May 17, 2026, 6:49 am | Read time: 5 minutes
Three meals a day, targeted exceptions, and a flexible training plan: In an interview with FITBOOK, Olympic champion Matthias Steiner shares insights into his life with Type 1 diabetes—and explains how he consciously manages his diet, exercise, and routines without adhering to rigid rules.
Structured Eating with Intentional Breaks
Steiner describes his daily routine as clearly structured: “I’m really the classic three-meals-a-day eater. I eat in the morning, at noon, and in the evening.” At the same time, he deliberately makes exceptions, such as skipping dinner: “Sometimes I skip dinner because I’ve also been looking into autophagy, or cell cleansing.” The former professional weightlifter knows that fasting, such as intermittent fasting or therapeutic fasting, strongly triggers this process.
The reasoning is pragmatic: “Why in the evening? Because I do the least in the evening. That’s when I go to sleep.” He experiences the effect directly: “It’s very simple, and I’m amazed at how refreshed you wake up the next day.” However, it remains a conscious decision in individual cases: “I don’t do it every day, but when I feel I need it, so every few days or so.”
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Diet Adjusted According to Activity
As Steiner explains in the FITBOOK interview, his diet is closely aligned with his daily routine. With little physical activity, he opts for fewer carbohydrates: “When I go to the office, I eat very low carb because I’m sitting.” As activity increases, he adjusts his diet accordingly: “When I move or exercise, I naturally eat more high-carb.”
He pays particular attention to the impact of individual foods: “Then there might be honey or a roll, but no juices, no orange juice. That spikes blood sugar too quickly.” He generally opts for a balanced mix: “At lunch, I eat what I crave, but usually less pizza and the like. Vegetables, lots of vegetables, often low carb, because I usually end up back in the office. I also enjoy fish.”
Daily Life and Diabetes Add Extra Meals
In addition to his planned diet, everyday situations also play a role. “Unfortunately, I’m often the leftover bread eater at home because the kids don’t finish everything,” Steiner says. This also reflects a clear attitude: “I’m from the generation where we don’t throw anything away. I have to factor that in.”
His diabetes adds extra meals: “Then I have meals plus x because I need to eat something during the day when my blood sugar is low.” He doesn’t always find this ideal: “It sometimes annoys me because I don’t actually want to eat, but I have to.” His solution remains consciously chosen: “But I don’t eat glucose tablets; I eat something I enjoy.”
Combining Routines with Flexibility
When it comes to routines, Steiner takes a nuanced view. “I believe routines are a double-edged sword. They help us, but they also tempt us to rely on them completely, try nothing someting new, take no risks, and stay in our comfort zone.”
At the same time, he emphasizes their importance: “Routines are important in areas where they benefit us.” His training schedule is clearly defined: “I do weightlifting twice a week and endurance training twice a week.” However, he consciously avoids rigid schedules: “But I don’t always do it at exactly 7 a.m. or 4 p.m., or always on Monday and Friday, but as it suits me.”
The decisive factor for him is motivation: “What’s important is that I do it because there’s a purpose behind it.” At the same time, he warns about balance: “But I still caution that we shouldn’t become too comfortable through routines. We should also step out of our comfort zone.”
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Weightlifting as Holistic Training
Weightlifting continues to play a central role for Steiner. He makes it clear: “First, you have to be able to do it. It would be the best sport for everyone, but you have to be able to do it.” The demands are varied: “Weightlifting challenges the cardiovascular system greatly, due to the pulse spikes: up, down, 180 pulse, 120 pulse, it’s constant.”
At the same time, he trains multiple skills simultaneously: “I train almost all muscle groups at once. I train flexibility because I need to be flexible in my shoulders, knees, and ankles to get into a deep squat.” Mental aspects also play a role: “I also have to be strong, fast, responsive, and focused.”
Distraction is not an option: “I can’t distract myself with headphones; I have to be really focused.” This results in a comprehensive training effect: “That means I also train concentration and physical endurance.”
Strength Training as a Key in Aging
Looking at long-term health, Steiner emphasizes the importance of strength training: “We start losing muscle mass every year from about age 35.” Diet alone can’t counteract this: “It’s not enough to just eat proteins. Muscles don’t grow from that. We have to do strength training. Weightlifting fits well because I can train more in less time.” His conclusion is clear: “In one hour of weightlifting, I train more than in two hours of pure fitness training.”