Auto racing driver Danica Patrick has been on the cover of various magazines and it seems that her driving career is turning into a modeling career.  Her latest photo shoot is actually an ad campaign for Body By Milk and she has joined the ranks of other stars and celebrities who have sported the white mustache.  Danica said she was honored to be asked to be a part of the campaign.

“I’ve always seen, always noticed, always thought it was so cool and that maybe one day I’d get to do it.”

She also explained that the Indy 500 driver surprisingly have a little milk tradition of their own, not necessarily posing with a creamy mustache but they do drink it.  She explained,

“Milk is a tradition in the Indy 500.  It started way back, I think it might have been back in the 40s or something and one of the drivers had wanted milk after the race and so ever since then it’s been a tradition and something that every driver does after they win the Indy 500.”

And lastly, since Danica is now a Body By Milk spokesperson she encouraged others to add milk to their diets by explaining the benefits.

“I want to drink chocolate milk, because chocolate milk is really good for you after you work out. C’mon, who doesn’t like chocolate milk?  I mean seriously, it’s got protein and it’s got fast carbohydrates that go straight to your muscles so it’s really ideal for refueling after a workout or a race.”

Celeb diet doc…
Great marketing piece by the dairy industry. Milk is for calves to double in size and not fit for human consumption. Milk consumption in humans (it’s good for cows remember) has been linked with a number of chronic diseases including prostate cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, heart disease and osteoporosis.

Source

Danica Patrick is an auto racing driver in the IndyCar Series.  Apart from establishing herself as a serious auto racer she has also become quite the model being featured in various magazines such as Sports Illustrated and FHM.  In May 2009 she will be on the cover of Shape Magazine and in her interview she gave some tips on diet and exercise.

Danica is 5′2″ and 105 pounds and the smallest of the Indy drivers.  Normally in racing you get a faster speed the lighter the load, but in Danica’s case she has to be strong in order to keep up with other racers.  She said,

“I have to work harder than those bigger guys to control my car.”

To keep up, she works out almost every day and changes her routine twice a year to keep things fresh.  Racing season is from April to September and this is when she runs an hour a day and does upper body strengthening for the shoulders, forearms and back.  During the off season she works with a personal trainer.  She said,

“I skip days here and there and don’t beat myself up for it,” she says. “My husband always reminds me to let my body rest.”

When it comes to eating a proper diet this can be a challenge for racers because they have to have enough energy for three and five hour long races.

“I worry about the scale like anyone else, but I have to make it through five-hour races,” says Danica. “It’s a constant battle for me.”

She is sure to get plenty of protein and complex carbohydrates.  Morning breakfast is a three-egg white omelet with oatmeal and flax meal.  And for lunch she will have an open-face turkey sandwich dressed with veggies and a bit of cheese:

“I get hungry every three hours, so I also like to munch on an apple or whole-wheat toast with peanut butter,” says Danica, who adds, “I like my food to be tasty.”

Danica also mentioned that she likes do a lot of homemade cooking where she will get creative with dishes by adding things like flaxseed, bran and fresh herbs to increase the nutritional content.