‘DWTS’ star Ilona Maher shares favorite self-care routines

• On November 19, Ilona Maher will compete in the semi-finals of Dancing with the stars season 33.
• She tells Women’s health that she was “was hesitant” to join the show because she would find it emotionally taxing.
• Here’s how Ilona, ​​28, looks after herself off the dance floor.

Olympic bronze medalist Ilona Maher is known for being pretty tough on the rugby field. (Tell that to any opponent she is body.) But as a participant in season 33 of Dancing with the starsallowed fans to see a softer side of the Vermont native: During Hair Metal week, she even broke down in tears after going off-beat during her jive.

But that didn’t surprise Ilona, ​​who gets “emotionally invested” in everything she does.

“I’ve never been someone who just wants to do half ass,” she tells exclusively Women’s health on behalf of her partnership with Organ. “If I decide to do something and I decide I want to do it well, I put everything into it. That’s why I even hesitated to join Dancing with the stars. I knew it was going to be hard and if I started doing it, I wanted to do the best I can.”

For Ilona, ​​rugby is more physically demanding than dance. But shows and exercises with partner Alan Bersten can be more emotionally taxing, as the sport is completely new to the 28-year-old.

“It’s taking a toll on me because I just don’t know how to move my body like that – you tell me to connect my toe with my hand and it just doesn’t work!” she says. “It’s very mentally draining.”

To cool off after a particularly challenging day of dancing, Ilona relies on her tried-and-true self-care strategies, including relaxing at home with a delicious dinner and hanging out with loved ones, like her sisters.

That includes Bersten, who she likes to take outside the dance studio for a fun time TikTok or two.

“When we’re in the studio, it’s a different dynamic—he’s kind of my coach, and I just learn from him,” she says. “So we like to be on a level playing field as well.”

For Ilona, ​​part of feeling her best includes fueling herself with plenty of protein, which gives her the energy to perform on the rugby field and the dance floor. She especially loves to grab an Orgain protein shake (chocolate fudge flavor) after exercise to help her muscles recover.

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For meals, Ilona loves to eat “whatever is available” as long as there is a good source of protein.

“The most important thing is just eating and having nutrition on board that gets you through,” she says. “It’s made me so successful and so strong in sports that I’m not afraid to be big and strong and give my body exactly what it needs. Sometimes women are afraid of getting too big or too strong, but I really believe it’s what’s best for me.”

Root for you, Ilona!

Charlotte Walsh (she/her) is an associate news editor at Women’s Health, where she covers the intersection of wellness and entertainment. Previously, she worked as a writer on The Messenger, E! News and Netflix. In her free time, she enjoys reality TV, tennis and movies starring Nicole Kidman.