Venus Williams Quotes

During the season, one of the most important things to eat is the carbs. Protein's really important, too, but it's the carbs that are important because I have to consistently refuel for the next day.

I try not to eat too much, but I always get hungry before a match. I make sure I have enough fuel in my body. I'll eat pasta and a little bit of protein usually. I'm pretty much eating a full meal.

To help my muscles rebuild after I work out, I have a small serving of cottage cheese.

After a training camp workout, my body is eager to replace nutrients and energy that are lost during the workout. It's best to have a quick bite about 30 minutes after practice. I like to have yogurt and granola, the combination of carbs and protein helps me recover after a long and tiring workout.

Before every match, I eat pasta with tomato and chicken breast a few hours beforehand. In the hottest months, I choose to drink an energy drink before the match, too, but normally, I drink just water.

I try to eat a lot of carbs, especially the day of the game, because it fills you up. I have my breakfast and I have a huge lunch before I play. For me it's always having pasta and chicken to get some protein in me, so I don't play on an empty stomach at night. The day before a game it's high protein, mostly, with fish or steak, but nothing crazy.

When I was training for the Olympics, I didn't eat the way I should have. I missed out on much-needed protein and opted for every easy carb.

If you don't eat right as an athlete, you'll get tired and won't be as sharp. It's simple to drink sodas and sports drinks, but water is the most essential drink to put in your body.

I need to eat before a workout. If I exercise in the morning, I'll have a little oatmeal, cereal, or a hard-boiled egg with toast. If I go in the afternoon, I'll eat a turkey sandwich with cheese for lunch.

I like meat and carbohydrates.

Never eat less than four hours before boxing. Then eat only lightly.

I eat a lot of chicken with salad or salmon with salad.

If I'm playing in the morning, I'll get some carbs early: porridge with chopped banana. If I'm playing in the afternoon, I'll start with less carbs and have some eggs and fruit for breakfast, then a light lunch about 90 minutes before I play, so I don't feel sluggish or full.

In the morning, I'll usually do eggs and toast, but at night I keep it all protein.

After workouts, I always try to eat protein right away, like a protein smoothie or an organic protein bar - you get them online.

The night before I compete, I like to have steak. Meat is especially important for female athletes because it provides them with the nutrients they need to perform at their best.

I usually eat a pretty big steak the night before I compete.

An athlete's diet is a complicated thing.

One of the difficulties for me is that I'm naturally very skinny, so the problem that I have is trying to keep weight on, put weight on. I have to eat six, seven times a day, and I have to have a lot of carbohydrates to try and fatten me up so I have something to turn into muscle.

It's important to remember that because these athletes exercise so beyond what even a normal active person would, they generally must also supplement their diet.

When I was competing, I cut out red meat but only because I felt it took too long to digest, so I stuck to chicken and fish.

Usually, about 2 hours before a game, I stuff in a nice peanut butter and jelly with chocolate milk.

I was real skinny in high school. I was real fast and explosive. I just didn't really have a good nutrition plan; I didn't understand how important it was to be healthy. I was eating hot fries, potato chips in the morning, Capri Sun. That was like my breakfast. That changed when I got to college - I put on 20 pounds of muscle.

I always bring a post-workout protein shake with me and some cereal for the mornings.

In order for me to perform the best I can out on the field, I have to fuel my body with the proper nutrients to be able to do all the running. I'm running four or five miles every game, so it's a lot. Even at halftime, I take electrolytes and have half a peanut-butter-and-jelly or whatever is sitting there just to keep my engine running.