20 Amazing Bodies of Female Rugby Players

Rugby is a sport celebrated for its blend of strength, strategy, and teamwork. Female rugby players, in particular, showcase a unique blend of athleticism, dedication, and passion. From their perspectives on wellness, to their stance on important issues, to their sheer love for the game, these 20 amazing female rugby players have inspired many both on and off the field. Their stories remind us of the diverse paths one can take to success, and the myriad of challenges and joys one can encounter along the way. Let's delve into the lives, thoughts, and careers of these incredible athletes.

1. Portia Woodman

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Portia Woodman tells Stuff.co.nz that she isn’t afraid to say what’s on her mind, but she is toning it down. "It is who I am, but being more in the limelight I have to be more conscious of what I say. Like at the World Cup when I said I didn't think men would handle it (a four-day break between games), what I was really trying to say was we'd like more time between games ourselves. In saying that, I'm not going to say sorry for what I do stand up for. There are things I'm staunch about and I'll stick by them.”

2. Emily Scarratt

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Emily Scarratt shared her wellness secrets in an interview with Opium Nutrition. “My nutrition ethos is probably to eat everything in moderation and eating for the situation. There are lots of different times in the week or in the season that require slightly different nutritional demands so it’s important to understand where you’re at and how best to make the most of the current phase you are in.”

3. Sarah Hunter

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When it comes to food, Sarah Hunter bases it on what workout she’s about to do. “If the session is going to be high intensity, I'll need to consume more foods that will be higher in carbohydrates to give me more energy,” she explained to The Huffington Post. “If I've just done a strength-based session I'll consume some high-quality protein to speed up muscle repair. I tend to eat regularly throughout the day to keep my hunger down and energy up. I make sure I stay hydrated and take creatine, Sports Vitamins and Omega 3 fish oils, as well as protein shakes after a work out - training can put a lot of strain on our bodies so I want to ensure that I have all nutrients I need to stay healthy.”

4. Magali Harvey

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Magali Harvey wants to be a role model for other women in rugby. She talked about this to the Montreal Gazette in 2014. “I think the fact that it was shown on TV is going to make a huge difference because women around the world, and especially in Canada, got the chance to see what we were doing on the field and see what it was all about,” Harvey said. “So I’m hoping that it’s going to promote the sport and push females around Canada to want to try that sport or any other sport as a matter of fact.”

5. Kelly Brazier

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Kelly Brazier opened up about the impact rugby has had on her to WorldRugby.com. "It is not just a sport to me, it is a life, it teaches you to be a better person, it teaches good character and because there is so many things it gives you, you want other people to try it to see why you are so in love with the game."

6. Fiao'o Faamausili

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Fiao'o Faamausili tells E-Tangata that she has a lot of support from her family, and she wants other players to have the same feeling. “What I love is seeing our young ones, my nephews and nieces, enjoying sport — and their parents and families getting behind their kids out there. There’s so much we can all get out of sport that benefits your whole life. And, if we keep active and enjoy sport, our kids will aspire to do the same.”

7. Nolli Waterman

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Nolli Waterman talked about her career in an interview with The Guardian. She says that she’s very driven, which has helped with her success. “In the end it comes down to what drives a person. As I child I thought it would be incredible to go to an Olympic Games but I never imagined it was going to happen. Rugby was my sport and that was where my heart lay.”

8. Kendra Cocksedge

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Kendra Cocksedge has had to work hard in the rugby world because of her short stature. However, she told the New Zealand Herald that she didn’t let the doubters stop her. "I really had the drive to prove people wrong and it made me work harder to be the best player out there," she says. "I wasn't going to let anyone stop me from playing the game I love. I also had to silence that voice in my head and tell myself not to worry about what other people think."

9. Jessy Trémoulière

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Jessy Trémoulière talked about how she wants people to see her and her career to RugbyWorld.com. "The image I wanted to leave is a positive one, to put the girls on the right track, to see what the high performance is, to see how far we can go. I leave it all in their hands and I hope that they will realise that you have to work hard to have fun. And then, on the pitch, we'll have all the more fun."

10. Danielle Waterman

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Danielle Waterman is dedicated to getting equal pay for female athletes. She talked about this to The Telegraph. “People don’t realise from the outside how little financial support female athletes get. I still buy my own boots as the longest standing England player. There are so many things, I think will come out over time that people don’t realise what we do battle with. I think it was published that the women’s professional contracts are less than the men earn for one game.”

11. Sharni Williams

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Ahead of the Rugby World Cup Sevens in 2022, Sharni Williams talked about how she’s approaching it to RugbyWorld.com. “I guess that’s part of my career – to keep challenging myself and keep pushing those limits. I’ll try and slot myself in there with my knowledge and experience and really rally around the girls.”

12. Sarah Bern

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Sarah Bern talked about her career in an interview with The Guardian. “I’ve always been very driven,” she says. “I’ll never do anything half-hearted, I’m not a person who really has a middle ground. For me, it’s all or nothing.”

13. Marlie Packer

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In 2019, Marlie Packer talked about what her career goals were to The Guardian. “I made a couple of resolutions,” she says. “I’m currently on dry January, which is something I thought I’d do. And I’ve given up chocolate too. And I’m trying to be more positive, not to dwell on the negatives, just keep looking forward. I’m a bit more of a senior player now. If you’d asked me five years ago I’d have said: ‘Yeah I’m going to play rugby forever,’ but now I’m in my latter stages of playing for England. So I want to make sure I grab it all and never let go of it until it’s the right time. And I don’t know how long I’ve got left, but I want to make the most of it.”

