Eero Hirvonen: Elite sports are a lifestyle.

When you’re a professional in elite sports, overall control of daily life is key. How does Eero Hirvonen, a member of the Finnish national combined ski team, ensure proper nutrition?

As a child, Eero Hirvonen was very active and tried many sports, ranging from athletics and gymnastics to skiing and ball games. Even as a child, he showed particular talent in endurance sports. In athletics, running and longer distances were his strengths, and in skiing, his endurance helped him perform well. At the age of 12, Hirvonen became interested in ski jumping, as it offered the right challenge and felt like a fun hobby. While he may not have been particularly technical in the beginning, his strong endurance background and good skiing condition supported him. Ultimately, these qualities led him to the sport of Nordic combined, where skiing and ski jumping are combined.

Nutrition Plays a Vital Role

In sports, nutrition is one of the most important foundations, especially for elite athletes. Hirvonen emphasizes that although training and rest are important, nothing can replace a balanced diet. Managing nutrition is essential, and every athlete must know what and how they eat. It is also important to consider individual differences and sport-specific demands, as different sports require different focus. Throughout his long athletic career, Hirvonen has learned the importance of nutrition and has worked with nutritionists and coaches. Nordic combined presents unique challenges for nutrition, as it combines two very different sports: ski jumping and skiing.

“In ski jumping, it’s important to be light because it directly affects the result, but on the other hand, in endurance sports, energy intake needs to be good for training and recovery,” Hirvonen explains. This requires balancing these two very different needs.

Competition days also bring their own challenges in terms of timing nutrition. Eating before a ski jumping event is not recommended, as jumping with a full stomach, like exercising in general, is uncomfortable. On the other hand, energy levels need to be good before the skiing portion to handle the endurance demands. Coordinating these different needs makes Nordic combined particularly challenging in terms of managing nutrition. Compared to many other sports, like cross-country skiing, combined athletes need to carefully time their nutrition since the competition day is not just one event.

Hirvonen describes it as balancing: you need to get enough energy without filling your stomach too much and interfering with performance. Therefore, meal planning and some “tricks” are crucial.

“You need to know exactly how the competition day progresses so you can time meals correctly,” Hirvonen states. This ensures energy is enough for both ski jumping and skiing without eating hindering performance.

Hirvonen feels lucky that maintaining optimal competition weight has never been a major challenge for him. He shares that for many athletes, weight management is a significant part of training and competition preparation, but for him, the biggest challenge is ensuring adequate energy intake.

“I focus more on making sure I get enough energy than on eating less,” Hirvonen describes.

His energy consumption is high enough that there’s little fear of extra calories. The key is ensuring energy comes in the right form and evenly throughout the day. This means regular snacks alongside normal meals to ensure endurance in training and competition.

Life Revolves Around Sports

Hirvonen’s daily rhythm varies slightly depending on the training day and the conditions in which he trains. Breakfast starts the day, followed by the first training session. After that, lunch is eaten. He particularly enjoys taking short naps during training camps, which help him stay energized for the afternoon training sessions.

“Naps are not essential, but they nicely break up the day and help with energy for things beyond just training. That way, you don’t just have to wait for the next session,” he describes. Sometimes, there are study sessions if, for example, school assignments can be done before the afternoon training.

“In the evening, I’m often so tired that studying isn’t very productive,” Hirvonen adds. For the afternoon training, Hirvonen eats a snack, the size of which depends on how long it’s been since lunch.

“It’s important to eat enough so you can perform well in the second training of the day,” Hirvonen says. Post-training meals are also carefully planned, as it’s best to eat as soon as possible after training for optimal recovery. He makes sure food is either ready to eat or can be prepared quickly.

Besides main meals, important snacks are those before the afternoon training, and a light evening meal is typically eaten after the day’s activities.

“If there are tougher training sessions, like when we are doing skiing-focused weeks at high altitudes in the mountains, the energy consumption is enormous,” Hirvonen shares. His diet focuses on varied, normal meals, and while there are no special tricks, he emphasizes carbohydrates: “My plate model might not be the traditional one with half salad, but I try to eat enough vegetables to still get enough energy from food.”

Hirvonen also mentions that eating treats is part of his diet, especially when energy consumption is high: “Sometimes the need for energy is so great that it’s hard to eat enough with just regular meals and snacks. Then, treats help fill the energy gap.”

Hirvonen explains that his life revolves around sports because competition trips and training camps take up a lot of time. While he is often traveling, he tries to make use of remote work opportunities for studying. “Luckily, school assignments can be done remotely, which makes scheduling easier,” he says.

Although there are other activities in his free time, sports mainly dictate what and when he can do. “There are hours in the day, but you always have to think about whether the other activities are too tiring or taxing. You have to assess what suits the moment without interfering with training,” Hirvonen explains.

