Eat Like a Professional Athlete

You may not be able to dive with grace, run far and fast, or successfully complete a heptathlon, but that doesn’t mean you can’t emulate professional athletes in some way.

Athletes have to stay healthy and energised in order to compete, which means maintaining the best possible diet. While you probably don’t need to eat everything the sportspeople do – no one wants to drink raw eggs – taking some tips from the diet of athletes can help you eat more balanced foods.

Eating a few similar meals isn’t going to have you jumping hurdles or throwing javelins – unless you already do this in your free time – but it could help you manage your weight, enjoy more balanced meals and generally be full of energy.

So exactly how do you eat like an athlete?

There’s a reason breakfast is often referred to as the ‘meal of champions’, no one ever got gold by skipping it.

Sportspeople generally eat breakfast within 30 minutes of getting up as this early meal will mean they don’t absorb as many calories throughout the rest of the day. This doesn’t mean you can get away with eating an unhealthy breakfast and give yourself a pat on the back, you need to enjoy a balanced meal.

The best option is to eat something that is rich in lean protein – like scrambled eggs – as well as things like whole grains for sustained energy.

Most of us are used to eating three set meals a day, maybe with the odd snack in between. However, athletes tend to eat smaller meals at more frequent intervals throughout the day.

Because of training and competing, the athletes need to keep their fuel tanks full and three meals just don’t cut it. Instead, they’ll eat every four or so hours, which helps them to avoid feeling tired and allows them to sustain their level of activity.

This can be easier said than done on a daily basis, but cutting the size of your regular meals and opting for more healthy snacks throughout the day could help keep you going and reduce the amount of sugar or caffeine you consume.

This is probably the thing that most of us fail to stick to a regular basis. Drinking plenty of water throughout the day is vital for athletes as they need to keep their muscles lubricated and not become dehydrated when competing.

Although the amount of water each person needs throughout a day can vary, it is generally a good idea to try and drink two litres. You should also be mindful that some drinks – such as tea and coffee – actually dehydrate you due to the caffeine content. This can mean you need to drink more water to make up for it.

You may also find that when you drink water, you don’t get as hungry throughout the day. This is because we often struggle to differentiate between feelings of hunger and thirst. If you think you’re hungry, you may actually be thirsty so get into the habit of having a sip of water before reaching for the biscuits.

While eating like an athlete may not turn you into one, it should mean you have enough energy to cheer on your chosen team or athlete.