The Pre-Workout Breakfast Olympic Bobsledder Sylvia Hoffman Swears By

Sylvia Hoffman doesn’t just dabble in sports. She dominates across the board. Her resume includes weightlifting, track and field, basketball, volleyball, and bobsledding. While she did not qualify for the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics, she did take home a bronze medal at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

When she’s training, Hoffman leans on one non-negotiable: breakfast. She never misses it. She fuels up with the same five-ingredient meal every single morning.

The One Thing Sylvia Hoffman Eats Every Morning

Curious about what fuels her drive to train consistently and fiercely, I caught up with her one afternoon to discuss her breakfast routine.

Turns out, it’s surprisingly simple. Her daily go-to? An “egg scramble.” “I’m always hungry in the morning, so I always have eggs,” she says.

High-protein breakfasts anchor her morning. Sometimes she adds sides like protein waffles, oatmeal, or pancakes. But egg scrambles are a must-have. “I feel like breakfast is where I can start every morning with satisfying food,” she adds.

The ability to choose what goes on her plate matters to Hoffman. As a competitive weightlifter, sometimes, she follows a “strict diet” during cutting phases.

When she’s in bobsled training, she appreciates the flexibility to eat what she wants. In most cases, that still means scrambled eggs paired with whatever mix-ins she has on hand. Her usual combo includes onions, garlic, bell peppers, and a mixed blend of cheese.

There’s no complicated science behind her breakfast. She sticks with it because she says it gives her sustained energy and keeps her full through long, demanding training days.

I’ve made plenty of egg scrambles and written more than enough stories about the benefits of high-protein meals. But I wanted to know why this one daily staple works so well for Hoffman. While I won’t be lining up at the top of a bobsled track anytime soon, I wondered whether her breakfast could power me through my long walking treks. So, I decided to try it out for myself for an entire week.

To find out if Hoffman’s egg scramble actually stacks up nutritionally, I also interviewed a few registered dietitians. Here’s what they said, plus my honest review.

How to Make Sylvia Hoffman’s Garlic Egg Scramble

Supply-wise, all you need is a frying pan, a whisk, a spatula, and a mixing bowl.

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• ¼ cup yellow onion, diced
• ¼ cup bell pepper, diced
• 1 teaspoon of garlic, minced
• ¼ cup shredded cheese (cheddar, Monterey Jack, or mozzarella)
• Olive oil
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Recipe

• Dice the yellow onion and bell pepper. Mince the garlic.
• Crack three eggs into a bowl and whisk until fully combined.
• Place a nonstick pan over medium heat.
• When the pan is hot, add a drizzle of olive oil.
• Add the diced onion, bell pepper, and minced garlic. Sauté for three to four minutes, or until softened.
• Pour the egg mixture into the pan and reduce the heat to low. Stir gently with a spatula.
• Once the eggs begin to firm up, add the cheese. Turn off the heat and let the residual warmth melt the cheese into the eggs.
• Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

The Verdict: Savory and Energizing 

Each morning, I aim for around 8,000 steps, and my current route includes plenty of steep inclines. For seven days, I made Hoffman’s scramble and ate it before heading out on my walks.

Right away, the flavor won me over. This egg scramble packs a delicious savoriness thanks to the garlic; the sautéed onions and bell peppers add a subtle caramelized sweetness. After eating, I felt full and powered through the entire two-hour walk without losing steam.

The dish’s simplicity also stood out. As the week progressed, I used whatever vegetables were nearing their expiration date in my fridge. More than anything, I loved how this breakfast helped me cut back on food waste.

How to Get the Most Out of This Meal, According to Nutritionists

Hoffman is off to a great start with this breakfast, says Cara Harbstreet, a registered dietitian based in Kansas City, Missouri. “Sylvia makes a smart choice by sticking to non-starchy vegetables and protein-rich foods instead.” As a nutrition expert, Harbstreet almost always recommends loading up on fiber-rich foods, but for athletes, she makes an exception before training because it’s “slow to digest and may cause GI issues.”

“Hoffman’s breakfast contains a mix of protein, fats, and color—three things I look for at any meal to help ensure a good balance of macros, as well as satiety and nutrient diversity, according to Maddie Pasquariello, a registered dietitian based in New York City, New York.

This combination doesn’t just taste good. It also supports recovery. “For high-intensity workouts like the ones Hoffman’s doing, protein and carbs before a workout are generally recommended to support your muscles,” says Pasquariello. Timing matters less than total intake, she adds. “The amount of protein you eat is way more important than when you eat it.”

Carbohydrates play an equally important role, says Paul Jaeckel, a registered dietitian nutritionist also based in New York City. “Carbs are essential for energy, and energy is something you need during a workout.”

Hoffman knows this well. She mentioned that during the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, she would load up on carbs like “waffles, pancakes, and oatmeal” before competing. For even more carb-friendly pairing ideas, Pasquariello suggests whole-grain toast, sautéed potatoes, grits, or even a piece of fruit.

Hoffman’s high-protein breakfast, paired with energizing carbs, proves that even the simplest meals can fuel elite athletes through the toughest training blocks.

In the meantime, I’ll think of her every time I fire up the pan to make garlicky scrambled eggs.

Is this a recipe you’d like to try? Let us know in the comments, or tell us your favorite go-to breakfast.