The healthy interview: This is how disciplined U21 captain Stergiou eats and sleeps

class=”sc-29f61514-0 icZBHN”>

Leonidas Stergiou, it is said that you could easily work as a nutritionist. Is that correct?
Leonidas Stergiou: That’s an exaggeration, I have my own nutritionist. But it goes this way: nutrition is a big topic for me. I’ve read a few books about it, I’m very interested in it.

Where does this interest come from?
My parents certainly informed me of this. They showed my two sisters and me very early on how important good quality food is for us. There were never ready-made meals on the table in our home. In recent years I have acquired much more detailed knowledge. When it comes to nutrition, I am very disciplined.

It used to be simple: a plate of pasta before a match to replenish your energy reserves. And it was good…
… that is long outdated. (Laughs). There are better alternatives: for example sweet potatoes, brown rice or quinoa. I cut all types of pasta out of my diet years ago. But that doesn’t mean everyone has to eat that way. Ultimately it has to suit me.

What else is being canceled?
I also avoid bread and any form of granulated sugar, such as sugary drinks. We already consume enough sugar. I also make sure I only eat three times a day, with nothing in between. It’s healthier if you give your digestive system a break.

Can you cook too?
Not really, I like to leave that to others, like my uncle Nikos.

Her two uncles run the Gault Millau restaurant “Bodega Noi” in Lichtensteig. Does your father also work in the catering industry?
Not for a long time. He used to run the bar ‘happy live’ nearby, which was very famous in Eastern Switzerland at the time.

What do you think about alcohol?
Not my thing, but I’m still young. When I’m older, I’ll definitely drink a good glass of red wine with my meal every now and then.

In addition to your diet, you should also pay close attention to your regeneration, they say.
WHERE. I try to create the best possible conditions for myself so that I can perform. I’m a bit pedantic, even when it comes to sleeping.

Cristiano Ronaldo apparently divides his sleep into 5×90 minute naps throughout the day because this is said to be more productive. Do you do that too?
I’ve read it too. For me that is less of a difference. I prefer to sleep in one go. But it’s just like everywhere: for everyone: what’s good for them. It is important to me that I can fall asleep well and get enough sleep.

And what about Erling Haaland, who wears glasses for 90 minutes before going to bed so he can sleep more peacefully?
I’ve been doing that for almost a year now. Funnily enough, I actually got my glasses indirectly from Haaland.

Like that?
My former teammate Albert Vallci at FC St. Gallen gave it to me. Haaland recommended this model to him when they both played for Red Bull Salzburg.

What are the glasses supposed to do?
It filters out blue light, which has a positive effect on the sleep hormone.

And have you been sleeping better since then?
It certainly has an effect subconsciously. But if I forget to put them on, I don’t notice that I sleep worse.

Another health problem?
Yes. I have been taking an ice cold shower every morning for almost three years. Lukas Görtler recommended a book about cold therapy to me. In the beginning I was freezing every morning. But at some point I noticed that I became more resistant to cold and that it gave me incredible strength. As with anything, it takes patience to feel the effects.

Source : Blick