diet diary
BREAKFAST
‘I usually have a coffee
first thing, around
6.30am, quickly followed
by a ride. My younger
sister then makes me a
boiled egg and toast.
I know it might not be the
greatest start because
I have carbs, but I usually
burn it off by 1pm.’DRINKS
‘I often forget to drink
water – I’ve got five
people and 40 horses
to look after! I do try to
drink a large glass of
water with every meal, so
I’m drinking three pints
of water minimum per
day. I do love to drink
squash, too.’Lizzie Kelly
‘WHAT I ATE TODAY’
The professional jockey reveals the diet
that helps her race over the finish lineFOOD
PHILOSOPHY
‘I exercise more so I can
eat more of what I want,
and I think that’s the
healthiest way to be.
I only treat myself when
I know I have a series of
hard sessions of
coming up.’MUST-HAVES
‘We buy sachets and
sachets of quinoa, giant
packs of couscous
and plenty of spinach.
Generally, I would eat
chicken or fish, but my
mum always has pork
and lamb prepared
because we live on a
farm – I eat that quite
a lot, too.’‘As a jockey, Lizzie has to restrict her calories, so she needs
nutrient-dense foods. Boiled egg and toast is a good breakfast
choice – her body and brain need carbs in the morning. I’m not
sure why she’s worried about carbs, quinoa is rich in carbs,
and couscous also provides carbs. Wholemeal couscous or
bulgur wheat have a lower glycaemic index, though, and a
greater variety of fruit and veg would be good. A yoghurt a day
would boost Lizzie’s calcium levels, too, which could be low.’7
10
SCORE
Nutritionist
Fiona HunterNUTRITIONIST’S VERDICT
DINNER
‘My fiancé cooks the
evening meal, which
stops me rooting through
the fridge and picking
away at food. He’s very
diet conscious and has a
qualification in nutrition.
He typically cooks
spinach, quinoa and
salmon – my favourite!’TREATS
‘Sometimes, I’ll have a
little bag of lightly salted
Kettle chips. Once a
fortnight, I buy a Green &
Black’s dark chocolate
bar with almonds in it.
I’m also a big fan of
Freddo chocolate bars –
I don’t cut anything out;
I just make it smaller.’LUNCH
‘By 1pm, I’ve ridden
several more horses and
have a lunch break. My
lunch varies from a bowl
of soup to an omelette or
a wrap, something light
that fills me up! Then I go
back to work from
4-6pm.’SNACKS
‘I don’t really snack or
use sports supplements.
The last thing I want to
do after a big session is
consume a lot of protein.
I can’t be drinking
protein shakes. I keep
light in the most
traditional way possible:
I run a lot and don’t eat
a huge amount.’Lizzie Kelly is an ambassador for Great British Racing’s #JockeyFitprogramme. For more details, visit gbraci.ng/jockeyfitWORDS: Mary Comber