Anna Liukin, 38, of Parker wanted most of all for her daughter, Nastia, to be happy and fit.

VERNON BRYANT/DMN

Nastia Liukin (bottom) gets health pointers from mom Anna (right) and dad Valeri (left), putting her in a gold-medal league with Carly Patterson (top).

Even after becoming the 2008 Olympic individual all-around gold medalist, and tying with Shannon Miller as the American gymnast having won the most World Championship medals, Mrs. Liukin wants health and happiness most of all for her daughter, now 18.

Anna, a former rhythmic gymnast, talked to us from the World Olympics Gymnastics Academy in Plano that she and her husband, Valeri (a 1988 Olympic gold medalist), own with former Soviet champion athlete Evgeny Marchenko. Here are her five top tips for keeping her family strong.

1 Healthy diet. "We eat lots of vegetables and fruits and drink a lot of water. We love fresh juice, and we squeeze it ourselves at home. I always tell Nastia: 'Your body is like a car. The fuel you put in is the performance you will get.' "

2 Exercise. "When she was small, we used to Rollerblade at the park a few times a week as a family. We also try to set a good example by doing our own individual exercises. My husband, he loves fly fishing. I enjoy jogging and Pilates and yoga."

3 Rest. "We're all pretty good sleepers. And we never cut sleep time for anything. Even now when Nastia is on the road for the 2008 Tour of Gymnastics Superstars tour, she takes little naps in between shows."

4 Listen to your body. "If something hurts, you need to take care of it right away. But we try to avoid medications unless necessary. First we try alternative methods like acupuncture or going to a chiropractor."

5 Enjoy your life. "Even if you eat well and exercise and rest, if you are not happy, a big piece will be missing. Enjoy the moment. Don't forget to stop and smell the roses. If you want to have a cookie, have a cookie. Just don't have five and sit on the couch without exercising!"

Nancy Churnin