If you’ve been following the Olympics (please say you have?!) I’m sure one of the first thoughts you have is about their incredible athletic ability and the second thought you have is something about their outrageously stellar bods. I can’t tell you how many conversations I have had with my friends talking about how GOOD they all look: fit, muscular, beautiful. Of course plastering pictures of their physique all over the web and in magazines like ESPN’s Body Issue encourages this sort of chatter. So how do they do it?
Most Olympic athlete diets are eating high protein and low carb diets full of fish and lean meats. Canadian distance runner Nathan Breannen is on a gluten free diet and tennis player Venus Williams has adopted a raw vegan diet. However other athletes are blessed with being able to “pig out” without caring about added pounds because working out is their job! Food is fuel for them. This is a way of thinking about your eats that we should all give more care too.
But for the rest of the world who doesn’t have the luxury of hitting the gym up for more than an hour a few times a week, there are some food secrets we can adopt from the top Olympic athletes. Here are some healthy tips and tricks from Olympians to combat hunger and give you energy:
- Honey: lead U.S. gymnast Jonathan Horton has a bit of honey before he goes to the gym to boost his workout. He can take his by the spoonful, but we recommend adding some to your tea, oatmeal or yogurt.
- Almond Butter: American beach volleyball player Kerry Walsh slathers almond butter on anything she can. The healthy spread is packed with protein and goods fats plus offers a boost of energy.
- Tart Cherries: After a workout many athletes pop a few sweet tart cherries full of antioxidants which fight inflammation due to exercise. Need more post-workout snack ideas? Try these.
- Salmon: Elif Jale Yesilirmak, female wrestler, eats salmon instead of red meat which is a healthier and leaner alternative form of protein. Plus, its full of omega-3’s which we all tend to lack in our diets.
- Bananas: Get your monkey on. Bananas are best before your workout because they are packed with vitamins and minerals. Jamaican sprinter Yohan Blake eats about 16 bananas a day!
Of course for us non-Olympians the best diet is a well-rounded one that is packed with fruits and vegetables, plus protein and complex carbs. However if you are burning 4,000 calories a day then I look forward to seeing you in the next Olympic Games and hearing all about your food secrets!
Check out the disciplined and strict diet the Chinese Olympic athletes practice:
Do you have any food secrets to share? Which Olympic sport are you giving the most attention to?
Feature image via
While we aren’t all Olympians, we can and should eat to maintain our bodies needs. We must use food and proper nutrition to refuel after our own workouts in the way our own body needs.
raw vegan diet? That is way cool. I love these tips. And I could easily consume the salmon and cherries. Thank you for sharing. Pinned. 😉
Thank you! I’m normally a white, mild fish fan but willing to get my taste buds more acquainted with salmon because it is just so good for you.
yeah i eat many of the athlete’s foods! hope that means I’ll be getting faster and stronger
See you in the Olympics in 4 years? 🙂
I’ve actually heard that tart cherry juice is very good for plantar fasciitis!
Love an ingredient that has benefit after benefit! Thanks for stopping by BSW Paige. It is amazing to hear from new readers!
I’m fascinated by how the olympians train and eat. How they fuel their bodies to accomplish amazing physical feats. I changed to a vegan diet about 2 1/2 months ago and have had more energy than ever!! I know it’s not a secret but it’s comment worthy 🙂
I love watching the gymnastics, also the rhythmic gymnastics although they are often disturbingly thin, and I read an article where one of them discusses skipping dinner because thinness is so important in that partcular sport which made me sad, but anyway…
I like the tip about sour cherries, I love eating the frozen ones from the store, particularly in this heat!
Yikes! That article sounds horrible. I hope that most of their coaches encourage healthy eating so that they can excel in their sport!
If I only like salmon I could be an Olympic athlete {maybe}! During the last summer Olympics, I remember watching an interview with Michael Phelps and they showed all the food he eats in one day while training – I think I consume that same amount in 1/2 a week. It was NUTS!
Haha, yes! Salmon is the key to gold medals 🙂 I have seen that interview too…I could never eat all of that in one go, but he exercises so much that he needs to fuel up. Crazy!
Doc swims several days per week and has been a competitive swimmer for much of his life. We love to watch all the swimming events and especially love Michael Phelps and all that he has accomplished….and that is a man who can eat! I think he is on the “eat whatever he wants” diet. But hey, he is Michael Phelps! Go Mike!
I know! I get super excited watching the swimming too. I think because I am envious since the best I can do is dog paddle. Glad your hubby has such a healthy hobby!
I’m seeing articles about cherries all over the place! I loooove me some cherries. I usually have them with a handful of almonds as a snack.
I always put honey on top of my Almond butter….Mmmm is it yummy! Adds just the right amount of sweetness!
I love to do that too…in oatmeal it is Ah.Maze.ing. 🙂
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I didn’t know that Honey was good for this kind of thing. I love honey but I never really had a reason to eat a lot of it before. This is really good to know thanks for the incite.