IT’S BEEN TWO years since former Irish Olympian Derval O’Rourke called time on her professional athletic career and this morning she launched her second cookery book: “The Fit Foodie”.
The world-champion hurdler won five major medals over her career, and her first healthy-eating book topped the bestseller lists in 2014.
The new book is a collection of meals and treats that use mostly natural ingredients, as well as tips from O’Rourke on how to get the most from your lifestyle.
According to O’Rourke, she fell in love with cooking while she was still an athlete, after a poor performance in the Athens Olympics in 2004.
It was then that she got into cooking, making her meals from scratch in an effort to improve her times.
It seemed to have the desired effect – two years later she won gold in the 60 meter hurdles at the World Indoor Championships in Moscow.
O’Rourke says now that she’s not as worried about performance, she focuses on “nourishment and enjoyment”. The meals in the book are similarly geared towards making food for ”health and pleasure”.
“Of course, it’s important to be aware of what you’re eating, but it can’t take over your life”, she says in the book.
The book includes recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, sides and snacks, but she also recognises that not everybody can eat like an Olympic athlete. A section called “dining al desko” gives some tips on how work a healthy meal into the work day.
There is also a section for guilt-free (or low-guilt) desserts for aspiring athletes with a sweet tooth.
“I never feel guilty if I eat cake: I just make sure it’s a damn good cake!”, O’Rourke says in her book.
According to the book, O’Rourke is a big fan of coffee and apparently a good cup of coffee is more than welcome in an Olympian’s diet. So good news for the caffeine-lovers.
The new book is also full of tips on positive changes to make to your life outside of cooking too. Sleeping, stretching and a digital detox are all part of her “Fit Foodie Philosophy” to get the most out of a healthy lifestyle.
O’Rourke also includes samples of her playlists in the book, with separate sets of tunes for running and cooking.
Since retiring from running, O’Rourke has taken up a part-time role with the Irish Rugby Union Players’ Association. She had her first child last year, Dafne, with her husband Peter O’Leary, who was an Olympic sailor.
If he gets back into the Irish setup without others getting injured I’d be very surprised. Saying that if he does merit a recall then he’ll be playing fantastic rugby so for Ireland sake I hope he does.
@Chris Mc: It’s all about him I reckon cause he’s definitely got the talent/ability. As someone else pointed out here he looked in bad shape for a lot of his time at Wasps, if he really focuses on that he could challenge for a place on the squad no problem.
@The Irish Pain: wasps wanted him heavier, to be a different prop than the mobile less effective scrumager cooper wolley
Ireland now have 5 reliable TH props available . Furlong , Porter , Bealham , Ryan and Moore : all under 30 . That’s an incredible turnaround .
@Limón Madrugada: Maybe you could include Archer on that list as he seems to be first choice in Munster.
@Tom Reilly: but reliable for Ireland ?? I’m not convinced , he is capped though for sure ..
Someone on here yesterday said that Leinster made a ‘poor decision’ letting Marty Moore go.
I think the opposite, Marty Moore made a poor decision to leave Leinster.
When he left he was in the Irish 23, primed to replace Ross. He moved to Wasps and ended up not even starting for them. He also looked unfit.
In that time Leinster developed Furlong and Porter, Ireland brought in Bealham and Ryan and a few years later he’s back fighting for 3rd/4th in the Irish pecking order.
A shame because he is some prop on his day. Possibly a better scrummager than any of the above.
@Oval Digest: The word was that Moore was excited to play under Dai Young, a well capped Welsh and Lions prop. Maybe it was the 2 year deal offered by Leinster vs the 3 year Wasps deal (undoubtedly for more money) that was the real reason. Or maybe he saw Tadgh Furlong coming through and thought now’s the time to cash in. Or perhaps he thought Leinster are not gonna be challenging any more. If it was the Young factor that helped him go, the renowned Young had no impact on him other than gaining weight. The move might have been good for his bank balance but it was a disaster for his career. Thus far. Still, a big season and he could play his way in.
@grandslamkbo The word was also that Moore signed a contract without realising that he couldn’t get out of it in an effort to bargain with the IRFU, and then got stuck.
https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/leinster-admit-defeat-in-bid-to-retain-marty-moore-s-services-1.2510136
Marty is good on his day when fit, the problem is there just isn’t enough of those days.
He will have to buck up his ideas if he is to have a sniff of being anywhere near the Irish squad.
Yes squad not team
His whole career and how people will view his achievements relies on his application for the next two years
Be interesting to see how Nathan Hughes goes this season, he should be pushing for a place in the English team.
@Ruairi O’Bric: He is a super club player but I’m not sure about his workrate apart from ball carrying. If Billy V stays fits there’s no comparison…
Looked very unfit at Wasps as when he was playing previously for Leinster he had great mobility/work-rate and could force a few turnovers too.
He was overweight when he last played for Leinster and Ireland and things have only gotten worse since, needs to go on a serious shred if he is to make Ireland contention again.