Kevin Teixeira is the cofounder and manager of The Warehouse Gym in Umm Suqeim, Dubai, which opens later this month. The Briton, 31, has lived in the UAE for five years and worked in the fitness industry for more than 10.
6am
I wake early and have a black coffee and protein shake straight away. Then I'm in work before 8am and hit the emails and update the gym's social media websites. Our Facebook page has over 3,500 likes so you can imagine the amount of time spent answering questions as well as updating pictures of the gym's progress. Building work started last October and in December two British graffiti artists flew out to spray the walls with street-art. We wanted to create a motivating atmosphere that is raw, strong, funky and has an urban feel. It's very much an old-school gym because we want to attract clients that are serious and passionate about training and results.
8.30am
I train some private clients. Although I'm busy setting up the gym, I still have some clients I've worked with for a long time. They have been the guinea pigs for the gym, helping me test the equipment and set up; I've taken on board their ideas and working with them has helped us create the right gym experience for the discerning gym-goer.
9.30am
I head out to breakfast to places such as More Cafe or Jones the Grocer. I order a carrot juice, black coffee and a five-egg Spanish omelette with no cheese. I try to eliminate bread and dairy from my diet - bread because it contains gluten, which doesn't work well for me, and dairy because it aggravates my skin, causing outbreaks and dryness. Some people worry about eating so many eggs, but they don't affect cholesterol as many once thought and I need to keep my energy up as it can get too busy to have lunch.
11am
I check on progress at the gym, working with the engineers, putting together equipment and manoeuvring things into place. It's really interesting to see how it's taking shape, particularly as I spent so long sourcing the equipment from the UK and the US. As we are located on a busy street, people appear at the door, wondering when the gym is opening and what it will be like. I am also doing private tours for clients and business partners including suppliers of the supplements and accessories we plan to sell.
2pm
I try to fit in a workout. I've been in the gym scene for over 10 years, working my way up from personal trainer to manager. My workout depends on which cycle of training I'm in, but it's always based around free weights with a different emphasis on strength, conditioning or volume. But my workout isn't for me any more, it's for my clients. I can't expect a client who's tired after a long day at work to push through if I'm not doing the same. I've got to work out because it's my job.
3pm
My afternoons are filled with meetings and interviews. I've spent a lot of time recruiting the best trainers possible.
8pm
With the gym opening soon, I get home late to my apartment in Dubai Marina. It's tiring and it's taken us over a year to get to where we are, so the hard work is finally paying off. My evening routine involves showering and ordering food in. You always hear personal trainers saying you must prepare your own food, but a lot of my clients have senior jobs and I understand how busy life gets. The last thing I want to do at the end of a long day is cook. I've found two places that deliver "clean" food - not fried, processed or covered in sauces. I'll eat grilled chicken, meat or fish with salad. I spend the rest of the evening reading a book or updating my knowledge of the fitness industry. Like any industry, trends come and go and fitness is undergoing big changes at the moment. Today, gyms are more theme-based and offer more functional training, involving free weights and high-intensity workouts - hopefully we are at the forefront of that.
11pm
I go to bed. I'd like to have eight hours' sleep but sometimes I find myself thinking about the gym. The next minute I'll be up, writing down my thoughts so that I get on to it the next day.
