How to eat like an Olympic athlete
By Caleigh Rykiss
When you’re working out, do you ever just close your eyes and pretend like you’re an Olympian going for the gold medal? If not – I totally recommend it. I find it can be incredibly motivating to visualize competing at the highest level of my sport – boxing. It comes as no surprise then, that I derive a lot of fitspo from one of our country’s most accomplished female boxers, Mandy Bujold. To add more fuel to my “train like an Olympian” fire, I had the chance to catch up with the 29-year-old athlete, who took part in her first Olympic games in Brazil last summer, to get the lowdown on her full eating regimen. From how she fuels before competitions to her guilty pleasures – Bujold shares her secrets to nutritional success, in and out of the ring.
When it comes to her general rules of nutrition – Bujold does not believe in trendy or restrictive diets. “I try to eat what I would call a clean well balanced diet on a regular basis,” she explains.
According to the fighting champ, avoiding hormones, preservatives and processed foods is the secret to having energy for her intense workouts. “When I eat clean I feel better and I have more energy throughout the day.” Another thing she doesn’t believe in? Counting calories (Hallelujah!!) “I don’t generally count calories. I have a good idea of the foods that have high calories and I usually try to stay away or limit the amount I am eating.”
Another principle that keeps her energized – and helps her maintain her 112 pound weight class – eating small, regular meals. “I usually eat between 3-4 meals per day with 2 snacks. My meals are usually smaller portions but I try to eat more frequently to keep my metabolism working,” she says. She claims eating meals every few hours also saves her from succumbing to cravings for junk food. But when she does indulge – she tries not to let the guilt eat her alive, so to speak. “I believe in balance. You need to have a cheat day or a cheat meal. I usually have mine on a weekend. This is when I allow myself to indulge in whatever I feel like that day!” Her go-to indulgence – pizza and ice cream, natch.
When it comes time for those grueling training sessions – Bujold is fairly particular about how she fuels before and after. First and foremost – she hydrates like, well, a champ. “ I drink a lot of water. I have a bottle with me at all times so I am always sipping throughout the day. During and after workouts I will go through a few liters easily,” she says. Before she hits the gym, the boxing champ reaches for something with both protein and carbs. “I will have something as simple as a pear with almond butter or tuna and crackers.” Post-workout, Bujold is aware of the importance of repairing her muscles with protein. “If I am not having a meal right away I will have a something like a nut protein ball, that I make at home.”
The only time the rules intensify is when she’s training for a big fight – especially if she needs to cut weight. “The biggest change is usually cutting carbs or only having them before or after a big workout,” she says. But starch isn’t the only thing Bujold limits during a training camp. “I also have to limit the amount of coffee I drink when I prepare for a fight because I really like having lattes. I usually use this as a reward at the end of my week.”
Olympic athletes! They’re just like us.
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