Katie Ledecky’s Go-To High-Protein Lunch

Katie Ledecky has always made waves, both out of the pool and in it as a competitive swimmer. Holding world records and nine Olympic gold medals, she’s performing at her seventh World Aquatics Championships with the same determination as her first.

Ledecky is as focused as ever on staying fueled, strong and hydrated, and being partnered with Core Power protein shakes definitely helps. And through this partnership, we caught up with the Team USA swimmer to talk about her nutrition routine, her favorite meal from her childhood and what it takes to compete at the highest level. Read on for the full interview.

What nutrients are you prioritizing in your routine?

As a middle-distance athlete, it’s important to get all the fuel, all the important nutrients, so for me that’s protein, carbs and electrolytes. Throughout the day I focus on eating a really balanced diet, which is a mix of protein, carbs and fruits and vegetables. I treat myself every now and then, but I typically have a snack before my morning practice and then a Core Power after, and then I’ll have a late breakfast, another snack or small lunch in the middle of the day, and then dinner after my afternoon practice. It’s constantly fueling and trying to be ready for the next workout, to make sure that I can stay on top of everything that I need.

From when you first started professionally training to now, how would you say your eating pattern has changed?

Given how long I’ve been in the sport, you can’t have the same things every single day or every single year, but I do find that once I find something that is working well that keeps me fueled before and after practice, I’ll stick with it. I found that with my omelet that I make myself in the middle of the day. Of course, I mix up what vegetables I’m throwing in my omelet or what kind of toast I’m having, but for the most part, I get into a routine and I’ve found what works. I would say the only thing I really switch up every day is dinner. 

What works for me now is a little different than what worked for me when I was 10 years old, that’s for sure, and I think the other big thing compared to when I was 10, 11, 12, all the way through high school, is that I have ownership over what I’m eating. I’m cooking for myself, I’m making all those decisions. I don’t have my mom around to cook every meal, although I would love that. I love it when she visits and does some of that for me, but I have to do that now for myself and I enjoy it. I enjoy learning about what fuels my body the best.

What was your favorite meal that your mom made you during childhood?

Oh, favorite meal… I mean, I just love breakfast food, so pancakes, steak and eggs, that was a favorite of mine—not the pancakes, the steak and eggs. That was a favorite of mine for after prelims of a swim meet, coming home midday and having a good big lunch. She’s a pretty good cook.

How important is hydration in your training regimen? 

For hydrating, you can never have too much. I know what I need at this point, and I also live and train in Gainesville, Florida. It’s very hot and humid here, especially in the summer, so I really just have to keep up with my hydration. Core Power has electrolytes as well, so it really adds to that. I don’t have a specific number, but I always have water nearby and am just constantly hydrating throughout the day.

What time of day do you like to include and enjoy Core Power?

I mainly have Core Power after my morning workout. For overall context, I have 10 swim practices a week and then five “dry land” or weights sessions a week. And so in the morning, I have a two-hour swim and then I have an hour and a half of dry land type training. I’ll typically not really get a full meal in until after that weight session. I’ll have half of a Core Power bottle after my swim practice and then the rest of the bottle after my weights, and that really allows me to get the protein and carbs that I need to get me through the workouts, replenish my nutrients and have me ready to go and recover.

With the 2025 World Aquatics Championships here, what are you looking forward to most?

I’m excited just to race the world’s best. It’s pretty much the same competition as it is at the Olympics. I don’t know if people always recognize that. It’s not the Olympics, but it’s still a really big meet for us. It’s always an honor to represent Team USA as well, so I don’t take it for granted. This will be my seventh world championship, for some on my team, it’ll be their first, and so it’s always fun to be around them and feed off of that excitement that they have going to their first world championships, and then I can always help them out and offer some of the experiences that I’ve had.

Editor’s Note: This interview has been edited for clarity and length.