The world has come a long way since the post WWII Olympic Games in London 1948, where each country had to provide and bring food for their own athletes due to the food shortage. Since then, we have had the time and resources to learn exactly how to fuel our bodies. Numerous diets, supplements and lifestyle choices are always being researched in order to try improve our quality of life. So how exactly does an Olympian use this to his or her advantage?
The Rio 2016 Olympic Village
Firstly, let’s understand the sheer quantity of people that need to be fed on a daily basis. There are approximately 17,500 Olympic athletes and 8,500 Paralympic athletes at any given time that need to eat… and don’t forget their coaches. So what exactly does it take to cater for practically an entire village of people on a daily basis?
1. A dining hall the size of about four Olympic swimming pools that can accommodate 18,000 people
2. 210,000kg of raw ingredients brought in every day
3. 10 “food islands” with all-you-can-eat buffets, separated by five cuisine themes:
Brazilian, Asian, International, Italian (pizza and pasta) and Kosher and Halaal
4. 20 chefs are on board behind each menu
5. Olympic officials and independent dieticians on site at all times approving each menu
Every food item served is not only rigourssly checked, but in order to accommodate all the specific dietary requirements of each athlete, the nutritional information and an ingredient list is always specified.
So eating preferences such as gluten free, dairy free, nut free, sugar free, vegetarian etc… are always be available.
And The Gold Goes To…
Everyone knows that eating healthily is the best way to get optimal your physical and mental performance. However some people are more willing to go along with it than others, and many Olympians still choose to go the fast food route. (McDonald’s are one of the official sponsors for Rio 2016 by the way).
So we have to acknowledge any Olympian who chooses to put their health first and give them some gold for good diet! These three USA athletes all swear by their healthy lifestyles being a prime reason for their incredible athletic performances:
Shalane Flanagan, 35 yrs old (Long Distance Track Runner)
Flanagan is so committed to her healthy lifestyle, that she is about to publish a cookbook with her colleague Eylse Kopecky called, Run Fast. Eat Slow. Revolving around nutritious, whole recipes for athletes.
Interesting Fact: Oatmeal with mashed banana has been her Low GI, energy-packed pre-race meal for the passed 8 years!
Amy Cragg, 32 yrs old (Track and Field Athlete)
“If your mom wouldn’t let you leave the table until you ate some, it’s probably good for you.” she tells Tasting Table.
Cragg’s rule of thumb is to always stick to whole foods, rather than following a restrictive or unnatural diet. She also understands that fueling your body pre-workout is essential and will always tuck into eggs, toast and a banana before hitting the track.
Katie Meili, 25 yrs old (Swimming)
This Olympian has her go-to meals planned for pre and post workouts. “It’s important to get protein within 30 minutes of a workout.” she explains.
Her top two post workout foods include:
– Greek yoghurt smoothie with berries, banana and whey
– Salad with avocado, chicken/steak and grilled vegetables
When Meili feels like something comforting to warm her up, she will stick to a nice hearty soup, such as a fresh minestrone.
An Olympian’s Achilles Heal
We would love to think that all athletes take the initiative to eat properly, and most have, especially with going gluten free.
However, as mentioned earlier, McDonald’s is one of the official sponsors for Rio 2016. And it probably comes as no surprise to you that they have quickly become one of the most popular restaurants at the Olympic Village, given that all athletes and coaches eat for free of course!
“The Chinese basketball team come all day, every day. The Chinese eat Big Macs at 9am. It’s crazy” explains one of the McDonald’s employees to the Telegraph UK.
Another notorious McDonald’s lover is none other than Usain Bolt. During the 2008 Beijing Olympics it hit news everywhere that he managed to polish off 1000 chicken nugget. He explains his routine:
“At first I ate a box of 20 for lunch, and then another for dinner. The next day I had two boxes for breakfast, one for lunch and then another couple in the evening. I even grabbed some fries and an apple pie to go with it.”
So if it’s seen as common sense to eat well in order to improve your physical and mental performance. Does this just mean the top athletes who eat so much junk food are freaks of nature? Or is there a protein shake or diet plan we are unaware of…
Sometimes athletes would rather sacrifice a lifestyle habit rather than what they eat in order to boost their fitness levels. One of the biggest Olympian trends this season has to be cupping. You can read why Cupping Is All The Rage With Michael Phelps here.
