Candace Parker Workout and Diet
Professional Basketball Player (retired)
Candace Parker grew up in Illinois. The whole family is athletic and loved basketball; older brother Anthony played for the NBA. Parker focused on soccer until 8th grade when she switched to basketball. She led her high school team to state titles in 2003 and ’04. Also in 2004, Parker led the USA Junior World Championship team to a gold medal. She played for the University of Tennessee, and in 2006, Parker became the first woman to dunk in an NCAA tournament game. She was picked 1st in the 2008 WNBA draft to the LA Sparks where she spent 13 seasons, in addition to 2 seasons with the Chicago Sky and 1 season with the Las Vegas Aces, as well as on teams overseas. She won a championship with each team, is a 7-time MWNBA All Star, 2-time WNB MVP and 2-time Olympic gold medalist, and is considered to be one of the greatest WNBA players of all time. Parker retired from the WNBA in 2024. She has been a commentator for the NBA since 2018. Parker made Time magazine’s 2022 list of Most Influential People. She endorses Adidas, Gatorade, CarMax, and Muscle Milk. Parker is married to Russian basketball player Anna Petrakova; she has 3 children from 2 relationships. She is 6 feet, 4 inches tall and weighs about 185 lbs.
Jump To:
Candace Parker’s Diet
Diet Summary
Parker eats a balanced diet. She mostly sticks to the healthy stuff like oatmeal, eggs, meat, fish, and plenty of veggies, and takes a pass on the junk, with the notable exceptions of french fries and ice cream. When she’s not in training, she will engage in intermittent fasting, holding off eating her first meal until 12 o’clock. When she does need to fuel up early, she usually picks a healthy option like overnight oats or turkey bacon and eggs. Her snack of choice is Muscle Milk and almonds. She stays hydrated with plenty of water.
Estimated Macros
Medium Fat
Medium Carb
Medium Protein
Diet Details
IF
Parker practices intermittent fasting 6 days a week, which for her means she does not eat her first meal until noon.
Smart Start
When Parker was in training, she would often have overnight oats for breakfast because they provide quality fuel, are high in fiber, and are tasty. Other breakfast staples include turkey bacon, scrambled eggs, a bagel, and chicken sausage.
Healthy Choices
Parker opts for whole, natural foods like fish, chicken, and salads. When she has pizza, she often makes it herself in her home pizza oven.
Food Kryptonite
One not-so-healthy thing Parker can’t resist is french fries. She says she’d eat them every day if she could get away with it.
Pre-Game Superstition
Parker always has ice cream the night before a game, either on its own or with a cookie. It’s a practice she developed in college.
What to Eat
- Natural foods
- Overnight oats
- Eggs
- Chicken sausage
- Turkey bacon
- Fish
- Steak
- Chicken
- Homemade pizza
- Salads
- Pasta
- Avocado
- Muscle milk
- Almonds
- Ice cream (pre game)
- Water
What to Avoid
- Junk food
- Processed foods
- Fast food
- Empty-calorie foods
- Artificial ingredients
- Pork
Parker on her wife’s
‘[Anna] makes the best borscht that you will ever have in your entire life.’
Parker on her food nemesis
‘French fries are literally my nemesis. I could eat french fries every single day.’
Parker on eating ice cream before a game
‘It’s a superstition from college.’
Candace Parker’s Workout Routine
Workout Routine
Genetically Blessed
Parker comes from a family of athletes. Her dad played basketball in high school and college, and her brother played for the NBA, and her mom would have played had there been a WNBA in her time.
Slow Start
Parker’s family steered her away from basketball initially since they thought she would not be able to measure up to the family’s skill level.
Work or Run
Parker says that if she didn’t practice hard enough, her father would get in the car and drive away, leaving her to run home. She learned to pick basketball courts near their house.
Work Hard
Even at her peak, Parker always considered it essential to be the hardest working person in the room.
Year-round Training
Parker didn’t really take down time. She trained more or less year round, which showed. In the American off-season, she usually played overseas.
