How Cirque’s Daredevils Keep Their Bodies So Perfect

AthertonDietSupported only by straps and each other, the Atherton twins fly above the stage, twisting and turning in a gripping display of grace, strength and washboard abs — fueled, one guesses, by a diet of protein shakes and power bars.

Not entirely true. “We believe in eating what you enjoy, in moderation,” say Andrew and Kevin Atherton, the identical-twin aerialists of Cirque du Soleil’s “Paramour,” opening May 25 at the Lyric Theatre. “We don’t have a diet, just a lifestyle.”

Growing up in Manchester, England, Andi and Kev lived above a convenience store, where they could have any snack or sandwich whenever they wanted. Once they turned 7 and started gymnastics, they swiftly learned to ration their food — it’s hard to soar and flip on a full stomach.

Now 40, the 5-foot-7 British gymnastic champions are both a trim 145 pounds, the same weight they were as teenagers.

“We worked with a nutritionist .?.?. and we read a lot of Men’s Health magazines,” say the twins, who credit the Bill Phillips book “Body for Life” for distilling their secret for staying healthy and fit: eating five or six smaller meals a day to boost their metabolism.

Breakfast is typically oatmeal with flaxseed or two scrambled egg whites, multigrain toast with peanut butter, coffee and a banana.

For a midmorning snack, they’ll whip up smoothies in their dressing room made with Costco’s whey protein powder, frozen fruit, skim milk and flaxseed.

Lunch is always the same: salad with grilled chicken or salmon, either brought from home or the nearby Europa Café. “If we could eat nothing else in our life, we’d eat that,” they say. They like a simple mix of greens and vegetables, topped with chicken or fish, avocado, cilantro and almonds. The dressing’s the same, too: “Simple olive oil and balsamic vinegar.”

Their afternoon snack is often a Kind cereal bar — or a square or two of Trader Joe’s chocolate that they keep in their dressing room fridge.

For dinner, it’s another salad, or, on some nights, Andrew’s Kazakhstan-born wife, Gasya, will whip up a Russian comfort food called plov.

“It’s usually beef, rice and carrots, but she makes it for me with chicken,” he says.

They rarely have time to dine out, but when they do, they always ask for an extra plate.

“If the food’s there in front of you, you’ll eat it,” Andrew says. “So we ask for a smaller plate, fill it with what we want, and return the big plate with the rest.”

Even their cravings are in sync. One balmy, post-rehearsal evening, Andi went out with his wife and kids for a burger and beer at Alfie’s in Hell’s Kitchen, and texted a pic of his food to his brother. “I was sitting about 20 blocks away, at Black Iron Burger,” Kev says, “and I’d just ordered the same thing!”

{ SOURCE: New York Post | http://goo.gl/2xTAv5 }