"80% of the time, I try to eat clean, and 20%, I love my cheat meals" - Maria Sharapova on 'challenge' of balancing her sweet tooth with strict diet

Maria Sharapova has shed light on her diligent training regimen and disciplined diet that she continues to follow even after retirement.

Sharapova enjoyed a remarkable tennis career, winning five Major titles, achieving the career Grand Slam, attaining the World No. 1 ranking, and clinching 36 career titles on the WTA tour. She retired from professional tennis in 2020 but has maintained her connection to the sports world, recently taking part in Pickleball Slam 2.

Despite stepping away from the professional circuit, the Russian remains dedicated to her training regimen. In a recent Vogue feature, Maria Sharapova revealed that she devoted at least one hour a day for six days a week to working on her body.

While the intensity of her training has decreased since her retirement, the five-time Grand Slam champion disclosed that she appreciated the opportunity to add more variety to her workouts. The 36-year-old also highlighted the consistency in her fitness routine, mentioning her efforts to squeeze in workouts even during busy travel schedules.

"I try to dedicate at least one hour per day, five to six days a week, to my body. I don’t train at the levels I used to, but I’m quite diligent about being consistent–even if I have only 30 minutes in a hotel room. To be honest, I like the variety that I have in my workouts now. It was much stricter while training as a professional athlete. But, the consistency is what I’ve stuck to," she said.

Sharapova then opened up about her dietary habits, sharing that while she mostly adhered to a healthy diet, she allowed herself cheat meals 20% of the time. The Russian admitted that it was "challenging" to balance her diet, particularly due to her fondness for sweets.

"Diligence around diet is important but also challenging, especially when on the road. 80% of the time, I try to eat clean, and then 20% of the time, I love my cheat meals. I love sweets, so it’s not always an easy ration to keep up!" Maria Sharapova said.

Maria Sharapova's love for sweets is no secret, as she launched her own confectionary brand, aptly named 'Sugarpova,' back in 2012.

---

Maria Sharapova: "De-stressing is about giving yourself permission to time out and not feeling guilty about it, mothers especially face this guilt"

Maria Sharapova

Maria Sharapova is set to host the inaugural 'Wellness Immersions' program in partnership with Aman Resorts at the Amanpuri property in Phuket, Thailand. Drawing from her personal journey, the Russian shed light on the wellness practices that have inspired her approach to the program.

The former World No. 1 emphasized the importance of alleviating anxiety by disconnecting from the myriad distractions of the modern world.

"To lower anxiety, it’s important to allow myself to have the time–to give myself the time–needed. We live in an age of distraction, and when your mind is constantly working, you need to give it a break," Maria Sharapova said, via the aforementioned source.

The Russian also highlighted the importance of self-care and stress management, particularly for mothers, who often struggle with guilt when taking time for themselves.

"De-stressing is not about having a specific thing, in my case. It’s about giving yourself permission to time out, and not feeling guilty about it. This is a big challenge–mothers especially face this guilt. But, you need to find a way to be okay with it, because it is so important," she added.

Maria Sharapova spoke from firsthand experience as she and her fiance Alexander Gilkes welcomed their first child, a son named Theodore, in July 2022.