14. Ruby Tui

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Ruby Tui shared her wellness tips with Remix Magazine. “I try to keep my base nutrition good, get enough sleep and keep on top of my mental health. I feel mental health is very important, I always ensure I have downtime and time to reflect on myself. I love going to the beach, putting on a meditation track and just chilling out. Family time is also important.”

15. Michaela Blyde

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Michaela Blyde used to be insecure about her muscular body. She shared how she moved past this to ThisNZLife. “Seeing other women in the same situation made me understand there is nothing wrong with being a woman who goes to the gym. Love your body because it is healthy and strong. It’s frustrating to hear people say that women who play rugby aren’t feminine. We’re as feminine as hell. I’m passionate about women understanding that their body is beautiful whether they’re a size six or 14-plus.”

16. Lydia Thompson

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Lydia Thompson talked about her workout routine in an interview with Stylist. “I think variety is really important to keep it exciting and fresh, and it’s nice to have a challenge. I like to master something so I always try make sure my gym session has a skill that I’m working on. When I first came into the sport, I didn’t really lift weights, but I had to. For me lifting weights is about kind of giving myself that extra bit of edge on the pitch. I want to be strong and I want to feel capable and empowered and I want to be fast. Because I’m a winger I want to be able to lift the weights fast. So for me, I try and make sure my weight session is what I want to get out of it.”

17. Chloe Dalton

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Chloe Dalton is vocal about her struggles with heavy menstrual bleeding. She tells News.com.au that she wants to normalize these conversations, and wants to let others know they aren’t alone and that help is out there. “My biggest piece of advice would be to not keep persevering and feeling like you have to push through on your own,” she said. “And go to speak to a health professional so you can put things in place to address it in the best way possible.”

18. Eloise Blackwell

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In an interview with Stuff.co.nz, Eloise Blackwell talked about being captain of her team, the Black Ferns. “I just look back and think about all the other amazing leaders that have led me while I've been in this team – the boots are huge to fill when you think about those players. For me, it's a privilege and a massive honour for myself, my province, and also my family and friends that have been there with me the whole time.”

19. Zoe Aldcroft

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Zoe Aldcroft talked about wanting to represent and encourage female rugby players to The Rugby Journal. “I did my dissertation on the perception of female rugby players and a lot of people who haven’t been to watch, judge it really quickly, but those who have been to watch have their whole mindset changed and are like, ‘I don’t understand why people aren’t watching female rugby’. We need to make it more accessible for people to watch – people probably don’t know that we are playing on Saturdays at a ground near them. Female rugby players can get that message out there and make sure we’re in the best shape and we’re not like fat lumps that are just running round the pitch. We need to make sure we’re in the best condition, training well, presenting well and keeping our skill levels up.”

20. Britt Benn

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In a 2018 interview with CBC, Britt Benn talked about her experience in that year’s World Rugby Sevens Series. "When we dipped below top three, I think that was a big challenge. We just have to tighten up our game a little bit and make sure that we don't make those defensive errors or offensive errors."

The FIFA Women's World Cup has once again captured the world's attention as these phenomenal athletes showcase their extraordinary skills on the global stage. Beyond their remarkable talents, the tournament also highlights the dedication and hard work these players invest in maintaining their peak physical condition. From disciplined diets to rigorous training routines, these women exemplify the epitome of athleticism and commitment. Here we delve into the health and fitness regimens of 20 remarkable stars, each of whom brings a unique approach to staying at the top of their game. As the competition unfolds from July 20 to August 20, join us in celebrating the inspiring bodies of the FIFA Women's World Cup stars.

1. Kristie Mewis

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Kristie Mewis talked about the impact women’s soccer has on her to Sixstarpro.com. “I was probably getting the benefits from it when I didn't realize it because I was only 10 or 11 years old when it first started happening. I was too young to truly understand what it meant, but I think it probably first started impacting me when I was going to youth national team camps when I went to College. That's truly when I first started feeling that this means something, like I'm going somewhere with this, I can make this a career. Whereas I think of my mom at my age, they didn't really feel the same support that I felt. I always had this dream of being a professional athlete, and it was able to happen because of all of the women before me and because of Title IX.”

2. Megan Rapinoe

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Megan Rapinoe makes sure to eat healthy. She shared her diet and her approach to eating in an interview with Well + Good. "Overall, my philosophy is just to put good things in my body. I don't really eat anything artificial, fake, or that I can't pronounce. I try to keep it simple and clean."

3. Julie Ertz

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Julie Ertz shared how she trains for games in an interview with SELF. She says that she does a lot of weight training, and also makes sure to target every muscle she can. “It's really important to hit the big muscles, but a lot of people forget the smaller muscles, which are just as important, especially in such a multidimensional sport where you are running up and down in every direction,” she explained.

4. Mallory Swanson

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Mallory Swanson wants to inspire others, particularly her younger teammates. "Trying to be there for them is always important because whether it's their first or second year in the league, it's stressful and it's completely different," she tells People. "It's a new city probably for most of them, the game itself is probably way faster. The way things are ran, it's completely different. So trying to be there for them and help them through any of that is always important."

