Eat, Play, Perform: What Top Athletes Eat

Michael Phelps loves his subs, Tom Brady devours spaghetti and Serena Williams eats pizza like a champ. Athletes endure intense workouts and practices so their bodies tend to burn off more calories than the average person. It’s essential for them to constantly replenish. Phelps’ notorious 12,000 calorie-a-day diet is a prime example. Read on to find out what athletes eat.

Hydration
It’s a no-brainer that drinking water multiple times a day keeps your body hydrated,but what else do athletes drink to stay hydrated? Houston Texan cornerback Johnathan Joseph reportedly chooses Gatorade for hydration. The drinks like Gatorade help replenish the super crucial electrolytes lost by athletes during workouts/practices. The sports drink of the moment, coconut water, also contains these essential electrolytes.

Protein
Athletes constantly need to build and repair muscle. Protein is essential to building and maintaining muscle, which is mainly why athletes consume so much of it. Nuts, milk, tuna, and beans are all rich in protein. Barbequed salmon is British triathlete Liz Blatchford’s pick for protein.

Carbohydrates
There is a strong link between carbohydrates and performance. Carbs provide roughly 40–50% of the energy needed in the first stages of exercise and athletes’ diets usually contain 70% carbs. Carbs are also fuel for the brain and nervous system, which is especially important for high-precision sports. Embrace the carbs like Team USA swimmer Ryan Lochte who loves his pancakes and Miami Heat forward LeBron James chows down on honey oat granola for breakfast.

What do you eat to replenish?