Katarina Johnson-Thompson, the accomplished heptathlete and silver medalist from the 2024 Olympic Games, continues to inspire fans with her dedication both on and off the track. In August, she shared a glimpse of her Olympic journey on Instagram, featuring moments with her teammates, scenes from the track, and some downtime at dinner. Her commitment to health and fitness extends beyond her athletic accomplishments, as she prioritizes sleep, proper nutrition, and recovery. After taking a well-deserved break post-Olympics, Johnson-Thompson is back, feeling rejuvenated and ready to take on new challenges, balancing her intense training schedule with a focus on overall well-being.
1. She Gets Enough Sleep
Thompson makes sure to get enough sleep each night. She tells Women’s Health that sleep is a big part of her skincare and beauty routine. “Sleep helps, too. When I’m jet-lagged [after flying out to Florida to train], I sleep 7pm to 8am, then enjoy a morning coffee in the sun, and my skin looks better than ever.”
2. She Eats A Lot Of Carbs
Thompson shared her typical diet in an interview with Cosmopolitan. She says that she makes sure to eat enough carbohydrates each day. "I train six times a week, sometimes twice a day, so I can’t afford to cut back on carbs,” Thompson said. “I am very much of the view of everything in moderation; you can’t cut out a major food group.”
3. She Gets Enough Protein
Thompson also makes sure to get enough protein in her diet. She shared one of her favorite high-protein breakfasts with Cosmopolitan. "If I haven’t got very much time I have a porridge-y oat shake with protein powder, frozen fruit and milk. I’m very much an egg person. As an athlete you need a lot of protein. I try to have 70g of protein a day so I try to add it in to every meal where I can."
4. She Eats Healthy Snacks
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Thompson shared some of her favorite healthy snacks in her Cosmopolitan interview. "I try to snack before a training session and also get snacks in afterwards as well. When I’ve got a particularly heavy day I will snack on fruit like a banana, or even some cereal before a big training session. Afterwards I try to get the protein back in, so I have a protein shake or bar, or some peanut butter with apple or something like that to make sure I recover properly.”
5. She Recovered
In her Women’s Health interview, Thompson revealed that she had to take a break to recover after the Olympics. “After the Tokyo Olympics, I didn’t do anything sporty for three months – it was the longest break I’ve ever had. I didn’t identify as an Olympic athlete at all; I hung out with my dogs and went to the Bahamas with my mum, which is where her family are from. She hadn’t been for so long and it’s a lovely mother-daughter memory. Now I’m rested – mentally and physically – and raring to go once more.”
