Daniel Elahi Galan and his diet are living proof that there is more than one way to the elite of the ATP Tour.
The former no. 56 in the PIF ATP ranking – now at number 144 – has never eaten beef, chicken, fish or even egg in his life. Although he was often told that such a diet would stop him in professional tennis, the Colombian remained loyal to his principles.
Galan, who is opposed to World No. 1 Jannik Sinner in the Cincinnati open on Saturday, sat down with Atptour.com on Saturday to discuss his food, the challenges associated with a vegetarian in the first class of sports, and much more.
Which food from your youth do you still enjoy?
Things that my mother made for me and still takes care of me. Beans for example. Also some plantain buns with cheese and guavepasta. And cakes. Because I can never eat desserts, because they almost always contain eggs, I get the most out of my time when I get home and she cooks them.
What are your culprit pleasures?
Pizza, but I almost never eat it. Very rarely. I remember the first time I went to Italy, I was eating pizza for lunch and dinner, but it was only once. It’s not good for an athlete. In Italy it is generally difficult for me to be there because there is a lot of temptation. Fortunately I don’t eat eggs, so I can hardly eat desserts or sandwiches or things like that. In that sense it helps me.
Pizza seems to be your weakness …
The first time I won a challenger, in 2018 in San Benedetto, I ate pizza before I went on the field. In Italy, all restaurants close from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. or from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. So everything was closed. Only one pizzeria was open. The first day I had no other options, and then I had to keep eating that way.
Do you eat something specific the night before a competition?
I try to eat proteins, because my diet generally does not miss proteins, so I try to eat grains: beans, chickpeas, lentils. That’s a must.
What do you eat for a competition?
Rice with some beans or quinoa, not too much.
And during a competition?
A banana or an apple. And I drink water and a hydration drink. The routine does not change if it is a match of three or five set. I used to have yogurt, when I started to compete, but no more. I remember that when I went to a third set, I would have yogurt because I liked how it felt full. But technically it was not good.
What would you eat for a week away from the competition that you normally avoid during tournaments?
Apart from pizza, lots of vegetarian croissants, egg -free. My favorite vegan dessert is croissants, but I hardly eat them. I look for them wherever I go, but I rarely find them.
What is your favorite restaurant in the world?
I don’t have one. But I could say l’Antica Pizzeria da Michele, one of the oldest pizzerias in the world in Naples. I had a margherita and it was really good.
What is the best food from your country?
Bandeja Paisa, but I can’t eat everything in a Bandeja Paisa. At home we make a vegetarian version. The best food in my country can also be ispas. They are everywhere in Colombia.
Photo: Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP via Getty images
Have there been difficult moments that were on tour Vegetarian?
When we played with challengers in cities in the middle of nowhere, yes. It is very difficult if there are hardly any restaurants. In such cases it is just vegetables, rice and pasta. You can have nothing else. It is what it is, I can’t complain. But now there are more options everywhere, much more than before.
Are you ever stigmatized because of your diet?
Yes, but I don’t care. People said: “You have to eat meat, otherwise you can’t perform on the field.” But I never let myself be influenced. It is my way of eating. I would never eat meat and I never did that; No beef, chicken, egg, fish … it is so much of me that it is now normal. I know it is unusual in my profession and for athletes in general, but it feels normal for me. I don’t think about it. We are all like this in my house; My parents, my three brothers and sisters and me.
Why do you follow that diet?
I know it is good for the animals, for the environment, but I can’t say that I did it initially. I have been raised so and for me it is still the most suitable way to eat. I am vegetarian, I cannot say that I am vegan, because sometimes I consume dairy, but in the end I will become vegan.
Have you ever met someone on tour with a diet similar to yours?
There is a double player. [Miguel] Reyes-Varela, but no others I can remember now. I heard that [Novak] Djokovic is vegan, but that he sometimes consumes animal proteins. But I don’t know for sure, I never talked to him about it.
What benefits do you think of your diet in the field of competing?
All diets have advantages and disadvantages. It’s normal. I think I have more resilience in the long term because of my vegetarian diet. I don’t think I have so much inflammation. There is a certain amount of inflammations that belongs to meat, because it always pushes your body to the limit. And I think I am less susceptible to injuries, that can be because of my diet. But it may also be the reason that I do not miss explosiveness. Someone who eats a lot of meat is perhaps much more explosive and energetic. I don’t have such high peaks, but I don’t have any lows either. I am neutral. It is partly the diet and partly to make with personality.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]
#Galan #resilience #vegetarian #tour