Eat like an athlete - Jonathan and Alistair Brownlee
The Brownlee brothers are unstoppable champions who have been steadily amassing a horde of Olympic, Commonwealth and Triathlon medals. So what do legends of the road, bike and water eat to stay on top? As much as possible it seems...
What is your typical daily diet when training for a big event?
Breakfast
Alistair: Normally porridge with a bit of Nutella and some toast.
Jonny: I usually go for some cereal – muesli or something like that and toast.
Lunch
Alistair: Something hot, a proper meal. I love a bit of barbecued meat in the summer.
Jonny: Similar to Al really, I like a sandwich sometimes though, or a few bagels.
Dinner
Alistair: I’m normally very hungry so a decent meal involving some meat, I love steak, plenty of cooked veg (I’m not a huge fan of salad) and a warm pudding every time.
Jonny: I have a slow cooker now, so I enjoy doing a casserole of some sort and having some rice or potatoes with it. Definitely have a pudding every time as well.
Total calorie intake: 5000ish
How do you keep your diet varied and do you ever get bored with eating for your sport?
Alistair: Sometimes when you’re very tired after a long days training cooking enough food to fill you up can be a chore, so in that instance I just go across the road to the fish and chip shop.
Jonny: I just try and eat as normally as possible to be honest. We’re lucky because of the amount of training we do, I just eat a lot of everything so we don’t have to constantly eat the same meals or food types.
What super food/juice/meal helps you get out of bed and motivated on those particularly dreary mornings?
Alistair: Bacon and black pudding sandwich on Warburtons half and half.
Jonny: Yeah you can’t beat a good bacon sandwich!
What’s your trusted snack for an energy boost?
Alistair: A good bit of flapjack.
Jonny: Our neighbour Jan’s 'crunch' – she makes it for us every week.
How do you stay hydrated when training?
Alistair: I always carry a Maxifuel bottle around with me.
Jonny: I drink a lot and very fast! I never have problems hydrating.
When competition season is over what are your favourite food indulgences?
Alistair: Weirdly, I probably have less of an appetite for indulgent food when I’m not training.
Jonny: I love chocolate fudge cake, training or not training.
What would be your top diet and exercise tip for the amateur athlete?
Alistair: Eat balanced. Don’t get caught up on any fad diets. Just train and eat consistently.
Jonny: Yes, plenty of fruit and veg and try to stick to eating at meal times. Don’t snack on loads of rubbish. And Alistair is right; consistency in training is the key.
Aside from your speciality, what is your favourite sport/exercise?
Alistair: I like remote controlled gadgets. I’ve just bought a helicopter thing. I have a bad habit of breaking them though.
Jonny: I manage a local 6-a-side football team, the Bramhope Deers, and have been known to lace my boots up a few times for them. And I love watching Leeds Rhinos!
Uncover more diet secrets from top athletes in our eat like an athlete series.
