“The Paleo Diet’s emphasis on fresh, seasonal produce and minimally processed foods is commendable, but I don’t recommend a diet that cuts back on whole grains,” she says. “Carbohydrates are the body’s essential fuel, especially for athletes.”
A growing number of fitness professionals warn endurance athletes from adopting such a severe nutritional approach.
“Your body needs carbs to function. Endurance athletes need them even more,” says Colin Izzard, head coach at Carmichael Training in Asheville, N.C. “If you don’t replace them during activity and after, you bonk. In the long term, your body will begin to break down. The strict Paleo Diet won’t work for endurance athletes. Can you imagine how many apples you’d have to eat for a 3,000-calorie bike ride?”
Even Paleo founding father Loren Cordain acknowledges the need for carbs in endurance athletes. His latest Paleo book, The Paleo Diet for Athletes, recommends incorporating carbs like sweet potatoes into an athlete’s workout cycles, then pairing down on the carbs during rest periods. It’s a more balanced approach to nutrition that takes the individual into account.
“I have to modify the Paleo Diet when I’m training for a race,” says Erin Kelly Ferner, a Paleo practitioner dietician, and endurance athlete. “Nutrition is extremely individualized. The Paleo Diet, like any other nutrition plan, is about trial and error. You have to play with it and see what works for you.”
While meat remains a bone of contention, Paleo critics and advocates agree that seasonal fruits and vegetables are essential components of a healthy diet, both then and now. Also universally celebrated is the Paleo Diet’s emphasis on eliminating refined sugars, preservatives, and processed foods. Over one-third of America’s diet today consists of junk food, soft drinks, sweets, alcohol, and salty snacks.
“Look at the diet objectively, and most of it is just common sense healthy eating,” Izzard says. “It’s nothing new. It’s just packaged differently.”
