#5 - Olympic Dieting Sochi

    All Olympic athletes, whether they are competing in alpine skiing, the luge, figure stating, or curling, know that the food and nutrition consumed during training and competition are key factors in helping them bring home the gold.As the Sochi Winter Olympics are coming to a close, I wonder what these athletes eat to prepare them for competition. Is a 6,000 calorie day really needed to fully achieve maximum strength?

According to the US Olympic Committee Sport Performance Division, consuming a diet rich in antioxidants such as fruits, vegetables, and grains is  important to prepare the athletes’ immune system prior to traveling and competition.  Traveling can have a toll on your body, especially when you are going to a different country. Climate change and time change can play a huge part in the way you compete, so athletes fuel their bodies with plenty of healthy foods prior to departure.  Team USA even sent their sport dietitians to Sochi before the games to figure out where to get healthy foods and find the best places to shop for food. 

I used to always think Olympians all pretty much ate the same thing. Carbs, proteins, veggies, and a bunch of water. According to the Eat to Compete article, athletes come in all shapes and sizes and they all have different goals for the future. Therefore, they do not all have the same requirements for nutrition. A figure skater or curler does not need to maintain a 6,000 calorie diet like a cross country skier may need to. It really depends on each sport! I also learned that fiber is typically reduced in an athletes diet to avoid any upset stomachs or pains while traveling. No athlete wants to prepare to compete with an upset stomach or gas.

Below I have listen the top 5 snacks Olympic athletes consume according to Competition Foods:


1.            Chocolate milk or soy milk + banana + water
2.            Chobani Greek yogurt+ apple + water 
3.            A shake with fruit + protein + water
4.            High protein cereals like Mini Wheats or Kashi + milk or soymilk + water
5.            A chicken, turkey, or tuna sandwich + fruit + water