20 Amazing Bodies of Female Athletes in Action Sports

Some of the most prolific athletes in action sports are female. From Chloe Kim, Julia Marino, and Jamie Anderson killing it in the snowboarding world. To Lindsey Vonn and Julia Mancuso being some of the greatest skiers of all time. To Carissa Moore, Tia Blanco, and Alana Blanchard riding the waves as surfers. These women have broken barriers, won medals, and became household names. How do they stay so fit? Read on to see.

1. Chloe Kim

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Chloe Kim has won medals at the two most recent Winter Olympics for snowboarding. Kim shared her self-care practices with Allure. "I love taking a good bath…but just having conversations has been really nice: I'm talking to my parents and friends on the phone, going over the day with my coach, and meeting with my physical therapist. Being more open about how I'm feeling has been great for me, just so that everyone knows how they could support me best."

2. Lindsey Vonn

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Lindsey Vonn is a former ski racer. She shared her diet secrets in an interview with Women’s Health. Vonn says that in order to eat healthy, she sought help from a nutritionist. “If left to my own devices, I’d probably have mac and cheese and pasta and cereal. I need everything to be laid out for me, otherwise I divert quickly.”

3. Misty Copeland

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Misty Copeland is a ballerina who works with the American Ballet Theater. She opened up about her diet in her book, Ballerina Body. "Nuts have become my go-to snack. I keep a baggie or a small container of them in my purse and my locker at ABT's rehearsal studio because I've found that they satisfy my hunger and give me a quick spike of energy.”

4. Ronda Rousey

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Ronda Rousey is a very successful MMA fighter. She opened up about staying motivated to Train Magazine. “It's all about putting in the work and motivation. You have to stay motivated – force yourself to be motivated. To be the best for more than a day or a week, you have to be really driven to sustain that level and that’s difficult. Honestly, you have to make yourself get up and go train, even when you have every reason and excuse in the world not to. To reach your goals you’ve got to put in the hard work required to get there. That sounds simple, but it’s not. You have to be persistent and you have to keep that simple idea in mind at all times.”

5. Paige VanZant

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Paige VanZant is an MMA fighter. She shared her workout secrets in an interview with Vogue. “Every day is different,” she says. “It depends on what day of the week it is. We have lots of classes, wrestling, jujitsu. I do a lot of Pilates, yoga, CrossFit as well. I also try to include one relaxing workout through the week like hiking.”

6. Simone Biles

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https://celebwell.com/wp-admin/Simone Biles is one of the greatest gymnasts in history. She talked about living in the public eye with POPSugar. “Whenever I'm performing, or just on a daily basis, I try to block everything out. I also don't look at comments or anything just because I'm grateful and I love everything about myself, and I'm proud of who I am inside and out. That's definitely helped me not think about it."

7. Tia Blanco

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Tia Blanco is a successful surfer. She is open about being a vegan. Blanco talked about why she adopted this lifestyle to LiveKindly. “I think that surfing, health, and yoga all go hand in hand and help me to be the best person I can be mentally and physically. I definitely would say eating a plant-based diet benefits my practice as a yogi and a surfer because I always seem to have a lot of energy throughout my workouts.”

8. Stephanie Gilmore

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Stephanie Gilmore is one of the most successful female surfers of all time. She makes sure to do a variety of workouts. Gilmore shared her favorites in an interview with the Irish News. “Core strength is important, and the best way I’ve found to activate and develop that is Pilates. Upper-body strength is also important for paddling.”

9. Carissa Moore

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Carissa Moore is a surfer. She shared why she believes in a balanced diet with Red Bull. “I like the way that healthy food makes me feel. But I do like a nice muffin or some chocolate. It’s about moderation. My nutritionist has helped me find things that are light and also taste good. Growing up in Hawaii, food is such a beautiful social thing. It’s a big part of our culture to enjoy what you’re eating. It’s also a big part of traveling and experiencing a new place. On comp days, bananas, trail mix and GoMacro MacroBars—the banana and almond butter flavor is my favorite—are my go-to meals.”

10. Serena Williams

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Serena Williams is considered the greatest female tennis player of all time. She’s won the US Open six times. Williams opened up about her fitness routine in an interview with Vogue. “I do the cardio exercises on Tonal, which is really helpful for me just to get my body back and used to calisthenics. I don't necessarily want a trainer in my room or in the gym with me, so just having the Tonal trainers is a relief. It's just something different from what I've been doing for the past 20-plus years, and it's refreshing. But I definitely listen to my body. My favorite type of cardio is running, but my body has to be fit to be able to run or else my knees will hurt.”

11. Venus Williams

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Venus Williams has won the US Open twice. She is a vegan, and shared her favorite meals with The Beet. “I'm not a big eater in the morning. I don't usually have a ton of time to make something because I'm rushing to practice or meetings. Sometimes I'll make a quick smoothie with fresh berries and a scoop of my Happy Viking protein powder, (probably the strawberry flavor, it's my favorite) and drink this on the go. If I'm craving something sweeter, I'll add two or three dates to the smoothie. I like to take it easy in the morning and don't want to feel rushed.”

