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The Paleo Athlete: A Beginners Guide to Real Food for Performance

2013 Stephanie Gaudreau. All Rights Reserved.
No part of this ebook may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author.
Author: Stephanie Gaudreau
Foreword: Dallas Hartwig
Copy Editor: Michele Truty
Editor: Craig Zielinski
Cover design: Dave Conrey
Published by:
Quadzilla Press
San Diego, CA
Connect with me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, Google+ and YouTube.
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Disclaimers, Copyright and Use. You Know, the Legal Stuff.
This book and any portion or excerpt may not be given away, sold or shared electronically without express prior written consent. Please respect
the intellectual property and hard work of the author, Stephanie Gaudreau. The Paleo Athlete is intellectual property protected by copyright law.
The information contained in this book is for informational purposes only. By reading this book and implementing any general suggestions, you
agree that you are responsible for your results relating to any information presented within. As a Certified Holistic Nutrition Practitioner, I am only
qualified to give specific nutrition advice to clients who have completed a health intake form. I am not qualified to give medical or nutrition
advice outside of my own knowledge base so use only what I post as recommendations and not professional advice.
The information provided in this book is not intended to diagnose or treat any illness or other medical condition. The advice provided herein is
based on an abbreviated examination of the minimal facts given, not the extensive analysis I conduct when working with individual clients.
Therefore, this advice is not a substitute for working with a nutritionist. I cannot guarantee the outcome of following the advice provided and my
statements about the potential outcome are expressions of opinion only. Following the advice provided is at your own risk.
The material in this book may include information or products by third parties. Third Party Materials comprise the products and opinions
expressed by their owners. As such, I do not assume responsibility or liability for any Third Party Materials or opinions. The publication of such
Third Party Materials does not constitute my guarantee of any information, instruction, opinion, products or services contained within the Third
Party Materials. Publication of such Third Party Materials is simply a recommendation and an expression of my own opinion of that material.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. Any products and advice discussed are not intended to
diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Users of this guide are advised to do their own due diligence when it comes to making decisions
and all information, products and services that have been provided should be independently verified by your own qualified professionals.
Copyright 2013 Stephanie Gaudreau. All Rights Reserved
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Dedication
To my Grandpa Ted for tadpoles and my Grandma Ruth for lazy pierogi.
To all the BAMF athletes who work tirelessly for every second on the clock and every kilo on the bar.
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My Ultimate Gratitude Goes To:
My family for supporting my harebrained ideas and tendency to break the mold.
Dallas and Melissa Hartwig of Whole9 for your friendship and support and for always making me think just a bit harder.
My readers for inspiring me daily.
Dawn Fletcher for helping me discover that Stupid Easy Paleo was a way to give back to others.
Melissa Joulwan and Michelle Tam for your priceless advice about all things publishing.
Dave Conrey, Allegra Stein and Rebecca Tracey for your topnotch coaching and for shooting the breeze about all things
entrepreneurial.
Michele Truty for your keen eye!
Sarah Menkes Servold, Jordan May, Chris Hanson and Nisha Purewal for your mad photography skills.
Ciarra Hannah, Russ Crandall, Deb Perelman and Food 52 for your recipe inspiration.
Robb Wolf, Chris Kresser and Mark Sisson for your ever-informative blogs and books.
CrossFit Invictus, CrossFit Glasgow and CrossFit Fortius for your ace coaching and for incubating amazing athletes.
Allison for getting this whole Paleo ball rolling and the Mannimals for many years of great memories on and off the bike.
Z for challenging my perception of whats really possible in this world.
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Foreword
by Dallas Hartwig
In 2004, I spent a month in Perus Cordillera Blanca range climbing some achingly beautiful mountains. Some were above
20,000 feet, and I was thankful that my training had prepared me well for long days and nights of moving my heavy pack
and tired body over rocky and extensively crevassed terrain.
In the months leading up to the trip, I spent my spare time strapping on my climbing boots and filling my backpack with
heavy items, then heading off into New Hampshires Presidential Rangeincluding some winter climbs on Mount
Washington, famous for some of the worlds worst weather. I put in hundreds of training hours at the gym as well, scaring
and amusing other members with my ice tools and plastic climbing boots. I did sprints in subzero temperatures, the
searing air constricting my lungs. I hiked and climbed through many nights to get used to maneuvering in the dark. I
paid my training dues, and when I left for Lima, I felt nearly bombproof. I was strong, fit and confident.
Despite all the planning and effort that I put into my training, I put very little effort into planning for my nutritional needs.
I knew about the massive caloric requirements of alpine climbing. I had extensive experience with backcountry food, and
knew that I needed large amounts of dietary carbohydrate to fuel my climbing, which often lasted 1218 continuous
hours. I also knew that, under stress and at considerable altitude, ones appetite tends to fade away.
I knew these things but didnt know how to properly account for them with my nutritional plan.
