Benoot made nutrition his secret weapon
Tiesj Benoot has been working on every detail for years to make progress. With The Athlete's FoodCoach, he perfected his nutrition. In 2023, it helped him to get a magnificent victory at Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne.
"In the past, I often ate too much during a grand tour: I didn't know exactly how much I needed, but I wanted to make sure I would get enough nutrients to recover well after a stage. The problem was that by the end of the grand tour, I would be 1.5 kilograms heavier. Every extra kilogram you carry up the mountain is an additional burden.
With FoodCoach, I have found the right balance: I no longer worry about how much I need to eat to recover optimally and stay at the same weight. And I can continue to eat the same products I used to. I estimate that during a three-week Grand Tour, I now consume about ten thousand calories less than before", the Belgian rider explains.
What has changed in your routine since using FoodCoach?
"After a stage, we have our recovery drink and two servings of recovery snacks. It's nice to have taken in small portions leading up to dinner. During dinner, I no longer have to eat a huge portion. I then open my FoodCoach app to see how much I can serve myself, so that I can recover well and maintain my weight."
"Previously, I took a lot more risks with my nutrition because I relied heavily on intuition. I often served myself extra because I preferred to eat too much rather than too little: if you eat too little during a Grand Tour, it has a greater impact on your performance than when you eat a little too much and gain some weight."
"FoodCoach provides mental tranquility on the bike"
"As a result, in the third week of a Grand Tour, I was 1.5 kilograms heavier than at the start. You don't literally feel those extra 1.5 kilograms when cycling up the mountain, but my performance suffered when I looked at my watts per kilogram. They are crucial in modern cycling.
In my mind, I was constantly preoccupied with my nutrition because I wasn't sure if I had eaten enough or not. With FoodCoach, I no longer have to worry about that. It provides mental tranquility on the bike. I trust the app because I already experienced its effectiveness last year."
"But that doesn't mean I have become completely dependent on FoodCoach. I understand the system behind it, and I have been using the app for a while now, which allows me to make independent choices that align with FoodCoach's guidelines. Additionally, we have dieticians and chefs who are also familiar with FoodCoach. The knowledge about FoodCoach is part of the team's structure and is not solely limited to the app.
I feel comfortable with it: I can continue eating the products I used to eat, recover optimally, and maintain my desired weight", concludes Benoot.
"The knowledge about FoodCoach is part of the team's structure and is not limited to the app alone"
