Lance Armstrong, a name synonymous with cycling success, overcame advanced cancer to win the Tour de France seven times. His story has inspired millions. His diet and training regimens have been subjects of much interest. This article explores the dietary strategies employed by Armstrong throughout his career, from his initial post-cancer recovery to his later experimentation with plant-based eating.
Overcoming Cancer and Returning to Cycling
When Armstrong was diagnosed with testicular cancer in October 1996, the disease had already spread to his lungs and brain. Given just two months to live, he underwent brain surgery and had a testicle removed. Incredibly, he managed to ride 30 to 50 miles while undergoing chemotherapy treatments. He credits his indomitable spirit as a key to his success. According to Armstrong, his cancer was “a big part” of his secret winning formula, allowing him to approach the sport with a whole new intensity and focus.
Armstrong believes the 15 pounds he lost during chemotherapy actually helped his cycling. A leaner Armstrong returned to training with coach Chris Carmichael by late spring of 1997. To compensate for Armstrong’s weakened state and depleted muscle mass, Carmichael developed a novel approach that stressed cycling in lower gears with more revolutions. According to Jim Lehman, coaching coordinator at Carmichael Training Systems, "The training was structured to allow him to ease back into it, both physically and mentally."
Armstrong's Early Dietary Changes
Immediately following his cancer diagnosis in 1996, Lance Armstrong eliminated red meat, dairy products, and coffee from his diet. Today, his diet consists mainly of cereal, bread, protein, vegetables, salad, and lean steak. He completely avoids greasy take-out and processed foods.
A typical daily menu includes:
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- Breakfast: Pasta or cereal, and fruit.
- Lunch and dinner: Lentil stew, rice, pasta, potatoes, vegetables, and white-meat chicken or lean steak.
- Two or three days before a big race: As many carbs as possible, with plenty of fluids.
- Pre-race meal: Pasta with an egg on top, sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.
Training Principles and Diet
Armstrong's training wasn't just about putting in long hours. It was about efficiency and focus. He understood the importance of treating his training and racing as a job. This dedication turned him into a major force in the pro peloton.
Several key principles guided his training and diet:
- Motivation: Motivation is paramount. Nothing else is even close.
- Focus: He maintained a single-minded focus on winning the Tour de France, prioritizing it over winning numerous other races. His team was built entirely around helping him achieve this goal.
- Efficiency: Armstrong didn't waste time on his bike. He focused on achieving specific goals during each training session.
- Training: His training was periodized, focusing on different energy systems throughout the year to peak during the Tour de France in July.
- Periodization: Armstrong cycled his eating throughout the year, consuming fewer carbs during the off-season when he wasn't burning as many calories. As races became more intense, he increased his carbohydrate intake.
The Demands of the Tour de France Diet
The Tour de France is an incredibly demanding endurance event. Riders consume as much as 8,000 calories per day. The nutritional strategy involves careful planning and timing.
- Team Breakfast: Riders consume a balance of carbs and protein. Options include rice, oatmeal, pasta, muesli, eggs, yogurt, breads, and plenty of fluids. Gone are the days of heavy steak breakfasts.
- On the Way to the Starting Line: There's usually a three-hour gap between breakfast and the actual race start.
- On the Bike: Racers burn 700-1,000 calories per hour while on the bike. They eat constantly from the moment they begin riding. Solids like paninis, rice cakes, and fruit provide energy for the long haul during the first half of each stage. Later in the race, easy-to-consume energy bars and gels come in handy. According to Lance Armstrong, "If you look inside a musette bag, you’ll see that stuff in there-your gels and bars-but you’ll also have something like an apple tart from the local bakery, wrapped up in tin foil."
- Back on the Bus: Recovery time. Riders are in serious calorie-deficit mode. Their bodies can only absorb between 250 and 300 calories per hour while riding, and they’ve been burning at least twice that amount. They guzzle protein-and-carbohydrate recovery shakes and eat rice, boiled potatoes, and other carbohydrates to help recharge their spent glycogen stores.
- During Dinner: This is a major opportunity to restore what’s been lost. Riders consume between 2,000 and 2,500 calories of a carefully prepared mix of carbs, protein, and fat. This includes pasta, rice, quinoa, and lean meats. According to Lim, “It’s also a good time for salad and vegetables."
- At Bed Time: Riders often grab another protein shake, a bowl of cereal, or yogurt before hitting the sack.
The support team plays a crucial role in ensuring proper hydration and nutrition. A portion of these calories also comes from sports drinks.
Experimentation with a Plant-Based Diet
More recently, Armstrong experimented with a near-vegan diet. He worked with triathlete-turned-author Rip Esselstyn, author of The Engine 2 Diet, which promotes a plant-based lifestyle.
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Under Esselstyn's guidance, Armstrong introduced more plant-based foods into his diet, eating foods such as whole grains, kale, and legumes. According to Armstrong, "I started swimming again, and I swim with a guy who started basically a food program called the Engine 2 Diet, which is plant-based, 100% natural, organic diet. It's basically whole grains, different types of beans, kale salad with creative alternatives for dressing. They'll bring out something that looks like a brownie, but it's not a brownie… though it tastes a bit like brownie. So I did it for one day, then two days."
He followed the diet for about a month, but made sure to venture outside of the plan for dinner. In that short time, Armstrong reported a boost in his energy levels. He noted, "Energy level. Even when you’re training really hard, it’s normal that you would have certain things for lunch or certain things for breakfast, and then have this dip, or almost like a food coma … I don’t experience that anymore. My energy level has never been this consistent, and not just consistent, but high. I’m a big napper -- I couldn’t even take a nap these days if I wanted to."
Armstrong also experienced mental benefits: "The other thing -- I expected to get rid of that dip, but I didn’t expect the mental side of it, and the sharpness and the focus that I’ve noticed. And I was the biggest non-believer, I was like ‘whatever man’, and I’m in. I’m not doing dinners yet, but breakfast and lunch, I’m in."
He believed the diet was sustainable, particularly when he was in Austin. He added that it becomes harder when traveling: "Breakfast is not hard, you bring your cereal and then you go to the store and buy almond milk, you buy bananas to put on top of it. If you plan, then it’s possible."
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