TORONTO – She’s looking forward to skate on a rink emblazoned with the Olympic rings. In Sochi, Canadian figure skater Meagan Duhamel will be skating with her pairs partner Eric Radford.
For the Winter Games, Global News asked a handful of Canadian athletes to recount how they trained everyday to share their tips on healthy eating before the big event.
Duhamel, 28, hails from Lively, Ont. and has taken home a bronze medal from the 2013 world championships. She’s also the 2012 and 2013 Canadian Champion.
READ MORE: Canada’s athletes in Sochi: Meet figure skater Meagan Duhamel
Duhamel and Radford both have strong technical backgrounds – they can even perform the most difficult of the pairs jumps, the Triple Lutz. Take a look at a day in the life of Duhamel.
Global News: How tall are you and how much do you weigh?
Duhamel: I’m 4’11 and I weigh 106 pounds.
Global News: What does your training schedule look like?
Duhamel: I’m at the rink at 7:30 a.m. from Monday to Friday. I warm up my body off the ice for one hour and then train on the ice for about three hours until 11:30 a.m.
Mondays and Wednesdays include afternoon sessions with my choreographer followed with a private pilates class or a stretching/dance movement class. Tuesdays and Thursdays, I work with my gym trainer from 2:45 to 4:30 p.m.
On Friday afternoon, Duhamel said she unwinds with a sports therapy massage that can last up to three hours. Saturdays are her rest days and on Sundays she takes on hot yoga as a “light workout” to prepare for the upcoming week.
Global News: What does a typical day of meals look like? What’s your favourite indulgence?
Duhamel: I’m vegan so my meals are very specific. I eat a green smoothie every morning for breakfast. I usually use spinach, beets, bananas, peanut butter, chia seeds, coconut milk and cinnamon. It’s my favourite way to start the day!
My favourite indulgence dish is nachos – I use cheese that’s made without any dairy or soy, kidney beans, black beans and mango salsa. I also love sweets, like cupcakes and cookies but I do a lot of my own baking, all without eggs, milk or butter.
Global News: With training, are there certain tips you’d like to provide to Global News readers?
Duhamel: Keep your body healthy. Take care of it. By keeping your body in good health, your mind will stay strong and clear. Invest in your body, you need it to last a long time.
Global News: What are your healthy eating tips? What do you eat to fuel your training?
Duhamel: Well, I eat an entirely plant-based diet. I know the nutrients of almost everything I am putting into my body and I know what benefit I am getting as I eat it. I studied holistic nutrition and I am a certified holistic nutritionist.
I believe in a whole-foods diet filled with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, ancient grains, proteins and healthy fatty acids. Green vegetables, chia seeds, hemp seeds, flax seeds, ancient grains, avocado, quinoa, tempeh, beans and fruits are a main source of fuel.
When baking desserts, Duhamel uses spelt flour instead of white flour, agave nectar instead of sugar, flax seeds instead of eggs, and apple sauce instead of oil or butter, she told Global News.
Global News: What are you most excited about for the Olympics?
Duhamel: I’m excited about everything! I can’t wait to wear my Canada clothes proudly. I can’t wait to walk into Olympic stadium. I can’t wait to skate on the ice with the Olympic rings. And I can’t wait to stand on the Olympic podium!
carmen.chai@globalnews.ca
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