What I Eat In A Day: World champion and Olympic athlete Derval O'Rourke
Derval O'Rourke has announced her retirement from athletics
In limbo: Derval O’Rourke. Photo: Brendan Moran / SPORTSFILE
Derval O'Rourke
Derval O'Rourke
Although she's retired, Derval O'Rourke still has a jam-packed schedule, here she shares her day on a plate.
How do you start your day?
I have breakfast. During the week this is always overnight oats with nuts, seeds and fruit. At the weekend I have a more brunch type meal.
Do you prep your meals fresh or freeze them on a Sunday?
I do half and half. I'll always cook on a Sunday because I have more time on Sundays. I make a big effort to organise meals for during the week on this day. I organise about half and I cook the other half from scratch.
How many meals do you eat per day?
Three main meals and around two snacks. The day depends on my energy requirements, if I am going for a run or a good gym session I'll eat more.
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What would be your staple breakfast, lunch and dinner?
Overnight oats, soup and a stir fry are my simple go-to meals.
How often do you work out? On days you exercise, how does your diet differ than normal?
I do two to three relatively hard sessions a week and on those days I definitely eat more. The rest of the week I have a policy of moving at least 20 minutes a day, this is often going for a swift walk at lunch time.
When you’re out for dinner, where do you frequent and what would be your usual order?
I go to loads of different places. I live in Cork but I work a lot in Dublin so I end up eating out a lot. I always try to order something that I might not be eating at home that week. Often I order fish.
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How does your diet reflect training days vs off days?
Training days has increased carbs and protein compared to non-training days
Has becoming a parent changed your diet at all?
Yes sometimes it's harder to eat! I know that sounds silly but I spend so much time thinking about Dafne eating that I need to remind myself to eat. I always get her sorted first and then I can get busy and forget about myself. I need to really make an effort to remember to eat myself!
Are you completely opposed to sweet treats or do you allow yourself a cheat day?
Not at all. I love treats but everything in moderation. A glass of white wine is always a nice treat and I love chocolate.
How much water do you drink and do you take any supplements?
I don't drink enough! I always need to remind myself to drink water. I try to drink small glasses frequently and when i'm out and about I bring a water bottle with me. I take vitamin D, magnesium, a multivitamin occasionally and sometimes fish oil.
Former Olympian Derval O’Rourke is one of the big names heading up an ight-week online fitness programme in preparation for the SPAR Fitlive Run this summer.
Read Al's full column here:
Read more
Read Derval O'Rourke's Spar FitLive Run food plan
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Read Karl Henry's Spar FitLive Run training plan
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