The next time you worry about how much you eat, reflect on the eating habits of Tour de France cyclists and your guilt will melt away. "It's hard to say exactly how many calories the guys consume on a given day but typically on a long stage with a couple of climbs they burn upwards of 5 000 calories and all of that must be replaced," says Dr Jarrad van Zuydam, the MTN Qhubeka team doctor.Once the race is under way, the riders eat constantly. As soon as a stage is finished, each team member drinks a protein shake, followed by a full meal on the bus on the way to their hotel.At 8pm, roughly two hours after their bus feast, the team have a carbohydrate- and protein-heavy dinner and another protein shake before bed.Mornings are spent gorging on oats, carbs and protein shakes, and the ride itself is punctuated by mastication."Essentially, if the guys aren't sleeping they're eating," says Van Zuydam. ''The timing of their meals is almost as important as how much they eat. After a stage we waste no time in getting food into them."Despite the continuous eating, food is often not enough and the team's medical staff sometimes turn to supplements to make up the shortfall."In general, the guys get what they need from their diet, which is amplified by supplements. People sometimes get this wrong. It's all in the name - supplements should be taken to supplement meals and not replace them," he said.In a sport tainted by drug scandals, supplements can be a minefield to navigate, which is why Van Zuydam and his colleagues tie themselves in knots making sure everything the athletes consume is 100% above board.Cyclists on the Tour de France eat like Sesame Street's Cookie Monster after a hunger strike and have no boeps to show for it. So next time you find yourself seated in front of a plate of delicious carbohydrates, scoff them down and have seconds. Just remember to cycle 200km afterwards.The Tour de France ends on Sunday. MTN Qhubeka are sponsored by Emvit...