Wimbledon 2013

The Murray Diet

It’s no secret that Andy Murray was victorious over the weekend at this year’s Wimbledon tennis tournament. He became the first Brit in 77 years to win the title and he’s been fighting hard for a long time for it.

Andy Murray Winning Wimbledon

We decided to take a look at what’s in the winner’s diet to understand how he managed to impress the whole nation with his triumph.

Sushi

Andy’s fish-based diet mainly consists of his favourite dish, sushi. The delicacy normally consumed in small portions is eaten by Murray daily where he can eat up to 50 portions in one sitting.

Sushi and other fish based dishes are high in protein and carbohydrates and enhance concentration, which is vital for any sportsman. The omega-3 fatty acids in fish are linked to heart protection and improved circulation, whilst rice is another good source of protein. Its fresh taste is also what appeals to the tennis playing Scot that scientists believe is the reason behind the Japanese being among one of the healthiest nations in the world.

Murray playing tennis

He needs to eat within an hour of the end of a match to replenish his lost energies and has his team track down a high-end sushi restaurant near to where he plays. At Wimbledon, he has been known to have a cooler box of sushi brought to him at the end of a late game.

He also eats large quantities of red meat, pasta and rice spread across six meals in a day totalling 6,000 calories a day, which he washes down with six litres of water. The energy-rich meals are burned off throughout the day during his gruelling fitness schedule including tennis practice sessions, hot Bikram yoga, stretches and weight training.

Fancy tasting what it’s like to be a winner? There’s some great recipe ideas on the BBC Food website.

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