When tennis superstar Venus Williams was diagnosed with Sjogren’s syndrome in 2011, she had to change many aspects of her life—mainly her diet. Venus became a vegan to better her health, but admits to falling into her old eating habits once in a while.
The self-proclaimed “cheagen” (vegan who cheats) tells the Huffington Post, “If it’s on your plate, I might get to cheat. If you’re sitting next to me, good luck. You turn your head once and your food might be gone,” said Williams.
“I think it’s pretty well known I’m a cheagen,” said Williams. “I’m not perfect, but I try.”
But since learning of her condition, Williams has worked hard to get her health back in order. According to her personal website, Venus A.D. (After Diagnosis) has given up her favorite foods—including cherry pie, as sugar is forbidden. As for her training, Williams has slowed down a bit by building more rest days into her schedule.
However, Williams is not letting her illness stop her from success. She entered the Australian Open on Monday and quickly beat out Galina Voskoboeva. Williams has reportedly had the biggest national ranking jump of any player in 2012—leaping from outside the top 100 to number 24 in a matter of months.