It takes more than just practice to become an Olympian. Gold medal performances require some serious nutrition. Have you ever wondered what these elite athletes eat to stay in peak shape?
Keri Glassman, a registered dietitian and founder of Nutritious Life Meals, appeared on “Good Morning America” to give you a glimpse into the diets of some top athletes. Some of their meals could surprise you.
Crazy Calorie Count
Glassman said Olympians eat a lot of food—quantities that for ordinary people would constitute pigging out. One secret of swimmer Michael Phelps astonishing performance in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing was consuming as many as 12,000 calories in one day.
Athletes can eat like this and not gain any weight because their workouts are intense. According to Glassman, Phelps workouts can burn 4,000 to 6,000 calories in a day, and those calories must be replenished in order to train the following day.
Snacking Secrets
Some athletes eat wacky foods that they swear to improve their performance.
Yohan Blake, the Jamaican sprinter and 100-meter world champion, has been making waves for stealing champion sprinter Usain Bolts thunder on the track during the Olympic trials. When asked about how he gets his stamina, Blake answered that he eats 16 bananas per day, Glassman said.
Jonathan Horton, the lead gymnast on the US team, has a blood sugar problem. His solution is honey. When he starts to feel shaky at the gym, he takes swigs of honey to boost his energy, Glassman said. According to Horton, the sugar rushes to his blood right away and he feels amazing for the next hour or so.
Foods for Recovery
What are the best foods to help the body recover after rigorous competition?
For Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte, the recovery meal is grilled chicken breasts with Alfredo sauce, whole-grain spaghetti and a salad with lemon juice and olive oil. Lochte, who cut out junk food, candy and soda, has undertaken a rigorous strength-training regimen that involves flipping tractor tires, dragging shipyard chains and tossing beer kegs, Glassman said.
Lochtes recovery meal has all the important macronutrients necessary for recovery.
要成為奥运选手,仅靠刻苦训练是不够的。要获得金牌,选手需要一些重要营养的摄入。你是否好奇过这些精英运动员是靠吃什么来保持巅峰状态的呢?
克里·格拉斯曼是注册营养学家和膳食营养生活组织的创始人,他在《早安美国》节目中会让你看到一些顶级运动员的膳食。他们的一些饮食可能会令你惊讶。
疯狂的卡路里数量
格拉斯曼说,奥运选手们会吃很多的食物——其分量相当于普通人处于狼吞虎咽状态的食量。游泳名将迈克尔·菲尔普斯在2008年北京奥运会惊艳表现的秘诀之一就是,他一天会摄入高达12000卡路里的热量。
运动员高强度的运动量使他们如此饮食却不会增加体重。根据格拉斯曼的说法,菲尔普斯一天的训练会消耗4000到6000卡路里热量,而这些消耗掉的热量必须补充回来,以应对第二天的训练。
零食秘密
有些运动员会吃一些他们宣称能提高他们成绩的古怪食品。
牙买加短跑运动员兼百米世界冠军约安·布莱克曾在奥运会测试赛的跑道上抢去世界短跑冠军尤塞恩·博尔特的风头。格拉斯曼说,当问到他的耐力从何而来时,布莱克回答说他每天都会吃掉16根香蕉。
美国体操队主力队员乔纳森·霍顿的血糖有问题,而他的解决方案是吃蜂蜜。格拉斯曼说,当霍顿在训练馆开始感到身体发抖时,就会吃几大口蜂蜜来补充能量。据霍顿说,这样他的血糖很快就上去了,在接下来的一个小时他都会感觉很棒。
康复饮食
在激烈的比赛过后,能帮助身体尽快恢复状态的最佳饮食是什么呢?
对奥运游泳选手瑞安·罗切特而言,恢复餐就是烤鸡胸脯肉配阿尔弗雷多酱、全麦意大利面和一份加柠檬汁和橄榄油的沙拉。格拉斯曼说,罗切特戒掉了垃圾食品、糖果和苏打汽水,开始了一项严格的力量训练养生法,其中包括抛拖拉机轮胎、拖船链及投掷啤酒桶。
罗切特的恢复餐中包括了所有恢复身体状态所必需的重要常量营养元素。