BBC Good Food

All posts

What is RSS?

Eat like an athlete - Mo Farah

Posted at 12:02PM, 07 January 2013 by Roxanne Fisher - Writer/Sub-editor, bbcgoodfood.com

What does a double Olympic champion eat to stay on top? Long distance gold medallist Mo Farah divulges his training diet, tips for aspiring runners and a healthy love of burgers...

What was your typical daily diet when training for the Olympics?

Breakfast (7am):
Breakfast was coffee and cereal, normally Frosties, as I really like them -probably a little too much! However they gave me my much needed sugar rush to get me through the early part of each day.

Lunch (12pm):
I'm not really a big eater of large meals - more several small little plates during the day. But if I had a lunch, it tended to be pasta, steamed vegetables and grilled chicken.

Dinner (8pm):
Dinner would be the same again - pasta, steamed vegetables and grilled chicken. I realise it doesn't sound too exciting, but for someone doing my pursuit it was absolutely the right thing to eat. It's an exciting life I lead!

How did you celebrate your epic victory once the competition and was over?

I ate my first burger in a year! It was a delicious Byron burger, I think. It really felt like a prize in itself but I only allowed myself one because it was back to the regular diet very quickly. The season wasn't over, you see, and I couldn't afford to go off the rails with other races coming up.

In general, how do you keep your diet varied, and do you ever get bored with eating for your sport?

Yes, I get incredibly bored, who wouldn't? But it's the price you pay for this sporting life. I need my sugar fix from time to time - some chocolate will usually give me the variation I need, but I'm so used to the whole diet thing now at this stage, it no longer bothers me.

Have you come across any misconceptions/myths surrounding the diet of an endurance athlete?

No, it's pretty much as dull and tasteless as you can expect!

What super food/juice/meal helps you get out of bed and keeps you motivated on those particularly dreary mornings?

Coffee. I seriously wouldn't function without it. I don't think I've had a morning without coffee in years. It's scary, I could possibly be addicted. Naturally I'll have fruit and protein shakes, but similar to the Frosties, for me I need a wake-up call through what I put in my body first thing in the morning.

What's your trusted snack for an energy boost?

Chocolate, usually dark chocolate is good for an energy boost. There are all manner of sports snacks that pretend to do wonderful things, but I mostly like to stick to the basics.

How do you stay hydrated when training?

My trainer concocts this sugary, protein water-based drink that manages to stop the fluid from being completely sweated out. For an athlete, fizzy drinks are a strict no-no, and water obviously is the most natural thing you can have, but it leaves your body too quickly and there are isotonic drinks that are better for you.

What would be your top diet and exercise tips for the amateur athlete?

Maintain a healthy balance between carbs and protein but always be careful on the carb intake, or it will ultimately slow you down. And for exercise, just keep up a good pace of core practices. I'd also recommend that people going for speed gains should, at first, try to go easy on the weights. Muscle build may look good, but it also slows you down.

Aside from your speciality, what is your favourite sport/exercise?

I always wanted to be a footballer, so I love to watch sport. And I guess I like swimming to maintain core strength, but for enjoyment also.

What's your favourite meal?

It has to be a burger, every time. It's just a shame I never have them. If I had to choose one from BBC Good Food it would probably be the Texas burger, by virtue of the fact I spend so much time training over in the States.

Uncover more diet secrets from Team GB in our Eat Like An Athlete series.

Post a comment

We're sorry but blog commenting is closed at the moment. It should be back up and running soon but in the meantime you can contact us at goodfoodwebsite@bbc.com or visit our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/BBCGoodFood