How do actual athletes eat?

[Anonymous]

Thank you. Many helpful thoughts here.

[Anonymous]

Appreciate all the advice! This morning I put more intention into my breakfast (muesli, oatmeal, almond butter, flax and dates) and swam longer than usual, had banana and PB afterwards - and actually that worked pretty well. I’ll try what else I’m seeing in the replies. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

My teen division 1 prospect eats high protein in am. Junk at lunch. Balanced home cooked meal at home every night. More protein snack before bed as shake or natural.

On event days (depending on time and location) - high carb about 3 hours before event.

He burns about 6k calories a day in training. Young and genetics primary over diet until elite athlete.

[Anonymous]

I disagree with all of the prior posters about cutting carbs. That is the worst thing you can do after cardio. Carbs are literally what gives you energy, and it's what is being used up when you do cardio. When you don't have enough carbs post-cardio, you are hungry because your body is looking to replenish its supply of energy.

[Anonymous]

I take an intense cardio class on Saturdays and I am always hungry and probably overeat. That’s part of why I reduced this classes and do more strength training. I think I was just eating back the calories. But I am also middle age and peri menopause. In my 30s I could do these classes and eat a whatever I wanted and lose weight!

[Anonymous]

Every fitness influencer and athlete has a “day in my life” or what “I eat in a day/week” video on YouTube. Watch and learn.

What I found really helpful was trading calories for more protein. I double protein my big meal of the day, lunch or dinner. For instance instead of 300 cal of chicken I will have 600 cal of chicken and cut 50% of the added calories somewhere else. In this example I would take away 150 cal somewhere else. Another thing that has really helped is doing a protein drink right before bed. I do fairlife 26g chocolate about 30 min before I go to sleep. Then a small 2-300 calorie breakfast and that carried me to lunch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I disagree with all of the prior posters about cutting carbs. That is the worst thing you can do after cardio. Carbs are literally what gives you energy, and it's what is being used up when you do cardio. When you don't have enough carbs post-cardio, you are hungry because your body is looking to replenish its supply of energy.

You need to learn more about how the body replaces glycogen and how ATP is made (Krebs cycle) and how keto works.

[Anonymous]

Far from being close to pro, but when I was in training mode for triathlons it was just eat all the time. I even drank beer just for empty calories and still lost weight

[Anonymous]

To the anti-fair life poster : do you dislike all protein shakes for the same reason or that one is particularly bad ? If there are some you recommend can you share ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To the anti-fair life poster : do you dislike all protein shakes for the same reason or that one is particularly bad ? If there are some you recommend can you share ?

Most pre-mixed "protein shakes" are overpriced and full of preservatives to maintain shelf life.
Better to buy a quality powder, without fake sweeteners in it, and mix it with whatever liquid you prefer at the moment.
Get a few cheap thermoses if you want to pre-mix a weeks supply in advance and keep in the fridge to grab and go.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:OP, I'm not an actual athlete but I, too, get hungry on my cardio days. I used to not eat before my early morning class but now I down a Fairlife chocolate protein shake before spin. It really gives me a better workout with that food energy.

That is just flavored milk with added chemicals that are harmful. It is complete garbage. Just drink some milk instead.

What’s harmful?

The chemicals and preservatives to prolong shelf life, and the fake sweeteners in it that wreak havoc on your insulin and endocrine system. Look at the ingredients list. Any vitamins added are negligible as well.

Drink glass of milk, and take a multi vitamin. Cheaper, and healthier.

Do you work for the milk industry? You keep saying the same thing in different threads.

The garbage that is being referenced IS milk silly, with added preservatives and sweeteners.
So do you work for the milk packaging industry?

Um, milk isn’t supposed to have sucralose and asulfume potassium (both artificial sweeteners) in it. Agree with the PP that Fairlife protein shakes are garbage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I'm not an actual athlete but I, too, get hungry on my cardio days. I used to not eat before my early morning class but now I down a Fairlife chocolate protein shake before spin. It really gives me a better workout with that food energy.

That is just flavored milk with added chemicals that are harmful. It is complete garbage. Just drink some milk instead.

What’s harmful?

The chemicals and preservatives to prolong shelf life, and the fake sweeteners in it that wreak havoc on your insulin and endocrine system. Look at the ingredients list. Any vitamins added are negligible as well.

Drink glass of milk, and take a multi vitamin. Cheaper, and healthier.

Do you work for the milk industry? You keep saying the same thing in different threads.

The garbage that is being referenced IS milk silly, with added preservatives and sweeteners.
So do you work for the milk packaging industry?

Um, milk isn’t supposed to have sucralose and asulfume potassium (both artificial sweeteners) in it. Agree with the PP that Fairlife protein shakes are garbage.

That's what I said. That was me.

[Anonymous]

OP- you are doing 25 min are cardio. That is not athlete range. Athletes need a lot of food to sustain hours of daily hard training, especially carbs because that is what the body needs most when doing strenuous activity, even more than protein. But protein is impoetant too. However, that is not you. Just eat normal.