Paleo Diet Athletes: Eating for Endurance
Are paleo diet athletes on the right track when they are eating this unique selection of foods? Numerous athletes are huge fans of it and many of them became fans after reading a very popular book on the subject.
Yet, there are critics of the diet which raises some questions as to whether or not this is the right diet for athletes.
The short answer is this diet can be an excellent diet for athletes.
Yes, there are critics but there are critics of every diet.
When you actually look at what this diet comprises, it becomes fairly obvious that this is not a bad diet choice.
After all, it was based on the diet eaten by hunter-gatherers 2.
5 million years ago.
Such humans had a lot of things to worry about along the lines of wild, dangerous, and gigantic animals went out looking for food.
This means they needed a diet that supported athletic attributes.
These hunter-gatherers needed their strength and their endurance.
Not surprisingly, these would be the same attributes needed by modern paleo diet athletes.
Actually, these attributes would be needed by all athletes of all backgrounds.
The diet is one based on eating non-processed, mostly organic foods along the lines of high-glycemic fruits and vegetables, lean meats that are mostly game animals, and fish, shellfish, eggs, and anything else that is natural and anything else considered a "hunted and gathered" selection.
These food choices are modified slightly for athletes in the sense that sugars and starches are consumed before and after an endurance based activity.
Why is this so? The prior meal opens the door for gaining the proper amount of carbs, sugars, and starches to handle the session.
The post meal works as an excellent recovery meal and the proteins in the diet would aid in the repair of the muscle tissue which may have been broken down during one's performance.
Athletes will discover that it is what this diet omits that makes it an excellent diet for those that are performance motivated.
The two items that are noticeable missing are fats and diary.
Now, you do need a number of good fats and you can likely get them through the selections of the diet.
However, you do not want a lot of saturated fats in your diet because your body has to perform in overdrive in order to breakdown and digest the fats.
Your body only has so much in its tank endurance wise.
If it is diverting energy to digest heavy fats, you would have to rely on whatever is left.
That is not good.
Dairy also burdens the body and its digestive system.
Dairy also has a tendency to negatively impact endurance.
Really, if you are an athlete and would prefer to boost your endurance and cardio abilities, you want to stay away from dairy.
This diet helps you immensely in this regard.
Paleo Diet athletes will commonly speak of the endurance benefits of these food choices and omissions.
Athletes will certainly wish to boost their endurance levels and they likely will not want to eat a diet that undermines their performance capabilities.
You likely will not see a weakening of your performance with this diet.
As such, it has to be considered a good diet for athletes.
Yet, there are critics of the diet which raises some questions as to whether or not this is the right diet for athletes.
The short answer is this diet can be an excellent diet for athletes.
Yes, there are critics but there are critics of every diet.
When you actually look at what this diet comprises, it becomes fairly obvious that this is not a bad diet choice.
After all, it was based on the diet eaten by hunter-gatherers 2.
5 million years ago.
Such humans had a lot of things to worry about along the lines of wild, dangerous, and gigantic animals went out looking for food.
This means they needed a diet that supported athletic attributes.
These hunter-gatherers needed their strength and their endurance.
Not surprisingly, these would be the same attributes needed by modern paleo diet athletes.
Actually, these attributes would be needed by all athletes of all backgrounds.
The diet is one based on eating non-processed, mostly organic foods along the lines of high-glycemic fruits and vegetables, lean meats that are mostly game animals, and fish, shellfish, eggs, and anything else that is natural and anything else considered a "hunted and gathered" selection.
These food choices are modified slightly for athletes in the sense that sugars and starches are consumed before and after an endurance based activity.
Why is this so? The prior meal opens the door for gaining the proper amount of carbs, sugars, and starches to handle the session.
The post meal works as an excellent recovery meal and the proteins in the diet would aid in the repair of the muscle tissue which may have been broken down during one's performance.
Athletes will discover that it is what this diet omits that makes it an excellent diet for those that are performance motivated.
The two items that are noticeable missing are fats and diary.
Now, you do need a number of good fats and you can likely get them through the selections of the diet.
However, you do not want a lot of saturated fats in your diet because your body has to perform in overdrive in order to breakdown and digest the fats.
Your body only has so much in its tank endurance wise.
If it is diverting energy to digest heavy fats, you would have to rely on whatever is left.
That is not good.
Dairy also burdens the body and its digestive system.
Dairy also has a tendency to negatively impact endurance.
Really, if you are an athlete and would prefer to boost your endurance and cardio abilities, you want to stay away from dairy.
This diet helps you immensely in this regard.
Paleo Diet athletes will commonly speak of the endurance benefits of these food choices and omissions.
Athletes will certainly wish to boost their endurance levels and they likely will not want to eat a diet that undermines their performance capabilities.
You likely will not see a weakening of your performance with this diet.
As such, it has to be considered a good diet for athletes.
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