12. Jamie Anderson

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Jamie Anderson is a snowboarder. She loves to cook a lot of her own meals. Anderson shared her favorites in an interview with Us Weekly. “I make my own gee, I’ll do like a lot of golden milk in the evening,” she said. “You use like turmeric and ginger and gee with organic milk and it’s a really healing erratic Ayurvedic supplement. And yeah, I like all kinds of random food. I love cooking so when I’m home, I’m into like stir-fries, and like today I learned all different types of Korean recipes, so I’m actually stoked to go make some more delicious food.”

13. Tyler Wright

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Tyler Wright is a professional surfer, and she wants to be an advocate for others. She talked about this to ESPN. “Surfing needs people who are going to get into boardrooms and have hard conversations. I'm asking for equality for women, equality for the LGBTQ+ community, equality for Black and brown and indigenous people. I honestly don't care about winning more world titles. But I know what gets me in the room."

14. Alana Blanchard

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Alana Blanchard is a surfer. She shared her fitness routine in an interview with Grind TV. Blanchard likes to do a lot of different things to stay in shape. “I try to change it up as much as I can. It just depends on where I am. Sometimes even jumping rope and doing some lunges or doing a workout on the beach can be fun and hard."

15. Anna Gasser

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Anna Gasser is a successful snowboarder. She trains with Clemens Millauer, and he talked about working with her to Red Bull. “Whenever we train together, Anna always knows before the start of the session exactly what she wants to work on,” says Millauer. “She can get really obsessive. Sometimes it might be just a tiny detail like finding the right tenth of a second for a grab. She won’t stop until she's nailed it.”

16. Julia Marino

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Julia Marino is a successful snowboarder. She shared with Outside Online that she loves to make fruit smoothies. “It’s not too heavy. When I’m done working out and pretty warm, I’m craving something light and colder that’s easily digestible.”

17. Rachel Atherton

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Rachel Atherton is a mountain biker. She shared her typical diet in an interview with GQ. “When it comes to training, we don’t fix a rigid schedule for the week (eg do X on Monday etc) as the programme is so fluid (for example, good weather equals time on the bike). My trainer, Nick Grantham, gives me a menu – there are some non-negotiables but everything else is adaptable.”

18. Vicki Golden

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Vicki Golden is a motocross rider who has won medals in the X-Games. She shared her training routine in an interview with Women Fitness. “I normally start my day off with 30 min on a spin bike to get my body warmed up. After so many broken bones its tough to get moving in mornings. Haha. Hop off the bike and drink 16 – 24 ounces of celery juice. Then I normally have a few slices of avocado toast and some turkey sausage. Load up my dirt bike and have some fruit on my way to go ride.”

19. Julia Mancuso

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Julia Mancuso is an alpine ski racer. She talked about what she loves about skiing in an interview with SELF. "I could beat most of the boys when I was 10 years old," she said. "It's just one of those sports you get into by having a good time. It's a fast sport, and it's really about making the smoothest turn, the fastest time out of the gate.”

20. Elena Hight

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Elena Hight is a very successful snowboarder. She shared how she trains for competitions in an interview with Strong Fitness Magazine. “I worked with a trainer and took up running for endurance. It definitely helped me become stronger than I had ever been, and taught me how much health and conditioning can make a difference in your performance.”

The world of elite athleticism is a realm of dedication, discipline, and determination, and the female Team USA Olympians exemplify these qualities like no other. From sprinting sensation Allyson Felix to swimming prodigy Katie Ledecky, these remarkable athletes not only achieve greatness on the world stage but also offer insights into their rigorous training regimens, dietary choices, and personal philosophies. Dive into the stories behind their enviable physiques as we explore the training secrets, workout routines, and nutrition strategies that power these phenomenal women in their pursuit of Olympic glory.

1. Allyson Felix

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Sprinting legend Allyson Felix revealed her diet in an interview. “I usually keep breakfast light: yogurt and granola. In transit to the gym, I’ll have an acai bowl or some type of smoothie. Lunch is a salad with protein and fruit. And then for dinner (that’s my biggest meal) I eat a lot of fish, brown rice or sweet potatoes and veggies. Asparagus is one of my favorites. And zucchini.”

2. Katie Ledecky

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Swimmer Katie Ledecky revealed her training regime to Prevention. “I swim 10 times a week,” she says. “It’s quite a bit of training. It doesn’t really change in an Olympic year. We have other big meets throughout the four-year, in this case five-year, cycle.”