5. Alex Morgan

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Alex Morgan shared her tips for staying on her vegan diet to The Beet. “There are times when I may find myself eating something that has eggs in it or dairy. Sometimes that slips into my diet and I am trying to eat healthy and plant-based but when that happens I tell myself to give myself some grace. So if you are trying to live healthily and vegan, you can forgive yourself. That's what I mean by giving yourself grace.”

6. Ella Toone

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Ella Toone talked about her approach to playing in an interview with Forbes. "Well I think my game is ultimately about getting in the pockets and finding space and getting on the half-turn. I think I did that well on my debut for England. I think with my club, that's something that I work on massively, and the likes of Tobin and Christen always help. They give me little bits of advice that will help me and I've learned a lot from them. So yeah, it's just about me keeping working hard and keep getting in those little pockets of space and trying to make things happen on the pitch."

7. Emily Sonnett

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Emily Sonnett took UsSoccer.com through a day at her training camp. “We don't often lift heavy weight, but we do get a lot of reps in. We've also did a lot of testing at the beginning of camp to measure our range of motion, agility, flexibility, etc. We really appreciate having that kind of feedback because of course we want to do everything that can help us win, always.”

8. Alyssa Naeher

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Alyssa Naeher talked about how she gets through tough times in an interview with The Los Angeles Times. “Lean on your teammates. Lean on your family. Just focus on what you want. For me it was showing up every day and controlling all the things that I could control. And that was being a good teammate.”

9. Sam Kerr

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Sam Kerr shared her tips for having a healthy body and mind to Body + Soul. “Having a routine and creating structure. I find this helps me so much, especially in difficult times. I get up, have a coffee, have breakfast and train. My advice to others is to start the day knowing what you want to achieve, get moving and get it done.”

10. Ellie Carpenter

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Ellie Carpenter doesn’t let haters or hecklers bother her. In fact, she’s motivated by them. Carpenter talked to The Guardian about a time when the opposing team’s coach was yelling at her when she was 16. “It kind of just made me play better, to be honest,” she says. “It motivated me more – I just wanted to shut him up. Like ‘OK, you want to bad mouth me, try to get in my head?’ It worked, but not in the way he had obviously hoped.”

11. Kyah Simon

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Kyah Simon notably had to have ankle-reconstruction surgery in the 2019 season. She opened up about her recovery process in an interview with MyFootball.com. Simon notably changed her diet, and thinks that this has helped her prevent injuries. “I’ve pretty much cut out gluten and dairy,” she said. “I am intolerant to gluten, but I didn’t know that until I got tested at the start of last year. Half of my injuries are caused by inflammation and when you think that your body is intolerant to a certain food, that is causing extra inflammation in your body.”

12. Bunny Shaw

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Bunny Shaw always tries to help her teammates on the field, and for her, that doesn’t always mean being the one with the ball. She tells The Athletic, “It’s not always about scoring and assisting. You can also make an impact in terms of fighting to win a ball or slide-tackling, always staying active and reliable, and being there for your team-mates.”

13. Hayley Raso

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Hayley Raso opened up about how she recovered from a back injury to Vogue. “It’s training every day, it’s recovering right, it’s making sure your body is fuelled with the right foods so you can train and perform at your peak.” Raso says that she made sure to set goals. “Even on those bad days you know you’re working towards something that’s going to be so big and so special.”

14. Steph Catley

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Aussie football player, Steph Catley, is open about advocating for women in sports. She talked about this in an interview with Mamamia.com. “I've been involved in so many fights throughout my career, where we've been asking for equality, and we've been asking for better standards, and to see that now young girls won't have to worry about the things that we had to worry about is amazing. It makes me very proud to watch young girls step into football teams, and be appreciated and paid as they should be. And have the standards and equipment that we didn't have growing up. It's very exciting. And I know it's gonna keep growing and growing, too.”

15. Larissa Crummer

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Larissa Crummer opened up about recovering from an injury that nearly cost her her leg in an interview with Bardown.com. "I train in Brisbane four times a week; it's an hour-and-a-half commute to get to training so a three-hour round trip," she said. "If I have [to go to the] gym I wake up at 4 a.m. and do it before I go to work, then do a full day's work labouring, knock off about 3 p.m. and head down to training."

16. Andi Sullivan

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Andi Sullivan opened up about her approach to thinking to The Players Tribune. “What I say now might be different than how I feel in an hour, but honestly in the grand scheme of things, I’m healthy, I’m safe. So all in all I’m doing pretty well, and I feel like I’m doing my part to not spread things. In the not-so-grand scheme of things, it’s tough. I’m jealous of all the people who are with their families. Also, I think being an athlete you’re not used to downtime. It’s just a weird, nebulous space.”

17. Lindsey Horan

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Lindsey Horan opened up about her approach to fitness to Tonal.com. She says that it plays a bigger role in her life now. “Fitness was never the main component in my game when I was younger,” she says. “I wish it was. I wish I knew what I know now. I wish I knew everything that goes into fitness because it’s not just running. It’s not just kicking the ball and chasing it.”

18. Lynn Williams

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Lynn Williams opened up about being labeled an “underdog” to JustWomensSports.com. “In the past, people really got annoyed with us, saying ‘you guys are clearly not the underdogs,’ but I always think that it’s not necessarily about your performance or your results. It’s an attitude… an underdog attitude is somebody who’s always going to fight no matter how much success they’re having.”

