If you want to know what it takes to fuel up for success, stay lean, improve your energy, and stay motivated, ask one of our 2014 Sochi Olympic athletes.
The following Olympic athletes share their “golden” health advice to live by…
1. Team Work is Motivating
“It’s hard to get motivated…especially when it’s the dead of winter when you’re tired, you’re cold… and you’re like, “Do I really have to put sneakers on?” but working out with others [makes it] a lot easier. That’s something I love about being part of a team…we can pull strength from each other and motivate one another to push that little bit extra. [Working out with others] is always key for me…[when] I might be in a little rut.”
~ Julie Chu, U.S. Women’s Ice Hockey Olympian
2. Never Skip Breakfast
“I almost always have organic, slow-cooked oatmeal in the mornings…and I’ll I throw in some fruit and protein—like peanut butter or sunflower butter.” It keeps me full for the entire morning.”
~ Heather McPhie, U.S. Women’s Freestyle Skier
3. Mix Up Your Workouts
I don’t [stick to] a particular fitness routine…I like [doing] lots of activities to build up my strength and stamina…sprint interval training, yoga, mountain bike racing, road biking…[all] great for strength, stamina, and cardio.”
~ Justin Reiter, U.S. Men’s Snowboarder
4. Keeping Winter Skin Flawless
“A good moisturizer is really important…I also think it’s really important to remove all of my make-up at the end of the day. And my last tip is drink lots of water. Winter in general can be really dehydrating, especially for me on the mountain, so I drink lots and lots of water.”
~ Jamie Anderson, U.S. Women’s Slopestyle Snowboarder, Gold Medal Olympian
5. You Are What You Eat
“Curling is often still considered a beer-drinking sport…but that’s definitely changing. We train a lot more off the ice with weight lifting [so we have to] make sure the body is getting the [proper] vitamins. We [also] have to make sure we’re getting the best nutrition to keep our brain fueled so we can focus for the two and half hours we’re on the ice.”
~ Jessica Schultz, U.S. Olympic Curler
6. Listen to Your Body
“Listen to your body…if you’re not feeling well, whether it’s a sore muscle or a stomach ache, your body is trying to tell you something so don’t tune it out. A persistent sluggish feeling and decreased athletic performance led to my celiac disease diagnosis in 2008…your body knows best!”
~ Dasha Gaiazova, U.S. Women’s Cross-Country Skier
7. Eat Fresh Not Processed
“It’s important for all athletes to not get sick! [That’s why] I try to stay away from processed foods because I know they’re not good for my body and eating them can get you sick.”
~ J.R. Celski, U.S. Short Track Speed Skater, Two-Time Bronze Medalist
8. More Men Should Do Yoga
“For fitness [training]… I’ve been doing yoga for a number of years. I originally started as a way to help get limber as a push athlete. I enjoyed it so much I just kept going back. It’s a great way to relax and escape the grind.”
~ Steven Holcomb, U.S. Bobsleigh Team, Gold-Medal Olympian
