Editorial Review
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.
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Customer Reviews
Helpful read for endurance athletes 
2008-05-24
I thought this book was very helpful and believeful and I started out as a total skeptic. I think think these principles are sound, although I find them hard to follow. This book is very easy to understand, even for a lay person and many sports 'self help' books aren't. I find that this book gives enough scientific evidence that makes it good, but not so much that its boring or hard to understand. Definitely a must-have for endurance athletes' reference collection.
different diets 
2008-02-11
I didn't think this book was an easy read. I think many other diet books flow better. I can't imagine eating salmon for breakfast every day!
Useful information for low-carb endurance athletes 2007-11-19
I have followed a low-carb diet for about 3 years now, and in the last year have gradually become an avid runner. I was looking for info on how to add carbs into my diet to support my running, and this book has specific, useful info on that topic. I do not agree with all of his dietary advice in general (for general info on low-carb diets I would recommend that you read a variety of books to gather well-rounded advice on this diet, as each author contributes a different piece of the puzzle), however I do highly recommend this book for anyone who is looking for advice on how to properly integrate diet and sports, or who is suffering some sort of chronic problem during high-intensity athletic training - this book may straighten your problem out, even if you don't currently see it as related to your diet. This book is a valuable and much-needed addition on the topic of nutrition and sport.
Cordain sold out his diet to Joe Friel 2007-08-27
Two stars for the Paleo Diet but Zero stars for the "modifications."
I was severely disappointed with this book. I hoped that an athlete would adopt the diet and adapt his training to the demands of the sound science that Dr. Cordain authored with his Paleo Diet. Instead, we have an athlete who has basically adapted the Paleo Diet to the high carbohydrate nonsense that permeates the "endurance world", which leads to good results, but bad health. How many of our great athletes have to continue sacrificing their long-term health for short term goals?
Recovery is not a good enough reason to "adapt" and modify the diet. The goal of training is to race, not more training. I don't think enough athletes understand that. There is a large section in this book about overtraining, but the authors "overcome" this seeming limitation ironically with the very thing that the Paleo Diet attempts to cure us from - - a misplaced reliance on excessive glucose which is responsible for the majority of the maladies that currently afflict us.
"Periodization" is also a problem. I'll leave you this quote by Olympian Gordon Pirie which accurately details the issue:
"Another popular aspect of training which I think is very dangerous is that known as "periodization" - that is, breaking down the training year into various "phases", each of which is divorced from the others. Thus, the beginning of the year may be devoted to a slow distance "build-up", the second portion of the year devoted to hill training, a third part devoted to interval work and then speed training, and finally (though most of these runners never get this far) a racing season undertaken. The difficulty with training in this manner is that you go along quite well with one aspect of training (e.g. long distance running), and then suddenly, on a certain day, "Bang!". You start hill-bounding, or speed-training, or something new, and the body simply is not ready for the change, and invariably, year in and year out, you are more often than not injured. The body should be trained in all aspects of running, all of the time. Only the emphasis should change as you progress through the year; no aspect of training should be entirely given up for any significant length of time. The balance between different types of training (distance running, intervals, hill running and speed training) should be adjusted as the year progresses" Pirie, "Running Fast and Injury Free", Page 86.
This balance can be achieved with adequate rest. When an athlete gives up his dependance on sugar, he will find that he has much more strength and steady energy reserves. Sure, you don't recover as quickly, but this is an indication that training is too hard, and one needs to adjust this training in order to successfully make it to the starting line. The science by Phinney and others clearly demonstrates that athletes, when given sufficient time to adapt to fat burning, were able to repeat their athletic performance. Frequency was a problem, but again, the goal of training is to race, not more training.
I'm disappointed that Dr. Cordain could not find an athlete willing to test his theories with sound and intelligent training, rather than the usual carb-load glucose-laden mess we've been stuck with. There are many low carb runners and cyclists out there who address the issues covered in this book far more intelligently and in a way that does not compromise their long term health as this approach potentially does.
"A great diet and exercise book not just for paleolithic 
2007-08-06
Highly informative for all athletes and people wanting to exercise on a regular basis.
Basically it teaches you what, when and how to eat your food so that you get the maximun performance. It also has specific advice on fluids. If you are planning to do regular execise, this is a highly recommended book, even if you are not planning to follow the paleo diet strictly.
Wow! Opened my eyes. 2007-07-12
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.
Great athlete guide to nutrition 2007-05-23
This book has really helped me in my quest for iron distance triathlons. The times to eat and the types of foods are very helpful for recovery from exercise. Joe Friel's scientific approach to nutrition is extremely well informed. I have used his techniques and had great results. I highly suggest this book to anyone who wants to increase their fitness level.
A Key Nutrition Resource 2007-04-09
These nutritional strategies will help you fuel your body to keep it going longer as you work to build up your endurance.
oriented toward performance, not weight loss 2007-04-04
Not that this is a bad thing, maybe even if your goal is weight loss.
This book has some surprising new angles on diet for performance, and I think it has in fact improved my performance.
I do wish it had more sample menus and clearer examples of what to eat if you're not a huge muscular guy. (The amount of calories assumed by this book is kind of alarming. Maybe if I ate that I really would just get stronger and not balloon to the size of Texas, but I've been afraid to try it all out.) Also wish it offered some healthy alternatives to eat on the bike instead of just Gatorade, which my dentist says is the reason my teeth suddenly went to heck after I started biking (and sipping Gatorade) a lot.
He gives lots of very good information about the non-exercise times food, but then seems to rely heavily on the sports drink for the exercise window. Really? I still have trouble believing this day-glo stuff is really the health elixer of all time. (Even if you don't care about having your original teeth all that much.) Hope maybe he'll revisit that question with the same inquiring spirit as he has the rest of the plan.
Awful lot of lengthy kinda academic discussion of the roots of the diet. Don't care as much as I should. Tell me what to eat and when as simply as possible, please. I'm slow and fat and too hungry from trying to diet conventionally to wade through all those complicated explanations...
Seriously...I was very disappointed that this book did not offer more concrete weight loss help, because I really want to lose weight, but...I think it actually did more toward getting me to genuinely eat well than anything else I've read. And I've read quite a lot. (Almost as much as I've eaten...)
It's genuinely different, it makes sense, and ...damned if it doesn't seem to work. That's really saying something for a diet book these days. Even if its a "go faster" diet book, and not just a "fit in your favorite jeans again" diet book.
Bonus points, however, if the next version could be both.
nutritional resource 2007-01-12
Nutrition is a key aspect of endurance sports and is discussed in detail by two leading experts in the field, Cordain and Friel. Following the techniques described in this book will resort in better recovery, overall improved health, and improved performance. Based upon Dr. Cordain's Paleo diet, the authors present strategies for proper nutrition and refueling that is revised for the specific demands of endurance training. Highly recommended for any endurance athlete with dedication to improve their lifestyle surrounding their sport. The plan is easy to follow after some adjustments and becomes a way of life!
