Also on MSN-Diet tips from Olympic athletes

[underpants]

Erik Vendt

At 27, swimmer Erik Vendt is the first American to break 15 minutes in the mile and a two-time Olympic silver medalist in the 400 individual medley (2000, 2004). Recently coming out of retirement and with his sights now set on Beijing, Erik credits his speedy return, in part, to an organic diet.

Q: Describe your typical day of training.

A: A normal day consists of two swimming workouts—morning and afternoon, totaling 4 hours—and some sort of dry-land routine, alternating weights one day with running and Pilates on the other. In swimming, speed comes directly from the core so Pilates helps immensely.

Q: Favorite power breakfast?

A: Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day so picking a favorite is difficult, but after a hard morning workout I love cooking up a 4-egg omelet with Cheddar, peppers, onions and tomatoes.

Q: Favorite snack?

A: Definitely fruit! It’s hard to find fresh organic produce in the winter in Michigan, but Ann Arbor has a lot of co-ops.

Q: If you need to grab a quick bite to eat, what do you reach for first?

A: I’ll normally make a tuna sandwich to tide me over. It’s quick, easy and does the job.

Q: Is there anything you try to eat more of?

A: Ever since I was a kid I’ve been extremely low on iron so I try to pack my diet with as much of it as I can—red meat, oatmeal, cereal and beans. I normally add a vitamin C-rich food as well to help with iron absorption.

Q: Do you have an eating mantra you try to live by?

A: I think there’s a direct correlation between what you eat and how you feel. As soon as I began eating organic I felt better, more alive and healthier.

Dara Torres

Dara Torres is more than your average Olympic athlete: she has set three World records, holds 13 National titles and owns nine Olympic medals, four of which are gold. Torres is the first U.S. swimmer to compete in four Olympic games and now, at 41 and a mother of a 2-year-old, she’s concentrating on a fifth—in Beijing.

Q: Describe your typical day of training.

A: I spend two hours in the pool, five days a week, and I weight train four days a week—two days of lower-body and core and the other two days upper-body and core. I also do resistive stretching three days a week.

Q: How many calories would you say you consume in a day?

A: I have no idea. I had an eating disorder in college so I don’t count calories.

Q: Favorite power breakfast?

A: Berry-flavored Living Fuel shakes with some milk and fruit are the best!

Q: What’s changed—in terms of physical activity and eating—with age?

A: The biggest change is recovery. I don’t recover as quickly as I used to, so now I try to eat more foods—lean protein in particular—that help me recover quicker.

Q: Favorite dinner or recipe?

A: A mixed green salad, turkey-spinach lasagna, garlic bread and green beans. My favorite cookbook is one I got in college—Where’s Mom Now That I Need Her?

Q: Best piece of nutrition advice you’ve ever gotten?

A: It’s OK to have bites of food that probably aren’t the best for you because that way you won’t deprive yourself and then want more of that food.

Q: Do you have an eating mantra you try to live by?

A: I eat what I want, when I want, but I exercise so I can do that.

http://health.msn.com/nutrition/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100205413&page=2