The Paleo Diet For Athletes

[rocknrollgirl]

Do you guys know anything about this plan?
I have seen online that Joel Friel modified and endorses this type of eating for endurance athletes. It raised a few flags with me, but I wanted to see what you all thought.

If you are not familiar with it The original says:
Lots of lean protein, fruits, veg, seeds, nuts, olive oil
NO-grains, dairy, sugar,potato of any kind

The Athletes version allows for high glycemic foods during and after exercise, and some foods like sweet potato. But still no dairy or grains of any kind.

I already avoid processed foods, and hydrogenated outs, junk etc.
But no dairy or grains would be really tough for me. And is that good? Just because our ancient ancestors did not eat oatmeal does that mean we should not? Sometimes progress is not a bad thing. Maybe they would have scarfed it down if they had it available to them.

[DeniseGoldberg]

Any diet that removes large groups of foods raises big red flags for me - as well as screaming "stay away from me" (to me at least). Grains and dairy are filled with important nutrients, sugar is in everything - including the things in his accepted list, and while I've heard other people bad-mouth potatoes, they are not just empty calories either.

I'll stick with what has continued to work for me, balanced choices of (types of) foods - still following the basics presented in Nancy Clark's and Liz Applegate's books.

--- Denise

[Thorn]

I saw this one just a few weeks ago...intriguing and I plan on reading the book for more info. I have only read a couple of articles on it.

From the "spirit of the law" viewpoint, I think it has some merit. After all, our earliest diet would have been hunter-gatherer. Simple foods mixed with some very lean meats; not processed breakfast cereals and nitrate filled lunch meats.

From the "letter of the law" viewpoint, it seems they've gone overboard. No grains? Really? Uh....my understanding of hunter-gatherers is that they would have had grains of some kind and farming has existed for 9000 years. Dairy, on the other hand, is relatively recent. I think I read something recently that said, just the lactose tolerent ?gene? is an adaptation of only the last several thousand years.

My "spirit" interpretation would think that simple grains should be valid, but dairy only if you are lactose tolerant. Likewise, potato and corn if you happen to be of South American Indian descent.

But, now I have to push up the book on my reading list. I find the concept intriguing because the older I get, the more I find my diet migrating to simpler foods--raw oatmeal, nuts and yogurt for breakfast, a homeade soup (often bean-based) for lunch and simple dinner. Of course, if the book shows them on the lunatic fringe, I'll have just say it was an odd coincidence.

[mimitabby]

Thorn, farming has been around for 9000 years, but human beings have been around for a million. So it is true that some of us have inherited genes that help us subsist on the diet that we now eat that is based on grains, but it is not necessarily the best way to go.

Although I find Adamo's blood type diet a bit eccessive, his understandings of the differences of people depending on their blood type is based on science. They are discovering more things every day; (like the original blood type was O for example...)

The fact is, every creature on earth including plants has its own set of defenses. Every plant we eat has something in it that it developed that protects it.

Living on this planet is a series of compromises... too hot will kill you, too cold will kill you, too much exercise will kill you, not enough will kill you, too much sun will kill you, not enough will kill you. it goes on and on. You can kill yourself drinking too much water!
and this theory continues down to what we eat.

I read an article about the confusion that today's pregnant women face about what to eat... good grief!! people are chastising them for eating cheese (molds) and coffee! and which kind of fish is okay to eat, and how much?

Bottom line, use common sense and do everything in moderation.
there's no such thing as a perfect diet... balance is everything, it seems.

[LBTC]

This paleoo diet sounds quite similar to the book the naturopath recommended I read due to having Crohn's. Breaking the Vicious Cycle, formerly called the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, for people with intestinal diseases. The premise being that our intestines are so messed up we don't get anything but poison from the carbs that we eat.

I have to say that 5 weeks into this strange diet, not even as strict as the diet in this book, and I have seen no improvement in most of my symptoms, and my energy is at an all time low, and I've had strange emotional times and I'm forgetting things and I'm pretty sure I'm not thinking very well.

I miss the whole grain bread that I used to eat. And I miss raw vegetables (with Crohn's, cooked vegetables are the rule). Especially tomatoes, which I am apparently sensitive to.

At least I've been enjoying goat dairy.

I'm not sure I believe the science in it all. At least not for me.

Good luck with it, and let us know how it goes.

H&B,
~T~

[mimitabby]

LBTC,
I can really relate to your confusion. The AMA are CLUELESS!!!

[han-grrl]

The fact is, nutrition and diet needs are determined by genetics. So really there is NO RIGHT plan out there. So ultimately you need to work with a dietician to determine which foods are right for you.

If you read the Metablolic Typing Diet, our diet "focus" ie more protein or more carbs really depends on genetic background.

I think since most of us are of mixed blood, its a matter of fine tuning the protein carbohydrate percentages. but not eliminate one or overeat one.

And as others have said, i am very suspicious of any diet that tells you to NOT eat certain food groups.

Smile
Han

[rocknrollgirl]

Personally, I can't imagine going grainless. I am really careful about the quality of the carbs that I eat and stay away from processed and refined stuff.

And another thing, while I am having a little rant. What is wrong with a potato. Aside from the fact that Americans eat them 5 times too big and smother them with toppings, what is wrong with eating a baked potato that is not the size of a bread box?

Portions, portions, portions.....

ok, i am done now....

[LBTC]

And another thing, while I am having a little rant. What is wrong with a potato.

Before I had the symptoms of, and was diagnosed with, a chronic disease of the bowel, potatoes were my most favourite energy food. After a good hard workout I would nuke a potato, add diced mushrooms, colourful peppers, zuchini, ham and grated cheese - more veggies than ham and cheese, and I had all that stuff diced and ready in my fridge. In about 3 minutes total, I'd be sitting down to what, for me, seemed to be the ultimate recovery food: quick carbs accompanied by some protein and colourful veggies loaded with vitamins. It worked great for me, helped my muscle recovery, kept me from snacking on bad stuff, made me feel satisfied right away.

Maybe my body loves potatoes because of my irish and ukrainian heritage! Too bad my bowels don't!

Hugs & butterflies,
~T~