Exactly What Simone Biles Eats in a Day to Stay Fit, Fueled, and Olympics-Ready
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As a gold-medalist who’s prepping for her second Olympics, Simone Biles pretty much lives at the gym, so she has to keep her body fueled. To do so, she eats a diet rich in protein, fiber, and lots of fruits and vegetables. However, she says it’s important that she does not restrict herself or count calories.
“I do not track anything,” she recently told Women’s Health. “I eat what I feel good with and try not to overeat or stuff myself because I’m always at the gym.” The 23-year-old gymnastics champion has seen restrictive eating take control of some peers, which is why she does her best to be mindful of it.
“For gymnasts in particular, [tracking] can lead to health problems and eating issues, so I just eat what I know I can and should,” she explained.
That often includes takeout because she loves trying new restaurants (hence her recent partnership with Uber Eats) and of course, some protein-packed staples for breakfast and lunch. Keep reading for a glimpse at day-to-day diet.
She doesn’t always eat breakfast.
But when she does, it’s typically something quick and easy like oatmeal or fruit. “I wake up so early before practice, which is at seven, so sometimes I’ll grab a quick bite and sometimes I won’t,” she told Women’s Health.
Luckily for her, she doesn’t mind getting up that early. “I’ve always been somewhat of a morning person,” she explained. She doesn’t even reach for coffee to get the day started (which deserves a gold medal on its own). Instead, she keeps water close by throughout the morning.
When hunger pains inevitably strike, it’s protein shake time. “I love having a Core Power Protein Shake after a workout,” she says. “Usually I drink half after the first practice and half after the second practice. One of my favorite flavors at the moment is vanilla. It always changes, but it’s currently vanilla.”
The weekends, though, are a whole different story. “On the weekends, I’ll have some protein waffles with chocolate chips, some eggs, or even make cinnamon rolls,” she said. “Because I might not have to be at the gym, I can actually take the time to make breakfast.”
Lunch is all about protein and fiber.
After all, she has to supplement for all the morning calories burned. If she’s making lunch at home, she’ll go for pasta, chicken, or salmon and veggies. She told Women’s Health she loves asparagus, broccoli, carrots, corn, green beans, and peas, but her all-time favorite is potatoes. “I love potatoes in any shape or form,” she said.
Often, because she’s so busy, she’ll order takeout before heading back to the gym. “I feel like it’s more manageable because I can get home, shower, and go on the app to order whatever I want with the click of a button,” she said.
She has a variety of favorite snacks.
She doesn’t go for them often, simply because she’s too busy to remember. But when she does feel like an extra bite, Biles will typically have fruit; grapes, strawberries, and bananas are the go-tos.
And because she doesn’t restrict herself, she likes the occasional banana bread muffin, popcorn, or pretzels dipped in Nutella, too. “It all depends on how I feel,” she said. She told Well+Good that she also loves plantain chips because they’re tasty and easy to keep on hand.
There’s one food she doesn’t like.
Biles really isn’t a picky eater, she’ll have just about anything—unless it contains coconut. “For some reason, I don’t particularly like that taste,” she told Women’s Health. “But anything else, I’m pretty good.”
At dinner, nothing is off the table.
“If I’m feeling like a little bit of a less healthy meal, I get pizza or fettuccine Alfredo with chicken,” she says. “I really like home restaurants that are in the area because I feel like I get to be closer with them. I’m not picky. I’ll try any new restaurant.”
But pizza is her all-time favorite food. Her Instagram bio calls her a “pizza connoisseur,” and in 2016, she told ABC News that no matter how a competition goes, she always treats herself to a slice afterward. “It doesn’t even matter if I don’t win a self-gold, after every meet I have pizza,” she said. “Pepperoni pizza.”
She rarely has a sweet tooth and enjoys cocktails on weekends.
“I have to be in a dessert mood and that usually happens more often when I’m out of town,” Biles told Women’s Health. “I find myself looking at local places on Uber Eats for cookies or ice cream or both.”
If dessert cravings come up at home, she’ll either have strawberries with whipped cream or bake what she calls s’mores cookies. “I put a graham cracker at the bottom, marshmallows and chocolate on the top, and then I wrap it in cookie dough and bake it,” she explained.
She’ll also have the occasional boozy beverage on the weekends, often electing for a glass of wine or margarita. But even then, she keeps a consistent bedtime. “Earlier than 10:30 p.m. is my target time,” she said. “I’m usually in bed by 9:30 p.m., so I’m asleep before then.”
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