Health Update: Silicon Valley’s Top Wellness Experts Share 2026 Rituals – What Experts Say

Wake-Up Time

6 a.m.

Diet

Mediterranean

Doppelganger

Tiffani Amber Thiessen

Nemesis

Face oils and stress (taking on too much)

Escape

Point Reyes

Weakness

Chivalry or apple pie a la mode

Uniform

White tee, jeans and Air Jordans or Birkenstocks

Hotel

Bel Air Hotel or Kona Village Rosewood

Workout

JCCSF Gym, Yoga Flow or Marin Headlands hike

Last Meal

Zuni Cafe roast chicken and shoestring fries

Supplements

Pure encapsulations of magnesium glycinate and vitamin D

Wellness App

Peloton app

Workout Shoes

Asics Gel Kayano

Workout Outfit

Spiritual Gangster sets

Workout Playlist

Soundcloud DJ sets

Workout Buddy

AirPods

Best Advice

Be of service.

Mantra

Leave things better than you found them.

Streaming Now

Emily in Paris

Dinner

Sausalito Driver’s Market takeout

Soulmate

Still looking

Bedtime

10 p.m.

On My Nightstand

Journal

Glasses

YSL Sunglasses

Theme Song to Your Life

“Don’t Stop Believing”

JAIME DIAZ

Founder, The Collective Studios
collectivestudiossf.com, @jaimediazfiitness

Last summer, former professional ballet dancer Jaime Diaz opened The Collective Studios in San Francisco’s NoPa district. Part gym, part dance studio, The Collective Studios celebrates movement in all its forms, offering a welcoming and inclusive environment. Diaz teaches dance classes and personally trains individuals of all ages and skill levels. He believes there’s “no secret to wellness—just consistency” and focuses on the three Cs: community, creativity and connection. “I’m most looking forward to continuing to grow our community in 2026 by expanding our fitness and dance offerings and creating more opportunities for people to work toward their individual fitness and wellness goals together,” he says.

Breakfast

One cup egg whites with three whole eggs, blueberries, raspberries and sourdough toast

Wake-Up Time

5:30 a.m.

Diet

Focus on high-protein and whole foods.

Doppelganger

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Nemesis

Entitlement and laziness

Escape

Watching my nephew play soccer

Hotel

Zadun Los Cabos, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve

Workout

Heavy lifting

Last Meal

Black beans, rice, shredded meat, plantains and pistachio ice cream

Supplements

Creatine, protein powder, multivitamin

Wellness App

My Fitness Pal

Mentor

Felipe Diaz

Workout Outfit

Sleeveless top, Nike shorts, Nike shoes

Workout Playlist

Justin Timberlake, Coldplay, Maluma

Workout Buddy

Carrie Kaufman and Tony Abello

Best Advice

Don’t be lazy; you get out what you put in.

Philanthropy

Mentorship programs for young dancers that involve career guidance, confidence-building and discipline through movement. Financial assistance for dancers who aren’t able to afford coaching.

Mantra

Results come from consistency, not chance.

Dinner

Rice, chicken breast, salad on the regular

Bedtime

10 p.m.

Glasses

Ray-Ban

JOY SHEPPARD

Aesthetics Nurse Practitioner
@joysheppard.np

“True wellness is the quality of your connections, the one you have with the world and, more importantly, the one you have with yourself,” says Joy Sheppard, an SF native and former professional bodybuilder. “If you don’t have a why for your routine, it’s busyness. If you do, you’re becoming.” As a nurse, Sheppard practices a human-centric approach that restores a sense of self, working from the inside out. She learned about the importance of stillness from her father, a Thai Buddhist monk. “I learned to slow down long enough to get gut-level honest about the life I was actually creating, and then taking bold action,” she explains. “I’m trading the shallow noise of social media for the high-stakes luxury of being fully present with my handsome husband and son. I’m moving toward a year that feels less like a sprint and more like one long, intentional exhale.”

Breakfast

Coffee, eggs, oatmeal

Wake-Up Time

6:30 a.m.

Diet

Protein, fat, carbs, balanced meals

Doppelganger

Nicole Scherzinger

Nemesis

Digital distraction

Escape

A hot shower

Weakness

Old-fashioned chocolate doughnut

Uniform

Figs

Hotel

W SF

Workout

Hip thrust and deadlift

Last Meal

Protein shake

Supplements

Midi supplements

Wellness App

FitBody Fusion

Mentor

My father, a Thai Buddhist Monk

Workout Shoes

Converse

Workout Outfit

Darc Sports

Workout Playlist

Hip-hop

Workout Buddy

Best friend, coach Judy

Best Advice

Trust yourself.

Philanthropy

Salvation Army

Mantra

JAI (Just Accept It)

Streaming Now

Shark Tank

Dinner

Steak and rice

Soulmate

LaMar Sheppard, my husband

Bedtime

10 p.m.

On My Nightstand

Journal

Glasses

Gucci

Gym Bag

Wolfpack

Desert Island Essentials

Colorscience SPF, Laneige lipmask and Archer Jerky sticks

KHARI STEPHENSON

Former professional soccer player
@kharilasana

After a successful professional soccer career that saw him play all over the world, from Sweden to San Jose, Jamaica native Khari Stephenson is proud to call the Bay Area home. “As a transplant, who made his way here through my sports career, followed by professional life, people and friendships have kept me here,” he says. While he’s currently working in tech, staying fit is an essential part of Stephenson’s everyday life. “I prioritize limiting stress by putting things into perspective,” he explains. “I move daily with exercise and activities, which I find helps balance both my mind and body. I try to eat healthy, ensuring I fuel my body with whole foods and the right nutrients.”

Breakfast

Greek yogurt and granola with an apple

Wake-Up Time

5:30 to 6 a.m.

Diet

Fruits, vegetables, salmon, broccoli and avocado

Doppelganger

I’ve heard Barack Obama

Nemesis

Time

Escape

Jamaica (my home away from home)

Weakness

Sweets

Uniform

Jeans and a black V-neck

Hotel

Rosewood Sand Hill Menlo Park

Workout

Stretching and core

Last Meal

Jerk chicken

Supplements

Turmeric, vitamins C and D

Wellness App

Fitonomy

Mentor

My father

Workout Shoes

Adidas

Workout Outfit

Adidas and Lululemon

Workout Playlist

The podcast Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett

Workout Buddy

The mirror

Best Advice

Work hard, stay humble.

Philanthropy

Inside Anne’s Closet, Colorectal Cancer Alliance, and the Wender Weis Foundation for Kids

Mantra

Everything happens for a reason.

Dinner

Salmon and broccoli

Bedtime

11 p.m.

On My Nightstand

Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell

Glasses

Prada

Gym Bag

Gloves, shorts, shirts, soccer boots and a water bottle