19. Kelley O’Hara

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When she’s training, Kelley O’Hara tells ESPN that she likes to eat oatmeal for breakfast. “We have practice every day at 10 a.m. and I feel like this meal helps fuel me to make it through practice,” she explains. “For me, it's a delicious comfort food. It doesn't upset my stomach in any way. It's an easy meal to exercise off. For some reason, it's what's best for my body. I feel great after eating it.”

20. Rose Lavelle

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In addition to prioritizing her training, Rose Lavelle also prioritizes her recovery. She takes Well + Good through a typical rest day. Lavelle says that she likes to do a lighter workout, like a walk, to get some physical activity in. “I like to get my legs moving in some way cause being a blob the whole day doesn’t make me feel great. The goal is to just get my heart rate going and activate my muscles for the rest of the day.”

The buzz has started, John Williams' fanfare has begin and soon you'll be tuning in: The 2024 Summer Olympics are right around the corner, running from July 26 through August 11th. The breadth is impressive. Archery, badminton, basketball, fencing, golf, even table tennis are among the dozens of sports represented. And within each are some of the most impressive women ever to grace the field. How do they stay so fit? Simone Biles, Valarie Allman, Regan Smith and more have shared their tips in the past and here we've collected them for you.

1. Simone Biles

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Simone Biles is making her return to the Olympics this summer. She shared some of her training secrets with Women’s Health. “I eat what I feel good with and try not to overeat or stuff myself because I’m always at the gym. For gymnasts, in particular, [tracking] can lead to health problems and eating issues, so I just eat what I know I can and should.”

2. Alex Morgan

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Soccer star, Alex Morgan, shared her wellness secrets in an interview with Buzzfeed. She says that she makes sure to eat a healthy diet. “I also make sure that nutrition is a part of my daily routine. A morning protein smoothie sets the right tone for the rest of the day by providing me with the sustained energy I need to conquer whatever comes my way.”

3. Carissa Moore

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Surfer Carissa Moore shared her training routine with Red Bull. “It’s important to find the best waves to train in. My schedule always flows from trying to find good surf. If the waves aren’t good, I’ll probably go for an hour, but if it’s good, I’ll surf more like three to four hours. I usually spend 40 minutes every morning warming up, especially when I’m on the road, doing moves that activate me and make me feel good. I use a band to activate my glutes, and I do dead bugs for my core. I also do a couple sun salutations to get the blood flowing.”

4. Valarie Allman

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Discus thrower, Valarie Allman, shared some of her favorite workouts in this video on Instagram. She captioned the post, “Day 2, Week 1 of a new cycle and getting closer to COMPETING 🥳Power Snatch • 5 X 5 @ 60kg. Trap Bar Dead Lift • 4 X 5 @ 165, 180, 195, 210kg. Chin-Ups • 3 X 10. Goblet Lateral Lunge • 3 X 10e.”

5. Regan Smith

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Swimmer Regan Smith talked about handling pressure with Swimming World Magazine. “Nerves and pressure before meets is something that I’ve struggled with for most of my swimming career. I think what gives me a lot of confidence is just believing in the work that I’ve put in all season. Being with a coach and a program that I believe in and that I know I’m getting work done in helps me feel the most confident. This past year, I’ve never felt better in practice. I know I’ve never worked harder in my life and I just feel like I’ve done a complete 180 from where I was at this time a year ago.”

6. Andi Sullivan

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Soccer player, Andi Sullivan, shared her love of journaling in an interview with The Player’s Tribune. “I like to make lists, a list of things that I could do, or need to do, and even just spewing out my thoughts. Sometimes my teammates laugh at me on our Zoom calls because I have a piece of paper, and I’m always scribbling down things that people say, or thoughts that I have in the moment. I think now is the time for me to experiment with things like journaling.”

7. Naomi Osaka

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Tennis player, Naomi Osaka, shared some of her favorite products with CNN. She says that applying sunscreen is an important part of her routine. “Putting on sunscreen every morning is the most important step in my skin care routine,” she says. “Despite being a mineral-based sunscreen, it doesn’t leave a harsh white cast and instead leaves me moisturized and glowing, thanks to its sheer, caramel tint.”

8. Leah Smith

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Swimmer Leah Smith opened up about overcoming setbacks with USA Swimming. “What I learned through my heartbreak of missing the Olympic Team in 2021 and my comeback to make the World Championship Team in 2022 was invaluable, and my journey taught me so much about my team, my coaches and myself. I wasn’t exactly sure what I was looking for when I decided to keep swimming after 2021, but this past year of swimming has invigorated me, and I am excited to attack my journey to 2024 with passion and energy and a new level of gratitude for my surroundings.”

9. Rose Lavelle

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Soccer player Rose Lavelle opened up about building confidence, especially after an injury to Well + Good. “My confidence comes in ebbs and flows, so having a sports psych has been a huge part of my professional career. Anybody that goes through a long-term injury or just any injury in general, it's hard physically. However, it felt 10 times harder mentally coming back from it. My psychologist helps me keep my head above water.”

10. Alyssa Naeher

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For soccer player, Alyssa Naeher, having a morning routine is important. “Something that I found that was helpful in all the chaos of being on the move was if I could at least start my day the same way, then it would give me some semblance of normalcy,” Naeher said to Graham Hays. “For me that became waking up, having some quiet time, grabbing a coffee, doing a crossword, reading a book — just having that quiet time to myself in the morning, I can do that anywhere and that starts my day.”

