Eat like an Olympian!

GUEST POST: Olympic-fever has hit its peak! And here we’re a teeny bit obsessed with all things Olympian – especially nutrition, diet and healthy eating! In particular, we can’t help but wonder what it must be like to fuel an Olympian body…

…and so we’ve been checking out the diet secrets of some of the world’s best-loved Olympic athletes. You might be surprised at what we’ve found out – we certainly were!

• The most famous Olympian diet is probably that of US Olympic Swimming champion, Michael Phelps. In August 2008 his training breakfast was revealed, which included: 3 fried egg & cheese sandwiches, a five-egg omelette, a bowl of porridge, a stack of pancakes and three slices of French toast… Clearly he’s been doing something right (against all the nutritional odds!) because he has amassed a record 18 gold medals over three Olympic games – making him the most successful Olympian of all time.

• Our very own Mo Farah – the most decorated person in British athletics history, as well as a double gold medal winner at the 2012 Olympics – has a somewhat more subdued diet than Michael Phelps: coffee and sugary breakfast cereal to give him his morning kick-start, followed by several “small” meals throughout the day comprising generally pasta, chicken and grilled vegetables. He promotes a balance between carbs and protein, and turns to good quality dark chocolate when he needs a quick energy-fix!

• Athlete Usain Bolt – who holds 6 Olympic golds– also eats small portions throughout the day. He starts with an egg sandwich for breakfast, generally opts for pasta with meat or fish for dessert, and then stocks up on calories in the evening time – with an emphasis on vegetables and carbs. Throughout the day he powers himself with isotonic drinks and fruit. This simple diet strategy has helped him to become the fastest human ever.

• Another British favourite, cycling gold medallist Bradley Wiggins has said that he is obsessive about his calorie intake – cycling is a sport where every gram of extra weight can hinder your performance. On intense cycling days, he eats omelettes and porridge for breakfast, supplements his calorie intake with energy drinks during the cycle, and drinks recovery shakes after a race – before topping up his calorie requirement with a large evening meal.

So our conclusion? If you’re an Olympian, calories are simply fuel for the body. Sometimes you eat more (much, much more, if you’re Michael Phelps), sometimes you eat less. But it seems that no matter what your diet, if you want to win gold, you should opt for eggs for breakfast!