The Paleo Diet for Athletes : A Nutritional Formula for Peak Athletic Performance

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Loren Cordain, Ph.D., follows his success of The Paleo Diet with the first book ever to detail the exercise-enhancing effects of a diet similar to that of our Stone Age ancestors.

When The Paleo Diet was published, advocating a return to the diet of our ancestors (high protein, plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables), the book received brilliant reviews from the medical and nutritional communities. Jennie Brand-Miller, coauthor of the bestselling Glucose Revolution, called it "without a doubt the most nutritious diet on the planet." Doctors Michael and Mary Dan Eades, authors of Protein Power, said, "We can't recommend The Paleo Diet highly enough."

Now Dr. Cordain joins with USA triathlon and cycling elite coach Joe Friel to adapt the Paleo Diet to the needs of athletes. The authors show:
o Why the typical athletic diet (top-heavy with grains, starches, and refined sugars) is detrimental to recovery, performance, and health
o How the glycemic load and acid-base balance impact performance
o Why consumption of starches and simple sugars is only beneficial in the immediate post-exercise period

At every level of competition, The Paleo Diet for Athletes can maximize performance in a range of endurance sports.

Reader Reviews:

What books like the PaleoDiet and The Evolution Diet (by JSB Morse) are saying is that our modern culture and lifestyles have veered from the path that our human bodies were evolved on. It is a very common-sense premise since one can see how unnatural our diets and exercise routines have become, but it is something that escapes us when we get bogged down with our everyday lives. Simply, we must revert our diets (and exercise routines) to fit prehistoric man's or we are bound to be unhealthy.

To do this, as the book explains, is to coordinate not only what one eats, but how and when to eat it. The Evolution Diet has a good principle on how to appropriate one's diet that goes something like this: sugary foods during exercise, high protein after, and high fiber foods the rest of the time. Of course, what is meant by sugary foods is not Skittles or M&Ms. Apples and bananas suffice to give one the boost before and during a workout.

While the PaleoDiet is a great read and very insightful, it is missing a few points here and there. The science behind our diets is good, but I was often left wanting more. I also found that the concept didn't place as much emphasis on when you eat the foods you eat and more so on what you eat. Overall, though, the book is quite helpful and entertaining enough to keep you interested in learning more.It is a straight forward, easy to understand book that does a good job of showing that the Paleo diet is not a fad diet, but a well balanced diet with the focus on proper nutrition. If you're new to the Paleo Diet concept, I suggest getting this book. To complement the concept of healthy life style I strongly suggest adding "Can We Live 150"
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