Recharge and Relax
Secrets of Olympic Athletes
WebMD FIT Kids Slideshows
Swimmer Michael Phelps Relaxes With Music
Michael Phelps is one of the best Olympic athletes ever. He won 16 medals in 2008! This summer, he’s racing in the Olympics in London with athletes from around the world.
Before Michael gets in the pool, he likes to listen to hip hop and rap music. He says it helps him focus. Try listening to music to help you relax and focus.
Carmelita Jeter Skips Fast Food
Super-fast sprinter Carmelita "the Jet" Jeter eats healthy. It gives her energy to run fast. She eats veggies, rice, and chicken. She never eats fast food.
Fast food usually has unhealthy fats that are bad for your heart. Plus, fast food servings can be too big! You may get more than twice the food your body needs.
Usain Bolt Goofs Off
When sprinter Usain Bolt was 15, he was so nervous before a race that he put his shoes on the wrong feet. Now to relax before races he has fun. He poses for the crowd. He waves. Usain says it helps him get his mind off stress.
How do you get rid of stress? Try having fun or going for a run like Usain. Or maybe you can jump rope. Being active helps you relax.
Abby Wambach Says Be Healthy
Worried about your clothes? Hair? Who has the coolest shoes in class? Soccer player Abby Wambach says don't worry so much about how you look. She says there are two things that are important: 1) Be healthy. 2) Feel good about yourself.
Eating right and playing for 60 minutes each day can help you look and feel great.
Dara Torres Eats Yogurt
Swimmer and gold medal winner Dara Torres eats Greek yogurt almost every day. You can give creamy, tangy Greek yogurt a try. Add some berries or other fruit to yogurt, and you’ll have a great breakfast or after-school snack.
Greek yogurt is full of protein for strong muscles. You can pick a low-fat version like 2%. When yogurt is low-fat, it is better for your heart.
Kerri Walsh Loves Breakfast
Pro volleyball player Kerri Walsh is very tall. Her nickname is "Six Feet of Sunshine." To reach your dreams, she says to eat breakfast every morning. Kerri likes foods that have protein.
Try an egg or low-fat milk with your cereal for breakfast. Eggs and low-fat milk give you energy, and their protein helps build muscles.
Shawn Johnson Dances
When gymnast Shawn Johnson was invited to be on the TV show "Dancing with the Stars," she was scared. But she learned how to dance. She practiced, and she won!
Dancing feels good, and it’s fun. Plus, dancing can count toward the 60 minutes of moving you need to do each day to be healthy. So grab your music and get down!
Apolo Anton Ohno Gets His Zzzzs
Have you seen speedskater Apolo Anton Ohno yawn right before he races? He's not tired. Apolo yawns before races to get oxygen to his muscles so they are ready to race.
Apolo says he gets good sleep at night to rest his body and stay fit. Rest helps him have energy to compete. Try to get 10 to 11 hours of sleep at night.
Shaun White Mixes It Up
Snowboarder Shaun White is nicknamed "The Flying Tomato." To stay in shape, Shaun works out using balance balls and bicycles to keep his body strong.
Being active is about having fun. It’s cool to experiment and do different activities, just like Shaun does. Try riding your bike today and hit the basketball court tomorrow. Mix it up!
Lindsey Vonn Says Keep Trying
Skier Lindsey Vonn says she has one rule. "When you fall down, just get up again." She says that positive attitude keeps her going in skiing and in life.
To get in a good mood, Lindsey likes to hang out with her friends and play dance video games.
Moving and dancing are great ways to feel good.
More Reading on WebMD Fit Kids
- Fruit Bite: Watermelon It's not just for summer picnics. Find out more about this giant melon!
- What's a Bedroom for? Sleep! That's what! Turn your room into the ultimate sleep zone to get better zzz's.
- Ugh! I Hate Gym! Tips for making gym class bearable and even enjoyable!
- I Heart My Heart Look for this symbol to make yummy choices that are good for your ticker.
- Unplug Yourself Cut the cord on TV, video games, and the computer and discover a happier you.
Reviewed by Hansa D. Bhargava, MD on April 09, 2012
IMAGES PROVIDED BY:
1) Al Bello / Getty Images Sport
2) Bill Frakes / Sports Illustrated
3) Alexander Hassenstein / Bongarts
4) Ronald Martinez / Getty
5) Jamie Squire / Getty
6) Filippo Monteforte / AP Images
7) Kelsey McNeal / Disney ABC Television Group
8) Amy Sancetta / AP
9) Mike Groll / AP Images
10) Stanko Gruden / Agence Zoom / Stringer
SOURCES:
USA Swimming: "Michael Phelps."
Olympic.org: "National Olympic Committees."
Time: "More Questions with Michael Phelps."
Yahoo Sports: "Why does Apolo Anton Ohno yawn before his races?"
NASA: "Feeling Well Rested and Wide Awake When it Counts."
Daily Mail: "Unveiling the global village: Olympics athletes' flats featuring London 2012 duvet covers are ready for action."
USA Volleyball: "Kerri Walsh."
KerriWalsh.com: "Profile."
CelebrityBabyScoop.com: "Olympian Kerri Walsh on Feeling 'Stronger Than Ever,' Wanting A Big Family."
KidsHealth: "Learning About Protein."
ESPN: "A Darker Shade of White."
AskMen: "Fitness Interview: Shaun White."
Oprah.com: "Backstage With: Olympic Gold Medalist Shaun White!"
Shape: "What Dara Torres Eats (Almost) Every Day."
USDA ChooseMyPlate: "Dairy Health Benefits and Nutrients."
Seventeen: "Meet soccer player Abby Wambach."
The Guardian: "Usain Bolt: Fast and Loose."
SportsIllustrated.com: "Bolt shows true greatness again."
IMD: "Tips from Track Star Usain Bolt."
ShawnJohnson.com: "Shawn's Biography."
ABC: "Shawn Johnson Wins Dancing With the Stars; Talks to Good Morning America."
LetsMove.gov: "Get Active."
LindseyVonn.com: "About."
Fitness: "Golden Girl: Lindsey Vonn's Fitness and Motivation Tips."
SportsIllustrated.com: "2012 Olympians to Watch: Carmelita Jeter."
Stack.com: "Sprinter Carmelita 'The Jet' Jeter's Race Fuel."
Young, Lisa R., PhD, RD and Nestle, Marion, PhD, MPH, “Expanding portion sizes in the US marketplace: Implications for nutrition counseling.” Journal of The American Dietetic Association, February 2003, Vol. 103, No. 2,
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