Gold and bronze medalist in the 2012 games.
“Right after the London games there were parades, VIP tickets, and everyone wanted to touch my medal. Then my definition of life kind of changed. I took about a month off to reflect, sleep in, eat ice cream, drink wine, and see friends—all the stuff I had sacrificed during the years of having a crazy-structured lifestyle. Then I started getting back into training for the 2016 trials, though I didn’t make the Rio team.
RELATED: 17 Times the Women of Team USA Made History at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games
“But now that I’m done competing for good, it’s been crazy to see how my body has changed. I’m growing boobs, and I’ve reduced muscle mass. I’ve smelled like chlorine my entire life (I would even sweat out chlorine), so I’m learning what my own body odor smells like for the first time! My hair and eyebrows are growing back, too. (Chlorine burns off some of your hair and the cap causes breakage.) I love staying super-active, so I’m doing everything I couldn’t do when I was worried about getting injured. I work out at Orange Theory, I go paddle-boarding, surfing, and I’m trying golf. One of the hardest things is that my appetite didn’t really change, so my hunger levels are still way up!”