Go Paleo: Why Athletes Should Ditch the Pre-Race Pasta Party
Monday, October 24, 2011 at 10:25AM 
As a die-hard Paleo endurance athlete, I have a real problem with the idea that almost all the pre-race day dinners hosted at races are largely, if not entirely, focused on pasta and bread!
It’s so unfortunate to think of how many athletes have their races sabotaged, or at least compromised, not only by consuming too many carbohydrates, but the wrong type of carbohydrates.
One in 133 people have a mild to severe reaction to eating gluten. Even if you’ve been to your doctor and have tested negative for celiac disease, don’t assume you should carry on eating wheat, barley, rye, and all their derivative products.
For some, the result is mild to moderate GI distress, including leaky gut syndrome or misdiagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome, but it doesn’t stop there. Gluten affects the whole body and side effects can also include acne, joint pain, not recovering well from workouts, chronic fatigue, and exacerbation of autoimmune conditions.
Some studies show it’s just a matter of time, and that many people can reach a tipping point at any moment in their lives at which they simply cannot ingest this toxin any longer. People can have a latent allergy to gluten, myself included. At age 28, I found my tipping point. One can eat gluten-based products for their entire life and then, sometimes as a result of infection, trauma or stress, the body simply says, “I’ve had enough."
So, just go gluten free? Not exactly. Some of the negative properties found in gluten are found in ALL grains. They all contain “anti-nutrients” which prevent the body from properly absorbing all of the nutrition from healthy fruits, veggies and meats that we’re eating.
Where does that leave the endurance athlete trying to follow a Paleo diet, given that many of the sports nutrition products on the market are grain-based? How does one “carbo-load” for a long training session or a race?
After 10 years of racing Ironman, the last six which have been Paleo (and have included four trips to Kona), I can tell you from personal experience that Paleo living absolutely supports endurance training and racing.
I have the same meal for dinner the night before every race, and the same breakfast before the gun goes off on race day.
The night before, dinner is always roasted chicken breast, steamed broccoli or spinach, and yams drizzled with olive oil.
The morning of, usually around 4 a.m. (since Ironman age group athletes start at 7 a.m.), breakfast is my signature smoothie: 8 oz brewed, chilled green tea, 1 large banana, 1 tablespoon raw almond butter, 1 scoop of plain egg white protein powder, and some more yam, salted.
I cannot remember the last time I had GI issues in a race. This coming from someone who was constantly sidelined by unexpected stops in the port-a-loo in literally every race I did, back in the days when I would rely on spaghetti dinners the night before and a bagel with peanut butter on race morning.
How do you tell if you’ve got mild to severe issues with gluten?
A visit to your doctor is one method, but even if you see your physician and he or she tells you that the results of your celiac test were negative, you will still be better off not eating grains.
I encourage you to be your own investigator. To start, cut out grains and all related products for 4-6 weeks and see if you feel better. Then, do yourself a favor and give Paleo a shot. Cut out acid-forming dairy and anti-nutrient containing legumes (including soy and peanuts) and you won’t believe how fantastic you feel, even if you’re coming from a place of feeling great to begin with!
If you’re looking for more info on the Paleo lifestyle, check out the following related articles:
Nell Stephenson, personal fitness trainer, nutritional counselor, Paleolithic eating coach & athlete, graduated from University of Southern California In Los Angeles, with a BS in Exercise Science, and received her Health/Fitness Instructor Certification from the American College of Sports Medicine. Read more about Nell and view her nutrition plans on TrainingPeaks here.
Reader Comments (28)
Do you know what the word 'projection' means? Do you realize that you do not represent the entirety of humanity and that ~4 decades of literature on carb-loading contradicts your personal experience? Does the fact that 1 in 133 people have issues with gluten mean that 132 should automatically do what only impacts on the one?
No one is claiming that 'athletes do not need to be sure their bodies are fueled with glycogen before an endurance training session or race'; rather it's the SOURCE of the carbohydrate that I've discussed in my article.
