The Paleo diet is characterized by following the dietary habits of our Stone Age ancestors while the traditional "athlete" diet focuses on lots of carbohydrates and low amounts of fat. "The Paleo Diet for Athletes," written by Loren Cordain, Ph.D., and Joe Friel, connects the popular Paleo diet to athletes by taking the basic Paleo concepts and creating a diet that allows athletes to perform at a high level.
Function
As an athlete, nutrition plays an important role for supplying the nutrients required to fuel workouts and promote recovery. The Paleo diet focuses on consuming whole, natural foods that allow the body to maintain balanced hormone levels and use fat and carbohydrates as the primary energy sources. These foods, as a general rule, will include the foods that were normally consumed by our ancestors in the Paleolithic era such as vegetables, fruits and lean animal protein.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are generally the focus of most athlete diets, but the Paleo diet for athletes has specific guidelines to follow for consuming carbohydrates. Consume foods that are low to moderate glycemic index carbohydrates before an intense workout or long athletic competition, and consume a carbohydrate/protein recovery meal within 30 minutes after the workout or event. The Paleo diet will normally restrict pasta, bread, bagels and rice, but for extended recovery the Paleo diet for athletes will allow these items in moderation.
Features
The normal Paleo diet follows an "unweighed and unmeasured" mindset, but to optimize energy levels and recovery times, the Paleo diet breaks down the recommended ranges for carbohydrates, protein and fat. Year-round protein consumption should be around 20 percent to 25 percent of the total calories, but fat and carbohydrates will vary based on the training schedule. During the general preparation training period, fat calories should provide 30 percent of the total calories with 50 percent coming from carbohydrates. During peak training, an athlete has a greater demand for carbohydrates resulting in an increase to 60 percent of the calories from carbohydrates and 20 percent from fat.
Time Frame
The Paleo diet for athletes highlights five stages of eating to reach the specific nutritional goals for each stage. Stage 1 (Eating Before Exercise) and Stage 2 (Eating During Exercise) focus on providing energy and fuel to the working muscles for a sustained high energy output. Stage 3 (Eating 30 Minutes Post Exercise), Stage 4 (Short-Term Post Exercise) and Stage 5 (Long-Term Post Exercise) are designed for quick recovery.
Benefits
For an athlete, the Paleo diet has several performance benefits. Consuming anti-inflammatory foods that are rich in trace nutrients, vitamins and minerals reduces tissue inflammation that can prevent proper recovery. Lowering body acidity will reduce catabolism that can improve muscle development and anabolic function.
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