3. Gabby Douglas

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Gabby Douglas shared her training secrets with HollywoodLife. “Honestly and here’s my secret — I don’t workout my arms as much as I workout my legs or as much as my body. I love a long, toned arm and not too masculine, but that’s just my body. You love what you love and so I just do stretches with my arms to try to elongate everything.”

4. Megan Rapinoe

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Megan Rapinoe broke down her workout routine in an interview. “My workout is a combination between cardio, strength training, and on-field work. It’s a balance of all of those three. When I’m in my club team environment, it’s more soccer. When I’m away from that, I focus more in the gym on strength work. I try to build that base. A lot of Pilates, interval cardio work when I’m in the gym, too.”

5. Alex Morgan

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Alex Morgan shared some of her diet and workout secrets with The Beet. She says that she believes in moderation when it comes to food. “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. Mikaela Shifrin

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In addition to skiing, Mikaela Shifrin likes to windsurf to stay in shape. She shared this post on Instagram of herself windsurfing. Shifrin captioned the post, “Windsurf & Training Camp on Maui ended a few days ago! Gonna miss getting catapulted off my rig on the daily and accidentally drinking the entire ocean in a session only for it to pour out my nose later in the day, but duty calls! Now it’s time to do more training in other parts of the world! Like… home… hahah.”

7. Simone Manuel

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Simone Manuel didn’t let the pandemic stop her from training hard. She told Yahoo in 2020, “I have been training in a backyard pool, so I'm still getting nine practices a week in. I have been doing weightlifting training at home. It's not my favorite because I don't have all the equipment that I'm used to. I'm kind of like putting books in a backpack and just adapting to the circumstance and just doing the best that I can with the situation.”

8. Aly Raisman

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Even though she’s no longer a gymnast, Aly Raisman is still working out regularly. "I actually feel like I've been able to work out a little bit more than I was before the pandemic," Raisman tells Shape. "It doesn't mean I'm working out for hours every day, but sometimes I'll do a little bit of a workout in the morning, and then even do a little bit more in the afternoon. I break it up throughout the day because that's what's working for me right now."

9. Carli Lloyd

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Carli Lloyd opened up about the changes she’s made to her workouts with Insider. "I do use weights now, but if the weights are used in the actual movements that you do on a normal basis and on your field and in your respective sport, then I think it's fine. But you're never in a squat position on the field with 300 pounds of a bar on you and doing that motion, you know, you're always on the move."

10. Gabby Thomas

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Gabby Thomas shared some of her health and wellness secrets with The Healthy. “As an Olympic medalist and a student, sleep is really important for me so I can ensure that I’m going to be my best self every day. I train at such a high level, every time I do something, it is 100%. Making sure that I am mentally and physically ready to take on the day is really crucial for me.”

11. Nastia Liukin

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Nastia Liukin shares a lot of her wellness secrets on her website. In this post, she talked about her typical morning routine. “I love the predictability of a routine. Maybe it’s because I spent the better part of my life in a strict routine training for the Olympics—it’s what I know, it’s what brings me comfort. My morning routine is ever-evolving. As I learn new things, speak to other entrepreneurs, and adapt with the changes my mind and body go through over the years, I incorporate, remove, and refine elements. Right now, I love my morning routine. It suits my current needs of setting the tone of my day, calming anxiety, and allows me to practice all of the self-care I need in order to move on to serving others.”

12. Dana Vollmer

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In an interview with ESPN, Dana Vollmer talked about how she avoids injury when swimming. “The pain in burning from using your muscles is different than the pain of hurting something. The 50 free is short, that's why I'm doing it. And my doctor said there is really no risk at all. I made a joke about doing a belly flop and [the doctor] said even that would be fine. As long as I'm cautious with the warm-up and keep some space between myself and the other swimmers, that's really the only issue at all.”

13. Jenny Thompson

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In an interview with The Daniel Island News, Jenny Thompson revealed why she decided to take up swimming again. “I started swimming again for mental health,” she said. “It was a growing up experience to not only start medical school, but also help my mom who was sick with cancer. It made swimming a lot lighter and put in perspective that there’s a lot more to life than sports. It was interesting to compete with that kind of wisdom.”

14. Maya Moore

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In this post on her website, Maya Moore talked about the impact basketball and playing in the WNBA has had on her. “I think being a part of the WNBA, whether that’s as a fan or a player, it’s a better time than ever just because of how good the players have gotten,” Moore said. “We’ve grown in athleticism and the speed of the game – the versatility of the players on the court. The games have really been fun to compete in, so I’m excited about the direction that we’re moving in. I’ve been a fan of the WNBA since I was eight, and I still am to this day.”

15. Missy Franklin

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Missy Franklin does a lot of weight training to stay in shape. She shared this video on Instagram of herself working out in the gym. Franklin captioned it, “Getting creative in weights yesterday! Shout out to @auphillips14 for coming up with such an awesome exercise! Love working with people who are willing to try new things and push boundaries💪🏻 Thanks @lorenlandow for being the best!”

