With the Paris 2024 Olympics about to begin at the end of this month, I’ve been thinking a lot about what kind of diet these top athletes must follow in order to keep themselves in the best shape.

The kind of discipline, dedication, and passion athletes at the top of their game must have to go for gold is so awe-inspiring, but of course their diet and lifestyle must play a huge part, right?

If you want to gain peak physical performance, it’s not just about exercise, it’s about what you consume every day.

Have you ever experienced a huge difference in your physical body during sport or fitness that you can relate to dietary choices? Let me know, I’m so curious to hear your thoughts! Reply to me.

Let’s look at what habits Olympians have that we can incorporate into our own lives, even if we are far from being professional athletes ourselves!

Don’t Miss Breakfast

Despite what you may have heard, it’s important to eat regular and consistent meals to keep your body fueled and your blood sugar stable. Don’t head out for a workout or run without eating anything first.

When we wake up our blood sugar is already low, so include something like wholemeal toast and nut butter or a nutrient-packed smoothie when you wake up.

You actually need healthy carbs for your body to have the right energy to exercise and to sustain you through it.

Eat Nutrient Dense Food

The best thing you can do to be in tip top condition physically is to incorporate a lot of superfoods with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals into your diet. Think about your body as a beautiful vessel that needs a variety of nutrients to be at peak condition.

The great news is that nature provides us with so many of these foods - colorful fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and legumes are all packed with nutrient rich compounds that keep our body healthy and happy.

Don’t Limit your Calories

Food lovers will be pleased to hear this one! Of course, we are talking about eating healthy carbs, proteins and fats not loading up on greasy fast food. But it is true that athletes eat well and plenty, and do not focus on calorie restriction.

If your body goes into starvation mode, your body eventually starts to breakdown muscle as there are not enough carbohydrates to fuel it. When this occurs your body will use protein as an alternative fuel source which is dangerous over the long-term.

Hydration is Key

You must keep your cells hydrated with plenty of water and avoid alcohol especially if you are working out. Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it promotes dehydration as well as delaying recovering time.

It can slow down the process of building and repairing muscles, and affect your sleep - both of which are vital for physical and mental recovery and will impact performance.

Become a Master at Meal Prepping

Athletes at the top of their game have to be prepared with a solid routine for meals, timing, and consistency. You can do this too by prioritizing things like batch cooking, meal prep, and always having healthy snacks on hand.

A great tip is to always have bananas peeled, sliced and frozen for easy smoothie blending.

Try designating a day of the week (Sunday works well) to be the day that you do some batch cooking and weekly meal prep.

Eat Healthy Snacks After Exercise

As soon as you finish an endurance or high-intensity workout, always consume something made from a mixture of healthy proteins and carbs. That way you will reduce muscle soreness and aid in muscle recovery.

A protein smoothie works well here, or a hardboiled egg on wholemeal bread, or even a bowl of fruit with a sprinkle of nutrient dense nuts and seeds such as hemp, chia, or pumpkin.

The Takeaway

Whether you are an athletic person or not, we can all take away some of this golden advice and apply it to our own lives.

One good thing to remember is that Olympic athletes are regular people too! They are not perfect and have their indulgent pleasures without feeling bad about it.

You should never be so rigid and paranoid about your diet that it starts affecting your life. Simply find a way to fuel your body right with healthy foods that fill you up and work to keep your metabolism stable and supported.