Eat Like An Olympian

Many of you, including myself,  have been inspired by the Olympians in this year's Games. I can only imagine the discipline and dedication it takes to represent your country at its highest honor. It obviously requires a large time commitment but what exactly are these athletes eating to fuel their bodies? I ran across an article called, "How to Eat like an Olympian," from CBS news and found it quite interesting. It goes without saying, junk food is pretty much out but I was surprised that their diets are not too far from what we recommend at H3.

With such long, demanding workouts athletes are loading up on lean and wholesome foods. According to the article, the Olympic Games are the largest catering operation in the world. By the time they end, athletes, coaches, and team staff will have eaten:

• 330 tons of fruits and vegetables


• 232 tons of potatoes


• 100 tons of beef


• More than 82 tons of seafood


• 31 tons of poultry


• 21 tons of cheese


• 19 tons of eggs


• 25,000 loaves of bread

What are they consuming while training at home? Oatmeal, eggs, bananas, chicken, Greek yogurt, pasta, almond/peanut butter and chocolate milk. Any of these sound familiar? Instead of focusing on what you can't eat, focus on the variety of foods that are actually great for your body and are going to maximize all your hard work. Lean proteins and whole foods help keep you feeling light, energized and satisfied longer. So the next time someone asks you about your new healthy diet, tell them you're just eating like an Olympian--and feel good knowing that even though you may not be winning gold medals, you are winning small victories each and every day!