Shaun White, 31, Los Angeles
Olympic gold medalist, snowboarder, skateboarder, musician, CEO
1. What does it mean to be competing in your fourth Olympic games?
Every single time is its own unique experience. Obviously going for the first time was incredible. Now looking at my fourth time, I’m just as excited in so many different ways ... and I’m even setting my sights on the next one.
2. Do you train differently now than you did in past Olympic games?
The snowboarding is the same ... but I feel like I need more time off. I ride more, but for shorter periods, and I take more days off.
3. As a child, you were diagnosed with the same heart condition Jimmy Kimmel’s son has. Did it ever affect your ability to participate in sports?
It was always something that was kind of weighing on me at times, but I never felt like it held me back. I never felt like I couldn’t do something because of my heart condition.
4. Have you had to do anything to monitor or treat your heart condition?
I would go in and do these stress tests to see how my lungs were operating, and they would do these really demanding workouts with all these machines to monitor my heart and my breathing and my pulse. That was a big scare. It was like, gosh, is this going to be the time we’re going to find something wrong and I have to quit doing all the things that I love?
5. What do you do to unwind?
I love movies. I play some video games at times. I take the dog for a walk.
6. Do you practice any relaxation techniques?
I have a regimen of stretching, and I get a lot of physical therapy done. Those get me in a better mood. And I started to focus more on my sleep because I feel like if I sleep better I’ll have a better day and I won’t be so anxious to do things. I’ll be able to calm my mind and relax and process things better.
7. What is your health philosophy?
I always set obtainable goals. Don’t stop eating bread, just eat a little less. Trying to slowly change your patterns rather than making drastic changes that are hard to stick to.
8. Do people ask you for health advice?
They always want to know my workout regimen. And for me, honestly, I hadn’t worked out until about a year ago. I was always surfboarding, always skating, always snowboarding. That’s what’s great about being an athlete. You get fit just doing what you do.
9.You’ve done work with St. Jude and Make-A-Wish. Why are these charities so important to you?
Obviously, my heart condition -- my parents and family, we spent a lot of time in the hospital receiving treatment. I just really have a soft spot for the kids in that sense.
10. What health condition would you most like to see eradicated in your lifetime?
Heart disease ... having better care for people going through that. And the battle against obesity [with so many] video games, social media. With your phone you can just sit all day. It’s a big thing to get kids out and get them exercising.
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