11. Emily Sonnet

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Soccer player, Emily Sonnet shared her team’s typical training routine with US Soccer. “We don't often lift heavy weight, but we do get a lot of reps in. We've also did a lot of testing at the beginning of camp to measure our range of motion, agility, flexibility, etc. We really appreciate having that kind of feedback because of course want to do everything that can help us win, always.”

12. Mallory Swanson

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Soccer player, Mallory Swanson, shared her advice for young girls in an interview. “I think having that mindset of, ‘If you want to be something in life and you want something in life, just go do it.’ Push forward and push the boundaries. If you want to be something in life, go do it.”

13. Stephanie Gilmore

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Surfer, Stephanie Gilmore, shared her training routine with Vogue. “I wake up and I go through a 15-minute activation routine to wake up my body. A little yoga mixed with some breathing, just kind of waking up so that I’m not just looking into my phone for an hour, trying to get the body to know it’s daytime and let’s go—and that’s before I’m eating anything. Then we’ll go surfing. It depends what the surf’s like, but the surfing will be a good hour and a half, at least where I’m paddling heaps, catching as many waves as I can, and it’s actually a great workout. I think that the best training for surfing is just to go surfing.”

14. Lynn Williams

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Soccer player, Lynn Williams, makes sure to eat a healthy diet, and that means eating enough carbs. She shared a favorite post-game snack with Women’s Health. "I feel like we're losing so many carbs when we're running. [I] also want them to hit at the right times because the games are so long, and I found that pancakes just do the trick for me.”

The Summer Olympics are coming! The Games of the XXXIII Olympiad (aka Paris 2024) run from from Friday, July 26 to Sunday, August 11, 2024. So we're getting hyped for one of our favorite events: Swimming. Several women have made their mark on the swimming world. From Katie Ledecky, to Janet Evans, to Simone Manuel, these women have won medals, broke world records, and made history. How do they stay so fit? Read on for their wellness tips.

1. Katie Ledecky

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Katie Ledecky has won multiple medals in the Olympics. She shared her training secrets in an interview with E! News. Ledecky opened up about her diet in it. “I keep it pretty consistent. The only day that I don't train is Sundays, so even right now when I'm taking a little bit of time off, I'm trying to stick to a pretty regular routine. So oatmeal for breakfast, some sort of egg sandwich for lunch, or eggs with toast and then dinner is what varies the most but it is either carbs or some sort of protein: chicken, steak, salmon, something along those lines.”

2. Missy Franklin

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Missy Franklin has won multiple gold medals. She shared her favorite breakfast options with People. "Nutrition is a big part of my training. If I'm not fueling my body with the right things then I'm not going to perform the way I need to. "I'm very proud of myself because I've mastered the omelet flip in the pan. I almost always make omelets just so I can flip them—that's the most exciting part for me.”

3. Dara Torres

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Dara Torres is the oldest swimmer to win an Olympic medal. She opened up about her diet in an interview with Parade. “I had an eating disorder in college and it took me a while to get over it and I really developed a fear of foods. And so my philosophy is to eat healthy, but if you have a craving for something, don't deprive yourself; just have a little bit of it to help with the craving that you have. My philosophy is that if you are keeping yourself from eating certain things and not having what you want, you're gonna want it more than you should. So that's the biggest thing with me with diet. I try to eat my proteins every day and my fruits and vegetables. But I do have a sweet tooth. I can't deny that.”

4. Natalie Coughlin

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Olympic athlete Natalie Coughlin opened up about the importance of recovery in an interview with Kinetic Fix. “Recovery and rest is becoming much more important as I get older, but on the flip side there are some benefits to getting older: I’m much stronger, and I maintain that strength better than before. But as you age you tend to break down faster, so it’s really important for me to keep my strength and ease back when I swim, focusing more on race relevance.”

5. Emma McKeon

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Emma McKeon is an Olympic medalist, known for her butterfly and freestyle strokes. She shared her wellness secrets and her daily routine with Women’s Health. “Depending on what day it is, I’ll also have a physio appointment. They will focus on my shoulders because I use them so much, then just any other little niggly or tight things that need maintenance. So far I’ve been pretty lucky not to have any proper injuries, just little niggly things that will go away after some regular physio treatment.”

6. Lilly King

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Lilly King is an Olympic athlete. She shared how she prepares for meets in an interview with Swimming World. “It’s a little weird because I am always preparing for the race. I am constantly thinking about the outcome I want to achieve. I also only think about the best-case scenario, which I find not a lot of others do. I really try to only think about the positives.”

7. Sarah Sjöström

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Sarah Sjöström has multiple world records for swimming. She shared her typical diet in an interview with Irmas World. “During my hard training periods I try to make sure I eat enough protein and carbs to recover better. I don’t count calories, I have just learned how much I need. I also try to eat breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks in between meals at the same time every day. During competitions, I have protein/energy bars and after competitions and trainings protein and carb shakes or bars help me regain my energy.”

8. Rebecca Adlington

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Rebecca Adlington is a gold medalist in the distance freestyle. She revealed to Hello! Magazine that she loves avocado. "For me, I love avocados and stuff like that. Obviously they are high in fat - it is one of those difficult things - but I'm not going to tell you to eat four avocados, and certainly, be careful what you're eating it with. For me, it's great to just have a bit of avocado with some eggs or something like that, because it does fill you. I think a lot of things, when you're eating fruit and vegetables, you're kind of hungry an hour after, whereas things that last and can help you survive the whole day are obviously better. I love avocado and eggs, simple things."