Focus on the Lower Body
Parker has amazing agility for someone of her size, a fact she attributes to her focus on lower body agility training.
Learn How to Land
Parker says knowing the right way to land is essential for longevity in the sport and to avoid injury.
Exercise Style
A Candace Parker Lower Body Routine According to Stack
Speed Ladder
- Sprint for 5 yds toward ladder
- Maintaining speed, perform drill for length of ladder
- Sprint for 5 yds out of ladder
- Do 7-8 reps of various foot patterns x 2-3 sets
- Perform forward, backward & lateral
- Move as quickly as possible
1-Step Box Jump
- Stand with box a few feet in front of you
- Take 1 step with left leg; explode onto box with both legs
- Step back down slowly (do not jump)
- Step with right leg; jump
- Continue alternating
- Do 20 reps total x 2-3 sets
Dumbbell Lunge
- Stand with dumbbells at sides
- Step forward & lower into lunge until back knee is just above ground
- Drive back to start position by pushing through heel of front foot
- Repeat with opposite leg
- Do 20 reps/leg x 3 sets
Single-leg Balance Reach
- Arrange 3 cones in triangle, about 1 yd apart
- First cone: balance on right leg, knee slightly bent
- Squat down, folding at waist, reach right hand across body to cone in front & at left
- Return to start; repeat reaching left hand across to cone in front & to right
- Switch legs
- Do 20 touches/leg x 3 sets
- Extra challenge: do with eyes closed
Med Ball Core Circuit
- Hold med ball with arms extended in front of chest
- Hold med ball at chest & rotate ball to hip at top of each rep
- 50 reps x 2-4 sets
Ankle Band Series
- Place band around ankles
- Shuffle left, right, forward & backward
- 20 steps/each direction x 3 sets
Parker on her dedication to the sport
‘When you come in the gym and practice, you have to be the hardest worker.’
Parker on skill vs. preparation
‘You can’t control talent, you can’t control circumstances, but you can control how hard you prepare.’
Parker on why she enjoys training
‘When you work, it tunes everything out.’
Parker on jumping
‘I prefer the 1-step jump because it’s more basketball-like.’
Candace Parker’s Supplements
Muscle Milk
Parker is one of several sports stars to endorse Muscle Milk, a plant protein shake. Other big names include MLBer Julio Rodriguez and soccer superstar Christian Pulisic.
Candace Parker’s Lifestyle
Sleep: A Pillar of Health
Parker considers sleep right up there with diet and training to be essential for a healthy body and mind.
Low Limits
Unlike the sky-high salaries some NBA players can command, WNBA salaries are capped at $200K per year, which means that Parker earned most of her money through endorsements.
Fitness Collab
Parker joined up with Muscle Milk and the National Fitness Campaign to open a fitness court in Atlanta, Georgia that is open around the clock to anyone, no membership required.
Candace Parker Day
September 16 is dedicated to Parker both in her hometown of Chicago and also in Atlanta after the Muscle Milk fitness court opened.
Happy Blended Basketball Family
Parker had daughter Lailaa in 2009 while married to NBAer Shelden Williams. In 2019, she married Russian basketballer Anna Petrakova, and they have had 2 sons, Airr and Hartt.
Proud Fur Mama
Parker loves her four-legged fur babies too. She currently has a dog named Prada, and previously appeared in a PETA ant-fur ad with her dog Fendi.
Parker on the importance of sleep
‘Sleep is essential for my health, productivity, and well-being.’
Parker on being a role model
‘I’m just a generation removed from my mom not being able to play basketball in high school or college, so I feel very blessed.’
Parker on strength
‘No matter what level you are, inner and outer strength is important.’
Parker on her priorities
‘Good, bad, win, loss… My highlight is going to see my kids after games.’
Parker on her next move
‘My whole career has been trying to please people in basketball. Now it’s time to please myself.’
Parker on Caitlin Clark
‘I respect what you’re doing and what you’re able to do.’
Recommended Products
Muscle Milk
Adidas
Gatorade
CarMax