Further, while the remaining 132 people in the statistic I referred to from the Celiac Disease Foundation may not have been diagnosed with a gluten intolerance issue, the bottom line is that eating gluten is not good for anyone.
Whatever nutrients one might be attempting to consume via products that contain gluten are easily sourced from those that do not, and with far less consequence.
Thank you for your post, Lyle!
I'm not so sure about your "entirety of humanity" comment Lyle. There is increasing evidence that Carbs in any form are not so good and cutting bread and pasta is one way to significantly decrease your Carb intake. You should check out Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes or his latest book Why We Get Fat. Very interesting reading for the Carb loading runner (even the really skinny ones like me). It certainly changed my eating habits mostly because my running was leading to carb loading which was leading to stomach issues, fatigue, high blood pressure, high triglycerides, and pre-metabolic syndrome. The running and carb loading were my "tipping point."
This really has nothing to do with Gluten or Celiac disease. I wouldn't have even mentioned those diseased in this article because it distracts from the premise that Carbs are the problem for the majority of humanity. Not Gluten.
You comment on all grains containing anti-nutrients preventing adsorption of other foods is not correct. You would do better to explain the molecular basis for celiac disease, which is incomplete proteolysis of a protein that has the specific capabilities of enhancing its transport from the intestinal lumen into the bloodstream. To develop intolerance to gluten requires that antibodies are made to the peptide fragment that is released into the bloodstream. There are no "partial" responses, this is an autoimmune disease. The protein products found in grains do not prevent adsorption of other materials through the intestines. The damage of the intestine occurs from an inflammatory response by presentation of the gluten protein or gliadin peptide. The reason that gliadin derived from gluten affects the whole body is the autoimmune response not the protein or peptide itself.
Why do you argue that eating gluten is not good for anyone, as I see it the negative consequences are the potential for developing an autoimmune response to gliadins but simply eating glutens is not going to harm someone and is not going to have immediate consequences. Here is an article from PubMed that reviews the current disease http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21633592.
I disagree with your statement that you are better off not eating grains and if you are negative for celiac disease it is unlikely you have antibodies to gluten or an autoimmune response. Please in the future inform readers what is your opinion and what is science, which is not an opinion but tested and accepted hypotheses.
Assuming the fact that
"One in 133 people have a mild to severe reaction to eating gluten"
is correct, does that make Gluten a "TOXIN"?
By that reasoning are not then Milk, Nuts, .... anything that anyone
has an adverse reaction to a "TOXIN"??
What would not be a TOXIN?
I'd like to have your opinion about dinner and breakfast during multiple days stage race, where the daily calorie is from 4-6000 KCal. My experience is that if you don't rely on high density CHO, you are not going to make the amount of CHO required to fill the glicogen storage, unless you eat so much fruit and veggy to have GastroIntestinal stress.
If you cut all grains, all dairy and legumes, I think you are going to have problems to have enough variety in the diet.
Thanks for your view on this.
In the last month or so, I started a strict Paleo dieting, partly in hope to burn those annoying extra few pounds and hopefully improve my performance by eating better. As a perfectionist in anything I find an interest in, I set and study the Paleo diet thoroughly and decided I’ll give it a shot.
Let me tell you something my friends, gluten intolerance or not, I felt the power of this diet right away. If you do it right and understand the reasons and the facts behind this basic, most natural way of eating, there’s just no way you’ll ever look back.
Now it is only my experience here, I am not coming to dismiss anyone’s believes or ideas. Nell just trying to show you guys, there might just be a better way to think about our diet when it comes to training and racing, perhaps a better way than what we taught to believe in that last 40 years of “facts and literature”.
Nell, you are an amazing person, you doing an amazing job, thank you for any little piece of information you’re sharing. I can’t thank you enough!
Thank you!