16. Venus Williams

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Venus Williams makes sure to not only workout, but also recover. She shared her tips with CNBC’s Make It. “I do a lot of recovery, as well. Physiotherapy and massage. I like to take a lot of time to stretch … It feels amazing [and] I actually think it produces really great endorphins.”

17. Kerri Walsh-Jennings

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Prior to the 2016 Olympics, Kerri Walsh-Jennings talked about her training process with GQ. In it, she talked about the attitude she has when it comes to the sport. “I do have to keep reminding myself that it’s okay to be a work in progress. If I have a bad game it crushes me, but you can learn and grow a lot as long as you don’t stay in that place of devastation.”

18. Shawn Johnson

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In an interview with Morning Brew, Shawn Johnson talked about how she manages life in the public eye. “It's a challenge every single day. And my husband and I are very, very vocal about it with each other. And we've now hired an incredible team of people that work with us. But we do silly things every single day to protect ourselves from it. For many, many years, I wasn't allowed to read comments until I was able to get to a place where I was strong enough to digest them. Now we always say, ‘If you read something that doesn't sit well, you have to read it aloud,’ and you have to have the group validate or invalidate whatever it is.”

19. Lisa Leslie

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Lisa Leslie tells People that she is all about positivity. "Take three deep breaths. Let's find a positive affirmation that can you help you every single day, something that you can really settle into that makes you smile. Because for me, positive energy is so contagious and I think starting our days off with some sort of mantra or quote that really is inspiring, can really help you get through the moment."

20. Cat Osterman

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Cat Osterman broke down her typical meals to Us Weekly. “Breakfast can range anywhere from a smoothie to a yogurt parfait, which is yogurt, berries and granola,” she said. “This morning, I had a sweet potato hash that includes sweet potatoes, turkey sausage, peppers onions, and then I put an egg over top of it. Lunch can be anything from a salad to sandwich, occasionally maybe some chicken nuggets from Chick-fil-A. I try to do grilled chicken as much as possible. For dinner, we eat pretty well. We cook for the most part. I will substitute zucchini noodles instead of spaghetti noodles or have potatoes or sweet potatoes instead of bread and rice. I’ll put quinoa in there sometimes, I’m pretty conscious about what I eat.”

In the world of sports, the dedication, perseverance, and tenacity of female athletes often shine brilliantly. From tennis courts to gymnastics mats, from racetracks to swimming pools, these women defy norms, push boundaries, and set remarkable standards. Here we delve deep into the lives, routines, and mindsets of extraordinary sportswomen like Serena Williams, Simone Biles, and Lindsey Vonn, to name a few. Each athlete offers a unique perspective on training, diet, mental well-being, and the challenges they've faced. This compilation is not just about physical prowess but also about the spirit and resilience of these incredible women. Dive in to get inspired.

1. Serena Williams

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Serena Williams leads a busy life. For this reason, making time to herself is important. “Something I do every day is [to] completely turn my brain off,” she told CNBC’s Make It. “Which sounds weird but because I work so much between tennis and running my other properties—Serena Ventures and Serena Clothing. But it’s a lot so I just need to turn my brain off and not think about anything.”

2. Simone Biles

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Simone Biles opened up about her journey with therapy to Glamour. She says that she was resistant at first, but has found the sessions extremely helpful. “I thought I could figure it out on my own, but that’s sometimes not the case. And that’s not something you should feel guilty or ashamed of. Once I got over that fact, I actually enjoyed it and looked forward to going to therapy. It’s a safe space.”

3. Ronda Rousey

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MMA Fighter Ronda Rousey broke down her training routine to StyleCaster. She says that it consists of, “Usually judo, striking, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, conditioning, and swimming six to 12 times a week, depending on where I am in my training cycle. The boxing workout consists of sparring, back work, mitt work, and shadow boxing. My strength workout is a lot of core-work exercises, and judo, wrestling, and jiu jitsu is drilling and open sparring.”

4. Allyson Felix

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Allyson Felix opened up about the diet she eats during competitions and training in an interview. “I love food,” she said. “I can eat quite a bit. I try and keep it really high-protein and eat things like grilled chicken and fish with the right amount of vegetables and fruits. I also keep a bunch of snacks around, healthy things that I can snack on throughout the day.”

5. Misty Copeland

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Misty Copeland broke down her diet in a 2015 interview with Glamour. “I'll eat fruit right after class. Then throughout the day I'll eat nuts and dried fruit—lots and lots of nuts for energy. I'll also eat light stuff during the day—maybe salad or sushi. I'm a pescatarian, so I don't eat red meat or pork. So my dinners usually consist of seafood in some way. And maybe cookies after!”

