When you think of the Olympics, your mind might instantly flash to a classic memory: an unexpected victory, an underdog story, a display of emotions while standing on top of the medal podium. But that shining moment is the end result of years, even decades, of behind-the-scenes work that often doesn’t get the spotlight. Beyond the hours of time spent training or in the gym, paying attention to what goes into their bodies is key to nearly any athlete’s story. (Just ask the most decorated Olympian of all time, Michael Phelps, and his 10,000 calorie diet during his peak.)
For some, sports dietitian Angie Asche, MS, RD, CSSD, is integral to their success. Asche has worked with Team USA figure skaters and pros in the NFL, MLB, and NHL. As part of her work, she coaches these athletes on how to maximize—and individualize—their diets for best results.
Asche is now creating another winning partnership, teaming up with the American Egg Board to discuss the importance of daily nutrients for everyone, not just Olympians. Ahead, she shares what we can all learn from an elite athlete’s approach to diet and nutrition.
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The Healthy: It takes so much studying and specialized training to become a dietitian—how did you become a dietitian to Olympic athletes?
Angie Asche, MS, RD, CSSD: It began a few years after I launched my private practice. Through word of mouth online, a pair of ice skaters reached out to me. They were training in Michigan and competing as part of Team USA. Both the male and female skaters were looking to improve their energy levels and performance with such long hours spent at the rink, along with improving their body composition. Working with that couple led me to work with half a dozen other skaters. Since then, I, along with Dana and Claire, my two sports dietitians here at Eleat Sports Nutrition, have also had the opportunity to work with collegiate swimmers training for the Olympic trials and Olympic weightlifting.
The Healthy: Is there any particular food you recommend all the athletes eat, and why?
Angie Asche, MS, RD, CSSD: Fruits and vegetables are at the top of that list, and consuming a variety will ensure they get a wider range of micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) and antioxidants, which are so important for athletes. I also recommend they consume nutrient-dense carbohydrates such as quinoa, sweet potatoes, potatoes, oats, and other whole grains.
Another food I always recommend are high quality sources of protein such as eggs. Eggs are truly a nutritional powerhouse. They are a source of complete protein delivering all nine essential amino acids, which is what your body needs to maintain muscle mass. Eating high-quality protein, like eggs, in combination with carbohydrates post-workout can help refuel muscles and optimize recovery. Bonus: egg yolks contain lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidants which are also found in fruits and vegetables. Emerging research is investigating a possible connection to cognitive function, specific to lutein.
The Healthy: For someone looking to condition their body to get stronger for a major event—say it’s not even sports; say it’s in preparation for something like giving birth or recovering from a procedure—is there a diet or nutrition plan they should avoid? Are there foods you’d strongly recommend?
Angie Asche, MS, RD, CSSD: I’m never a fan of diets that restrict people from consuming nutritious, whole foods, and especially those that advise eliminating an entire macronutrient. As an example, a very low, or no-carb diet. These diets are very unrealistic long-term and lack so many essential vitamins and minerals, not to mention fiber.
As far as which foods I’d recommend in this scenario, an abundance of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, fatty fish, and other high-quality proteins such as eggs. Eggs provide energy and key nutrients that support all the 600+ muscles in your body. And that’s a very good thing, because muscles are what allow you to stand, move and really do everything you love to do in life.
The Healthy: What are foods or nutrition guidelines that we non-athletes could learn from these elite types?
Angie Asche, MS, RD, CSSD: No matter what your daily life looks like, supporting your body’s performance is important. We can all learn valuable lessons from professional athletes’ eating habits, particularly when it comes to protein intake.
Building strong muscle isn’t just for fitness goals. Athletes understand the importance of consuming complete proteins that contain all essential amino acids. However, not all proteins are created equal.
High-quality fuel from high-quality protein is important for sustaining muscle and supporting bone health throughout life. Eggs deliver all nine essential amino acids, which are building blocks of protein that your body needs but can’t make itself.
The Healthy: You work with such an array of athletes with different specialties. How do you go about customizing nutritional recommendations?
Angie Asche, MS, RD, CSSD: Nutrition is completely individualized, while some athletes competing in the same sport may have similar schedules and timing, their nutritional needs and goals can vary drastically. We start with conducting a complete nutritional assessment and nutrient analysis, which helps us understand their current eating habits on a much deeper level and the customizing starts from there. We also run blood work which helps us customize these nutritional recommendations even further, addressing any deficiencies or insufficiencies and providing a safe supplement protocol as needed. We’re continuously making tweaks and providing accountability because as their training cycle changes, so will their nutrition.
The Healthy: Protein is a massive buzzword and trend in the fitness space right now. We just recently published a piece that talks about approaching protein intake based on your age. What are your main insights when it comes to this topic?
Angie Asche, MS, RD, CSSD: Your team nailed it with this piece! I completely agree that yes, as we age, our protein needs do increase. That being said there are so many other factors that can play a role in how much protein you should consume daily.
Protein needs vary widely depending on a person’s age, size, activity level and health status. The recommended dietary allowance for adults is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight daily, and for a 150-pound adult, this equates to 55 grams of protein per day. But for most active and exercising individuals, this protein recommendation is higher at 1.4 to 2.0 grams per kilogram of body weight daily, which equals a range of 95 to 136 grams of protein per day. In some cases, this recommendation may be even higher to maintain muscle mass in highly active individuals.
For example, each egg contains 6 grams of complete protein, including all nine essential amino acids in a bioavailable form. This makes them one of the highest-quality protein sources. So, whatever your protein goals are, reaching for that carton of eggs is one of your best bets to meet them.
The Healthy: We live in a very on-the-go world. What do you recommend when it comes to meal prep or making wise nutrition choices when time is tight?
Angie Asche, MS, RD, CSSD: I always say make the healthy choice the easy choice. While you may have to carve out an hour on the weekends or midweek to prep, you’d be amazed how much you can accomplish in even one hour devoted to preparing whole foods. Chop up fresh vegetables so they’re ready to add to recipes, make a double batch of a recipe you’re making and store half in the freezer for later, and eggs can be easily incorporated into meal prep, providing a convenient protein source for busy athletes. The portability of hard-boiled eggs makes them an excellent on-the-go snack for athletes between training sessions or competitions.
The Healthy: What’s a moment you’re particularly looking forward to this Olympics?
Angie Asche, MS, RD, CSSD: The figure skating, of course! I love watching figure skating, especially even more now knowing more about the training that goes into it. They’re such incredible athletes.
The Healthy: What’s one self-care habit you refuse to skip?
Angie Asche, MS, RD, CSSD: For me, it’s movement. I definitely don’t come even close to working out every day, but going for a walk with my kids or my dog daily is a must for both my body and mind!
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This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