Aviv
These are great suggestions for people who have gastrointestinal issues in races -- it's a very individual process to figure out what works for you and can take a lot of trial and error. However, please keep the junk science and fad diet evangelism out of the column. There is no substantial evidence that gluten is a "toxin". In fact, we still have a lot to understand about why some people are especially sensitive to gluten. What you describe as scientific fact is actually still very speculative. The bottom line is people should experiment and see what works best for them.
Thanks Mark, nicely said and I probably delved too deep with my response. That said, I am concerned that Training Peaks, which promotes itself as using science-based training methods would permit pure speculation as a blog post that many will read and not knowing any better might follow. I suggest that TP vet the blog posts for some level of scientific accuracy. Since I use TP for my own training, I hope that the training is based on science and not speculation.
I gave up gluten when testing revealed that I am allergic to wheat. I was suffering from chronic sinus infections. I haven't bothered to get the test for Celiac disease since I have no associated GI issues. I'm pretty amazed at how good I feel, not to mention the unplanned weight loss bonus. I haven't had a sinus infection since giving it up either.
During the testing, I also learned that I'm allergic to eggs. :( I'm very interested in trying your smoothie idea for race day. Anything you might recommend as an egg protein substitute? Thanks!
Melinda,
Egg allergies are rather common! I just wrote a post last week about ideas for smoothies... without protein:
http://stephenson.typepad.com/train_with_nellie/2011/10/smoothies-without-protein-powder.html
The example I wrote about on that post was more intended for a meal eaten during the day, rather than as a pre-race idea. However, I've done a lot of experimenting with what I can handle digesting before training and racing and have found that a small amount of lean chicken or turkey actually works quite well! Hope that helps!
I would have to agree 100% with first Mark's and Brad's comments. Since i can't say it better than these two individuals, i will just re-ierate that it's really up to the individual to work out what works best for them. My personal experience is that the paleo was awful for my performance in races and events. I wanted to try it to see if i would see improvements in my performance according to some of the hype out there (particularly with crossfit), but i found it was totally the opposite. Since i don't suffer from any problems from 'carbo' loading and eating grains, i went back to my original diet, and have never been stronger. My point being is do what works for you. If you are gluten intolerant well then this is an option for you. If you are not, i strongly advise keep eating grains, and if u must, try the paleo for yourself so you can see the difference.
I am disappointed that TP allows a blog like this which is certainly not balanced in its views.
Seems like your being rather pedantic in your opinion here an I wonder..if this is sent from TrainingPeaks...do they endorse your comments...I doubt it...By the way whats a Yam..here in Australia...we would not have a clue
Something I'm curious about with strict practitioners of the paleo diet: how much meat are you eating each day, week, or month? Are you truly replicating a Paleolithic diet if you eat meat 3-5 times a day, 20-35 times a week,100 times a month? It seems unlikely our hunter/gather ancestors had that kind of access to meat. I have good friends who are on 'paleo' diets and they're eating a seemingly ridiculous amount of meat for no other reason than it rounds out each meal. Does anybody have a grasp on a realistic paleo meat eating frequency?
Years ago I went Paleo and focused on fruits and vegetables with lean protein. It was transformative. That year I went home with a half a dozen trophies and a title. To do Paleo well, one has to be serious about their fruits and vegetables, and we know that there is 'prep' time involved. This is the challenging (yet rewarding part). If you won't eat your veggies--probably not the program for you.
That said, I've come to notice that everyone has their own unique physiology and I'm convinced there are those among us who function better on diets that range from vegan to vegetarian to paleo-- to a combination. There doesn't seem to be a one size fits all. Just try it on--and see how you feel and perform. You'll know. Thanks Nell!
Brad:
Paleolithic people ate grubs, tubers some fish, and carbohydrates primarily. They certainly did not eat the American average poundage of meat per year, which is now probably over the 2007 estimate of 222 lbs!There is some evidence for meat eating among paleos, but certainly not the McDonald's variety, or even wild elk, buffalo, etc. that some claim to be eating. I'd love to be a fly on the wall in these 'paleo' dining rooms to see what and how much they eat!