6. Lindsey Vonn

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Lindsey Vonn opened up about her struggles with body image and body positivity on Instagram. "I've posted quite a few swimsuit pics lately, which is scarier than it seems,” she wrote. “Even as an athlete there are ruthless comments and media stories that tear apart my body and I admit it sometimes hurts me. I'm a normal person and sometimes I slouch, my stomach folds over, my cellulite shows on my butt, or I don't fill out my swimsuit top just right. I always remember how my body has helped me achieve amazing things in my life and I am proud of how strong I am. I'm not a size zero and that's perfectly fine with me.”

7. Lolo Jones

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In an interview with Stack, Lolo Jones talked about her workouts and how she lost weight. “You can’t do the same workout every day and expect results,” she explained. “Our method is based on cycles. We build up to hard workouts within three weeks and then take a rest week. Also, if you increase your volume, you need to decrease your rest. For example, if I’m running for longer and slower, then I get less rest time. But if my run time is faster and shorter, I get a longer time to recover so that I can run at a higher velocity next round. Rest is really important.”

8. Alex Morgan

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Prior to the 2021 Olympic, Alex Morgan shared her mindset with The Beet. “Going through these big moments, the World Cup, and the Olympics, and I try to live in the now. I will have so many intense moments coming up in these next two weeks, I try to remember to take a breath and tell myself to just ‘Live in the now.’ I have found over the past ten years on the national team, I know that there is more to it than just the journey. Live in the now and remembering to breathe. And enjoy the moment.”

9. Kayla Harrison

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Kayla Harrison is open about being a survivor of abuse. She told Muscle and Fitness that she has learned to keep going forward when she feels down. “I think, because of my life story, and because of the ups and downs, I’ve learned that life is a rollercoaster,” she said. “And, I think that this helps with the bad times and the down times, and the times where I want to quit, or when I feel like I suck, or the times when I just don’t know how I’m gonna get through this. The bad times don’t last forever. The good times don’t either, but it gives me courage to know that nothing I go through now will ever be harder than what I went through when I was 16 or 17. That mental toughness carries me through.”

10. Maria Sharapova

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Maria Sharapova talked about her diet in an interview. “I start my day healthy, drink lots of lemon water, have done this my entire career, then green smoothie with kale, lemon, spinach and sometimes a small apple or an avocado. I usually pair that with rye toast. These days I'm not too fussy about food and I have to say I'm a lot less fussy than when I was playing."

11. Mikaela Shifrin

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Mikaela Shifrin shared her training secrets with Sports Illustrated. She says that she and her team look for external factors that could be affecting her performance. “We can objectively rate what my energy levels should be, across a period of time, given this data,” Shiffrin says. “There’s a graph showing the peaks and valleys of my training, and the highest intensity blocks versus the lowest intensity blocks. The last couple of years we’ve collected enough data to see when I get tired in a really intense training block.”

12. Lisa Carrington

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Lisa Carrington shared her fitness secrets in an interview with NowToLove. “I do lots of strength work," she says. "Pretty much all my cardio is done on the water, although we do mix in a little cycling or running to give my body a rest from it. And then I'll also fit in some Pilates – a one-on-one session with some really challenging core and stability exercises."

13. Tianna Bartoletta

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Tianna Bartoletta opened up about her decision to use InsideTracker to help track her wellbeing to Sports Business Journal. “I really committed to my InsideTracker journey around that point because so many things converged at the same time. I learned I had the tumor that was hemorrhaging and causing the blood loss that was causing the anemia. COVID happened. The Olympics, at that time, were still meant to go on as planned. And I was barely holding on to life at that point, as the reigning Olympic champion. There was no way I could think about defending the title until I actually got baseline healthy. You can't skip steps. I cannot become the Olympic champion, and then I'll revisit and circle back to surviving. So yeah, I buckled down on InsideTracker. I was like, 'Oh, I really have to take care of this. I have to give myself a fighting chance.’ All of these places where it says ‘need to be optimized,’ I need to kill it. I need to maximize, optimize and that is the thing that flipped the switch for me.”

14. Katie Ledecky

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Katie Ledecky opened up about her training process to E! News. “On a hard day, I'll have two swim practices and a weight session. I swim twice a day, four times a week and once a day, twice a week and then I have Sundays off. I swim nine to ten times a week and then three weight sessions per week.”

15. Maya Moore

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Maya Moore shared some of her diet secrets with Stack. She says that she has learned to limit the amount of sugar in her diet, and reads labels on food. “You start to realize just how much sugar is out there,” she says. “A lot of times, it’s just empty calories. I started to find different recipes and learned to cook for myself.”

16. Megan Rapinoe

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Megan Rapinoe talked about her workout secrets to Bustle. "Weight training is really big for me. Obviously, I run a lot playing soccer, but I also make sure that I strength train and pay attention to how everything's working in my body, especially as I get older."

