Ever wonder what the professional athletes eat to keep them going in their long workouts? I spoke to Kelly Anne Erdman, Olympic cyclist and dietitian for the Canadian Olympic Committee, what she eats before and after exercise to keep her performing her best. Before When Erdman is going for a long bike ride, she starts her day with eggs and some oatmeal with berries in order to fuel her muscles with protein and give her body the slow-burning carbohydrates she needs for energy. After When Erdman gets home, she whips up a homemade smoothie to help her body recover. Her favourite smoothie recipe combines a scoop of whey powder, half a banana, a scoop of berries, a splash of lactose-free milk, a few tablespoons of plain yogurt and a splash of juice. The whey powder and protein provide a really quick-absorbing source of protein, while the sugars in the fruit restores glycogen in her muscles. And if she’s done a really long ride—we’re talking more than four hours!—she’ll give into her craving for Cheezies! At that point she needs some sodium to replenish all the electrolytes she’s sweated out. Plus, after all that work, she’s earned it!  (Photography: WikiCommons/Ted O-Rama)