BMX

This is what Bas Keep does to fuel his BMX exploits

Sebastian Keep has been at the top of his sport for almost two decades. Here, he shares how nutrition plays a part in helping him realise projects like More Walls.

Written by Charlie Allenby

4 min readUpdated on 29.11.2021 · 16:00 UTC

Bas Keep with a Red Bull can during his More Walls project in Birmingham, United Kingdom.

BMXers aren't renowned for their refined diet. Usually relying on whatever is closest to a skate park or trails, their focus is generally on convenience rather than drilling down into calorie content or protein percentage. Britain's Sebastian 'Bas' Keep isn't your regular BMXer, though.

The 38-year-old has been professional for close to 20 years, and has a health-conscious approach to his nutrition, focused on what feels right for his body and homemade, unprocessed meals. It's clearly working for him, too, if his latest More Walls edit is anything to go by. Filmed at numerous spots across the UK, the follow up to Keep's 2017 Walls project sees him plant tyre marks in spots never thought previously possible.

Here, Keep reveals how he keeps himself topped up on a day-to-day basis, as well as the one thing that helps him focus on projects.

Bas Keep rides a wallride for his More Walls project in Chelmsley Wood, United Kingdom. — Keep needs complete focus to take on his huge stunts
© Eisa Bakos

What will you have for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks on a typical training day?

Sebastian Keep: I like to have muesli for breakfast in the morning and a cup of tea. When I go to the gym I just drink water, but when I go riding, I find that caffeine helps me a lot – I take a big bottle of water and a can of Red Bull, which I'll sip. In fact, me and my friends often share a can of Red Bull. Music is also essential. Music, Red Bull and some good friends to ride with and you can ride all day. I don't like the pressure of being a DJ, so I usually just let my friends choose, but I'll listen to anything they're playing, as long as it's not too awful.

For lunch, I like to make chicken salads and I really like to snack on almonds, bananas and apples. I try to steer away from fast food, which is what most of my friends eat!

At the moment I've been making some curries for dinner and we've also been making vegetarian tacos and quesadillas. I really like Mexican food – it's probably my favourite cuisine.

You notice your body working better when you eat well – you're a lot more alert and you need less sleep
Sebastian Keep

How important is nutrition to your riding and training?

Sebastian Keep: Hugely. When I'm on a project, I'm quite disciplined and good at staying on the grind. You notice your body working better when you eat well – you're a lot more alert and you need less sleep. I also find that the more you work out, the more you ride and the more you go to the gym, the more energy you have.

I've always found that when you're having a bad patch of eating pizzas and bad food, once you cut them out for a week or so and start eating good food, you no longer crave the bad food as much; your body just wants the vegetables and the non-fatty foods.

Sebastian Keep as seen during the More Walls project in Chelmsford, England. — Time to break and take on hydration and food
© Eisa Bakos

Have you ever worked with a nutritionist?

Sebastian Keep: No, I haven't. It's just self-learnt and through listening to my body. But it is interesting how far some athletes go.

Do you change anything during a project or shoot?

Sebastian Keep: I love caffeine and I'm always drinking tea in the morning, but I find it really helpful when we're on a job and doing super-early mornings. Imagine getting up at 4am and knowing that you're going to jump off a bridge – you need something to slap you in the face a little bit. When we were on the More Walls shoot, there were cans of Red Bull around and that just gives you a little lift – it picks you up and makes you feel focused.

What's your favourite meal of all time?

Sebastian Keep: My favourite meal is a British roast dinner. It can be any roast. I'm trying to eat less meat, but as long as there's plenty of roast potatoes, loads of gravy and stuffing, I'm good.