Olympic Eats
For as long as I can remember, I’ve had this sneaking suspicion that folks are what they eat. Or rather, they eat according to their profession. It sounds loony, but as a kid I remember asking my dear creative mother what mermaids ate. I swear I ate lettuce and beans for a straight week before she finally told me it wouldn’t work on my poor little land-based legs. I was onto something though, at least when it comes to what Olympians are gobbling down. The Nike Olympians were awesome enough to share some of their meal plans with me. The verdict: These women fuel up based on the sports they love.
Jennifer Rodriguez’s Noshes
For speed skater Jennifer Rodriguez (who we’ll feature in a special FitStars later today!), food was integral to get her back in the game. When she retired in 2006, she lost much of her muscle mass, so when the ice started calling her name again, she knew it was going to take major dedication to get back into her former shape.
When training again for the ice, she gained 10 pounds of muscle, as protein became her best friend. She ate fish and steak religiously and limited her carbs. (Note, she made sure to stay on top of her vitamins—especially vitamin D for recovery—to account for what she missed from her low-carb decision.) She made sure to get 3,500 calories a day. That, my friends, is a lot of meat! Protein equals muscle, which is a must for those with a need to speed (on the ice, that is). For a speedy recovery, Jennifer turns to recovery bars and smoothies. She’s learned quickly that being nice to your body is the ticket to gold.
Julia Mancuso’s Noshes
For alpine skier Julia Mancuso (who will be featured tomorrow afternoon!), it’s all about the liquid yumminess. She drinks teas and protein smoothies in the morning before she begins her 6- to 8-hour training sessions. Yeowsers, right?
Nicole Joraanstad’s Noshes
Curler Nicole Joraanstad is a big fan of oatmeal in the mornings. She’ll sprinkle some strawberries, blueberries or bananas in the mix for good measure. For a snack, she whips out peanut butter and whole-grain toast. Lately, she’s been a nomad of sorts, but no matter where she ends up, she always makes sure to pack the oats and PB—staples for a smart jetsetter. For lunch, she gets in a protein and a lot of carbs (carbs rock if you’re the type of gal who needs to fuel up for endurance.)
How about you? What do you use to fuel up like an Olympian? —Tish