I eat a variety of foods like vegetables, fruit and beef for protein and iron. |
My training has been going really well these past few days and my goal is to keep it up for the next few weeks and hopefully earn a spot on the U.S. Olympic team. |
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. |
A year ago I had a back injury and followed a good nutrition program to help speed up my recovery. I focused on exercise and staying healthy in order to get back out on the ice. |
I'm a competitive person and I love the challenge of mastering new things. |
I skate about 15 to 20 hours a week and also incorporate a lot of off-ice training. I take ballet and Pilates classes and lift weights with my physical therapist when I'm not on the ice. |
My academic schedule is lighter this year because it's an Olympic year. |
Follow your dreams, work hard, practice and persevere. Make sure you eat a variety of foods, get plenty of exercise and maintain a healthy lifestyle. |
I worked with my coach to develop some new spiral variations to make my program more interesting. Each one is different and you'll have to wait until January to see them. |
Skating has always been a major area of interest to me. |
I'm used to a very busy schedule. Right now it revolves around training and preparing for Nationals in January. I'm usually at the rink from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. and then I attend public school for two hours, three times per week. |
My family has always been there to support me along the way. My coach, John Nicks, is a great influence. |
I want to be the first lady to land a quadruple jump in competition. As I grow older, I know that my skating style will develop and mature. |