Imagine living your best, healthiest life for as long as possible. That's the dream, right? For Serena Williams, it's not just a dream, it's a mission, and she's sharing her secrets to longevity. But is it all accessible and right for everyone? Let’s dive in.
Updated as of December 9, 2025, at 12:28 p.m. ET, this article explores how the 44-year-old tennis icon is tackling health and wellness, focusing on innovative tools and strategies that you might find helpful too.
Serena Williams, a name synonymous with peak performance, has shifted her focus from dominating the tennis court to mastering the art of long-term health. Her journey involves embracing cutting-edge technologies and rethinking traditional approaches to diet and well-being. In August, she openly discussed her experience with GLP-1 medications after partnering with Ro, a healthcare company. She's also working with Lingo by Abbott, a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) that provides real-time insights into her glucose levels.
Following her retirement from professional tennis, Williams became deeply invested in understanding the nuances of healthy eating and living. Since its U.S. launch in September 2024, she has been using Lingo to track her health data. This data empowers her to make more informed food choices and, crucially, to move away from restrictive “diets.” She emphasizes that it's about understanding your body's response to food, not just following generic advice.
And this is the part most people miss: it's not about deprivation, it's about information.
Did you know that over 80% of people with prediabetes are unaware they have it? Prediabetes often presents without noticeable symptoms, yet it's incredibly widespread, affecting more than one in three adults in the United States. While prediabetes can be reversed with lifestyle changes, the complications of full-blown diabetes are often irreversible. This highlights the critical importance of early prevention and proactive management.
This issue is particularly relevant for Williams, given her family history of diabetes. Lingo's primary goal is to equip individuals with the knowledge to understand how their bodies react to different foods, potentially revealing early warning signs that warrant attention. Imagine knowing before it's too late.
The rise of CGMs for non-diabetics has sparked a wellness trend, but here's where it gets controversial... Not everyone in the medical community is convinced of their universal benefits. Some argue that the data may be misleading or cause unnecessary anxiety for individuals without underlying health conditions.
Williams acknowledges this perspective, stating that preventative health is about finding what works best for you, even if it means leaning towards one extreme. "Who am I kidding? I’m not balanced. I’m definitely an extremist,” she admits. “But I also want what’s best for myself, and I think other people do too.”
As a mother to Olympia, 7, and Adira, 2, with her husband Alexis Ohanian (who, interestingly, is an investor in Ro), Williams is deeply motivated to prioritize her health. "Who doesn’t want longevity? Because that’s what it all boils down to," she says. Her desire to be present and healthy for her children fuels her commitment to a proactive approach to well-being.
So, what exactly are CGMs? They are small sensors, typically placed under the skin on your arm, that continuously monitor your blood sugar levels and transmit data to your smartphone, providing valuable insights. While primarily used by individuals with diabetes, connecting to an insulin pump in some cases, (Lingo is not designed for managing diseases, including diabetes, and cannot connect to an insulin pump), CGMs are gaining traction among non-diabetics seeking to optimize their health.
Some nutrition experts believe that CGMs can be beneficial for non-diabetics by encouraging healthier food choices and helping to prevent chronic diseases. However, some individuals with diabetes feel that this wellness trend trivializes their experiences, particularly given the challenges many face in accessing these potentially life-saving devices due to cost. This raises a valid point: is it fair to market these devices as wellness tools when many who truly need them struggle to obtain them?
Dr. Robert Shmerling, a senior faculty editor at Harvard Health Publishing, has expressed skepticism about the widespread use of CGMs for non-diabetics, suggesting that marketing may be outpacing the scientific evidence. He argues that the research does not currently support the effectiveness of CGMs for individuals without diabetes.
But here's the counterpoint: users like Williams find them incredibly valuable. Some non-diabetic CGM users have even discovered they were experiencing symptoms of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), enabling them to seek timely medical attention. This illustrates the potential for CGMs to uncover hidden health issues, even in individuals without a diagnosed condition.
When announcing her partnership with Ro, Williams revealed that she lost 31 pounds on Zepbound, a GLP-1 medication typically prescribed for diabetes but now also used for weight management. She emphasizes that this was part of a holistic approach to improving her overall health.
"My story with Ro and GLP-1s, I did everything to get healthy, and I wasn’t getting there,” she explains. She views fad diets as outdated, given the technological advancements now available. "I think fad diets were great because that’s all we had back then," she says. "Everyone was still trying to be healthy and trying their best. But this (Lingo) is something that actually works. You can make real-time decisions." The Lingo app even sends her reminders to take a walk or do 10 squats, promoting consistent activity.
Williams reports feeling better than ever on GLP-1s and credits Lingo as a valuable tool for monitoring her health throughout her journey. "There are positives and negatives to all types of things, and you have to decide if that’s what you want," she says, underscoring the importance of individual choice and informed decision-making.
With 23 Grand Slam titles to her name, Williams has spent her life fine-tuning her performance. This dedication to optimization has carried over into motherhood, with a significant portion of her focus now directed towards her children's nutrition.
"As an athlete, health is our life," she says. "And even more so as a mom, I really watch how I prepare food." Williams cooks for her children five to six days a week, striving to instill healthy eating habits from a young age.
"Lingo has really helped me understand what I’m eating,” she adds. "I just take that education, just throughout my life, and transfer it to things I’m learning for my kids." She sees her health journey as an ongoing process of learning and adaptation, with the ultimate goal of empowering her children to make informed choices about their own well-being.
So, what do you think? Are CGMs and GLP-1s the future of preventative health, or are they just another fleeting trend? Do you believe the benefits outweigh the potential risks and ethical considerations? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below!
