What A World Class Olympian Really Eats

Alexandra (Aly) Raisman, 21, is an Olympic gold medalist headed to Rio to represent Team USA in the 2016 Olympics. Here's what she actually puts into her body to fuel her rigorous training schedule.

DAY 1: TRAINING

7 a.m.: Rise and shine! With less than three months to go to the Rio Games, I start each morning by setting goals and thinking about how to accomplish as much as I can. Everything I do, every minute I sleep, all my training, and everything I eat is meant to fuel and take care of my body. I'm going to give it all I have with no regrets!

Like I usually do, I started the morning with a hot water with lemon because it's supposed to be good for my metabolism, and I just love the taste. I always eat the lemon pulp too — it gets less sour after soaking in the warm water, and it's supposed to be super-healthy.

Some days I have a bowl of cereal with skim milk, but today I just went with two slices of whole wheat toast and jelly. I eat whole wheat bread because it's healthier, but I also think whole wheat tastes better.

8:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.: Training time! I drank a ton of water throughout the entire workout. I didn't keep track of how much, I just always listen to my body. Today, I needed a lot. Working hard!

1 p.m.: After almost four hours of practice, I was starving and headed home for lunch. I often eat dinner leftovers from the previous night, so today it was grilled chicken breast and brown rice and some veggies. It saves me time on food preparation — all I need to do is heat it up and add ketchup, because who doesn't love ketchup? I put ketchup on everything, and so do my teammates Gabby [Douglas], Simone [Biles], Maggie [Nichols], and MyKayla [Skinner].

I put ketchup on everything, and so do my teammates Gabby, Simone, Maggie, and MyKayla.

1:15 p.m.: I can't get through two workouts without a nap, so this was my time to take one. For so many athletes, a nap is not a luxury, it's a necessity! My body was exhausted from the morning workout and the entire week.

3 p.m.: Before I headed back to the gym for my second workout of the day, which lasts 2.5 hours, I cut up a banana and mixed it with Greek yogurt and some cereal for the carbs, protein, and energy I needed for the rest of the afternoon. I often sit in traffic for 30 minutes to an hour on my way to the gym, so I always make sure I have a water in the car to stay hydrated.

5 to 7:30 p.m.: Back at the gym!

8 p.m.: I am always hungry when I get home from practice. Tonight, I ate a small piece of grilled salmon with a cup of whole wheat pasta and loads of vegetables including broccoli, carrots, and parsnips (I love them!). I really try to fill up on colorful veggies every night.

8:30 p.m.: I took a long, hot shower to relax my muscles and mind. Even though I was exhausted, I loaded up on all my skin and hair products — I'm very girly, and this makes me feel feminine. Then I got into bed to ice my ankles and back, and used a special laser machine that speeds up the recovery process and prevents injuries. Meanwhile, I drank tea to relax and unwind while I watched Vampire Diaries on Netflix and dozed off.

DAY 2: REST DAY

8 a.m.: With more than 30 hours a week of training, my body gets tired by the time Sunday rolls around, and while I try to sleep in, it's hard because I'm so used to waking up at 7 a.m. I felt like it was a coffee-in-my-PJs kind of day, so I tried to listen to my body. I think resting, relaxation, and clearing your mind is one of the healthiest things you can do.

8:30 a.m.: I had an egg-white omelet made with spinach, a little cheese, tomato, and some leftover salmon from the night before for extra protein.

10 a.m.: I put on a Revision black face mask (my favorite) and took a hot bath with some Epsom salts and a fruity bath salt scrub.

12 p.m.: I was so exhausted from the week I could barely stay out of bed, so I got back in it with my puppy Gibson.

1 p.m.: For lunch, I ate brown rice with steak and some fruit.

2 p.m.: Nap time! After I woke up, I watched some TV with my family. My dad and I love watching football together, but when it's not in season, we'll sometimes watch a movie or Modern Family, Friends, or How I Met your Mother.

6 p.m.: I helped my mom make homemade calzones for dinner. They tasted delicious. It's great to spend time eating with the whole family.

6:30 p.m.: I unwound with another hot bath and all of my products: Revision Skincare hydrating serum, retinol, DEJ face and eye creams, and a firming night treatment to relax and get ready for bed. Then I foam-rolled my muscles and got in bed.

9:30 p.m.: I watched some Netflix and fell asleep before 10 p.m.

To learn more about all Olympic hopefuls, visit Teamusa.org.

From: Harper's BAZAAR US