The Correct Nutrition for Athletes

Cheltenham's Tim Hatcher is a triathlete. Involving swimming, cycling and running, the triathlon is a sport that requires a high degree of strength and stamina over a long period. Tim was coached and instructed on carbo-loading to build up a reserve of sugar and thus, energy, in his body for the trial to come.

'On the run up to my first triathlon', he told me, 'I followed the high carbohydrate low fat eating routine, with daily training. Prior to the event I had a pasta lunch, then a banana an hour before the start. I had a terrible time of it, a slow swim time, got a stitch soon into the cycle, felt hungry, had some Kendal mint cake (sugar), and then collapsed exhausted at the finishing line.'

But that wasn't all. A side effect he had noticed of his pre-race practice was that sometimes he 'crashed' not long after a meal with sweating and a sugar craving. He checked this out with his doctor who diagnosed reactive hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose caused as a reaction to a high carbohydrate meal). This, he was told was not something to worry about as 'we all suffer from it to a certain degree'.

The doctor's reassurance, however, did not satisfy him. After doing some research, Tim decided to change his carbo-loading regime for one that was low in carbohydrate and high in fats - the sort of regime I have been advocating in these pages.

'This had surprising effects, my training time started getting better, I felt better, I lost weight, my body shape was changing, I was losing my belly, all of which I had not expected. Also the best thing is that I have not yet had a reactive hypoglycaemia attack since adopting this new eating pattern.'

The night before his next triathlon Tim ate a low-carbohydrate meal of Morrocan stew. On the morning of the event he breakfasted on feta cheese, artichoke heart and spinach omelette, fried in butter, with sliced tomato drizzled with olive oil and two slices of bread and butter. 'This was really hard for me, no carbo-loading, how was it going to work? Would I run out of steam half way round? Would I "hit the wall"? Would my muscles run out of fuel and seize up? All were conditions I had been led to believe could happen without carbo-loading.'

It rained throughout the event. Tim's swim time was a personal best. Although the cycling was 'really wet and horrible', with mud on road at several points, Tim overtook two people on the stage - and didn't get the stitch which had plagued his previous race. Tim started the run and thought 'oh no, stitch on its way', but that feeling disappeared as quickly as it had come and came to nothing. Tim overtook three people during the running stage. The end of the run was the end of the race. He finished feeling great; none of his fears had materialised and, he said, 'I felt a thousand times better than the end of the last event, very wet, but very happy, looking forward to the next'.

Tim's times were much improved - a personal best - and he assured me that he will continue with his new eating regime which, he says 'tastes good, it makes me feel good, it makes me stronger, it is changing my body shape to one I like, and has no adverse side effects. I would recommend this to anybody, in fact I already have. I really does make sense and I feel is a must for any serious athlete.'

Dr. Groves,

I would like to congratulate you on a marvelous website. With it, you are doing a wonderful service.

I am now 22 years old and a strict carnivore. I eat only meat and meat products (except for milk, which I do not drink due to lactose). The only sort of plants that passes my lips are herbs to season my meat (and then not always, as I love the taste of fresh meat)!

I was fairly chubby my whole life, and at 19 decided to do something about it. I started Dr. Atkins' low-carbohydrate diet with great results. But, my curiosity as to why the low-carb diet worked egged me on, and I continued to research the subject. To make a short story shorter I stopped eating the Atkins diet--I am not pleased that he encourages vegetable matter, particularly soy (but what can you expect, selling his carbohydrate substitute foods is big business for him)--and with some trepidation gave the all-meat diet a try. That was almost 2 years ago and I have not looked back. I feel this diet is going to be a permanent lifestyle choice.

I look great and feel better, and all medical tests, e.g., blood pressure, cholesterol checks, etc. ensure that I am the picture of health. I stand 1.82m tall (6'2" US Imperial), and weigh 88kg (195lbs. US Imperial). (I am very physically active with martial arts and ashtanga yoga, and I lift weights---all my weight gain nowadays is muscle mass). I live in Florida, where it is subtropical and very hot. Heavy outdoor exertion can easily lead to fatigue, and heat stroke. When my martial arts group and I train outside I inevitably outlast my carbohydrate-eating compatriots, who drop out due to exhaustion and heat problems. I keep on going, and even after a vigorous, several hour training session, am not drained of energy. In fact, I am always full of energy.

It is a shame people are so close-minded about diet. As Viljhamur Steffannson points out, after religion people are most fanatical and close-minded about diet. I suppose this is because diet is as much a cultural habit as it is a biological need. I still have friends and family who call me crazy for eating the way I do, calling it a "stupid diet". Well, the joke is on them, as time and aging will prove.

I can go on and on---this is a passion of mine---but I will end it here. I simply wanted to let you know there are other sane people out there!

Best,

Milos