Fitness instructor, writer, editor, founder of her own company… it’s safe to say, there’s nothing India Bailey can’t do.

Hailing from Vancouver, Canada, and growing up in Mexico, India grew up playing basketball, football, field hockey and volleyball. A pioneer of mindful fitness, today she teaches a range of classes from spin to Versaclimb, as well as being a writer and wellness editor for CircleZeroEight. And if that wasn’t impressive enough? She’s just launched her own company, Go Play Collective, an events collective that celebrates art, creativity and movement in all its forms.

To celebrate the launch of lululemon at FLANNELS, India took us on a day in her life with the fitness brand. From morning meditation to her daily mantra and how exercise fuels her creativity, it’s time to get to know India.

The first thing I do when I wake up is…

… lie there for five to ten minutes pretending it’s not five in the morning. During the week, I get up really early because most of my classes are round seven in the morning, so that’s a bit of a struggle.

I do meditation in the mornings...

… wherever I can give up 20 minutes without sacrificing too much sleep.

I think of every day as a blank canvas.

I have this fire to seize every day and make the best of every day as much as possible. It’s a new opportunity to do something different, step into fears or meet somebody new.

I’m inspired by women that are trailblazers…

… that are changing the game, that are outspoken, that use their voice for the greater good.

In the fitness industry I’m inspired by…

… Joe Holder. (GQ’s wellness columnist, founder of System of Service, a community and social club, and a health and wellness consultant). He really knows his stuff. I love his vibe and approach to fitness, sport and life; the way he articulates his learnings and knowledge is unparalleled… He always keeps it real. I’m also inspired by athletes. I admire grit, ardour and dedication to the sport or teammates. Some of the athletes I have spoken to or interviewed have some of the strongest mindsets I’ve ever come across.

When I have a slow morning…

… I like to make the most of it by doing journaling. I do the Miracle Morning; it’s changed the game for a lot of founders and people starting businesses. It’s five to ten minutes of journaling, five to ten minutes of meditation, five to ten minutes of mobility and then setting out intentions for your day. It helps guide you.

I love breakfast.

I feel like sleeping is a time machine to breakfast. I usually have some really great bread with nut butter, berries and Greek yoghurt. I’ve also been trying these live bacteria, which resets your gut. We don’t realise how much your digestive health impacts the rest of your health, so I try to incorporate that.

I have my best ideas at inconvenient times.

When I’m in the shower or it’s three in the morning, it’s at times where I can’t do much about it. I try as much as I can to write things down and come back to it. I think when I’m around people that inspire me, that have done things that are different, raw and unique, that fuels me.

When I’m on the go, I get a good podcast in.

I listen to The Guilty Feminist, T_he Huberman Lab_, On Purpose, The Diary Of A CEO and How I Built This is really great.

My classes are usually in the mornings.

They’re really high intensity. I do Versaclimb and it’s intense. That’s kind of my cardio and conditioning done for the week to be honest.

I’m open to different kinds of training.

I’m quite exploratory. I’ll get on board for something, say it’s Pilates or running, and really give it the respect that it deserves.

I just ran the Hackney Half Marathon.

Everyone was out supporting and there’s really a feeling like no other when everyone in the community is out and cheering you on and taking that time out of their day to support.

Everybody feels good in lululemon.

In terms of activewear, I look for functionality, style, and comfort. And lululemon really does that. I love their ethos, they’re so authentic; they really eat, live, and breathe their brand mission. It’s always flattering, and I think it really supports women in all shapes.

Music is a non-negotiable for me.

It’s always playing through my ears. There are certain types of music I can play in my classes, at my Versaclimb classes or strength and conditioning classes, it needs to be very high tempo, certain BPMs that I have to work with. In those classes I do house music, deep house with pretty euphoric vocals. In my spare time I listen to hip hop, afro beats and I listen to Latin music. I grew up in Mexico so, Mexican energy and Latin energy is definitely woven into my music taste.

I just got a controller because I’m finishing my DJ course.

Like on and off the court. I’m always in leggings and activewear, then I try to express myself as much as possible the clothing I wear. My vibe changes but I try to keep it street mixed with some classic pieces.

My style is classic court chic.

Like on and off the court. I’m always in leggings and activewear, then I try to express myself as much as possible the clothing I wear. My vibe changes but I try to keep it street mixed with some classic pieces.

The best part of my job is being able to flex between one thing and another.

I’ve got this eco-system that I built that keeps things interesting, and no day is the same. I get excited by new projects, new opportunity and new ideas. I don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow or next week and I kind of love that. I just trust myself with what comes my way.

I’m actually starting a business of my own.

It’s just come to fruition recently and the first to events are locked and loaded. It’s happening. I’m not going back. It’s called Play Events. Play is, in essence, allowing yourself to play with your body with almost a childlike sense of movement and connection. Each event is rooted in movement, but it also has creative elements to it. So, it could be a musical showcase, an art exhibition, spoken word or poetry.

Everybody submits three words on why they love running or why they love London and then we go on a 5K guided run, a really special trail.

We come back to the studio and then a poet will have created a poem based on everybody’s submissions. It’s like a community poem that everybody can have a printout of afterwards. Every artist that we work with will then be on the website so you can go and purchase their work. It’s a platform for them to support. We’ll have drinks and music after. Each event is going to be modelled around movement and creativity.

I have a deep sense of trust in myself.

When fear calls me, I just jump in. I try to jump into things and hope I swim.

Exercise is my therapy.

I have ADHD and I think exercise centres me. It’s the only time and place where I feel truly present with my body, with myself and with my surroundings. It’s a safe haven for me, but it also makes me feel very human. Being able to use my body, being able to discover aspects of myself through movement and exercise, that’s something I’m passionate about sharing with the community, about promoting as much as possible. I’m passionate about getting people into classes. I think everybody needs to move their bodies a little bit more, and it is a gift. I try to use it as much as possible.

I picked up running recently.

I understand when people say you get the runners’ bug, it’s like a runners’ high, when you reach that threshold, and you push yourself further than you think you could. Chasing that feeling is a real thing.

Exercise allows me to exist in what I write about.

Often, there might be writers that write about exercise or wellness, I’m an athlete turned coach, so I’m in that world and it feels really natural for me to explore that. Working with CircleZeroEight allows me to open up different doors and explore different avenues.

I feel great after working out.

You have the endorphins; you get the dopamine hit. It feels great, you feel energised, I feel lighter, I feel more like myself. I tend to want to connect with people more after I work out. Exercise rips off a few layers, it makes me vulnerable but open at the same time.

My salads are bomb.

My signature one is a mix of spinach, romaine, a little bit of iceberg lettuce and then I bake some sweet potato with halloumi, avocado and then fried corn on top. And I’m really good at guacamole.

In the evenings I love a bath.

I’m a bath person, I love putting magnesium flakes in there which really calms your muscles and gets you ready for sleep. I journal when I can and then always a book before bed.

I’m in a book club, so I’m actively reading different books.

It’s really nice to constantly be put in front of different novels and new authors. The last one I read was Kindred by Octavia Butler and the next one I’m reading is The Idiot by Elif Batuman.

The best part of my day is…

... bed. When I get to sleep, when I get to catch up on some much-needed rest. Honestly, taking a moment to relax… I think relaxation is overlooked by many people in the fitness industry. I feel like oftentimes we forgot how much our body does for us. It’s about giving back to our bodies.