Serena Williams (born September 26, 1981) is an American professional tennis player.

Diet

“I often don’t make breakfast because I just forget or I’m running around getting Olympia ready,” she says. “And then I go work out.” She prefers waiting until she’s hungry to have her first meal. And for her, that’s typically not until later in the day. “When I roll out of bed [in the morning], I’m just not hungry.”

In December 2020, Serena helped launch a new vegan protein shake, Happy Viking, that she co-founded in partnership with beverage company Dyla Brands. She told Eat This, Not That! that even by going plant-based, these help her get enough protein.

“Don’t be afraid about not getting enough protein, you will,” said Williams. “Quite honestly, I think most people start to feel a lot better, have a lot more energy, and be a lot more clear-minded when they switch to it.”

“I love cooking. I don’t have a ton of time to do it often, but I love cooking and it’s just kind of relaxing for me,” she told Women’s Health.

“Hydration is super important for everything from skin to muscle recovery, so I try to make sure I always have water next to my bed. I also avoid snacking, especially sugar, as that tends to keep me awake longer.”

“The only time I eat pasta is when I’m playing/training. Usually, you’ll never see me eating pasta otherwise. ‘Cause I feel like I’ve had to eat it so much in my career. It’s just like, I never want to see pasta again.”

She also has a sweet tooth: “I’m the deadliest of both: savory and sweet. I love those molten lava cakes, the ones where you cut into it and the chocolate spills out. Even if it’s terrible, I can’t say no to those. The best ones are at Nobu because they serve it with green tea ice cream. Ridiculously delicious.”

Workout

From an interview with Vogue: “My at-home fitness routine right now is just a lot of cardio. I do HIIT workouts (high-intensity interval training), a little stretching, a little strength training, but mostly cardio training. I do the cardio exercises on Tonal, which is really helpful for me just to get my body back and used to calisthenics. I don’t necessarily want a trainer in my room or in the gym with me, so just having the Tonal trainers is a relief. It’s just something different from what I’ve been doing for the past 20-plus years, and it’s refreshing. But I definitely listen to my body. My favorite type of cardio is running, but my body has to be fit to be able to run or else my knees will hurt. After playing tennis for so many years, you just wear and tear down your knees, so the elliptical has been growing on me, too. I’m basically trying to do cardio every single day–even if it’s, like walking a few miles, it still counts. I had a tough last week, so this week has been a little bit lighter–I took two days off. Next week, I’ll be back to seven.”

Meditation

From the same interview with Vogue: “I’m working on practicing meditation. I feel like I need to do it regularly. Do I? No. But I’m getting there! I also understand that prayer is a form of meditation. My motto is: Any time, any day, we can pray. It’s not like I have to pray at a particular time; it’s just any time I feel I’m feeling stressed or misguided, I just say a prayer. Also, at the end of a long day, I like to turn off my brain by watching a TV show. I was watching Downton Abbey, but it ended so now I’m trying to find something new!”

Schedule

• 7 AM-Breakfast
• 8AM – Tennis Practice w/ Sister Venus and Father
• 12PM – Lunch Break
• 2PM – Strength Training
• 4PM – Dance Class
• 5PM – Rehab
• 6PM – Dinner with Family
• 8PM – Social Media and Promotional Work
• 12AM – Sleep

Sources:

• https://www.eatthis.com/news-eating-habits-serena-williams-swears-by/
• https://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/a37329089/serena-williams-diet/
• https://www.vogue.com/article/train-like-a-pro-serena-williams