Behind the Body: Seattle Reign forward Sydney Leroux
If you admire Sydney Leroux’s sculpted form, get in line. The pro soccer player and 2012 Olympic gold medalist says she has already received several marriage proposals from obsessed fans. “But no ring, though,” says the 24-year-old forward, a member of the US women’s national team who currently plays for Seattle Reign FC. “So I’m always like, ‘Where’s the ring?’”
Potential suitors with jewelry take note, though: Leroux dates only athletic men, and preferably those who can cook, because, the former UCLA Bruin says, “I cannot cook at all.” Sporty chefs willing to go the distance should polish up on their fried eggs with runny yoke, which is how Leroux takes the morning meal (although she’ll eat eggs any time of the day, she says), and try to win over the cold, canine heart of her Chihuahua, Boss, who, she admits, does not like men and is the love of her life. Accomplish these feats, and you might stand a chance with the fetching striker.
This seemingly impossible bid for Leroux’s love may make adopting her fitness regimen look a little easier. The secret to her tight physique, she says, isn’t necessarily soccer (although we’re sure that helps), but a mania for motivational spin classes like SoulCycle and Flywheel. “It’s not a spin class, it’s a party,” she says. If that’s your idea of exercise, too, keep reading.
U.S forward Sydney Leroux (2) and Canada defender Lauren Sesselmann (10) chase the ball during the first half of a soccer game Friday, Jan. 31, 2014, in Frisco, Texas. The United States won 1-0.
AP Photo/LM Otero
age | height | weight |
24 years old | 5-7 | 142 lbs. |
Training grounds: Seattle and Los Angeles.
Nickname: Syd the Kid. “I got it when I was younger. I was always the young one on the team, and it just stuck.
Body fat:“I have no idea.”
Hours spent training per day: Up to two
Days spent training per week: Six days, including one game day
Hours spent in the weight room per week: Variable. “Right now, I haven’t been lifting as much as usually do with our [team] schedule like it is. But I try to get in two days a week, and in the off-season, four to five days a week.”
Go-to workout: Spin classes. “It’s my thing. I love SoulCycle, I love Flywheel. It’s fun and takes me away from the soccer aspect, but you still get in a really good sweat. I think it’s more about that you feel good about yourself after; you have the music, and you’re riding to the beat.”
Secret workout: Spin classes. “I don’t think a lot of soccer players or other athletes know about it. And [Flywheel or SoulCycle] is a different kind of spinning. It’s not a spin class, it’s a party.”
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Biggest physical challenge: Recovery. “I think I could do more ice baths. I don’t have a problem with sleep: I love sleep and get eight to 12 hours every night. But I think everyone can be better with recovery.”
Best recovery tip: Stretching. “I used to be into yoga more than I am now, but I still find time to stretch after every practice and every game.”
Calories consumed per day: “I have no idea—it’s a lot. But I don’t count calories. I think that’s a bad habit.”
Favorite pre-game meal: Three fried eggs over medium with Sriracha sauce and ketchup. “I love eggs. I could have eggs every single meal of the day. But only fried—not scrambled or hardboiled—when the yoke is slightly uncooked.”
Typical recovery meal: Some BODYARMOR sports drink, followed by spaghetti with hot sauce. “BODYAMOR is an important part of my training and helps me stay hydrated. And then I like spicy food. Hot sauce over spaghetti is awesome.”
Celebration meal: An entire bag of Swedish Fish candy. “I wouldn’t feel bad pounding a whole bag of Swedish Fish all by myself. But I actually wouldn’t feel bad, whether it was a celebration or not.”
Biggest dietary vice: Candy. “I’m a big candy person. I don’t really like chocolate, but I like Swedish Fish, gummy worms, that kind of stuff. I also love sour cream and onion chips. If those are in my house, they’re gone.”
Alcohol of choice: Stella Artois. “I’ll have one once a week.”
Part of her body she likes the most: Eyebrows and eyelashes. “I think I like to take care of my eyebrows. And a few teammates and I get our eyelashes done together, and it’s like our thing.”
How obsessive her male fans can be: “I’ve had a few marriage proposals, but no ring, though. So I’m always like, ‘Where’s the ring?’”
What she looks for in a man:“I really like athletic men—you won’t ever see me not dating an athlete or an ex-athlete. I think there’s an understanding of how crazy our schedules are and how intense things can be. I think I have a good sense of humor, so I look for that, too. And hopefully someone who can cook because I cannot cook at all.”
Favorite part of this year’s World Cup:“I thought the Final was a great game. In America, I think people really took soccer seriously. People really became fans. It was so amazing to see, and hopefully it opened people’s eyes to soccer in America.”
How her Chihuahua has his own Twitter handle: “I’ve had Boss [her Chihuahua] since I was a freshman in college. He’s the love of my life. I created the account for him with one of my friends, and now he has over 8,000 followers. He has his own personality, so I try to incorporate that in Twitter. He’s mean to people he doesn’t know, and he doesn’t like men really.”
