“All athletes love Nandos” – the eating habits of champions

July 24th, 2012

Ovens & Cooking

In the lead-up to the games, this food-obsessed appliance blogger asks the question: what do athletes eat?

We’ll start by looking at what they should eat:

A balance of protein, carbs and fats

Complex carbohydrates (such as whole grain bread, pasta, brown rice and fruit) make up an essential part of an athlete’s diet, because carbs provide fuel to the body.

Next, lean protein (fish, poultry, low-fat dairy, beans and eggs) is good for muscle growth and recovery, which is vital for peak athletic performance.

Finally, unsaturated fats (from foods such as avocado and nuts) help to protect the heart, and have been shown to play an important part in maintaining a healthy weight.

Seems legit, but is diet really all that important?

Says head of the Exercise Metabolism Group in RMIT’s School of Medical Sciences, Professor John Hawley:

“(A balanced diet) won’t make a genetically-gifted athlete a world-class athlete but eating badly will make the difference between not having a medal and having a medal.” 

So, what’s on the menu for this year’s athletes?

Jessica Ennis, UK, heptathlete

“People expect athletes to eat a certain way. Everyone says: ‘You must be on a really strict diet. Do you only eat salad? Are you not allowed to eat chocolate?’ But that’s really not the case. I’ve got salad and vegetables in my shopping trolley but there’s always some chocolate in there, too. Athletes eat normal food – they all love Nando’s, like everyone else.”

“Sometimes I get those days where I don’t want to be so disciplined. You think: ‘I’ve trained really hard, I just want to have a Chinese.’ It’s OK to have a little relapse every now and then but I can’t have a chow mein every day or I’d be rolling round the track! I’m so hungry and so tired by the end of the heptathlon that I just want to indulge.”

Never thought I’d find myself saying I can relate to an athlete, but hey, I can relate!

Michael Phelps, USA, swimmer

“Eat, sleep and swim, that’s all I can do.”

This American swimmer is famous not just for winning countless gold medals in the pool, he’s also well known for his extraordinary diet:

Breakfast
•    Three fried egg sandwiches with cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, fried onions and mayonnaise
•    Three chocolate-chip pancakes
•    Five-egg omelette
•    Three sugar-coated slices of French toast
•    Bowl of grits
•    Two cups of coffee

Lunch
•    Half-kilogram of enriched pasta
•    Two large ham and cheese sandwiches with mayonnaise on white bread
•    Energy drinks

Dinner
•    Half-kilogram of pasta with carbonara sauce
•    Large pizza
•    Energy drinks

Quoth blogger Jon Henley (who unsuccessfully attempted to eat Michael Phelps’s diet for a day):

“Phelps, in my humble opinion, deserves a 12th Olympic gold: for keeping his food down.”

Keri-Ann Payne, UK, swimmer

“It’s definitely possible to eat delicious food and be a professional athlete. I’ve always loved food so I’m not going to be obsessive because you can get what you need and still enjoy every bite. What’s not to like about steak, which is perfect for replenishing muscles?”

“My biggest indulgence is pastry. And I love baking. I train for 33 hours a week so in my time off I need to rest, and pottering around in the kitchen is perfect. Swimming is my biggest passion but baking comes a close second.”

Considering this, perhaps Keri-Ann could learn a thing or two from my helpful guide: How to Eat Cake For Every Meal.

Melissa Breen, Australia, sprinter

Our very own Melissa Breen – a 100-metre sprinter – is an emerging athlete with a slightly alarming cereal obsession:

“I have a hollow stomach, so an hour after dinner I have cereal, Sustain or Weetbix, sometimes five of them. It’s not a reflection on my mum’s cooking, I’m just always hungry.”

Breen also lists milk as her fridge essential, “… because I have cereal all the time. I can’t live without it.”

Sounds pretty good to me! Is blogging an official sport yet?