9. Summer Sanders

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Summer Sanders is a gold medalist and a sports commentator. She shared her diet secrets in an interview with SELF. “My healthiest habit is eating a healthy breakfast every morning. I never miss breakfast. As a busy mom, there will be days when I'm cruisin' along and I'll look at the clock and I haven't eaten lunch. And I'll run downstairs and I'll start shovelin' stuff down the pie hole, and I'll think, ‘That was no lunch at all.’ But breakfast has sort of turned into the new dinner, where you can sit down with your family and have a conversation. And my kids talk at breakfast. We talk about our dreams, talk about our nights' sleep, talk about what we wanna do today and be positive.”

10. Janet Evans

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Janet Evans is one of the most successful female swimmers. She opened up about her diet in an interview with Mom.com. “I eat a banana prior to my morning workout. I think protein is very important when you are training as hard, as you’re breaking your muscles down. So I usually have a protein shake or some eggs or something that gives me a little protein after my workout. I also have a scoop of my Metamucil to keep my cholesterol down–I have a history of heart disease in my family. Then, for lunch, I usually have something that’s going to sit well in my stomach because I have to go back to training. So I usually have a turkey sandwich or something of that nature. And dinner, I come home and make something healthy for my kids and husband. Once again, kind of protein-based, but basically trying to get enough fuel to get back up and do it all again the next day.”

11. Leisel Jones

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Leisel Jones is a world champion in breaststroke. She shared her morning workout in an interview with Women’s Health. “It’s time for a full-body workout at Perform 360 at Enogerra, Brisbane. It’s an intense fitness session and it really works my whole body – it’s a strength session with some conditioning at the end. Strength and conditioning training is a great combo for improving speed and power and also mobility, mind and stability. I love it.”

12. Haley Anderson

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Haley Anderson is an open water swimmer in the Olympics. She tells Cosmopolitan that she likes to weightlift. “My lifting workout started with a 15- to 30-minute dynamic warm-up for mobility and muscle activation. Then I moved into some power-lifting moves (mainly medicine ball throws) and transitioned into a mix of lower and upper body exercises. I worked in some extra exercises with my weight-lifting coach to strengthen my shoulder blades and shoulders, areas that can get torn down when you swim as much as me.”

13. Simone Manuel

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Simone Manuel became the first African-American woman to win gold for an individual event. She revealed that she suffered from overtraining syndrome in 2021. Manuel talked about this to Sports Illustrated. “I think especially as athletes, we sometimes think that taking rest is a sign of weakness, but with the grueling and daunting schedules that we have, it’s really important to listen to your body, but also your mind when you need to take some time for yourself.”

14. Allison Schmidtt

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Allison Schmidtt talked about how her diet changes due to her cycle to Orreco. “I didn’t realise how important carbohydrates were and the need to eat more carbohydrates around certain periods of training. So many coaches throughout my career told us that carbs are bad for you and make you fat. I didn’t learn that training the female body is different to training the male body. We have to train differently and eat differently to men, and that knowledge has given me such a big advantage to help understand my body and reach the highest peak.”

15. Olivia Smoliga

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Olympian Olivia Smoliga shares her secrets for building confidence with Jolyn. “Don’t let the fear of failing stop you from doing what you want. Every time I stepped up on the blocks at Olympic Trials, the first time being when I was 17, I was so nervous! And that’s an understatement. At that time, there were no backstroke wedges so you just had to do a start on touchpads that had no gripping on them. So there was a huge chance I could slip. I practiced and practiced to make sure I wouldn’t, and yet I still thought about it as I walked out for the final. But I knew I wanted to be there! I knew I could do something special! No matter what my fears were telling me. And at those trials, I made it to the final of the 100 back. How will you know what you can do, if you never try? No one cares if you fall on your face. They will admire that you even had the courage to even go after your goals in the first place. You shouldn’t care what others think anyway, but let that give you some solace next time you wanna try something out of the ordinary.”

16. Cate Campbell

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Cate Campbell is a world champion and holds a medal for the Olympic sprint freestyle. She tells Body & Soul that sleep is a big part of her wellness routine. “Having a good sleeping routine is really important for me. I make sure the TV is off at 9pm, then I listen to music while I clean the kitchen and get ready for bed. I try and make my bedtimes as consistent as possible during the week – especially if I have training the next morning.”

17. Stephanie Rice

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Stephanie Rice won three gold medals at the 2008 Olympics. She shared how she trained for the Olympics with Body & Soul. “When I was training, everything was extreme and the focus was not on looking a certain way – it was on the actual performance element of looking like that, so food was fuel; it wasn’t an enjoyment thing. I needed X amount of calories, or X amount of protein for muscle recovery so it was very science based.”

18. Kathleen Baker

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Kathleen Baker is a champion in backstroke. She also has Crohn’s Disease. Baker tells Olympics.com that this has made her appreciate swimming a lot more. “Crohn's disease has given me an immense love and appreciation for my sport that I feel like you can really only have when you've had something taken away from you, or feel like it could be taken away from you. So when I compete, I compete for such a love of what I do and the process to get there, not only just the success or the racing, but truly just a love for my sport.”

