Why bikers in the most competitive race in the world eat porridge and cake for breakfast
How does a bowl of porridge, plate of pasta, piece of cake, cup of coffee, and glass of juice sound to start off your day?
While that might seem like a lot to eat for breakfast for the average person, it's exactly what sports nutritionist Judith Haudum orders for cyclists competing in intense races like the Tour de France.
"You could have the best massage or have the best bike, but if your body doesn't get the fuel it needs – you can't perform," Haudum told Men's Journal.
The average person burns about 2,000 calories a day, which means we need to eat that many calories in order to survive. When you bump up your heart rate for long periods of time during exercise routines, you burn more calories. If you don't consume extra calories to make up for the burn, you lose weight. If you lose too much weight, you will also lose energy, which is bad news if you're competing with some of the world's best cyclists.
Cyclists in races like the Tour de France need to consume about 8,000 calories a day in order to compete, according to Haudum.
To stay on their game, cyclists follow a carb-heavy, high-calorie diet. Haudum told Men's Journal what she recommends, which consists of seven meals throughout the day, the first two of which happen before the cyclists even begin each day's race.
Here's the full recommended breakfast menu:
- 1 bowl of porridge (150 calories per cup, cooked) with banana (105 calories per banana), and some nuts (529 calories per cup of almonds)
- 1 big plate of pasta (174 calories per cup)
- 1 piece of cake (roughly 225 calories)
- Coffee (1 calorie per cup)
- Fruit juice (122 calories per serving)
To see a full day's menu, check it out on Men's Journal>>
SEE ALSO: A Tour de France cyclists burns 6,071 calories a day — here's how many Chipotle burritos that is
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