«Over time, my relationship with food has changed a lot. Years ago during high altitude retreats, I remember that we would do distances on an empty stomach and on the way back we would eat a salad., while some girls even just a fruit. They always told us that to lose weight you have to eliminate carbohydrates».
Another blue jersey speaks: Soraya Paladin, born in 93, who in recent years has managed to stand out in very important competitions and represented Italy at the Tokyo OlympicsThe winning careers of the Italian cycling women have been hidden for years major gaps in nutrition, which forced our athletes to overcome major obstacles in order to compete for the blue jerseySoraya grew up without any nutrition education and confesses that now, although she understands the importance of carbohydrates, she struggles to accept them.
«Since 2019 – he says – with the help of the nutritionist who collaborated with my team's trainer, at the time I was running for theAlé Cipollini, I realized that I needed carbohydrates to have energyHowever, I realize that even now I sometimes mistrust his advice. I fear I'll gain weight by eating all the carbohydrates in my diet. Having grown up with this belief, even though I follow his advice, I find that I have difficulty eating carbohydrates without regrets.».
From fasting to the restaurant
When it comes to eating disorders, one should not be surprised if an athlete improves or worsens a lot in a short timeUpon her transition to the elite, Soraya had taken a sabbatical from cycling, precisely because of the stress caused by the excessive sacrifices of the student-athlete life. She returned with a number on her back, without any professional nutritional advice, and for years she neglected her diet.The turning point came in 2019.
“I’ve always been a good eater,” she smiles, “and I’ve always enjoyed eating. However, having to keep my weight as low as possible, I thought I would have to give up almost everything., like the others did. The turning point was the advice of the nutritionist in 2019 and the comparison with foreign athletes. I learned to accept and appreciate carbohydrates and I realized that I could indulge in much more, even delicious dishes.I've gotten into the habit of eating at quality restaurants a few times a year (opening photo from his Instagram profile, ed.). It's truly satisfying. It's a pleasure to savor the delicacies on the menus and the next day I have no sense of guilt».
Eating mindfully
In the interview a few weeks ago, Elizabeth Borgia he had told us about the Mindful eating, a very effective practice in nutritional re-education in anorexic or bulimic subjects and not only. Focusing on the here and now, This technique teaches the subject to eat mindfullyTo listen to the sensation of hunger and satiety. To savor food, focusing on identifying tastes, aromas, and textures, thus managing to derive pleasure from even small quantities. A workout that each of us can do and that leads to a reevaluation of our relationship with foodSoraya, though unaware of all this, thanks to her encounters and her search for quality dishes at the restaurant, has followed a similar path and summed it up for us simply in one sentence.
«I see that many cyclists, both male and female, train to eatI used to do that too and felt guilty if I ate a little more. Often, when you follow a diet that is too restrictive or you fast, you get to the point where you can't take it anymoreYou eat anything in large quantities, and then you feel guilty. In those cases, food is an outlet. Now, however, I truly enjoy tasting dishes. Because I realize that I'm full and satisfied with the right quantities, without unnecessary binges."
On a diet with tasty dishes
Soraya also told us that she has learned to give herself the pleasure of eating daily, testing yourself in the kitchen, so you can choose the healthiest foods for your delicious recipes. Indeed, there's no reason to deprive yourself of a good pasta dish with meat sauce or fish, be it sardines or clams. Or a creamy pumpkin soup with croutons, especially after a cold winter ride. If you follow the Mediterranean diet, respecting the frequencies of the foods that we find in the pyramid By adjusting portions to our energy needs, we can indulge in a variety of traditional dishes. And we rediscover the pleasure of eating and sharing meals.
«Many still believe – he smiles – that you have to eat plain pasta and chicken breastI love to eat, and I could never tolerate all this. It's also pointless, because I learned from a nutritionist that there are several delicious recipes that meet the standards for a balanced diet. In addition to various first courses, I also like to make cakes, which I then eat during training instead of bars..Otherwise, those bore me and in any case don't satisfy me."
Comparison and awareness
Soraya has a sister named Asja, who was also a cyclist until last year, but is completely different physically.
"Asja is the classic climber," she says, "she eats for two and doesn't put on a pound. I'm the opposite and when we were younger we both suffered comparisonsFor opposite reasons, we both envied each other. I couldn't stand gaining weight by eating like her. Asja, on the other hand, despite her efforts, couldn't put on weight. Over the years we have learned to accept ourselves as we are and to adapt our diet to our physique.You have to feel good about yourself before you expect a high-level performance."
Food education
Finally, we asked Soraya what advice she would give to help the movement fill these gaps.
«The problem – he says – is that there is a lack of nutritional education in youth categoriesIn Italy, juniors are rarely given a workout bar. Abroad, however, they count what you eat and, if you haven't used all the bars you should have, the next day you have to eat one more.. The FCI He introduced the role of psychologist into the national team. I'm honestly surprised he hasn't yet considered introducing the role of nutritionist (the possibility is currently being studied, ed.). These figures are the only ones who can really help you if they follow you constantlyThe diet must be adapted to the various changes in the physique and the different training loads. For professionals, the ideal candidate would be a chef-nutritionist., so you would be able to eat something satisfying and suitable for your diet even during competitions."
IN PREVIOUS ARTICLES
"Italian Theory": Experience and Advice from Marta Bastianelli
Cecchini: Abroad without pressure and with a chef in tow
Scandolara, I ended up in Australia to learn how to eat.
Excessive thinness: is being thin always a good thing?
Pedaling with weight on your head, between empirical diets and false myths
