Ilona Maher In Bikini Channels “Princess Leia” For Sports Illustrated
Many stars are attending Miami Swim Week with Sports Illustrated. One of them is rugby star and Olympic medalist, Ilona Maher. Ilona appeared in two editions of the magazine and walked the runway for them. She made sure to wear a lot of different swimsuits for the event. In one post on her Instagram, Ilona wore a deep red bikini and a wrap, captioning the post, “Princess Leia?” Read on to find out some of Ilona’s wellness secrets.
She Plays Rugby
Rugby is obviously one of the things that keeps Ilona in shape, not just physically, but mentally. She talked about the impact its had on her life to Sports Illustrated. “I love that [rugby] showed me what I can do. It showed me how capable my body is and it’s not just like a tool to be looked at and objectified.”
She Supports Her Teammates
In an interview with People, Ilona revealed how she prepared her mind for games, especially the Olympics. She says that focusing on supporting her teammates helped her not worry about making mistakes and the many people watching her. “It was important for me to know why I play and that I was playing there for my teammates. I wasn’t just playing for the now-millions of people that were watching me, but I was playing for my teammates. I was playing for my program, and that gave me something to really ground myself.”
She’s Comfortable With Her Body
Ilona wants to be a role model for her fans. One way she does so is by talking about body positivity on social media. In this video she posted on Instagram, Ilona encouraged people to feel comfortable with their bodies natural state. She captioned the post, “I really do believe a lot of us are meant to be bigger and our bodies need more to function at its optimum. I implore you to really think about what your natural state could be.”
She Gives Herself Pep Talks
Another way Ilona prepares herself for game days is by giving herself pep talks. “To get into the game, before it starts, I do have to amp myself up,” she says to Mind Body Green. “It’s such a hard sport. I feel so tired constantly. I’m getting beat up out there. And we play in these hot places. I say to myself before I’m about to run out, ‘If it were easy, everybody would do it. This is a very hard sport, and I’m so honored that I can do it.’ It kind of puts it into perspective when I’m tired.”
She Knows What Foods She Has To Eat
While Ilona isn’t on a specific diet, she does have to eat meals that fuel her. “For me, it’s been really freeing to learn what foods it takes to be at my top performance,” she told MindBodyGreen. “The meals feel good when I know I need this food to fuel myself. I’m more about function versus form. Because right now I’m supposed to be big. I’m supposed to be powerful. And I’m using these meals to do it.”
