How to eat like a gold-medal Olympian
With the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games now a glowing, golden memory, the eyes of the country inevitably turn to the next generation of Canadian athletes. As we all know, being an elite athlete means intense physical and psychological preparation, not to mention personal and financial sacrifice. With so much invested in their performances, it makes sense that top athletes also pay close attention to how they fuel their bodies.
Despite their often superhuman image, when it comes to food, many elite athletes still struggle with the same issues and temptations as the rest of us: They crave sweets and love bacon, struggle to eat enough greens and fall into the habit of eating convenience food when they don’t plan ahead. Can we learn anything about healthy eating from our Olympians? For the most part, the answer is yes.
ATHLETES EAT MORE BUT STILL NEED TO EAT WELL
It’s true: Athletes training and competing at an elite level burn an awful lot of calories — sometimes up to three times what the average Canadian burns in a day — but that doesn’t give them carte blanche to eat whatever they want. For every Michael Phelps — who was able to win gold on a diet of pancakes and burgers — there are countless athletes who put in painstaking effort to ensure they are meeting nutrient needs.
If there is one good behaviour that unites many top athletes, it’s their habit of eating frequent meals and snacks throughout the day. Since an athlete’s muscles are always in a state of recovery, they need to be particularly mindful to avoid going more than a few hours without fuelling their bodies, while including a source of protein at each meal and snack. This simple habit not only helps repair damaged muscles, it also helps control appetite, while providing a slight boost in metabolism after eating.
For the rest of us, following the Olympian’s pattern of eating a balanced snack every few hours can help regulate blood sugar, maintain energy throughout a busy day and reduce cravings and overeating at mealtimes. What snacks to choose? While an athlete might choose high-octane fuel, such as a pita with peanut butter, a berry smoothie with milk or protein powder or a turkey sandwich, non-athletes might try a handful of almonds and an apple, a hard-boiled egg and some veggie sticks, or a chunk of cheese and some whole grain crackers. All contain some protein for fullness, along with some carbohydrates for energy.
ATHLETES PLAN THEIR EATING
With high-calorie needs and tightly scheduled days, many athletes may miss meals or all-important pre- and post-workout recovery snacks if they don’t plan ahead. That means packing something of a feed bag to get through the day, not to mention the right drinks for hydration and recovery.
While packing enough food to last a trip through the desert is a lot to ask of most people, the concept is still a good one. Even if you aren’t in the headspace to bring a lunch to work, it doesn’t take much effort to grab a piece of fruit and a yogourt on your way out the door, which can make a great mid-morning or afternoon snack. Alternatively, keep some non-perishable lunch items (try mini cans of flavoured tuna and whole grain crackers, lower-sodium dried soups or energy bars) at your desk or in the car for days when even the best-laid lunch plans fall apart.
EVEN HOCKEY PLAYERS WORRY ABOUT THEIR WEIGHT
Do you think rock-hard abs that come with being an elite athlete diminish self-conscious thoughts about weight? Think again. The body-
hugging uniforms, regular body fat testing or weigh-ins at training camps, and the pressure exerted by coaches and peers — often unintentionally — to be lighter or leaner, or to look better and be faster can leave athletes feeling like they have to eat a spartan diet to maintain weight. It’s not uncommon for elite athletes to restrict their eating so much that they cause unwanted loss of muscle mass, not to mention a decline in performance over time.
Going on a restrictive diet can sap an athlete’s energy, making them prone to breakdowns, both physical (injury risk goes up when athletes aren’t properly fuelled) and mental (athletes are more likely to make mistakes when they are fatigued). The best bet? Whether it’s for Olympic competition or a friend’s wedding, the best way to shed a few pounds is to give yourself plenty of time and lose the weight gradually — ideally by no more than one to two pounds per week. For most people, this can be achieved by cutting just a few hundred calories from their daily routine.
ATHLETES DO GET SOME EXTRA PRIVILEGES
Make no mistake: Athletes do enjoy nutritional perks that come with higher energy needs. Foods such as peanut butter, bagels, potatoes, fruit juice and chocolate milk are dietary staples for many elite athletes. Want that extra room to indulge? The key is to get moving. The formula is simple: The more exercise you do, the more calories you need to eat to maintain your weight.
