Mallory Weggemann is a three-time Paralympian swimmer (as well as an author, ESPY winner, and many-times-over world champion, but who's counting!) who'll be competing for Team USA in the upcoming Tokyo Paralympic Games. We got to chat with her ahead of time to talk all things food-related, and, wouldn't you know it, world-class athletes love coffee and pasta too1
Here's a day in the eating life of a Paralympian.
She gears up with caffeine.
"Every morning my husband wakes me up with a cup of coffee in hand," Mallory says: "It is my favorite way to start the day." Their go-to is Dunkin Vanilla coffee, but they "(1) add cinnamon to the grounds when we brew it and (2) top it off with a little collagen creamer." Depending on the day of the week, she's likely to have more than one cup.
Hydration. Is. Key.
She drinks "anywhere from 80-100 ounces [of water] per day—this is one simple thing that is so vital for energy levels."
She has go-tos for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
While the whens and whats of her meals vary based on her training schedule, Mallory does have some favorites she'll go for time and time again. A day in the life of late usually looks like "Greek yogurt with fresh berries and a few hard boiled eggs" for breakfast, and "heavier snacks, instead of one meal [for lunch]." That includes an "elevated avocado toast, which is multi-grain toast, avocado, a hard-boiled egg and everything-but-the-bagel seasoning, and I also do chicken salad with crackers and a side of fruit or veggies." Dinner is when Mallory loves to cook. Her go-to? "Chicken thighs, chicken broth, white wine, cherry tomatoes, herbs and I usually toss spinach in and can serve it over rice or with pasta. It always has a different twist based on what we have on hand."
Girl loves some pasta before a competition.
She's not superstitious about what she eats before she gets in the pool, but she does "love having a pasta night leading into competition. I have fond memories as a high school swimmer doing pasta feeds as a team and so carrying that forward has continued on [into] early memories as a swimmer."
She's not counting calories though.
Simply put: "I don’t count my caloric intake each day; rather I listen to my body. I definitely go through training cycles where I can tell that my caloric need has increased and times where it decreases as well." That means pizza with the family when she feels like it, and ice cream and BBQ throughout the summers. And not to be all "girl, same," but...girl, same.
To learn more about all the Paralympic hopefuls, visit TeamUSA.org. The Tokyo Paralympics begin August 24th on NBC.
