; a Biogen Oats bar; fruit; peanut butter rice desserts; and a hen, candy potato and broccoli dinner. Espresso helps her keep awake, however preparation is what retains the day regular.
Wednesday: Restoration is a part of the plan
After ending her 24-hour shift at 09h00, Jalencke makes restoration the precedence. She heads dwelling, eats a fast brunch of eggs and toast, and catches up on sleep.
This is likely one of the most essential insights from her week: relaxation isn’t a reward for arduous work. It’s what makes arduous work sustainable.
Later, as soon as she has recharged, she eases again into motion with a chest, again, abs and lightweight cardio session. The night brings hen, rice and greens for dinner, then neighborhood time at Homecell earlier than mattress.
Thursday: Self-discipline with room for pleasure
Thursday begins early once more together with her acquainted morning rhythm and protein oats breakfast earlier than ward rounds. Throughout the workday, she retains issues easy with almonds, a mandarin and a tuna salad with recent greens.
At 17h00, she returns to the weights for a quad-focused leg session. However the day isn’t solely about output.
She notices the sundown on the way in which dwelling and ends the night with burgers and candy potato fries on date evening together with her husband. That flexibility is what retains the routine human.
Friday: End the workweek with motion and connection
Friday retains the identical foundations in place: breakfast, hospital rounds, hydration and loads of steps. Lunch is Korean hen with greens, adopted by a Mexican-style mince bowl later within the day.
She trains earlier, specializing in biceps, triceps and abs, then shifts into social mode with sushi and pals.
The takeaway is obvious: a powerful routine doesn’t need to crowd out relationships. It ought to make house for them.
Saturday: Energetic restoration and slower moments
Saturday begins slowly, with espresso in mattress, a protein shake and a banana earlier than Parkrun together with her husband. After that, the tempo softens into breakfast out, a stroll at The Village in Hazelwood, time with household and pals, a noon nap and a nourishing dinner of hen, cauliflower, carrots and potatoes.
The weekend rhythm reveals one other layer of Jalencke’s method: motion might be social, restorative and pleasurable. Not each exercise has to really feel like a check.
Sunday: Reset earlier than the subsequent week
Sunday is her reset day. It begins with espresso and Bible time in mattress, adopted by eggs and toast. Motion stays versatile: biking, stretching, padel or a full health club session, relying on what her physique and schedule want.
A sauna session, grilled hen with steamed greens, grocery procuring, espresso and chocolate croissants at an area café, a stroll, and church and neighborhood time spherical out the week. It’s a reset within the truest sense: bodily, sensible, social and religious.
What readers can study from Jalencke’s week
- Anchor your mornings. Jalencke’s quiet time provides the day route earlier than the calls for start.
- Put together earlier than life will get busy. Meal prep and easy meals selections assist her keep constant throughout hospital shifts.
- Prepare with function. Her exercises are centered, however not extreme, with energy classes balanced by lighter motion and lively restoration.
- Defend restoration. Sleep, slower mornings, sauna classes and naps are handled as a part of the routine, not as afterthoughts.
- Maintain pleasure within the plan. Date nights, sushi with pals, café stops and household time make the approach to life sustainable.
The larger image
Jalencke’s week isn’t spectacular as a result of it’s packed. It’s spectacular as a result of it’s intentional. She proves {that a} wholesome way of life isn’t about chasing extremes or performing wellness for others. It’s about constructing habits that help the life you might be really dwelling.
For anybody attempting to grow to be stronger, more healthy or extra grounded, her instance presents a easy problem: cease asking the best way to do the whole lot completely and begin asking what you are able to do constantly.
Writer: Pedro van Gaalen
When he’s not writing about sport or well being and health, Pedro might be out coaching for his subsequent marathon or ultra-marathon. He’s labored as a health skilled and as a advertising and marketing and comms skilled. He now combines his passions in his function as managing editor at Health journal.
