Simone Biles is modeling workout gear. In a new social media post, the gymnast shows off her amazing body while modeling her favorite Athleta pieces. She shared the Instagram video during her luxurious getaway to Hawaii with husband Jonathan Owens. How does the athlete maintain her amazing body? Here is everything you need to know about her lifestyle habits, including her approach to mental and physical health.
1. Mental Health
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“I’ve always been in therapy [and] I’ve always been an advocate for medicine,” Biles told Vanity Fair. “If you need an inhaler, take it. If you have anxiety, take it. I’m no stranger to medicine.” Years ago Biles was prescribed Lexapro for anxiety, and she continues to take the medication today.
2. Protein-Packed Meals
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Simone fills her plate with lean protein and lots of fiber. For breakfast she has Kellogg's Red Berries or egg whites. Lunch, “is either chicken or fish so I get the protein,” she told Women’s Health. Next up, a “quick snack” before another workout. “Pre-workout I love drinking Core Power; it's a recovery drink. And then a banana and peanut butter because bananas have potassium, which helps with muscle cramps.” “And then,” for dinner, “I like having a good fish, like salmon, and rice and carrots.”
3. Cross Training Workouts
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“We swam twice a week—almost a mile! I swore I was going to drown, it was so hard, and then we would run. And the year before that we would bike 10 miles outside once a week. If we didn't bike, we would run a mile before practice, and as soon as we finished the mile we'd have to go inside and do a beam routine. My legs were absolute jello. But it got easier because the cross-training helped. This year we haven't done [cross-training] because we're just calming it down,” she told Women’s Health about what her exercise session consists of.
4. Strength Training
Simone also spends hours in the gym daily. “I like doing legs because those exercises come pretty easily to me. I have good, powerful legs, so I can do conditioning and they won't be too sore. But stomach conditioning, I don't like it at all! It's my least favorite. I like laughing better for an ab workout than actually doing abs!” she told Women’s Health.
5. Stretching
Simone understands the importance of stretching. “We have a routine that includes running and then a stretch for every part of our body. So we'll stretch before practice, but especially afterwards, because then you're tense and you need to stretch those muscles down. It's very important to keep your body flexible so that you don't get injured,” she told Women’s Health. “My favorite stretch is splits because not a lot of people can do them. And over-splits is when you put your leg up on a mat so it's higher—and it just looks cooler!” “Stretching keeps the muscles flexible, strong, and healthy, and we need that flexibility to maintain a range of motion in the joints,” says Harvard Health. “Without it, the muscles shorten and become tight. Then, when you call on the muscles for activity, they are weak and unable to extend all the way. That puts you at risk for joint pain, strains, and muscle damage.”