17. Ashlyn Harris

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Ashlyn Harris talked about her plant-based diet to Green Matters. “I think people can feel intimidated by plant-based foods and the idea of completely changing their diet. But making small changes like avoiding animal products even just a couple of days a week can have positive effects on your health and the environment. So if you’re nervous, start with something small and easy and go from there. In my house, we really love JUST Egg Folded, which you pop in the toaster to make a quick sandwich. It's delicious and so easy, and you’ll totally forget you’re eating an egg from a plant.”

18. Holly Holm

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In a 2015 interview, Holly Holm talked about how she approaches fights. “The whole plan is to not get hit. That’s what I’m focused on. I spend a lot of time in the gym. The more I fear my opponent, the more time I spend in the gym. The more I learn the more confident I feel, which helps me feel more comfortable and not be overly anxious or be too nervous where I can’t focus and perform. Hard work helps me to get through that.”

19. Dame Valerie Adams

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Dame Valerie Adams might no longer be competing, but she’s still working out. "It's not my job to perform physically any more, but it is my job to perform emotionally and mentally,” she said in an interview. "Exercise is how I fill my cup and it's how I get what I need to release my stress. But other people have their own ways of thriving. It could be as simple as going outside for a 30-minute walk or putting on your favourite playlist and having a boogie in your lounge. It really gives you a boost."

20. Jessica Ennis-Hill

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When it comes to wellness, Jessica Ennis-Hill is all about variety. “I think it is important to enjoy food and not just see it as sustenance,” she told BBC Good Food. “I love to cook and am always trying out new recipes.” She also says that her biggest wellness advice is, “To try and keep both your diet and the exercise you do varied and interesting. You’re more likely to keep it up if you don’t get bored with it.”

21. Claressa Shields

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When it comes to her diet, Claressa Shields makes sure to eat healthy, but also doesn’t like to deny herself. “I have a cheat day every week in camp at least once,” she said in an interview. “I don’t care if I have some Doritos, if it’s a donut, if it was a cream cheese filled pretzel. I have my cheat days, but for my [main] diet it’s very, very strict.”

22. Michelle Waterson-Gomez

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Michelle Waterson-Gomez shared her secrets for MMA fighting to Women Fitness. “I think it is important to drill over and over again until you are sick of drilling, then drill some more. I also like to shadow boxing which is like fighting an imagery opponent. Shadow boxing allows you to fix your mistakes and make your movement smooth so that it becomes second nature. Doing bag work is also a good workout routine. It allows me to work on my power and footwork.”

23. Lisa Leslie

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In an interview with Stack, Lisa Leslie shared her secrets for success. “Be hungry about your sport or whatever it is you are passionate about,” she says. “You can’t reach perfection—that’s what drives me. I am a perfectionist, but you can’t reach perfection, so I am always looking for ways to get better.”

24. Dafne Schippers

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During the pandemic, Dafne Schippers made sure to stay in shape. She did a lot of at-home workouts. NBC Sports shared this video of her working out in her yard. In it, Schippers is seen doing box jumps onto a table with her dog.

25. Misty May-Treanor

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Gold medalist Misty May-Treanor shared her diet secrets with Women Fitness. “I like to listen to my body, but I do watch what I eat,” she says. “I try to eat whole nutritious foods because that is what is going to fuel my body and it is especially important that I eat enough calories with the amount of training that I did. I would work with my trainers too in order to make sure I came in at my playing weight that I feel the strongest at. Drinking plenty of water even throughout the night is important. Carrying small snacks helps to keep energy up.”

26. Elana Meyers Taylor

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Elana Meyers Taylor shared her workout secrets in an interview with NBCOlympics.com. “On Monday, Wednesday and Friday I do double days of running in the morning and lifting in the afternoon. Tuesdays and Saturdays, I do a running workout or recovery workout. Thursdays are off. My schedule changes every day based off of what other duties I have with Nico -- he has multiple therapies a week.”

27. Kerri Walsh-Jennings

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Kerri Walsh-Jennings shared how she stays in Olympic shape to Muscle and Fitness. “Staying strong and flexible is how I stay healthy. I’m a big fan of weightlifting to make me strong and prevent injury. It’s also great for metabolism, confidence, posture, and bone density. Pilates has helped me so much in my career as well. I worked hard to get my strength back in my core and strengthen my upper back, especially after breastfeeding.”

28. Michelle Kwan

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Michelle Kwan broke down her daily routine to Repeller.com. In it, she shared her go-to workouts. “Yoga helps clear my mind. It helps me maintain a sense of mental ease throughout the day, so when I’m stuck in traffic, or I get in an argument, or something chaotic happens at work, I’m able to take a step back to pause and reflect before I react. That’s why I practice so much: for the safety of others [laughs].”

29. Paige VanZant

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In an interview with Women Fitness, Paige VanZant talked about how she approaches recovering from injuries. “My husband kept me training and pushing very hard through every injury I encounter.” VanZant also shared some advice for other fighters. “For young fighters who experience injuries my advice would be to keep your mind busy and heart focused on why you started. And remember fighting is not who you are it is what you do. The light always comes after the darkness.”

