katie
ledecky

Swimmer · nine-time Olympic gold medallist

11 steps · last checked 18 oct 2026

up at 5 for a 6am swim, eggs every day, a power nap when she can, eight-plus hours of sleep in a dark, cool room.

from her 2026 Business Insider, EatingWell and E! News interviews, a 2024 SELF interview and a 2022 Q&A on Oura’s blog.

the stack · at a glance

what katie uses.

stack as of jan 2026

2 items

food · what she has described

pre-practicearound 5 am
oatmeal and a banana
an oatmeal packet and a banana, nothing heavy (2026).
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breakfastwithin an hour of practice
eggs, toast, fruit
two eggs scrambled or a vegetable omelet with spinach, arugula or tomatoes, topped with mozzarella or cheddar, plus toast and fruit (2026).
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lunchbefore afternoon practice
leftovers or salad
“Usually, that’s leftovers from dinner the night before, or a salad, or some chicken.” (2026)
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snacksthrough the day
berries
blueberries, raspberries and strawberries between meals (2026).
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dinnerafter practice
steak, chicken, burger or pasta
“Might be steak, might be chicken, might be a hamburger, might be pasta.” (2026)
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treatnow and then
ice cream or a pastry
frozen yogurt or ice cream at night, or a pastry from her favourite bakery (2026).
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the routine · 11 steps

morning

5:00 am
Up at 5
“I usually have morning practice at six in the morning, and so I’m up around five.”
sleep
Before practice
Oatmeal and a banana
“Something quick and not anything too heavy”: usually an oatmeal packet and a banana.
nutrition energy
On the way
Music on the drive in
“I like to listen to good music on the way to my early morning swim practice.”
focus
6–8 am
Swim, then weights
“My morning practice is from about 6 to 8 a.m.… After swimming and lifting weights, I’m done around 9:30 or 10.”
fitness
Straight after
Protein shake while she cools down
a protein shake right after practice to tide her over until breakfast. At races: “I would drink it as I was warming down.”
nutrition recovery
Within an hour
A full meal with eggs
“I try to get a full meal in within an hour of when I finish practice.” Usually two eggs, scrambled or in a vegetable omelet, with toast and fruit. “I do eat eggs every day.”
nutrition recovery

day

Afternoon
A second two-hour session
leftovers or a salad first, then another two hours in the pool. “I train about 25 to 30 hours a week.”
fitness
Any free moment
A power nap
her go-to for an afternoon slump is “a power nap!” On lighter days: “I’ll focus on trying to get a nap in, just get my feet up.”
sleep energy

night

Bedtime
Dark, cool room and a shower
“I make my room dark and cool, and I also like to take a shower just before bedtime.”
sleep
Night
Eight or more hours
in hard training blocks she doubles down on “getting eight or more hours of sleep… taking naps when I can.” After Paris she logged 8 to 10 hours a night to clear a sleep debt.
sleep recovery

any time

Travel
Compression socks on flights
she has POTS, diagnosed in 2015, and manages it with fluids, extra sodium and compression gear. “It just helps the legs feel better and helps start the recovery on the plane before you even land.”
recovery

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