HOW RIO-BOUND WRESTLER STAYS ON TOP
Inspirational messages from her twin sister are just one way Michelle Fazzari prepares for competition
This is part of the Star’s series focusing on our Rio Olympic and Paralympic athletes’ diets, fitness routines and mental health. On stressful competition days, Michelle Fazzari relies on her family to keep her centred.
“My twin sister sends me an inspirational message that I usually read throughout the day,” Fazzari said. “It keeps me positive and in good spirits.”
This week, the Caledonia wrestler, 28, talks to the Star about eating right, dealing with defeat and celebrating victory. NUTRITION Favourite meal to cook at home? Homemade pasta. What will you eat the morning of your event? Half an avocado, two hard-boiled eggs, oatmeal, banana. Best tip for eating healthier? Plan your meals! Make sure you have healthy food readily available. What are your thoughts on cheat days/meals? I think balance is the most important thing about eating healthy. My cheats could be anything from pizza to gelato. If I’m close to competition, I’ll have one cheat food per week. Outside of competition, I usually have two cheat foods a week. MENTAL HEALTH How do you de-stress? I use a stress reducing app on my phone called emWave and do breathing exercises — six breaths per minute. I love to spend a day at home relaxing (hardly ever possible). How do you motivate yourself when you don’t want to train? I look at motivational pictures I have saved on my phone. I remind myself of my goals and always think of what my competitors are doing. What goes through your mind the day of a competition? I try and keep my mind clear and focused on one match at a time. I tend not to look at my draw and just ask my coach who my next opponent is. I focus strictly on what I can control (my attacks, counters) and try and stay in the present moment. Between breaks, I will do breathing exercises and keep my mind calm. How do you celebrate victory? To be honest, I usually go for dinner with friends/teammates/family and have an early night. I’m usually exhausted from competing. How do you come to terms with defeat? Defeat is inevitable in sport and is usually what tests us the most as a person and athlete. The most important thing is analyze both the positive and negative aspects of your perfor- mance and figure out why you didn’t come out on top. Was it mental, technical or physical? PHYSICAL FITNESS What’s the exercise you find most effective for your training? Sprints, squats and chin-ups. What workout/exercise do you dread most? I prefer fast-paced workouts. When I have to do longer cardio, I get bored.