30. Tara Lipinski

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Tara Lipinski broke down her typical diet to People. She says that she believes in moderation when it comes to food. “Since exercise and diet have been a part of my life since I was young, I know balance and moderation are key. One of the biggest lessons I learned from my athletic career is that I must listen to my body to stay at peak performance levels. But when I need to splurge, I splurge. And then when I need to bring it back to greens and fruit, I do.”

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.

Extreme sports are not just about adrenaline-pumping stunts; they're also a testament to the remarkable physical and mental strength of the athletes who conquer them. In this article, we'll introduce you to 20 extraordinary female athletes who have pushed the boundaries of human capability in their respective sports. From skateboarders to surfers, climbers to snowboarders, these women share their secrets to maintaining peak physical condition, their approaches to nutrition, and their unique journeys in the world of extreme sports. Join us as we celebrate their dedication, determination, and the amazing bodies that enable them to achieve greatness in their chosen disciplines.

1. Lyn-Z Adams Hawkins Pastrana

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Lyn-Z Adams Hawkins Pastrana talked about motherhood in an interview with Cooler Lifestyle. She says that she doesn’t want to lose herself in being a mother, and is finding a balance. “A lot of people seem to think or act like their entire world has to now spin on the axis of their child, and that their lives have to completely change, but that’s never the way I’ve looked at it,” she said. “To me, it’s just another little buddy along for the ride. I bring Addy everywhere, she does everything with us, and I haven’t let having a child hold me back from anything. You can be a great parent and continue your life almost exactly as it was before (in my opinion anyway). Parenting can be challenging, and travelling with a child can be more tiring than before, but it’s worth it to have your sweet little buddy with you and continue what you love to do!”

2. Kelly Clark

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Kelly Clark shared some of her favorite workouts with Sports Illustrated. In it, she talked about how she works out when she travels. “I’m looking for parks to put my feet on swings and do TRX,” she says. “You can do full body weight circuits on a jungle gym and run cones in the park. I have to get creative and adjust.”

3. Steph Davis

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Steph Davis shared her secrets to staying in shape for rock climbing with ForksOverKnives.com. “It helps to have strong tendons, a good strength-to-weight ratio, and good flexibility. And if you’re interested in long routes and climbing in the mountains, you have to have a lot of endurance to hike uphill with a pack on for hours just to get to the climb. [You can train] by climbing outside, climbing in a gym, doing finger-specific training, bodyweight calisthenics, weight training, or gymnastics training. I also like to trail run a lot.”

4. Maya Gabeira

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Maya Gabeira makes sure to eat healthy. “Each surfer eats in a different way,” she tells Women Fitness. “I see people who do not want to eat a specific kind of food and some with intolerance. I eat in a natural way, removing industrials or un-naturals products. But what is always present in my diet is a well-prepared broccoli, with a lot of proteins, vegetables and asparagus. I also have many kinds of fruits and nuts in my diet.”

5. Lizzie Armanto

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During the pandemic, Lizzie Armanto kept in shape by doing yoga at home. She shared this video of herself doing poses with her loved ones on Instagram. She captioned the post, “In all the mess of things happening, one constant is finding new ways to challenge myself. Using the living room to practice yoga, definitely fits that bill. There's so many house things to be distracted by. Luckily I have @axelcrusher & @mami_tezuka to be quarantined w/ and theyre game for most activities. & thanks to @dollieduke83 for the daily classes.”

6. Sasha DiGuilian

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Sasha DiGuilian talked about her diet in an interview with Men’s Journal. “I believe in everything in moderation,” she says. “I focus on fueling my body with a high-fiber, vegetable diet and lean protein - chicken and salmon, mainly. Though, I do enjoy red wine and cookies. I am not very strict with myself, especially when I am training hard. I follow a more encompassing - rather than eliminating - diet; making sure I have enough protein and greens throughout the day, more than anything else.”

7. Jamie Anderson

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Jamie Anderson loves to cook healthy foods. She shared some of her favorite recipes with Us Weekly. “I make my own gee, I’ll do like a lot of golden milk in the evening,” she says. “You use like turmeric and ginger and gee with organic milk and it’s a really healing erratic Ayurvedic supplement. And yeah, I like all kinds of random food. I love cooking so when I’m home, I’m into like stir-fries, and like today I learned all different types of Korean recipes, so I’m actually stoked to go make some more delicious food.”

8. Angel Collinson

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Angel Collinson talked about her wellness routine with SGB Media. She says that balance is something that is important. “Balance offers more energy to do what you want to do and is motivating. It’s different for all of us. We all have a fire that burns inside of us—our fuel source if you will—wanting to accomplish things and do things. Sometimes the fire rages and sometimes it flickers. For me, it’s figuring out how to nurture the fire best because when you are feeling ‘fired up,’ you have the energy to do whatever you want, and inspiration comes naturally. When my fire is running low, I find that I have to do other things to get motivated.”

