★FitStars: Olympic Beach Volleyball Player Misty May-Treanor

Misty May-Treanor is ready to play this summer.

Oooh, we are getting all Olympics crazed up in here! Not only are the Summer Olympic games fun to watch, but they are super-duper inspiring. Case in point: Misty May-Treanor. A two-time gold medalist, and currently the winningest female beach volleyball player with 110 individual championship wins in domestic and international competition, she is a force to be reckoned with. Despite the fame and success, we learned first-hand in an interview with Misty that she’s totally down to earth and has a sane FBG-esque approach when it comes to working out and eating right.

We chat with her about her new “From Grains to Glory” partnership with Arnold and Oroweat bread (check out her super-cute new commercial here), her favorite on-the-go eats, her training schedule and much more!  Read on for the Q&A!

Interview with Misty May-Treanor

• FBG: You’re working with Arnold and Oroweat Bread for its Slice of Gold contest. How and why did you get involved?
• MM: Yes, I grew up with Oroweat Bread. Funny how things come full circle. As an athlete, you want to believe in the brands you’re representing. This was a no-brainer for me. I already believe in the company and the brand, and it’s part of my daily routine. Diet is an important part of what I do, and I’m on the go constantly, so I do eat a lot of sandwiches because they’re quick and easy. For the contest, a lucky fan and his or her friend will win a clinic with me. I love interacting with people. It makes it fun and interactive.
• FBG: What are a few of your favorite healthy sandwich toppings?
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  All that training sure helps Misty May-Treanor on the court!

  MM: It depends on how I’m feeling, but I like roast beef and avocado, whole-grain bread with different veggies. I love tuna with sprouts and red onion and cucumber. That’s the beauty of sandwiches: you can make it however you’re feeling. There’s no wrong or right way to make a sandwich.

• FBG: The Olympics are right around the corner. What’s your training schedule like? Any favorite exercises?
• MM: It’s tough right now. I just started competing, so I’m training sporadically and the physical stuff off the court has tapered down. I’m on sand for about two hours, five days a week, but doesn’t include weight lifting after that on certain days or physical therapy or other plyometrics. For me, I love all Olympic lifts, cleans, snatches, squatting, push jerks, throwing around the heavy weights and dropping them on the floor. That’s fun for me. I think it’s fun to go into a gym and lift in the free weight area, where women don’t go very often. The men look at you like, “What are you doing?” I love to prove them wrong.
• FBG: Any workout moves you could do without?
• MM: My least favorite exercise are planks—but I believe that you hate an exercise when you’re weak in that area. So now I don’t steer away from them, and I’ve gotten stronger. I’ve always wanted to do a pull-up. I’m building up strength to do that now, so I’m excited.
• FBG: What are a few of your favorite foods to fuel those workouts?
• MM: I think it’s important to get a balance of protein, carbs and fats. Another thing people don’t think about is that you do need to eat every couple of hours. You have to have food with you most of the time, especially if you want the results. After training at the beach, I look forward to eating sandwiches before hitting the weight room, and I also like protein shakes. For dinner at night it’s fruits and veggies on the side, chicken. Who can resist a good steak either?
• FBG: Do you listen to music when you work out? What are a few of your favorite tunes?
• MM: If I’m stuck in traffic and the traffic is upsetting me, I’ll listen to calming music. For lifting and running and doing workouts, you need that music in your head to keep going, so I always like a good rhythm. I find that with it I can sustain workouts a little longer. My most recent downloads are David Guetta.
• FBG: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever gotten?
• MM: You gotta live life to the fullest because you’re not guaranteed tomorrow. My mom says that you have to enjoy what you’re doing because when you can’t physically do it any more or don’t enjoy it, you have to get out. You have to enjoy what you’re doing in order to be successful. And, yes, I’m really enjoying what I’m doing right now.
• FBG: What’s the best advice you can give our readers regarding health, fitness and happiness?
• MM: Don’t look for the quick results. Everyone looks to weigh themselves every day, but that’s one of the worst things to do. Weight is not a telltale sign that you’re getting fatter—you could be building muscle mass. I go by “at what weight do I feel like I’m playing my best” versus what the scale says. Give yourself time. Set a goal and one that’s attainable, and you can always move from there. Don’t get discouraged; there are going to be ebbs and flows. Especially when you want to get in better shape, diet is more important than exercise. You can exercise all you want, but if you don’t have a good diet it won’t matter. Eat better and the results will come.
• FBG: Anything else you’d like to add?
• MM: If people are looking into getting in better shape, get a partner to go through the journey with them.

Yep, she’s an FBG! Is one of your dreams to train with a sand volleyball superstar like Misty? Well, this could be your chance. Arnold, Brownberry and Oroweat Breads (the Official Bread Supplier of the U.S. Olympic Team) have partnered with Misty and are offering the opportunity for one fan to win a private volleyball clinic with this two-time Olympic gold medalist. Simply submit your personal “Slice of Gold” sandwich recipe on the Arnold and Oroweat Facebook page for a chance to win the clinic.

We cannot wait to see her out on the sand volleyball court. How about you? —Jenn