A Day in the Life: Gracie Gold

Gracie Gold photo via Shutterstock

Ever wondered how people who eat, sleep, and breathe health spend their days? We did. So in this series, we’ll take you behind the scenes and show you a day in the life.

Gracie Gold, Olympic Figure Skater

If you were to ask Gracie Gold what she’s doing at any given moment, chances are, it’d be working out. The Olympic figure skater spends roughly 20 hours per week at the rink, and still manages to hit up hot yoga, barre, and SoulCycle classes during her free time.

“I love to keep it interesting and I always listen to my body,” she says. “It will tell me if I can push myself more, or if I need to take a break.”

The Newton native, 20, is decidedly not taking a break right now. She’ll be in town for the ISU World Figure Skating Championships from March 28 through April 3, vying to again win a medal that matches her name.

We caught up with Gold before the competition, to get a glimpse of a day in her life:

7:45 a.m.: Thanks to a mid-morning ice time, Gold is able to avoid crack-of-dawn wake-up calls. “Sometimes I pop up around 6:30 or 7 a.m. if I’m ambitious enough for some morning cardio before skating,” she says.

Breakfast: Oatmeal with cashew milk. She uses pumpkin pie spice or powdered peanut butter for flavor. Coffee is also a constant.

9:45 a.m.: Arrive at the rink. She skates for three to four hours each week day, and two hours on Sundays. “I have a lesson with my main coach, Frank Carroll, every day,” she says. “Twice a week, I work with a secondary coach on specific jumps, edges, and triple axels in off season.”

Lunch: Gold eats lunch between skating sessions. Today, it’s a veggie and egg white scramble. “I hit the local farmers’ markets once or twice a week and pick up what looks good to add variety,” she says.

2:30 p.m.: Practice done, Gold leaves the rink for the day.

Afternoon: For downtime, Gold enjoys going to the movies, hiking, shopping, or relaxing by the beach in her adopted hometown of Los Angeles.

Dinner: Tonight, it’s a grilled tilapia fillet with mashed cauliflower, mixed with Greek yogurt and dill. For dessert, she has a concoction of her own making: a mix of Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, raspberries, and Truvia. “I do have a sweet tooth, so I’ve been experimenting with healthier options that still satisfy,” she says.

10 p.m.: After a long day, it’s time for bed.