If Duncan Scott was ever invited on the ‘Off-Menu Podcast’ he knows exactly what he’d be having – or at least he’d know what his dream training day meals would look like.
The six-time Olympic medallist consumes around 5,000 calories a day during intense training blocks – double the recommended average for a male.
Nutrition is one of the most important aspects of any athlete’s preparation for a competition, with breakfast likened to jet-fuel for a rocket.
In heavy training blocks, Scott will fuel his swim and gym sessions with a high calorie diet while cutting back on metres in the pool ahead of a competition also equals cutting back on the snacks.
Ultimately, Scott’s key to being one of Team GB’s most highly-decorated Olympians is simple: eat little and often.
“I don’t have an exact figure for calories per day but I can ballpark around four or five thousand,” he said.
“It’s less around key meals and more about eating little and often.
“When I’m training at altitude, it’s about getting in as much food as possible but when I’m at taper I’m doing less exercise and so have to eat less as well which is unfortunate for me.
“You’ll have food before training, a snack after training and then another when I get home.
“It’s really important to get that initial nutrition in straight after gym or a swim so that recovery process already starts.
“Realistically, when you’re hungry, that’s past the point that you should have eaten.”
Not much of a chef himself, the Scot admitted that he relies heavily on simple foods that he enjoys – especially for those early morning training sessions.
“My dream meal day I probably wouldn’t eat what I wanted to becuase I don’t think I could be bothered making that,” he said.
“But usually, I’d start the day off with some sugary cereal which nutritionally isn’t probably great but for me, Weetos or Frosties will get me out of bed in the morning.
“After swimming I’ll have a banana and then a protein shake during gym before going back to the flat for some porridge with berries and scrambled eggs on bagels.”
Post-breakfast is when the menu adapts.
“Lunch depends on how hard my evening session is going to be and my nutrition can really change on that,” he added.
“If it’s a long and extensive session then I’ll have sweet potato with tuna and mayo or a pasta, but if it’s a lighter session then I’ll have toast and avocado and coffee and a small snack.
“Post-evening training, I’ll have a banana or cereal bar and then the big meal comes in the evening.
“I do love pasta so it’s usually a lasagne or a carbonara which are quite easy to make.
“If I’m still hungry after all that then I’ll have a Greek yoghurt.”
Scott is one of six Aldi ambassadors set to take Paris 2024 by storm this summer as he dreams of his third Olympic Games.
And as a high-profile athlete who prides himself on his nutrition, Scott is excelling at being a role model for the next generation of athletes both in the pool and in the food court.
“I’m massively proud to be an ambassador for Aldi,” he said.
“When I go to leisure centres across Britain and see kids eating bad food the second they come out of doing exercise, that is really frustrating.
“To see Aldi’s ‘Get Set To Eat Fresh’ programme combating that makes me really proud to represent them.”
Aldi are proud Official Partners of Team GB & ParalympicsGB, supporting all athletes through to Paris 2024
Image: Reuters via Beat Media Group subscription
