Train hard, rest smart: 6 habits of world-class athletes
According to the company material, the original article was written by Dr. Luigi Gratton, Vice President of Health and Wellness at Herbalife.
The main idea: hard training alone isn't enough — you also need to rest well. World-class athletes don't rely on flashy secrets; they do small things consistently every day — on training days, rest days and ordinary days.
1. Protein at every meal
- 20–40 g each time, every 3–4 hours
- Before or after training, aim for about 30 g
- Helps maintain muscle, keeps you full longer and makes it easier to manage eating
- Shown in the image: chicken breast, salmon, eggs, yoghurt and a protein shake
2. Match carbs to your energy use
- After hard training: 50–75 g of carbs within the first hour
- Pick simple foods such as a sandwich, fruit yoghurt, cereal with milk or a granola bar
- On rest days or light-activity days: reduce carbs to a suitable amount
3. Drink on schedule — don't wait for your body to signal
- Drink water regularly all day — before, during and after exercise
- The material gives a rough guide: drink at least half your body weight (in pounds) in ounces per day, e.g. 160 lb means 80 oz
- For each hour of exercise, add 20–30 oz
- If you sweat a lot, add minerals — especially sodium and potassium — to keep fluids in balance
4. Sleep enough — recovery starts when you sleep
- Sleep 7–9 hours every night; treat it as part of training
- During sleep the body recovers and repairs muscle
- Less sleep means lower training performance
5. Add colour every day
- Eat colourful vegetables and fruit every day, not just once a week
- To get the vitamins and minerals your body needs
- Shown in the image: spinach, red cabbage, beetroot, bell pepper, blueberries and cherries
6. Rest day doesn't mean doing nothing
- Move gently — walking, easy cycling, yoga, stretching or foam rolling
- This is called active recovery
- Helps ease tiredness and lets muscles recover after training days
Key points
- Protein at every meal
- Carbs to match energy use
- Drink enough water
- Sleep enough every night
- Eat colourful fruit and vegetables
- Recover actively on rest days
- The material concludes that what sets world-class athletes apart is what they repeat consistently on ordinary days, not just on competition day
More images in this series (tap to enlarge)
Read next: What to eat after exercise: how much fluid, carbohydrate and protein ›
Read next: 5 everyday habits: quality protein, nitrate-rich veg, omega-3 and rest ›
Read next: How to start exercising and keep going: a 5-step plan for beginners ›
Pick one or two habits you don't do yet and start this week. If you'd like food ideas for training and rest days, chat with us on LINE — and if you have a health condition, consult a doctor before starting a new exercise or nutrition plan.
Image and reference from official material in the MyHerbalife media library: Train hard, rest smart (added to the library: 5 Aug 2026)
Herbalife products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.