As part of our ongoing Made to Move campaign, cycling legend and British athlete Lizzie Deignan shares her top tips for feeling energised through food.
If you’re anything like me, you may previously have thought that athletes require an extensive and complicated dietary regime to maintain their energy levels when regularly performing and competing, but according to Lizzie Deignan, this really isn’t the case.
The now retired cyclist has spent years preparing for and competing in some of the world’s most distinguished sporting events — from the Olympics to the Tour de France — and her training schedule has been nothing short of intense. But when it comes to nutrition and diet, Lizzie emphasises that simplicity is best.
Here, she tells me everything women should know about fuelling properly when engaging in regular exercise, as well as how to make sure that you’re taking care of your body each and every day.
What are your top tips for feeling energised?
“When you wake up in the morning, the most important thing is to have a healthy and balanced breakfast,” she says. “I’d recommend avoiding going on your phone first thing, as this can prevent you from feeling your best for the rest of the day.”
The Olympian also suggests prioritising exercise at some point in the day — whenever suits you best — so that you’re exercising at least four times a week.
The number may seem steep to some, but exercise can be done in a variety of ways throughout the week — from a long walk or a gym session to a yoga class or, of course, a bike ride.
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What meal do you recommend having before training/exercising?
“I always go for porridge,” Lizzie says. “Maybe not so much in summer, but in the winter, it’s something I have every single morning.
“Porridge doesn’t have to be boring — you can add all sorts of things to it, such as berries, nuts, peanut butter and honey. I add everything I can, and I love it. It keeps me going until lunchtime.”
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What are your favourite ways to decompress?
“With a busy young family, it can be difficult to find the time to decompress,” Lizzie explains. “But I like to make sure that my husband and I have something nice planned to do together at least one a month.”
Lizzie explains that having regular time away from work and exercise — which in her case is the same thing — goes a long way towards helping her to recover and prevents over-exhaustion.
How should people best recover from regular exercise?
She advises parents to try to plan in advance as much as possible following busy weeks of work and exercise. “Make sure that you book a babysitter in advance, so you know when you’ve got some free time coming up.”
As someone who’s loved sports from a young age, Lizzie encourages everyone to engage in an active pursuit in some capacity, but advises people not to put too much pressure on themselves.
Having recently announced her third pregnancy, the Olympian has decided to retire after a 20-year career in cycling. It was a decision she didn’t take lightly, but stands as a great example of putting the needs of her body first.
Feature image: Unsplash
