What It Takes to Get an Olympic Body Slideshow

On Top Of Their Game

Ever wonder what it takes to become one of the fastest runners or top gymnasts on the planet? 2008 Olympians, including track and field's Allyson Felix, gymnast Kevin Tan, softball's Jennie Finch, and shotputter Adam Nelson share their secrets about training, diet -- and their occasional indulgences -- with WebMD.

Michael Phelps, Swimming

Age: 23 (DOB: 6/30/85)

Training: Swims 6-7 days a week, 2-5 hours a day, about 50 miles a week. Once said, "I've never lifted a single weight in my life" but since the Athens games he added a strength training regimen, three times a week, to put on 14 pounds of muscle.

Diet: Reportedly, he eats 8,000 to 10,000 calories per day and says "I just eat pretty much whatever I want and as much as I want, because I burn so much."

Indulgence: Sleeping. He told TIME magazine: "I am far, far from being a morning person. If I have a workout at 7:30 a.m., I'm hitting the snooze button at 6:50."

Jennie Finch, Softball

Age: 27 (DOB: 9/9/80)

Training: Three to four hours a day on the field, plus conditioning and weights. Very few days off.

Diet: A balanced diet of healthy carbohydrates, protein, fruits, and vegetables.

Indulgence: Chocolate chip cookie dough.

Adam Nelson, Track & Field

Event: Shot put

Age: 33 (DOB: 7/7/75)

Training: Four hours a day, Monday to Friday; two hours on Saturday and a flex workout on Sunday, for recovery.

Diet: Six high-protein, high-calorie meals a day, eaten every three hours, with at least a gallon of water per day.

Indulgence: Dairy Queen Oreo Blizzards.

Justin Spring, Gymnastics

Age: 24 (DOB: 3/11/84)

Training: Two to three hours a day, six days a week, working for maximum efficiency in the shortest amount of time.

Diet: Five meals a day, including healthy snacks, one large meal (pasta, steak, or fish) and a dinner of protein and vegetables.

Indulgence: Fried foods -- but only very rarely, and always on a day off.

Samantha Peszek, Gymnastics

Age: 16 (DOB: 12/14/91)

Training: Twice a day for a total of six hours.

Diet: Lots of protein, fruits, and vegetables. Staples are yogurt, cereal, eggs, nuts, salad, and chicken.

Indulgence: Soup and salad from Paradise Bakery, plus a mixture of granola, fruit, and yogurt.

Kevin Tan, Gymnastics

Age: 26 (DOB: 9/24/81)

Training: Two to four hours a day, six days a week, with a focus on fine-tuning his routines.

Diet: Eggs and toast for breakfast (always at the local Waffle Shop), a light lunch, and a healthy dinner -- usually chicken.

Indulgence: Video games and Sunday golf with friends.

Melanie Roach, Weightlifting

Age: 33 (DOB: 12/15/74)

Training: Two workouts per day, twice a week; one workout per day, three times a week, with additional exercises for the core.

Diet: Lots of chicken and fish, some red meat, fruits, vegetables, brown rice, and oatmeal. Healthy snacks, supplements, and lots of water.

Indulgence: Shopping -- when not chasing kids.

Joe Hagerty, Gymnastics

Age: 26 (DOB: 4/19/82)

Training: Twice a day, five days a week, and once a day, two days a week, for 2½ hours each.

Diet: "Whatever they have in the cafeteria, which is always good."

Indulgence: Movies and video games.

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