I eat meat about once a month at the most, and rarely eat fish. Eggs, maybe 2 a week. Plenty of soy, whole foods like veggies and fruits, and some pasta and whole grains. Rarely any milk or dairy, which was a really hard transition to make because I'm from the Midwest and love dairy.
I have no gluten problems. I'm 6', 155 lbs and very healthy.
Blessing to the OP for getting herself healthy, but I wouldn't throw out gluten for everyone. Everyone is different, eh?
For me, I follow "The China Study" and Esselstyn.
-Dragonflykisses
I'll be blunt: I don't eat meat, meat products, milk, eggs, dairy, refined flour, refined sugar, or oil. You want to eat meat, good for you. But to Training Peaks: why would you ever put a doctrine based on munching on critters out there as tho it's gospel? Good grief. Try Brendan Brazier's program if you want health. :)
Before trying a "Paleo" diet, beware of the gastrointestinal problems related to meat consumption. In short, meats take longer to digest than complex carbohydrates. I define meats as any flesh food, including fish. Meats stay in your digestive tract for a long time, even days versus a few hours to digest something like oats and bananas or chickpeas (garbanzo beans). Do your research. Meat-eaters: have claws, Humans: no claws. Meat-eaters: have no skin pores and perspire through the tongue, Humans: perspire through skin pores. Meat-eaters: have sharp front teeth for tearing, with no flat molar teeth for grinding. Humans: no sharp front teeth, but flat rear molars for grinding. Meat-eaters: have intestinal tract that is only 3 times their body length so that rapidly decaying meat can pass through quickly. Humans: have intestinal tract 10-12 times their body length.
Humans have stomach acid that is 20 times weaker than that of a meat-eater. Humans have well-developed salivary glands, which are necessary to pre-digest, grains and fruits; alkaline saliva with ptyalin to pre-digest grains. A Paleo leads to liver toxicity, kidney overload and mineral deficiency diseases.
Interesting article worth a read, Wheat Belly-more anti-gluten/ wheat ammo. William Davis feels so strong about the topic, arguing that wheat is so bad for you that it should carry a surgeon generals warning.
What ever happen to moderation.
Hi Nell,
Very informative blog and thanks for sharing with everyone.
I heard pasta increase weight and maybe that's the reason of athletes ditching the pre race pasta party.
Hey Kate, we certainly appreciate that many athletes have made the decision to cut meat out of their diets. As some of our readers have already stated, no one diet is perfect for every athlete. Nor is any one training strategy the right fit for all. We make available the various training strategies and nutrition plans written by coaches and let our users and readers make their own decisions about what will work for them. Thanks for your contribution to the discussion, having the whole range of opinions and feedback is what makes a forum useful for our readers.
With all these benefits, it’s little wonder that pasta has been revered by generations of lean and healthy Italians. And with the popularity of the Mediterranean diet growing worldwide, perhaps pasta will regain the respect it deserves from American consumers too.
Thanks for your valuable comments on Why Athletes Should Ditch the Pre-Race Pasta Party. No doubt that Pasta definitely increases your weight too .
It is my experience that those who have not complied with a strict diet are also those who imagine that the psychological rewards could offset the inconvenience of the diet. I’m sure there are isolated cases such as you suggest, but most such individuals would quickly be dissuaded by the many inconveniences associated with dietary avoidance.
sorry for the naysayers, but this is a great article. I don't buy the "we aren't meant to eat meat" propaganda. all protein rich food digests slower, and in turn takes more energy and causes you to loose weight. meat does not linger for days. I work in a pharmacy and every single time someone bought a colon cleanse kit for that "spackle and paste" in their gut, the pharmacists would chuckle and comment about how they were throwing their money away. if it takes you days to digest and evacuate any type of food you are constipated and need to fix the problem or see a physician. also, food can't cling to your stomach lining which sheds every few days and is also 'gasp' meat/organs and moves through you naturally.