19. Abbey Weitzeil

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Abbey Weitzeil won silver in the 2021 Olympics. She talked about how she overcomes challenges in an interview on Speedo’s website. “I train and do what I can control, and I tell myself that whenever I’m having a tough time… You’re going to have some good days and some bad days, and sometimes you’ll have bad weeks or months too. As long as you enjoy the ride and love what you do then these challenges are easier to face.”

20. Penny Oleksiak

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Penny Oleksiak was the youngest Canadian to win at the Olympics. In an interview with Narcity, she revealed how she is recovering from knee surgery. “My focus kind of shifted. Right now I'm strengthening my knee still and still kind of working on that and trying to make sure it's always healthy. But right now my shoulders are kind of my biggest rehab thing that I'm getting over.”

For most professional athletes, diet, and exercise are part of the job. Performing well on the court, course, field, or in the gym, poo, or ring, requires a dedication to healthy living, discipline, and nutrition. Even after their professional careers are over, female athletes keep doing the things they love to stay in shape. Here are 20 amazing bodies of female athletes over 40 and all of their top health, wellness, and diet secrets.

1. Serena Williams

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Serena Williams is one of the most body-confident athletes. "My philosophy is eat to live. Don't live to eat,” Serena William revealed to Women's Health. "You need it to survive. And [that's] very hard to live by, cause I definitely love to snack, but this is what I want. These are my goals."

2. Venus Williams

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Venus Williams is all about a plant-based lifestyle and even launched her own vegan protein brand, Happy Viking, in 2020. "I need to refuel and provide protein to my muscles quickly after I work out for recovery and to maintain muscle," she told Insider in 2021. "So Happy Viking was created to fuel your inner fighter, your inner Viking, while feeling happy and satisfied about what you put in your body."

3. Danica Patrick

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Danica, 41, doesn’t pick and choose when she is going to be healthy. "What I'm hoping is that people realize that this is a lifestyle," she said during an appearance on Good Morning America. "I want them to develop a good relationship with food and exercise to not be a reward or punishment but a way of life and something that makes you feel good and something that makes you a better you every single day." One of her health habits is eating paleo, she revealed on her website. "Paleo is based on the idea that you only eat foods that were available to ancient man before the invention of agriculture. So no grains, no dairy, no beans or legumes, no added sugars or preservatives. Instead, you focus on naturally raised meats, vegetables, fruits, and nuts," she said. "My intention was to only do it for a week or two to reset my body with less sugar and more veggies. Well . . . I felt so good, and saw such amazing results, that I never quit."

4. Torrie Wilson

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Former WWE star Torrie Wilson is all about the 80/20 method of eating. “I go for the 80% rule of healthy. I’m now more focused on eating whole, natural foods that have a lot of nutrients to help me feel good from the inside out. I’m anti-strict eating because of competing and being anorexic,” she said.

5. Gabrielle Reece

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Gabrielle Reece revealed to Parade that she bounces between high intensity interval workouts (HIIT) and underwater circuits. “I try to create a little bit of structure. Monday, Wednesday and Friday I typically will do some kind of HIIT, high intensity mixed bag of exercises that I change each time. It's about 60 minutes of work, a little bit less. I write the workouts, a mix of resistance, strength and dumbbells,” she said. “After I workout, I try to do a breathing routine that's about 15 to 20 minutes, to start the recovery process and down-regulating. It’s really important that even if we're sitting at our desk or driving in our car, that we're nose breathing as often as we possibly can. That's a really important health idea. So my routine involves a lot of nose breathing and oxygenating the tissues and the cells. That’s Monday, Wednesday, Friday if the schedule permits in a perfect world.”

6. Dara Torres

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Dara Torres suffered from an eating disorder in college that left her with a “fear” of foods. “And so my philosophy is to eat healthy, but if you have a craving for something, don't deprive yourself; just have a little bit of it to help with the craving that you have. My philosophy is that if you are keeping yourself from eating certain things and not having what you want, you're gonna want it more than you should. So that's the biggest thing with me with diet. I try to eat my proteins every day and my fruits and vegetables. But I do have a sweet tooth. I can't deny that. For some reason it gets worse when I travel. I'm out to dinner and I see someone having chocolate cake, I’ll ask for a piece, take a couple of bites, and then let everyone else have it. I just can't cut out certain foods completely and be that restrictive after what I went through in college. I try to eat little meals throughout the entire day. So I always make sure that if I get hungry or need snacks, I will have macadamia nuts or avocados. I just try to eat healthy stuff but I’m not a saint. That's for sure!” she told Parade.

7. Summer Sanders

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Summer Sanders maintains that eating a healthy breakfast every morning is her healthiest habit “I never miss breakfast. As a busy mom, there will be days when I'm cruisin' along and I'll look at the clock and I haven't eaten lunch. And I'll run downstairs and I'll start shovelin' stuff down the pie hole, and I'll think, "That was no lunch at all." But breakfast has sort of turned into the new dinner, where you can sit down with your family and have a conversation. And my kids talk at breakfast. We talk about our dreams, talk about our nights' sleep, talk about what we wanna do today and be positive,” she told Self.

8. Kristin Armstrong

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Kristin Armstrong is still a runner. “I probably run five days a week; I go to the gym for strength training twice a week; and I try to do yoga twice a week. How far I run depends on what I'm training for. If I'm doing marathon training, then my long runs on Saturdays will escalate depending on what part of my program I'm at. During a regular week, I run 3 to 10 miles per day, and I bump it up on the weekends,” she told Self.

