For being the most decorated female swimmer in Olympic history, Katie Ledecky's philosophy around nutrition is surprisingly relaxed.
For one, she doesn't strictly track her daily protein intake. "Over the years, I've kind of learned what I need because it does sometimes change, if I'm doing well or if I don't feel like I'm doing well," Ledecky, 28, told Business Insider.
Since graduating from Stanford in 2020, her class-free schedule also gives her more time to rest and cook her own meals between her two blocks of daily training sessions. To keep things simple, she eats mostly the same breakfasts every day and usually has leftovers from the previous night's dinner for lunch.
"I just focus on things that I can prep easily," Ledecky said. "My morning is pretty much set. I don't even have to think about it very much."
Ledecky shared what she typically eats in a day to fuel for and recover from long training sessions.
A quick snack before a 2-hour morning training
Ledecky typically wakes up at 5:00 a.m. for her first practice of the day, a 6 to 8 a.m. block involving swimming and strength training.
Before she heads out, she eats "something quick and not anything too heavy," usually an oatmeal packet and a banana. The carbohydrates from both provide an energy boost.
Her breakfast always involves eggs
Right after practice, Ledecky usually has a Core Power protein shake, for whom she's a brand ambassador for, to tide her over until she gets home for breakfast.
"I try to get a full meal in within an hour of when I finish practice," she said, as the body is best optimized for nutrient intake after a hard workout. "That was something I learned from a young age."
Breakfast is usually two eggs, scrambled or cooked in an omelet. Ledecky, who is partnered with the egg brand Eggland's Best, said she grew up eating Eggland's eggs in particular since she was a kid, continuing to include them as a staple of her diet as an adult.
She loves making a vegetable omelet because of how easy it is to add extra fiber-rich ingredients like spinach, arugula, or tomatoes. She usually tops with cheese like mozzarella or cheddar.
She always adds a side of toast and fruit. "So I'm kind of getting a good balance there of protein and carbs and everything that I need," she said.
Fueling for another 2 hours of training
Ledecky has a late lunch or larger snack before her second practice of the day, another two-hour training block in the afternoon.
"Usually, that's leftovers from dinner the night before, or a salad, or some chicken," she said.
Throughout the day, she also likes to snack on berries, which offer fiber and extra nutrients.
"I love blueberries, raspberries, strawberries," she said. "I always feel good when I'm having a mix of fruit throughout the day as well in between all my meals."
She makes a protein-packed dinner
After practice, Ledecky makes dinner — her most involved meal-prep of the day. She focuses on protein-rich meals, which help with building muscle and recovery.
"That's kind of when I mix up a little bit more," she said. "Might be steak, might be chicken, might be a hamburger, might be pasta."
On occasion, she treats herself to ice cream and pastries
Ledecky has a few favorite desserts in rotation.
She keeps frozen yogurt and ice cream in her freezer whenever she wants a scoop at night. Sometimes, she goes to her favorite bakery in Florida for a pastry.
"I treat myself every now and then," she said. "It just kind of depends on what I'm craving."
