Track and Field Athlete Allyson Felix Shares Swimsuit Photo From Turks and Caicos

Track and field athlete Allyson Felix enjoyed a fun-filled trip to Turks and Caicos with her family, and judging by her social media posts had an incredible time. Felix, 37, shared a picture of herself walking in the aquamarine surf while wearing a white bikini, looking happy against a background of sea and blue skies. "Isn't it beautiful there? Enjoy!" commented Olympian Carrie Tollefson. Here's what Felix does to stay fighting-fit and ready to run.

Felix's favorite food is traditional soul food. "To me, cooking is love," she says. "Just because of how busy I am, when I do get time to cook or bake for family or friends, it's very thoughtful — it's an expression of love… Black-eyed peas, mac and cheese, rice and gravy, catfish. All of that. My mom and my grandma (who lived with us growing up) would always make a big dinner Sunday after church. It brings back memories of those dinners when we would all just come together — family and friends — and connect over food."

Felix would train for hours when she was competing. "I train about five hours a day," she says. "Three of those hours are on the track — warming up, stretching, doing drills and then the actual workout, which may be anything from very technical work on the starting blocks to speed work. From there, I go to the gym and spend a couple of hours doing strength and conditioning…  I'm super-competitive, so I love that running is something that is not subjective. You can know on that day who is the best! And I love how personal and individual it is. You can constantly challenge yourself."

Felix enjoys a healthy, light diet when she's training. "I usually keep breakfast light: yogurt and granola," she says. "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."

Felix focuses on recovery and sleep as a necessity for good health. "Recovery is a huge piece of my training," she says. "I really made that a priority this year. I think when I was younger I always felt like I wanted to do as much as I could — quantity was everything — and now that I'm older, and as a mom, it's really quality over quantity. It's about training smarter. For me, being able to focus on recovery allows me to come back and get quality work the next day as well."df44d9eab23ea271ddde7545ae2c09ec

When it comes to food, Felix prioritizes how it makes her feel. "I don't worry about counting calories, carbs or fasting," she says. "I focus on my body's needs to succeed, which are long-lasting energy, hydration and strong, lean muscles. Nutritious food makes me feel good and perform well. Processed and junk food makes me feel tired and bloated — not a gold medal feeling!"