6 different athletes, 6 different breakfasts: what do they eat?

When athletes breakfast, what’s on the menu? Personally, I love breakfast and it’s my favourite meal of the day. Usually, I have a Sausage and Egg McMuffin from McDonald’s which shocks and appals my friends, family and lover. Having said that, I would eat almost anything for breakfast, even sushi. I went for a whole year eating a piece of tofu sushi for breakfast when I was vegan. I had next to no friends and people stared at me on the train. Times were tough.

I have even written a post called The Reason You Can’t Eat Breakfast. It’s one of my most popular and gets read over 50 times a day if you can believe it. So what’s the secret to eating breakfast? Read the post here. Now that I am all loved-up, I feel somewhat ashamed of my many bad habits, including my terrible junk food habit. I would like to emphasise here that I am not a boom-bah; I have a healthy BMI and no health problems, yet.

I have decided to research the different breakfasts that athletes and other body-centric professionals eat. Do swimmers eat the same brekkie as bodybuilders? Do tennis players have the same nutritional needs as ballet dancers? I have flung my net far and wide across the web and here is what I have uncovered.

What bodybuilders eat for breakfast

6 different athletes, 6 different breakfasts: what do they eat? |
What bodybuilders eat for breakfast might include eggs, juice and tomatoes

According to ask.com, the best thing for a bodybuilder to eat is two large whole eggs, six large egg whites, two slices whole-wheat bread, one sliced tomato and a cup orange juice. This gives a total of 476 calories, 47.6 grams carbohydrates, 40.9 grams of protein and 10.7 grams of fat (source).

Female bodybuilders should eat this: (source) ½ cup oatmeal (with cinnamon and sweeteners), 6 egg whites with 1 yolk and half a grapefruit.

What models eat for breakfast

6 different athletes, 6 different breakfasts: what do they eat? | Models eat pancakes
What models eat for breakfast: Pancakes, according to a top UK clotheshorse

Who better to ask than Vogue? I always thought that the ideal model breakfast was champagne and a cigarette but apparently not. This great Vogue article gives the breakfast deets of several top-notch models. One of my faves Lara Stone (who is married to Little Britain’s David Walliams) says: that she loves to cook. She favours healthy recipes and plenty of vegetables and fresh fruit, but her guilty breakfast pleasure? “Pancakes! Here’s my recipe for four pancakes: in a blender, mix 100g oats, 200g cottage cheese, 4 eggs and a teaspoon of cinnamon. Shape into two or four pancakes and cook in a frying pan, turning after two minutes. Serve with fresh berries.”

I hate to say it, Lara, but I hope that recipe is for 4 people. By my quick calculations, that concoction would have nearly 1000 calories, the same as two Sausage McMuffins and one hash brown. I know which brekkie I would rather eat!

What jockeys eat for an athletes breakfast

6 different athletes, 6 different breakfasts: what do they eat? | Jockeys soaked oats for breakfast
What jockeys eat for breakfast might surprise you. Have you heard of “soaked oats”?

Small and sassy, jockeys have to focus on keeping their weight low so that they can compete. I found a great article online by Dominic Prince who says: “Breakfast was oats, crushed barley, linseed and raisins soaked overnight.” He also says, “Jockeys do not enjoy the most pleasant diets, but they work. Woe betide the Grand National jockey who turns up on the day a few pounds overweight; he won’t be asked to ride for that trainer again.” Want to read what he eats for lunch and dinner? Follow his diet here.

What gymnasts eat for breakfast

6 different athletes, 6 different breakfasts: what do they eat? | Gymnast breakfast
Gymnasts might eat egg white omelettes as part of their athlete meal plan

I always admired gymnasts because their sport looks like so much fun! Until, that is, they miss the beam and land on their behinds!  According to NBC News: ‘Gymnastics, unlike swimming or long-distance running, is considered an “anaerobic” sport, one in which short, intense bursts of power are much more important than endurance.” This means that diets are usually quite restricted. “They eat several times a day, all in small quantities: egg whites for breakfast, a small piece of chicken for lunch, small snacks of cheese and vegetables in between meals and maybe some fish and fruit for dinner.”

What ballet dancers eat for breakfast

6 different athletes, 6 different breakfasts: what do they eat? | Yoghurt & fruit
Are you asking, “What should I eat for breakfast?” Have you considered yoghurt and fruit as an option?

According to Dance.net: “A good balanced breakfast. Whole grains: slice of whole grain toast or bowl of oatmeal or similar, protein: scrambled egg or cup of yogurt, fruit: banana or orange or berries, herbal tea or milk/non-dairy milk or coffee. Breakfast sets up your body for the day. A good snack can be fruit and cheese or hardboiled egg and vegetable strips. Drink water. You want food that will give you energy and will stick with you. Fruit and vegetables will give that instant boost, protein will stay with you and keep you going. “

What cricketers eat for an athletes breakfast

6 different athletes, 6 different breakfasts: what do they eat? | Bananas Cricketer
Different athletes eat different breakfasts: Cricketers eat bananas for breakfast

The Boyf just loves cricket. Unless you’re from a Commonwealth Nation, you probably have no interest in cricket. Cricket is a game that hypnotizes men across Australia for days on end. In fact – one game can take 5 days! Most Aussie men spend this time, asleep on the couch, usually drooling. Occasionally they will wake from their deep slumber and yell, “What’s the score?” and then drift back into a coma. I am not sure how you win a game of cricket. I think one team simply lulls the other team into a kind of dreamless sleep and claims victory. Then they cuddle.

Anyhoo. There is a cricketer called Peter Siddle. I am including him in this post on The Boyf’s insistence because of reports in the media that he breakfasted with 15 bananas each morning. “Siddle has a well publicised relationship with the banana – he consumes 15 to 20 a day – but he’s also a fan of leafy greens, beans and tofu.”Bananas play a big part in that, bananas have a big impact in muscle recovery straight after performance, so that’s pretty much why I eat so many bananas.” Read the article here about how Siddle has become a vegan and improved his health.

So, there you have it. A selection of breakfasts for you from various people who use their bodies as a profession.

What is your favourite thing to eat for breakfast? Tell me!

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  1. June 10, 2014

    For breakfast in the morning, before I go to school, I have a herbalife shake. I have different types of shakes including fruit. These are great because they are fast to drink, are easy to make. They also have lots of good stuff in them

    1. June 11, 2014

      Hi Molly-

      That’s interesting I haven’t tired them yet – I will have to give them a go!

      –Alyce

  2. Pingback: The importance of sleep for athletes [Infographic]

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