mbg Beauty Manager
mbg Beauty Manager
Alexandra Engler is the beauty director at mindbodygreen and host of the Clean Beauty School beauty podcast. In the past, she has held beauty posts in Harper’s Bazaar, Marie Claire, SELF, and Cosmopolitan; her series have appeared in Esquire, Sports Illustrated, and Allure.com.
Photo by mbg Creative / courtesy of source
July 15, 2024
We love to celebrate women at the top of their game. In our new Game On series, we’re interviewing top athletes about their health routines – covering everything from the foods that keep them fit to the moments that bring them joy.
We are going to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris to represent Team USA in beach volleyball with two professional athletes known as TKN. Last week, we caught up with one half of the duo, 27-year-old Taryn Kloth—and today we’re meeting the other half, 26-year-old, 5-foot-6-inch athlete Kristen Nuss. .
The duo enters the Olympics with a lot of buzz: They are currently ranked No. 2 in the world and have won first place on Team USA with nearly three months to go before qualifying.
With visions of gold in the future, Nuss chatted with me all about how he prepares his body for the road ahead, how he finds mental clarity, and what equipment he must have on the sand.
mindbodygreen: You are preparing for the Paris Olympics. The brightest lights on the biggest stage. How do you prepare for big matches?
Kristen Nuss: My approach may be different from most. I have found over the years that the more I focus and the more “locked in” the less successful I am. So I try to be a little more consistent.
Taryn may have talked to you about our AirPod listening experience [ed. note: In Kloth’s Game On interview, she shared that they listen to the same music by sharing AirPods during warm-ups to help them get in the same mindset]. So, in the heat, I just try to be fun and relaxed. You can find me playing whatever song is playing in my head. Chat with our coaches.
I didn’t focus too much – keeping it light. Just having fun. Because, honestly, that’s what I think I should do best.
mbg: What do you have with you on the sand? What are your game day essentials?
Nuts: In beach volleyball, we don’t have many weapons. We arrive at the courthouse, and we are in our bathrooms. But the most important thing is sunglasses. I couldn’t play this game without glasses.
We wear Zenni Optical Sport Performance Sunglasses. We love them because they have a wide selection of competitive sunglasses with different lenses and styles. It’s good to have fun with it—even being able to match the color of the lens to our suits. Or depending on what the sun is doing that day, we will choose glasses to help work. Different types of lenses improve exposure depending on the amount of sunlight.
For example, if there are no clouds and the sun is bright, some lenses are good for that. Or some glasses do not block sunlight. Some glasses will help you change the color you see – so it’s a little yellow or a little darker. A lot depends on what you like.
Oh, and then sunscreen and my hat. It is very beautiful. That’s all the gear and all I have to do for the race.
Picture is mbg Creative / Courtesy of the source
mbg: How do you sleep before a big game? Because many people struggle with falling asleep before something big—even if it’s the Olympics or a major world championship!
Nuts: Sleeping before starting something big is a sure thing. There have been countless nights before a big game or tournament where I’ve slept through the night, and I’m like, Sleep, sleep, sleep. But I can’t shut my brain off!
If so—if it’s one of those nights—I tend to focus on my breathing. I just breathe very deeply, in and out, and just stay alert. So I just started counting and reading. It gives my brain something to do besides thinking about one thing – matches. It makes my brain focus on something other than, well, what will the weather be like tomorrow? What is drama? How do I do it?
Besides, before I go to bed I like to turn off my phone. I read a book I’ve read before, which also helps a lot if it’s the night of a big game and I know I’m going to have trouble sleeping. Reading just helps me calm down and get away from the screen.
mbg: What foods help you get stronger and tone your body?
Nuts: In fact, before a big game—especially depending on the time we’re playing—a good peanut butter and jelly sandwich. That is a tough game. It’s a great food to give you the energy and carbs you need. Us [Kloth and I] we will eat a lot when we travel.
On a daily basis, I follow a high-protein diet. It is almost impossible to eat a ton of protein in every food we get. Personally, I tend to do more protein, less calories, and more volume because I’m someone who enjoys this kind of satiety.
High protein. Energizing. Too much. That’s the goal.
mbg: How do you develop resilience?
Nuts: I give credit to our teacher. He works out where there are days where he just goes for reps – but there are days when we just follow through.
You want the practice to be harder than the game. That’s where resilience builds—the test times when you drill so hard, they keep smashing balls at you, so you have to take it and give it all the time. You get to a point where your brain is like, Go! Go! Go-but your legs die and stop working.
I feel like if you do this while doing it, you’ll be fine. In the game you have adrenaline pumping through you, so you know Well, I can get past this. This is easy.
mbg: What is your favorite sport that has nothing to do with your sport?
Nuts: Thinking of traveling?
mbg: No, absolutely.
Nuts: Well, I absolutely love just walking. It’s also good for the emotional side – just leave the phone at home and go for a walk.
Especially when we are at these competitions around the world and we are at these events that are set in these glorious places. It’s fun to explore! This is something Taryn and I like to do—just go sightseeing.
mbg: I am interested in what my friends do and what makes a good friend. Beach volleyball is unique because you have one partner, so I want to know what makes a good partner?
Nuts: I think for me, a great team is someone who can inspire and encourage you. Especially in beach volleyball, you need the other half of the court to win.
I’ve seen situations where someone can have a bad case, and the other person just rolls their eyes. It’s like, Why are you putting your friend down? Your partner is the person you need the most to succeed.
So I think a good friend is someone who gives you confidence and trust in you during difficult times, like say, when you’re not playing your best game. The best time will be the person who is still there and will still have full confidence.
I think that’s something that Taryn does a lot for me. I know that he believes in me so much that even when he is in trouble, he still believes in me. And that faith is a hard thing to find.
mbg: What advice do you have for young women who want to play volleyball?
Nuts: Dream big – no dream is too big.
I’m smaller than most other beach soccer players. Every time I turned on the TV, no one seemed as tall as me. I looked over the players and everyone was 2-3 inches taller than me. But I just kept going.
Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t.