Genetic Test Validated Suspicions

Hirvonen has learned through his training that his metabolism stays best on long-lasting, light exercise. This helps keep his basic metabolism active, so his body is ready for more intense training and can recover effectively. The results from Evogenomi’s genetic test confirmed what he had already noticed: his basic metabolism is naturally slower, which requires special attention.

The test also highlighted the importance of regular hydration and snacking to keep metabolism active and energy levels stable. This is especially crucial on competition days, when eating regularly can be challenging, and ensuring the body’s energy intake requires careful planning.

The genetic test also revealed that Hirvonen’s fasting blood sugar levels are naturally high. This feature is beneficial for an endurance athlete as it supports stamina during long performances and helps maintain stable energy levels. This also reinforces what he had previously learned: regular snacking is important to keep blood sugar levels steady throughout the day. Stable blood sugar impacts not only general alertness but also the success and efficiency of training, helping to optimize training and competition performance.

One interesting finding related to Hirvonen’s eating habits and the sense of pleasure he experiences when eating. The test confirmed his previous observations: Hirvonen experiences less pleasure from eating than many others, leading him to feel satisfied only after larger meals.

This has turned out to be a positive thing since larger meals ensure he gets enough energy for daily training. Most of his energy comes from a normal, varied diet, with other supplements used when necessary. This eating style suits the needs of an endurance athlete, where energy consumption is high and nutrient intake is critical.

Genetic Advantage for the Sport

Hirvonen says the genetic test emphasized the importance of diet and protein for his sport. Since combined skiing is a sport where weight management is key, it was interesting to see his natural suitability for the sport. The test results emphasized a low-fat diet and adequate protein intake. This supports muscle preservation and helps maintain the necessary muscle mass, even though it shouldn’t be excessive in his sport.

Endurance sports like skiing require strength, so insufficient nutrition can impair performance. Similarly, ski jumping requires a certain explosive strength, so maintaining adequate muscle mass and strength is crucial for optimal performance.

Hirvonen feels that the observations he’s developed over his long career have been validated by Evogenomi’s genetic test. While the test hasn’t completely changed his approach, it has given him more confidence and support for things he had already learned. As an athlete, he has learned to listen to his body and observe what works and what doesn’t.

An interesting and helpful test result related to high-altitude training, which is often used in endurance sports. The results confirmed what he had noticed over the years — adapting to high altitudes takes time but is possible when prepared. Practically, this means that during the early stages of training, the pace should be slow to allow the body to adjust — avoiding an overly eager start.

Similarly, the test results support his experience with the importance of snacks. While ski jumping workouts aren’t always physically intense, they can be long, lasting several hours. Hirvonen emphasizes that it’s important to ensure adequate energy intake even when the workouts aren’t intense. When training includes warm-ups, jumps, and discussions with the coach, a lot of time can pass before the next full meal.

Therefore, Hirvonen makes sure he always has snacks on hand, especially during ski jumping sessions, so the long gap between breakfast and the next meal doesn’t become too long. The confirmations from the test have helped him focus on these aspects even more carefully.

Shortcut for Young Athletes

Athletes are always learning, and things rarely go perfectly the first time. Even if something works right away, you might not know if it could be done even better. Hirvonen’s long career has taught him many lessons, both from successes and mistakes.

Hirvonen believes genetic tests can be very beneficial for athletes.

They don’t completely replace the experience and learning that comes with years of doing the sport, but they can guide you in the right direction much faster. “For example, knowledge about high-altitude training or nutrition can help focus on exactly the right things and select training priorities that suit your individual needs,” Hirvonen reflects.

Through genetic testing, you can learn much faster than if you had to try everything yourself over time. This could be especially helpful for young athletes as it would help them make the right choices early in their careers. On the other hand, even more experienced athletes can learn new things from genetic tests. However, it’s best for development to learn the right things as early as possible, as that gives the best chances for long-term success.

Hirvonen encourages young athletes who dream of a professional sports career to remember one important thing: “You have to enjoy what you do. Of course, sports require a serious attitude and hard work, but you can’t go far just by forcing yourself. Professional sports are a 24/7 lifestyle, so it has to be something you truly enjoy and are passionate about. It’s not enough for it to just be a job that you can totally disconnect from afterward.”

Hirvonen believes that it’s crucial to find joy and passion in sports every day, as it helps you keep going even when things get tough. This passion separates those who succeed and can fully invest in their sports careers.

Eero Hirvonen is a 28-year-old Nordic combined athlete from Jyväskylä, who has been part of Finland’s national team since 2015. He has been making a professional career in elite sports for several years, and alongside his sports career, he has studied at the University of Jyväskylä’s School of Business and Economics. During his athletic career, Hirvonen has participated in two Olympic Games, in Pyeongchang in 2018 and Beijing in 2022, where he placed sixth in both. He has also competed in the World Championships four times since 2017

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