What wellness looks like for soccer player Sydney Leroux: Pilates, sweet treats and true crime

Elite athletes’ jobs require intensive health and wellness routines to ensure they’re always at peak performance levels. But what do they do on their days off? And is there anything we can learn from them? In our new series OT Diaries, we ask your favorite players the things they do to get their minds and bodies ready for game day that have absolutely nothing to do with their sport — from how they unwind and what they're binge-watching to their favorite eats and what fitness looks like for fun. First up: soccer player Sydney Leroux.

Sydney Leroux is taking time off from soccer for her mental health. On March 16, the day of Angel City FC's home opener against San Diego's Wave FC, the 34-year-old announced on Instagram why she wouldn't be lacing up her cleats for the 2025 season. “This is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to say or admit to myself,” she wrote. “I take pride in pushing through, in showing up, in giving everything I have. But right now, I owe it to myself and my children to take a step back and take care of me.”

Four days before posting about her career pause, Leroux, within a two-hour window she had available while juggling her practice schedule and parenting, chatted with Yahoo Life about the importance of taking time off. “The [National Women’s Soccer League] schedule is very busy, which is why I take my time off very seriously,” Leroux said. “It's really hard to juggle an athletic career and everyday life. I know how important it is to find that healthy balance and to maximize my time off and prioritize sharing it with my family.” Fortuitous timing, no? It’s clear she had rest and relaxation on the brain.

Here, the mother of two offers a sneak peek at what her hiatus may look like, from cooking curried parsnip soup to falling asleep to a true crime show.

What does a typical day off look like?

I'm not super crazy about routine. I probably should be in the off-season, but I do really enjoy just having a day where I get to choose what's happening. I don't have any must-do's aside from waking up, taking the kids to school and doing their routine.

Are you sleeping in?

I'm a morning person. So, regardless if I'm in season or not, I usually wake up around 5:30 to 6 in the morning. I like to wake up earlier than the kids and just have my time figuring out what’s going on throughout the day — like what the kids are doing — and base my day on that.

What are you eating first thing in the morning?

I make a big thing of oatmeal for the week, and that’s like my little treat to myself because I make unbelievable oatmeal.

Are you making most of your meals at home or eating out?

I love cooking! It’s my own quiet time with music in the background, making a good meal for my family. I really enjoy that.

What are some family favorite meals?

You know, when you have kids, you need a big batch of stuff. So I make a really good chicken pot pie, I make a really good lasagna and all my pastas are really good. I make a very good curried parsnip soup. It sounds weird, but it is unbelievable. Everyone who's been to my house and has tried it will say the same thing. And then I make really good banana bread. You're gonna have to come over and try them for yourself.

Yum! Do you eat differently when you’re not playing soccer?

No — I like to have a balance. I’m not super, super healthy. I would say I’m relatively healthy, but I do allow myself a sweet treat every now and then, which is, honestly, probably every day. I think it’s important.

What physical activity are you doing outside of your sport?

Of course, I have to stay fit. That's my job. ... I've been getting into Pilates lately, so that’s my go-to. I've tried yoga a lot and it just doesn't work out for me. I need to be moving constantly and can't be in a pose for too long. But I love pilates.

Do you use an Apple Watch or Whoop to track that?

I have all of the fitness trackers, which I wear to training. I also wear them to bed. I've been talking to my friends about this and sometimes I think they’re bad for you because your mind will go, ‘Oh, I didn't get enough sleep’ or ‘Maybe I'm getting sick.’ You know too much about yourself. Sometimes, I'll get a notification that says I need 72 hours [of sleep] to recover. And I'm like, ‘Well, that’s not going to happen.’

Where do you get your energy to get it all done between soccer and parenting?

Adrenaline is like my energy source. Especially when I’m playing, I just need a little dose of adrenaline to feel like, ‘OK, I’m here and ready.’ When I’m home and just by myself, my energy source is someone telling me that they’re going to come over. Then I have to clean, I’ve got to cook a good meal — I have to do everything very fast.

I’m not really a coffee drinker, to be honest. I will only have coffee if I feel like I’m forced to with my friends for the aesthetic, but I don’t like the taste. I wish I did — I would think coffee would help.

Do you prefer to travel or stay at home?

It depends. I love to travel, but when you’re in season you’re always traveling. So I like to take a little bit of time just to be at home and then I’m like, ‘OK, we need to go somewhere else.’ My time off is for getting everything situated in the house so that when we come back from a trip, everything is kind of seamless.

How do you unwind at night?

I love a bath. I’m a person who doesn’t allow outside clothes or outside body in the bed. So regardless, I’m showering or I’m taking a bath before I get into bed. That is part of our house rules. I just feel like it gets you ready for a good night’s sleep and you’re relaxed.

And, of course, I do my nighttime skincare routine. Then I’m ready for bed and sometimes I’ll put on a show that I fall asleep to.

What are you watching?

I’m really into true crime docs; it’s like my thing. So any time there’s something new, I’m bingeing it for sure. I heard that it’s not good [to fall asleep while watching TV], but it’s calming, even when it’s a true crime series. Maybe I should be having nightmares, but it puts me right to sleep.