The Athlete's Plate

Last week, I picked up a new book to read, The Paleo Diet For Athletes.

I really enjoyed reading It Starts With Food since it seriously changed the way I look at what I put in my mouth, but I wanted to learn more about how this style of eating is good for runners or endurance athletes. After all, we all think runners can live on carbs alone right? You know, the ones that only eat bagels and bananas. That used to be me!

I’ll admit that my first impression on the Paleo diet (before I read this book) was that it was for crossfit junkies. I didn’t think hard core runners or cyclist could thrive on this diet, simply because of the lack of bagels and peanut butter.

The Paleo Diet for Athletes is well written, well researched, and provides detailed information on what the Paleo diet is and how its good for athletes. It outlines outlines five periods of the day in relation to the training schedule of the athlete and explains the nutritional goals of each stage.

• Stage 1: Eating Before Exercise
• Stage 2: Eating During Exercise
• Stage 3: Eating 30 Minutes Post Exercise
• Stage 4: Short-Term Post Exercise
• Stage 5: Long-Term Post Exercise

Here are just a few things that I took away from the book:

• Simple carbs are the best for fast recovery (I was surprised by this recommendation)
• A diet high in animal protein, like the Paleo diet, has plenty of Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) for building and repairing muscle
• Fruits and vegetables are rich sources of antioxidants, which promote optimal immune system functioning, reducing the likelihood of illness
• Glycogen stores can be filled using fruits and vegetables in the post-exercise window

It really was a great read. I finished it in less than a week!

If you’re an athlete who is on the fence about the Paleo diet, I definitely recommend that you pick this up.

I still have a lot more experimentation to do to see what works best for my body. I don’t labeling myself as “Paleo.” I just eat what works best for me. After reading this book, I know I’m on the right track!

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