Momentum-Magazine

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL
NATIONALITY:
Portuguese
CURRENT CLUB:
Real Madrid C.F.
PREVIOUS CLUBS:
Sporting CP, Manchester United
HEALTHY NUTRITION
Any serious athlete knows that proper nutrition is absolutely vital to strength and performance.
Today, Ronaldo has this piece of the puzzle nailed. But he remembers a time, as a skinny young boy,
when sports nutrition was a mystery to him.
“I remember when I was 11 years old and people would say, ‘You have fantastic talent, but you’re
small and skinny. You have to eat,’” says Ronaldo. So I started to eat two plates. My teammates and
I would go to the supermarket to buy yogurts, and we would drink them to gain weight because we
were so light.”
Even during his mid-teens, Ronaldo still remembers being a ‘”toothpick.” As he explains, “I was very,
very skinny. But I had something – a bit of definition. I just wasn’t strong enough yet. So I started
to go to the gym with my friends, and after two or three years, I started to have a little bit of
muscle. Everyone started to change their opinion about me.”
“HERBALIFE ® PRODUCTS ARE FANTASTIC,
AND THEY’VE HELPED ME A LOT. ”
SHIRT NUMBER:
7
POSITION:
Forward
Nickname:
CR7
HOLDS RECORD FOR:
Most Goals Scored in a
Single Season for Real Madrid
OTHER SPORT
INTERESTS:
Tennis, Ping Pong,
Basketball, Boxing
Today, Ronaldo starts his day with a good breakfast and fuels his body with a balance of quality
proteins, healthy carbohydrates and ‘good’ fats throughout the day. “I think good nutrition is important
anytime, but especially after training or a game for muscle recovery,” says Ronaldo. “I cannot live
without it. It’s very important for me, and for other top athletes or people training at any level.”
As strict as he is about his diet, Ronaldo isn’t afraid to “cheat” every once in a while. “I try to eat well
all the time, to have good supplementation and to drink well. But if there’s a day or two where
I’ll go out and treat myself to something like cake, I don’t have a problem with this,” he says. “I also
have good genetics. But some people don’t have good genetics and they drink lots and don’t sleep
well. This happens in every sport, not just soccer. For these athletes, it will really affect their
future. They’re going to be awfully tired and they’re going to have more injuries. That’s why I’m
always careful about these things.”
A PARTNER IN HERBALIFE
About five years ago, Ronaldo became aware of Herbalife for the first time. He was immediately
drawn to the products because of their quality. Today, Herbalife is proud to be Ronaldo’s Global
Nutrition Partner. Together, they have also been collaborating on a new Herbalife ® isotonic hydration
drink, which will launch in 2015.
“Herbalife ® products are fantastic, and they’ve helped me a lot,” says Ronaldo. “I think there are
many good products on the market, but Herbalife is my personal favorite. I believe in them because
they support my training regimen, and I’m honored to be part of the Herbalife family.” Post-workout
or following a game is when Ronaldo most appreciates using Herbalife ® products. As he recounts,
“I notice that I feel better when I take Herbalife. If your body isn’t given the right nutrition, it won’t
perform how you want it to.”
Just as importantly, using Herbalife ® products gives Ronaldo peace of mind when it comes to drug
testing. He is confident knowing that Herbalife ® products are completely safe, healthy and clean.
24 / MOMENTUM