Shot putter Dale Stevenson: I tend to eat three or four times a normal person to maintain the extra weight. Photo: Rob Carew
It takes a lot of eating to help shot putter Dale Stevenson maintain his 130-kilogram bulk through three hours of daily training. The Olympic-bound field athlete, 24, has been throwing for 10 years, taking home a bronze medal in the 2010 Commonwealth Games. London will be his first Olympics.
Breakfast: Ten Weet-Bix with skim milk, banana and juice.
Mid-morning: A macchiato and some kind of pastry to tide me over.
Lunchtime: Four sandwiches of chicken or tuna with some salad or a big bowl of pasta with chicken or mince. Naturally I sit around the 90-kilo weight mark so I tend to eat three or four times more than a normal person would to keep that extra weight on. I wouldn't say eating is a chore but if I haven't eaten for two or three hours you need to become more aware of eating again.
Mid-afternoon: Another macchiato and some nuts or fruit. Maybe another pastry.
Post-training: A protein shake.
Dinner: Rice or a curry. But I might just have stirfry or salad. Something lighter. I take in most of my daily needs during the day.
Average weekly food bill: Around $250. And that's not eating anything fancy. It's an investment you decide to make when you're a power athlete.
Guilty pleasure: Coffee and cake.
Healthy craving: Any kind of fruit smoothie.
Fridge essential: Milk and freshly squeezed juice.
Favourite cuisine: Pub fare. Good quality steaks. Stews. Casseroles.
