Iron and the Endurance Athlete, by Jim Weinstein

It’s true, Iron Deficiency is the world’s most common nutritional disorder—and it’s also one of the most abundant metals on earth.  Oh, and iron is also one of the most common substances that children accidentally overdose on! So what is it about iron that has endurance athletes in a trance?  Some tout its potential ergogenic benefits: the solution to fatigue, the answer to improving hemoglobin, the cure for lagging performance.

Click to read more ...

Ask the Experts: Ben Greenfield on endurance athletes and healthy digestion

Endurance athletes need heavy amounts of carbohydrate based fuel. When this sugary fuel meets up with the bacteria in your stomach, digestion and fermentation produces CO2 - the gassy bloating bane of cyclists, marathoners and triathletes worldwide!

Click to read more ...

Rethinking the 60 percent rule, by Matt Fitzgerald

Endurance athletes are commonly advised to aim for a target of 60 percent of carbohydrate in their daily diet.  This recommendation is based on scientific studies dating back more than four decades that have shown that average carbohydrate intake levels in western diets—which hover around 50 percent of total calories—are not sufficient to optimize performance in extreme endurance tests such as marathons.

Click to read more ...

Congress considers corporate wellness

In today’s New York Times, an article in health describes how Congress is considering incentive programs to encourage healthy habits in the workplace as part of the government’s effort to overhaul healthcare. Writes author Robert Pear, “In its effort to overhaul health care, Congress is planning to give employers sweeping new authority to reward employees for healthy behavior, including better diet, more exercise, weight loss and smoking cessation.” “Congress is seriously considering proposals to provide tax credits or other subsidies to employers who offer wellness programs that meet federal criteria. In addition, lawmakers said they would make it easier for employers to use financial rewards or penalties to promote healthy behavior among employees.” Promoting healthy behavior has been a part of the TrainingPeaks philosophy for almost a decade. The planning, tracking and analysis functionality for both training and nutrition offered by TrainingPeaks online software could become an important part of such federal wellness programs. Read more in the full article at the New York Times.

Click to read more ...

The High Metabolism Diet, by Rick Kattouf

Question: I am 33 year old male former snow skier and football player. I am 155 lbs. When in high school I had to eat nearly 5k in calories to maintain my weight. As soon as I would slow down my eating I would instantly start losing. I am now not nearly as active. I am thinking about starting MMA not to fight but to learn. I currently eat 3k in calories a day to maintain my weight. I still drop weight quickly if i cut back. I have talked to doctors about my eating and weight loss and they said my metabolism is just high and that it will slow down. It’s not slowing down. Is there a diet that will fit my needs?

Click to read more ...