Ashley Wagner, the former Olympic bronze medalist in figure skating, may have retired from competition, but her passion for the ice is as strong as ever. Now the creator of Skate & Sculpt, a unique fitness program that combines skating with strength-building exercises, Wagner is helping others rediscover the joy of movement on the ice. She recently posted a video on Instagram, captioned, “Guess who’s back,” showing her return to the rink. Wagner focuses on balanced nutrition, hydrating with her favorite coconut water, and a positive approach to fitness. She explains to The Sweat Life that Skate & Sculpt brings together skaters of all ages, saying, “We’re united by our love of the sport—and it’s really fun.”
Wagner makes sure to eat a healthy diet. She shared her approach to eating and her favorite meals in an interview with Women’s Health. “Right off the bat, I felt like I really needed to be efficient with my nutrition. I learned to enjoy the basics like grilled chicken breast, wild rice, and veggies. That’s a well-balanced meal that can fuel me throughout the day.”
In her interview with Women’s Health, Wagner talked about the pressure to be thin while skating. She says that she doesn’t focus on that anymore, and makes sure to fuel herself. “You can’t just be thin now, you have to be so strong. In order to get that strength, you have to keep fueling your body properly. If I feel sluggish one day, I say to myself, ‘Girl, you need to go home and have some pasta.'”
Wagner makes sure to stay hydrated, however, she admits to Women’s Health that she isn’t a fan of drinking straight up water. Luckily, she has found a different way to keep herself hydrated. “I really despise drinking water, and I’ve been obsessed with Zico coconut water for quite some time. Having something like that is really great when I’m working hard. It gives me a boost of energy without tasting sugary or processed.”
Wagner shared why she started Skate & Sculpt in an interview with The Sweat Life. She says that she wants to help others get in shape. “To reach this elite level of sport, sometimes you have to push outside the boundaries of what would be normal or healthy,” she says. “[Skate & Sculpt] is a positive environment, and I always make sure I’m never pushing the athletes beyond what they’re comfortable with…I’ve had new moms getting back on the ice, who just want to do something for themselves. I’ve had 60-year-old women who’ve been off the ice for 30 years getting back on the ice. It’s a really diverse group of skaters. But at the end of the day, we’re united by our love of the sport — and it’s really fun.”
As you can see from her Instagram video, Wagner still enjoys ice skating as a way to keep herself fit. In her interview with The Sweat Life, Wagner talked about the skating she does as a part of Skate & Sculpt. “It’s a lot of line drills. You get to have that really yummy, good edge work that just feels really satisfying. It’s sneaky. I’m sore after these classes. It’s a cardio workout for an hour.”