Paleo Diet for Athletes

Will eating like a caveman help you win triathlons? Joe Friel thinks so.

In his book titled Paleo Diet for Athletes, world renowned endurance coach and author, Joe Friel, claims that a diet consisting primarily of fruits, vegetables, lean protein, nuts and seeds has distinct ergogenic benefits for athletes.

Initially skeptical of the paleo diet advocated by co-author, Loren Cordain, Friel tried the diet as a means of proving to Cordain that such a diet was inadequate for athletes who needed large quantities of carbohydrates to fuel performance. In Paleo Diet for Athletes Friel relates that he initially felt terrible as he weaned himself of grains, breads, pasta and dairy products in preference to a paleo diet high in fruits, vegetables and lean meats. After three weeks, Friel claims that he started to feel better, his recovery times improved and his training took off.

Prior to switching to the paleo diet, Friel writes that he was unable to train more than 12 hours per week before his body would break down, and he would become sick. On the paleo diet, the 12-hour barrier disappeared, and soon Friel found that he could train 20-22 hours per week. He grew stronger and faster as he consumed unlimited amounts of fruits and vegetables as well as proteins rich in branch chain amino acids – notably lean red meat and seafood. In fact, Friel claims that eating considerable amounts of lean protein is what helps athletes recover from difficult workouts and prevents upper respiratory infections common among endurance athletes who routinely stress their bodies with heavy does of training. (Note: vegetarians need not apply.)

Many health conscious athletes have made the switch from simple carbohydrates like white bread, pasta and sugary cereals. These athletes have moved away from foods containing transfat and high fructose corn syrup. They eat organic, whole foods, but are they ready to eat like a caveman? In Paleo Diet for Athletes Friel and Cordain take healthy eating to an all-new (make that pre-historic) level, one that many of us will find difficult to adopt.

OA would like to hear from athletes who have tried the paleo diet. Does it work for you? Is it sustainable? What are the challenges of eating like a caveman? Have your performances improved?

Comments

[Eric Hoffman]

I think this diet may be sustainable for most meals and snacks. Any comments on eating during a long 3-6 hour workout? I can't imagine eating enough Paleo calories on the bike without getting into digestive issues/malabsorption.

[Ted Darling]

I just completed the Bicycle Tour of Colorado. I rode between 3.5 and 5.25 hours per day over a week. The rest areas were stocked with fruits (cantelope, bananas, watermelon, peaches, cherries, etc.) along with energy bars and the like. I ate only fruits and complemented it with Hammer Heed along the way, and I was completely fine (enough calorories and no digestive issues). My understanding is that you can only process 250-300 calories per hour while exercising, so this was a perfect combination and in line with a paleo diet, I believe.