Both Apolo Ohno and Julia Mancuso still prioritize balanced, protein-rich meals.Consistency matters more in their 40s than strict training plans.Staying fueled helps them think clearly and keep up with busy days.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019ve been tuning in to the Winter Olympics for a while, you\u2019re probably familiar with speed skater Apolo Ohno<\/a>\u00a0and ski racer Julia Mancuso<\/a>. Both Team USA alums have plenty of experience using workouts and nutrition as training tools, and they\u2019ve got the medals to prove it.\n<\/p>\n But once your time competing in the Winter Olympic Games<\/a>\u00a0is over, how does your daily diet change? EatingWell\u00a0chatted with Ohno, 43, and Mancuso, 41, to find out. The duo recently partnered with ready-to-eat meal delivery service Factor to create the brand\u2019s Gold Collection<\/a>, a line of meals, smoothies, juices and snacks designed to help customers\u00a0eat like an Olympian while staying nourished and focusing on their goals. Here\u2019s how\u00a0Ohno and Mancuso eat today\u00a0to stay fit\u2014even with the Olympic Games in the rear view.\n<\/p>\n How does your diet today differ from when you were competing in the Olympics? And which kinds of foods do you prioritize now?\n<\/p>\n Ohno:\u00a0My diet\u2019s actually not too much different than it used to be. I would say it tastes a lot better now. Before, I just didn\u2019t use much seasoning, but I stuck to the same kind of macros, right? Salmon is a big part of my diet.\u00a0Chicken is a big part of my diet, and I backfill with some healthy carbohydrates\u00a0and vegetables. I feel my best when I\u2019m having a balanced meal.\n<\/p>\n Mancuso:\u00a0I\u2019d say very similarly. The only difference is now I have three kids, so I really have to prioritize eating well because it\u2019s easy for me to skip meals. Protein\u00a0seems harder to make all the time, and it\u2019s so easy to just grab carbs. So I also prioritize protein because I\u2019m trying to keep up with three kids. It\u2019s the same as when I was ski racing.\n<\/p>\n Has there been anything that\u2019s surprised you, getting into your 40s, that you\u2019ve had to change with your nutritional needs?\n<\/p>\n Ohno:\u00a0I would say it\u2019s the consistency of my eating: My brain works better, my body works better and my mind works better when I\u2019m eating consistently, so it\u2019s something that\u2019s become a priority in my life. It\u2019s just different. I\u2019m obviously not training three or four times a day, but I\u2019m very active. I train every day and try to do some kind of activity. What I eat today is probably not too dissimilar to what people think I eat.\n<\/p>\n Mancuso:\u00a0It used to be that if I thought I was eating healthy\u2014but I wasn\u2019t eating enough proteins and I was carbo-loading too much\u2014the next day I felt it in my legs. Now, as a mom and maybe more of a normal human, when I don\u2019t eat well, I feel it in my brain.\n<\/p>\n What I find to be so important is to go back to that pro level of eating so that my mind functions properly, because it\u2019s easy to skip meals\u2026\u00a0and then all of a sudden, I\u2019m spinning. It\u2019s kind of like my body is telling me, don\u2019t forget to eat well.\n<\/p>\n When you watch the Olympics now, what are your favorite events to watch? And do you have any favorite Olympic-watching snacks?\n<\/p>\n Ohno:\u00a0I love short track speed skating. I\u2019m in Milan right now\u2014I\u2019ve been here since the Opening Ceremonies\u2014and when I come back, it\u2019s like a reunion. But like, today, we were so busy I haven\u2019t had time to eat much. But I\u2019ve been bringing around my water bottle with electrolytes so even if I don\u2019t have access to a meal when I\u2019m sprinting out the door, at least my body\u2019s getting hydrated\u00a0and then I\u2019ll try to backfill at the end of the day.\n<\/p>\n Mancuso:\u00a0Skiing. I think it\u2019s hard not to say the sport that you competed in is not your favorite sport. I\u2019m in California now, and with the time difference, I\u2019ve been waking up and trying to watch the races in the middle of the night. That\u2019s been tough, but it\u2019s also been exciting.\n<\/p>\n Editor\u2019s Note: This interview has been edited for clarity and length.\n<\/p>\n