9. Jo Pavey

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Jo Pavey fuels her body with food. "When you're running you need to make sure you are getting a decent amount of carbohydrate in order to fuel yourself. I do give myself a cheat day - I mean pizza is a great carbohydrate and you can always put healthy toppings on it. It's all about balance and just generally I've found having that balance in life does me a lot of good,” she told The Sun.

10. Zara Phillips

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Zara Phillips avoids two things. “I don’t diet but I try to eat well and not to eat too many carbohydrates or sugary things. Lunch is quick and simple, like soup and a sandwich or eggs and toast," she told the Sunday Times Magazine.

11. Oksana Chusovitina

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At 41, Oksana Chusovitina was the oldest gymnast to compete at the Olympics. When asked what motivated her to return to elite competition after having a child, she didn’t hesitate to respond. "There was no motivation. I stepped into the gym to work out a little bit, to get my body back in shape."

12. Lisa Leslie

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Lisa Leslie revealed to ESPNW that hse has a daily toothbrush workout routine which includes squats and leg lifts. “My favorite workout involves an electric toothbrush and whole lot of squats. If you get an electric toothbrush it usually runs for two minutes [and] you do four quadrants of your mouth. While at the same time, you can do your squats. So I do my squats probably for a minute, which gets me about 50 squats in a minute and then I do leg lifts and raises for the other minute. That pretty much gets my teeth cleaned and my butt toned,” she said.

13. Chemmy Alcott

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In an interview with Hello! magazine, former Olympic skier Chemmy Alcott was inspired to lose weigh after having children. "I looked in the mirror and I wasn’t comfortable with who I was," she said. "I didn’t know who was looking back at me. I had been a professional athlete for 20 years, then I became a mum and I lost who I was. I wanted to find myself again and be confident in myself as a woman and mother." She added that she hired a personal trainer, her friend Sarah Lindsay and embarked on a 12-week body program.

14. Annika Sorenstam

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Annika Sorenstam maintains a health diet. She drinks water and tea, stays away from fried food, and rarely has juice. “We eat three meals a day, in reasonable portions, and we live active lifestyles. In the evening, we’ll grill a simple chicken or fish, steam broccoli to go with it, maybe sauté some mushrooms. We don’t buy any of it ready-made because you don’t know what salt and preservatives are in those foods,” she told Edible Orlando. “I don’t believe in light diet foods,” she says. “My husband and I enjoy food very much. Often he’ll hang out while I cook, we’ll share a bottle of wine and dine at home. It’s more comfortable than going to a restaurant.”

15. Anna Kournikova

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Anna Kournikova has a no-frills approach to exercise. "I grew up in the Soviet Union in the eighties and nineties. We didn't have gyms, let alone a treadmill. We worked with what we had; you can too. All you need are sneakers and a sports bra to go running. Or try jumping rope for 10 minutes—it's a great workout!" she told Glamour. "Exercise gives us energy and confidence, so why cut corners? It's easier to incorporate it into your life and feel good now, rather than put it off and feel guilty about it a year from now."

16. Steffi Graff

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Steffi Graff stays active. “I am generally a very energetic person. I like to be in motion, I like to act. I still try to start the day with a 45-minute workout – running, yoga, exercise – because after it my head seems to clear up, I feel not only physical vigor, but also amazing mental clarity. I’m ready for a new day. Daily challenges are very important. And not only in terms of sports,” she said in an interview.

17. Lindsay Davenport

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Lindsay Davenport has spent up to 10 to 15 hours doing hitting and stroke drills, plus three hours of free weights, the occasional Pilates class ("depending on how stiff I am"), and two sessions of footwork and plyometrics (high-impact drills), she revealed to Marie Claire.

18. Natalya Neidhart

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Natalya is all about workout buddies. “I’m guilty as anyone of procrastinating when I don’t have a set schedule to follow. For me, I need accountability, which is why I grab a partner. My mom, sister, friends, my husband, heck even my cat have all joined me for some pretty awesome workouts! When you have a partner and your sweat session is like an appointment you have to ‘show up for,’ you won’t miss a workout! These are tools I use to keep me on track, when life sometimes life feels ‘out of our hands,’” she told Calgary Sun.

19. Marion Reneau

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UFC fighter Marion Reneau wakes up early, eats breakfast and does a morning one-on-one session with her coach. Then she spends an hour with her strength and conditioning coach, and drives home for lunch and takes a two hour break. Then, she goes on a three-mile run, followed by Jiu-Jitsu, grappling and wrestling, with her husband. "I'm still active," she told Visalia Times Delta.

20. Natalie Gulbis

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Natalie Gulbis consumes a high protein diet. “My diet six days a week consists of protein shakes with whey protein, healthy fats, greens and probiotics for breakfast and lunch. I have protein bars as snacks in between. For dinner I usually have fish or steak with steamed veggies. When I am home and not on tour I sit down for lunch. Usually chicken with salad dressing on the side. I allow myself 200-300 calories of a treat a day. A Michelob ultra, glass of wine, chocolate etc. On Sundays after the tournament I have a cheat meal and eat whatever I may have been craving. I like consistency and protein keeps my energy up and my body feeling good,” she told Women Fitness.