I spoke to soccer superstar Alex Morgan the day after she won the2024 SheBelieves Cup.
It was the first thing I brought upoffering my congratulations.
That’s exactly what Morgan is.
But of course her career spans years and comes with many other awe-inspiring wins.
Because of this, Morgan has become a household name.
(And I’m not even one of those Americans who doesn’t watch soccer/football!
My boyfriend’s from the UK, so I actually watch quite a bit of it!
Go, Arsenal!)
She is, as I noted, rare.
And at mindbodygreen, we’re all about helping folks get to that level.
And how has that changed since becoming a mom?
Everything is a balance in my life.
So it’s a balance.
I know I have to prioritize sleep.
That is so crucial.
I know I have to wake up and have a full glass of water.
Or for example, I know I need to be taking my vitamins.
It’s a fun experience for her.
My favorite ones to take are theseNature Made Multi Gummies that are Pickle Flavored.
It’s two of my favorite things put together: Multivitamins and pickles.
They’re just really fun and honestly aligned with what I like naturally.
mbg: What meals and foods help you feel strongest?
Morgan:I do follow a vegetarian diet.
So I eat a lot of grain bowls with rice and chickpeas, black beans, or lentils.
In the morning I usually have a yogurt or a protein smoothie.
In general, I find I need to eat a lot more to hit myprotein goal.
But hitting that is really important to me.
And then, it’s about having those healthy snacks throughout the day.
That way, I’m not just munching on chips because I want that salty craving or whatever.
I like switching it up; maybe it’s a pickle or hummus and carrots instead.
How do you set yourself up for success?
Morgan:I like totrack my sleep.
For me that’s about eight and a half to nine hours of sleep.
Having agood wind-down strategyis important.
I like to read a book before bed rather than watching a show.
Oh, the last thing is definitely making sure the AC isdownlike 67 or 68 degrees for sure.
mbg: There are so many benefits of playing sports for kidsbut especially for young girls.
What advice do you have for girls or parents of girls about playing sports and sticking to sports?
Morgan:Self-belief and confidence arethe most important things.
So for me as a mom, I’m trying to instill that in my daughter.
I venture to never suppress the opinions she has.
I’m never going to shy away from telling her what she can do, within reason.
I’m also a big advocate of kids playing different sports.
It’s also how they can find out what works for them the best.
So with my daughter, she’s in gymnastics, dance, and soccer.
I don’t want to push her into anything, but I definitely push her to stay active.
And naturally, she loves to run anywhere and everywhere.
She likes to race up the stairs and play with our dogs a lot.
I think a lot of times with kids, they want to do things with their parents.
They want their parents to be on the sidelines.
They want to be in the backyard and kick the ball around or play catch or whatever.
That fulfills her a lot too.
mbg: Being a professional athlete is interesting from a career perspective.
What are the moments that bring you back to that childlike joy again?
mbg: Speaking of teammateswhat makes a great teammate?
How do you show up for your teammates?
Everyone has a purpose and has their role on a team.
Each role is just as important as the others.
mbg: What’s the most underrated part of your well-being routine?
It’s about finding the balance of what your body and mind need versus what it wants.
And just know that there’s going to be a give and take for everything.
And that give and take is not only acceptable but necessary.
