Emma McKeon is headed to Paris, and this is the fitness routine that got her there...

No one trains as hard as an athlete. Duh, obviously. It's literally their job to go out and be the best. And when it comes to the best of the best no one does it quite like Emma McKeon. The superstar swimmer was all but destined to be a success story, with her parents, uncle and brother all representing Australia on the main swimming stage. 

But that doesn't mean the journey was easy for the 11 time Olympic medal winner. Oh and ICYMI: that's the most medals an Aussie Olympian has ever held. So, yeah, she's pretty impressive. But she actually took two breaks from swimming in her career, only to realise it's truly where her passions lay. 

So, when her alarm goes off at 5.30 (ouch), she's absolutely ready to leap out of bed and into the pool. But let's see exactly what she does to get her body Olympics ready...

Diet: A Balanced Breakie

Like we said, McKeon is out the door early, but that doesn't meant she doesn't need fuel to get her through her first (of many) workouts. She often opts for a pre-swim banana to give her a little bit of fuel to get going. 

And once she's done with swim number one (a gruelling two hour stint mind you) she told The Carousel she'll have Weetbix and honey (yum) or two eggs on toast to keep her going throughout the day. 

Exercise: Swim & Swim Again

It might sound kind of silly to say, but McKeon does a lot of swimming. Yep, we said it sounded silly. But obviously the athlete is prepping her body for the intense pressure of the world stage with each lap she takes, going through nine two-hour swimming sessions each and every week. While both are important, the afternoon sessions tend to be the trickier, time-trial kind of swimming. Olympian tings, you know?

Recovery: Downtime & Physio

Rest and recovery is seriously important when you're pushing yourself as hard as McKeon does. She stretches twice a day and makes regular visits to the physio to work out any little niggles. Although, she feels grateful to have not suffered any major injuries or set back. 

Her downtime sees her hanging out with her gorgeous dog, being sure to keep her mind active by reading and (she's only human), watching a bit of TV. 

To ensure her mind is on the game, and that she's not putting too much pressure on herself, she's been working with a psychologist to help manage the stress that comes with being Australia's most decorated Olympian. 

Diet: Veggies & Protein

While she's not super strict on what she eats, McKeon definitely makes sure to include veggies and protein with every meal. Her dinners tend to be quick 'chuck things together' kind of meals because after her evening training session, who has the time to cook anything elaborate? 

Speaking with Balance The Grind, McKeon opened up about being specific with her food choices to give her the most energy when it comes to training. "I have learnt what foods I need to eat and how much I need to eat to fuel my body, and learnt which foods to choose instead of filling up on things that aren’t going to fuel me for intense training," she shared. Totally understandable for an elite athlete. 

Exercise: Hitting The Gym

Not every workout for McKeon involves going for a lap. When she's not in the pool, she's in the gym. She works on building and refining her muscles in multiple weights/gym sessions a week. And ontop of that she takes the time to do at least a few pilates, yoga and core training classes a week. No wonder her abs are so defined!

Images Via:@emmamckeon

Want to workout like a Victoria's Secret angel? We get it! Taylor Hill dropped all her fitness secrets here...