What are you eating, Kaisa?

Homemade oatmeal, candies and Karelian pie are delicious for Kaisa Mäkäräinen. Good food makes Italy a favorite destination for athletes.

Is breakfast the most important meal of the day for you?

At least I like it the most. Especially when the main training of the day is in the morning or a race is coming up, breakfast must be plentiful. For example, I wake up earlier so that I can eat in peace. My breakfast is mainly porridge with berries and fruit, bread, eggs and juice. On trips, I often have oatmeal with me - the cereal keeps blood sugar stable for longer. In hotels, the offer is versatile, and then you can compose more with breakfast.

How do you ensure that you eat versatile and healthy?

I have grown up with home-cooked food that has been reasonably healthy and versatile since childhood. When the country and the food culture change every week during the competition season, you just have to adapt to a variety of things. That's also why I'm not terribly particular about the fact that you have to get a certain nutrient with every food. I personally take some supplements with me on my trips, and you can pick up fruit at the store as a supplement. If I can decide for myself, I would choose a training place that offers athlete-friendly food. For example, in Italy, the food side is okay even for athletes.

What is the worst thing an endurance athlete or exerciser can do with food?

For an endurance athlete who trains hard and a lot twice a day, the biggest threat is not getting enough energy from food. For a fitness person, the risk can be one-sidedness and that we go from there, which is the easiest. Especially in a one-person household, it can easily occur to you that you just don't feel like cooking versatile food just for yourself.

Do you ever eat anything not-so-healthy?

Nooh, maybe too much. I've always been a sweet person. In order to guarantee energy, there is always a stomach for dessert. In addition, a lot of ice cream must be eaten. I'm not an absolutist - even lollipops and candy will be used. Sometimes I also eat fast food. But these are not so important, as long as they are not the main source of food.

Do you miss Finnish food abroad?

Karelian pies or rice pies with egg butter are usually what I want to eat on the first night back from a trip. It's the kind of food you can't get anywhere else.