Lifestyle

Extraordinary Employees: A Day In The Life of Our Creative Director, Michael McGeary

11/10/22
by Liberty Kontranowski

On any given day, you can walk by a Garden of Life team member’s office and see a canister of protein or a bottle of vitamins on their desk. Our remote workforce can often be seen on screen sipping one of our greens drinks or popping one of our many gummies into their mouth. It’s a way of life here, and knowing we’re empowering the extraordinary health of our team makes the work we do that much more personal.

Empowering the Extraordinary Health of Our Creative Director, Michael McGeary

Garden of Life teammate, Michael McGeary, has been with the company for over seven years, and, a little over two years ago, returned to the sport of Jiu-Jitsu. As a Crohn’s Disease warrior, Michael takes his health and wellness very seriously, and has created a daily routine that supports his active lifestyle.

Let’s check in with him to see how he’s empowering his extraordinary health, so he can be his best both at work and in his personal life.

Getting to Know You

What is your role at Garden of Life? What do you do on a daily basis?

I’m the Creative Director here at Garden of Life, which means I oversee the marketing creative on product videos, media ads, and on gardenoflife.com, in addition to in-store point of sale print material and product packaging, from concept through to printing on press.

Are you on any committees at Garden of Life?

I'm on the work-life committee at Garden of Life. We plan out events at the office and work with Human Resources on special areas around the office and for our remote team.

At Garden of Life, our motto is “Empowering Extraordinary Health.” What does “Empowering Extraordinary Health” mean to you?

Empowering Extraordinary Health means having the ability to reach others with knowledge and/or a product that can better someone’s life. If I can reach one person and help them better their life, that means the world to me. I struggled when I was younger until I read an article about Garden of Life and their Primal Defense Probiotic. After that, I began taking probiotics combined with a healthier diet and exercise. The smallest bit of knowledge can make a world of difference when it comes to gut health, and I jump at the opportunity to help others when I can. ^†

What is your sport and why do you love doing it? Tell us all the details!

Jiu-Jitsu is my sport. I've been training for a little over 2 years now and it has become my true passion. I started because I trained a little when I was younger and always wanted to get back to it. I train Jiu-Jitsu 4-5 times a week at Future School of Jiu-Jitsu. I combine that with weight training 3 times a week. Jiu-Jitsu has become a big part of my family. My three kids, Finn (3), Liam (7), and Cadence (11) all share a passion for Jiu-Jitsu with me.

How do you prepare for Jiu-Jitsu?

To prepare for an event, I try to squeeze in any additional Jiu-Jitsu classes I can. Having 1:1 classes with my professor helps me to go over game plans and get my mind focused.

I also make sure I stick to my daily Garden of Life supplement regimen of probiotics, multivitamins, and protein. As the event gets closer, I need to make sure I make weight, so I adjust my food intake accordingly. Portion control is key, especially when you love to go for second helpings.

What are 3 non-negotiables for living a Jiu-Jitsu lifestyle?

Creating your own motivation. Even when you don’t feel like training, you need to show up for your sport and yourself. Mat time is key — the mats don’t lie.
Staying committed to a healthy lifestyle. Eating clean is a top priority, as is staying consistent with a supplement routine.
Keeping an open mind that there’s always something new to learn.

Any events you’re prepping for?

Pan IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2023, Mar 21 - Mar 26

Any accomplishments/wins to share?

My first Jiu-Jitsu competition, IBJJF, I took home silver. Promoted to blue belt in August.

A Day in the Life

How do you kick off your day? Are you a morning person or a night owl? What do you do for breakfast, and what does your morning routine look like?

I'm definitely a morning person. I start my day off with a healthy breakfast and a GoL SPORT Chocolate Protein shake. My morning routine usually consists of getting my kids ready for school and taking my dogs for a walk.

How about lunchtime? What does that look like for you?

At lunch, the majority of the time I eat at my desk. Usually, a deli sandwich on whole wheat accompanied by a GoL SPORT Protein shake.

How do you spend your evenings?

Training Jiu-Jitsu and family time.

And how do you close your day? Any special nighttime routine?

I close out my day by putting the kids to bed and relaxing watching one of my favorite TV shows.

How do you get your movement in each day?

In the morning, as a parent, I'm on the move right away, getting my kids ready for school. I try to squeeze some stretching in, in between that. After work and school, my kids and I head to Jiu-Jitsu. This is a daily ritual and on my off days of Jiu-Jitsu, I'm weightlifting in my garage gym.

Living in Florida, I'm also a big fan of being outside. When time allows, I like to go scuba diving.

How do you fill your creative bucket?

My job itself is all about creativity, so this bucket likes to be full from work. But I also love to draw. On occasion, I'll create a mural or portrait. My favorite medium is charcoal pastel.