Professional athlete Hendrik Pfeiffer is preparing for the Olympic Games and relies on 3Bears Porridge. Hendrik is a marathon runner and is not only a professional when it comes to sports, but also when it comes to nutrition. In this blog post, Hendrik tells us more about healthy eating. Hendrik also tells us how he was able to replace his guilty pleasure with a healthy alternative.
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Hendrik Pfeiffer, 27 Sport: Athletics (marathon) Best times:
Favorite flavor: 3Bears Porridge Fine Cocoa |
As a professional runner, it is important to me not only to do my best in training, but also to get the most out of the running routes. For me, the top priority is a balanced diet - the basis for top sporting performance . The reason is simple: those who eat unhealthy foods become more susceptible to injuries and need more time to recover after strenuous training. With 12 to 14 training sessions per week in preparation for next year's Olympic Games, it is of course important to me to get fit again quickly , as I often have to lace up my running shoes again on the same day.
Healthy eating and enjoyment are not mutually exclusive
3Bears Porridge proves that a healthy diet doesn't have to mean sacrifice. For a long time I was looking for a good alternative to wheat-heavy breakfast sandwiches and unhealthy chocolate snacks in the afternoon and experimented with homemade mueslis. But I never really liked it. When I came across the 3Bears products after some time, it was immediately clear to me that this problem had finally been solved. High-quality and healthy ingredients combined with a taste that can compete with any sweet. This makes breakfast really fun again and I still have the good feeling of giving my body what it needs. What's more: it's extremely quick to prepare and the feeling of satiety lasts a long time. On a hard training day, it's worth its weight in gold!
Fine cocoa instead of chocolate croissant
As you may have already heard, I've always had a weakness for chocolate, which obviously hasn't helped my running career. So it's hardly surprising that I quickly fell in love with the “Fine Cocoa” porridge variety. In terms of taste, the chocolate porridge at the breakfast table can easily compete with a chocolate croissant and does not contain any industrial sugar, which I of course want to avoid. The ingredients of dates, cocoa nibs and cocoa powder give the variety its special sweetness and secure it first place among my favorites. A real highlight is the cocoa edition with orange peel, which is available as an overnight oats version. Put it in the fridge in the evening with some oat milk - my favorite variety with the optimal porridge consistency is waiting in the morning.
My companion in the sports bag
The 3Bears team has achieved a special coup with the new Pocket Porridge. Since I am very hungry, especially after long runs of 30 kilometers or more, and need to fill up the empty carbohydrate stores as quickly as possible, I can now rely on the practical porridge for my sports bag. It combines the same sports-friendly ingredients as the classic porridge, but can be eaten like a bar in one piece and is wonderfully chewy. Pocket Porridge is my first choice for when I'm feeling a little hungry on the go and has also proven itself during my long hikes in the Dolomites during my break from the season.
Efficient and delicious – my motto when it comes to toppings
A great side effect of porridge: the preparation encourages creativity. From baked banana bread to special dessert ideas - the possibilities go far beyond classic porridge and I've only tried a fraction of the ideas. An absolute must-do: apple cinnamon granola, which is ideal as a topping for your everyday breakfast. Here you can really let off steam and experiment. Toppings give the porridge a special charm and can be designed individually depending on the occasion. With (pureed) fruits, raisins, almonds, nuts, coconut flakes, ground dark chocolate and peanut butter, the porridge can be turned into a real work of art in terms of appearance and taste - whether warm or cold. In my normal training routine, I mainly rely on the tried and tested combination of bananas, raisins and frozen fruits such as blackberries, strawberries, mangoes and currants, so that I always have a supply in the house and don't have to have everything fresh in the house all the time. My absolute favorite topping: pomegranate seeds, which give the porridge even more bite and just taste really good!
Central component of my sports nutrition
After a short test phase, porridge has become a central part of my diet as a top athlete. Products containing wheat are now the exception at the breakfast table and I have cut back on unhealthy snacks such as a bar of chocolate or the raisin roll from the bakery without mourning these products. Since I'm often away from home for long periods at a time due to competitions and training camps and my fridge isn't particularly well stocked afterwards, I really appreciate the uncomplicated preparation of the porridge. The pleasant feeling of not having to forego taste or healthy ingredients at home or on the go is included.
Attention: Healthy eating is only half the battle
As a professional athlete, my everyday life is pretty regular, which is primarily determined by my regular training times. So meal times fit into my everyday life almost automatically, as I usually need a two-hour gap between eating and training. In addition, at my Olympic base a chef prepares our lunch, so there is variety and fixed meal times. Through seasonal breaks and many years in which I have had another professional activity in addition to sport, I know how difficult it can sometimes be to properly implement the tried and tested rhythm of breakfast, lunch and dinner. For example, dinner can fall victim to too many afternoon snacks or breakfast can be skipped due to time constraints, which is detrimental to a healthy diet. Becoming aware of this fact and maintaining a rhythm with as few snacks as possible also has a positive effect on your own well-being and performance. Products like the quick-to-prepare porridge come into their own, especially on hectic days.
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