9. Chloe Kim

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Chloe Kim shared some of her favorite exercises with Bustle. “I do a lot of strength training. My trainer, Roy, is incredible, and I feel much stronger than I ever have. I’ve also been working on my cardio a bit because I’m sick of being out of breath after a run. To recover, I get physical therapy. When I’m in Los Angeles, my physical therapist, Vinh, takes care of me. When I’m in the snow, my physical therapist is Emilie. I always need someone with me on the road to ensure I’m good and ready to go.”

10. Rachel Atherton

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Rachel Atherton talked about the evolution of her workouts with Muscle & Fitness. She says that her coach, Dan Robert, helped change her outlook with fitness. “We started focusing on quality over quantity and training very specifically to our sport. It was so exciting to be in the gym, and all that time training really makes you believe in yourself. That was the pinnacle.”

11. Isabelle Hanssen

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In a post on her website, Isabelle Hanssen talked about her approach to being an athlete. “Being an elite athlete encompasses far more than mere training and competition,” she writes. “It is a way of life. Every choice you make, from your attire and personal presentation to how you invest your time and who you spend it with, contributes to shaping your unique individuality and character.”

12. Mimi Knoop

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Mimi Knoop notably tore the ligament in her ankle in 2018. She talked about how she recovered from it in an interview with Men’s Journal. “Injuries will happen; it's the reality of being an athlete,” she says. “It's important to approach injuries with patience and figure out what your treatment options are. You don't want to rush it because it's easier to heal right the first time than to deal with a chronic injury that never goes away.”

13. Paige Alms

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Paige Alms makes sure to eat healthy. She tells Men’s Journal that she likes to make salads. “My go-to meal is a big, lush garden salad with kale, arugula, lettuce, cilantro, mint, parsley, tomato, cucumber, daikon, carrot, blueberries, apple – whatever is in the garden or in the fridge ... Add some BBQ chicken breast or venison, or some fresh fish from a friend. That’s pretty much my favorite meal - light, fulfilling and it makes me feel good!”

14. Amelia Brodka

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A skateboard isn’t the only thing Amelia Brodka likes to ride. She also loves to surf and snowboard. She is seen doing all three in this Instagram video. Brodka captioned the post, “Christmas boarding trifecta with @alec_beck & @sierranevada 🏂🛹🌊 I’ve wanted to skate, surf and snowboard in the same day for as long as I’ve lived in California but ironically the opportunity presented itself while in NJ for the holidays!”

15. Aimee Fuller

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Aimee Fuller broke down her fitness routine in an interview with Women Fitness. “I work in the gym 3x a week in the offseason,” she said. “As well as 1 or 2 jogs and a bike ride per week! That way I am keeping my explosive strength firing in the gym and working up a good base fitness through cardio.”

16. Laura Enever

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In an interview with The Sunday Morning Herald, Laura Enever shared her day on a plate. She says that she loves coffee and a smoothie first thing in the morning. “My daily morning routine is coffee and a green smoothie at home before I head out for my first surf. It consists of banana, kale, plant-based protein powder, greens powder, essential oils, honey, ice and water.”

17. Ingrid Backstrom

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In an interview with Ski Magazine, Ingrid Backstrom talked about her skiing career, specifically when she skied in Denali. “I got the opportunity to ski Denali and it was super tough mentally. My brother died the year before, but I thought it was important to take the opportunity when it came. It was a huge learning experience for me and really hard, mentally, but I’m glad I did it.”

18. Janina Kuzma

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Janina Kuzma talked about how she prepares for competitions with Stuff.co.nz. "I've been competing a long time. Experience prepares me for these events. I know I'm a great competitor ... I know how to keep my cool and even if I'm having a bad day I know I can throw it down when it comes to my competition run."

19. Shauna Coxsey

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Shauna Coxsey talked about her diet in an interview with Women Fitness. “I definitely think about what I eat, but I don’t actually follow a specific diet. I have tried a few different diets in the past, but I don’t enjoy being strict with food. I think that I’m lucky because I really enjoy good food, I like to feel healthy and I love cooking. However, I also enjoy dessert and I love baking too. I am conscious about getting a balanced diet and having a good relationship with food. I don have to ensure that I have enough protein when I am training a lot and I’ll have smaller pieces of cake if I want to lean up for a competition.”

20. Anouck Jaubert

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In an interview with Planet Grimpe, Anouck Jaubert talks about how she approaches climbing. “It's difficult to describe the run, because when I'm at full speed I don't have time to know what's happening! I felt like I was going fast and my only intention was to speed up! I obviously knew that we were side by side... On the last movement, I had to quickly let go of my left hand to go to the buzzer and unfortunately I didn't have time to grab the grip correctly to trigger the movement.”