Lolo Jones — August 2012

America is falling for Lolo Jones. As the London 2012 Olympic Games draw closer, the 2008 and 2010 world champion in indoor 60-meter hurdles, with her striking good looks and humble, laid-back nature, has caught media attention and skyrocketed to stardom. Now that she’s captured the hearts of a nation, all that’s left to win is the gold medal.

Her Story:

Lolo, whose real name is Lori, first competed in the Olympics in 2008 in Beijing, where she was considered one of the favorites to win the gold for Team USA. And she almost did. But she clipped the ninth hurdle – a rare occurrence for the seasoned track star – and dropped from first place to a heart-breaking seventh. “I knew I messed up,” she says. “The pain of it lasted for months, but I used it as motivation.” Sure enough, she returned to the track, placing consistently in the top three ever since in the U.S. and Europe. Now, she’s determined to qualify to compete in London in what may be her last chance to bring home the gold.

Media Outlet:

To unwind, Lolo reads, watches TV or checks in on Twitter, where her star power and candid posts have gained her over a hundred thousand followers and thrust her into the media spotlight (especially when she posted that she’s a virgin and saving herself until marriage.) “I’m training so hard, I don’t have time to be social, but with Twitter I can interact with people anywhere.” (Follow her at @lolojones)

A Day in Her Life:

To say her Olympic training schedule is intensive would be an understatement. Her first workout – a grueling two-hour track practice that includes running and weightlifting – ends around 4 p.m., but that’s just the beginning. After chugging a protein shake, she’s at the pool for yet another workout. A break to refuel in the evening is followed by an hour of Pilates (her fave!) or yoga before bed. But the track star says the hard work has paid off. “I feel good,” she says. “I’ve worked harder than ever and I have really tried to improve upon any weaknesses.”

For the People:

Until she’s doing her victory lap, Lolo says she will continue to eat clean, stay focused and train harder than the day before. “Competing in the Olympic games is a huge honor. It’s the rare chance where I’m not just competing for myself but for everyone in the U.S.A.,” she says. “Everyone has something they’ve worked hard for. I see competing at the Olympics as a chance to inspire those at home.”

Cover Girl Quick Facts:

Age: 29 (She turns 30 at the Olympic Games!)

Height: 5'-9"

Weight: 130 lbs

Hometown: Des Moines, IA

Currently resides: Baton Rouge, LA

Favorite body part to train: Butt

Go-to snacks: KIND Fruit & Nut Bars, hard-boiled eggs

Favorite cheat food: Anything chocolate and spicy wings

Guilty pleasure: Reality TV shows

If she could race anyone it would be: Wilma Rudolph or Jesse Owens

Gold Medal Meals

The staples that keep her fueled:

• Kale
• Fresh spinach
• Greek yogurt
• Organic eggs
• Fruit
• Orange juice
• Oatmeal
• Egg whites
• Dark chocolate
• Chia seeds

Flex Appeal

Occasionally teased by her male counterparts for having big muscles, Lolo just lets the comments roll right off her sculpted back, for three reasons:

“I’m healthy! Who knows how many trips to the hospital I’ve prevented because I’m fit?” “I feel good. If I have to take a month off from working out, my mood becomes sour, I get depressed and lack energy.” “My muscles help me represent Team USA to the best of my abilities.”

Fuel Like a Champion

Blend up a batch of this fruity power smoothie for you and your training buddies before or after a tough workout.

Lolo’s Protein Fruit Smoothie Ready in 5 minutes • Makes 4 servings

2 8-oz cartons plain, fat-free yogurt 2 small ripe bananas 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries or unsweetened frozen strawberries 1 cup fresh mixed berries (raspberries, blueberries, blackberries or unsweetened frozen mixed berries) ¾ cup Twinlab® Amino Fuel® Liquid in Orange Flavor Combine all ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth. Pour and enjoy. Nutrients per serving: Calories: 246, Total Fats: 0.5g, Saturated Fat: 0g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 2.5mg, Sodium: 110mg, Total Carbohydrates: 42g, Dietary Fiber: 3g, Sugars: 27g, Protein: 21g, Iron: 0.5mg