After doing some calculations, I packed 250 packets of carbohydrate gel (aptly named Gu) and several kilograms of
Nutella for the trip, planning on sourcing the rest of my food locally. After arriving in Peru and spending a week
acclimatizing, my climbing partner and I did some practice climbs in preparation for loftier projects, and it became
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readily apparent to me that I was absolutely dependent on a constant flow of sugar in order to function. Without a carb
gel or some candy or some crackers, I struggled to keep moving and stay mentally sharp for more than a few hours.
It took about three days to start hating the carb gels, but since cooking hot meals was a luxury that we had only
periodically, cold and often unpalatable food options were my self-imposed diet. While climbing, if I forgot (i.e.,
procrastinated) to eat something every hour or two, my fatigue and general miseryoften unfairly directed at my partner
set in rapidly, and it would take us extra time to catch up on fueling and recollect ourselves.
On big mountains, speed is safetyand all the physical conditioning in the world couldnt offset my misguided
nutritional strategy.
In retrospect, I was both foolhardy and fortunate on that trip. If I had known more about physiology and planned my
nutrition differently, I may have been able to save myself some misery, move faster (and longer) on tricky terrain and
attempt higher and harder routes. My physical performance was limited by my nutrition, not by my training.
I met Steph Gaudreau in 2011 when she attended our Whole9 Foundations of Nutrition Seminar. She immediately struck
me as bright, driven and capable of distilling complex ideas into bite-sized chunks, a skill she developed while teaching
high school chemistry and biology. She has competed in mountain biking, triathlons, and CrossFit, and I can personally
attest to her impressive strength, endurance and dedication. Since we first met, Steph has proven to be a strong leader
both in her fitness community and in ours, building an incredible online presence, providing mountains of useful nutrition
and fitness information on her website and creating hundreds of delicious (and free!) Paleo recipes.
In this ebook, Steph has laid out a logical framework for making good food choices that support both excellent health
and impressive physical performance, whether that is tested against others on the field of play or against yourself in the
gym (or the mountains). The title, The Paleo Athlete: A Beginners Guide to Real Food for Performance, succinctly
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expresses her concept: Choosing nutrient-dense Paleo foods in amounts and proportions that support your physical
activity allows you to participate in your sport without relying on pills, powders and nutrient-poor packaged food (like my
forever-hated Gu packets). Not only is her approach consistent with the one laid out in my New York Times best-selling
book, It Starts with Food, but Steph shows you that it doesnt have to be hard, exceedingly time-consuming, or cost-
prohibitive. (And it certainly doesnt have to be boring or bland.)
She uses the Paleo descriptor for her approach, but I think its important to note that her Paleo is not the same Paleo
that you see used to market bread, cookies, pasta, and all manner of processed food products. The grassroots success of
the Paleo template as a life-changing (and performance-boosting!) nutritional approach has attracted all sorts of
opportunists, hawking Paleo junk foods under the guise of health. That is not the Paleo with which our Whole30
program has changed lives, however, and that is not the Paleo that Steph has built this program upon.
Her Paleo is also not the all-meat diet that is so often attacked by misguided media outlets, and its not the Dont use
salt because cavemen didnt have salt shakers Paleo, either. Paleo is a word that has taken on so many meanings, and
much like clean-eating, it means different things to different people. In this ebook, however, Steph expresses a core
philosophy that I also share: A nutritious diet should be minimally processed, include both nutrient-dense plants and
naturally raised animals, should avoid inflammatory foods and should not focus on recreating desserts and processed
food products using approved ingredients.
Stephs approach in The Paleo Athlete emphasizes real food, using select specialty ingredients or dietary supplements
only as a secondary way to provide fuel for athletes who have more complex nutritional needs than the typical healthy
eater. But even with these more complex needs, she holds fast to the idea that athletes are humans first and foremost,
and we live and perform optimally using real, whole nutrient-dense food as the centerpiece of our diet.
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Throughout this book, youll find all the practical application strategies youll need to improve your athletic performance
while continuing to improve your health and quality of life. Whether you are a collegiate track and field athlete, a middle-
aged CrossFit competitor or a starry-eyed twenty-something headed off to climb big mountains, this book will chart your
course for a better way to build your performance diet. I wish Id had it before leaving for Lima, but Im thrilled to be
able to introduce you to it today, so that you dont have to make the same mistakes I did with your next big event.
Dallas Hartwig
Co-creator, with Melissa Hartwig, of the Whole30

Program
New York Times best-selling authors of It Starts with Food
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Table of Contents
012 My Story
015 Chapter 1: The Basics
016 Introduction
019 This Book Is for You if You...
021 Paleo...with Benefits
023 Whats Paleo?
027 Why Do It?
032 Foods to Avoid
033 A Primer on Energy Systems
035 Chapter 2: The Macros
036 P, F & C
040 Carbology 101
043 Not All Carbs Are Created Equal
045 Stop the (Low Carb) Insanity
047 Chapter 3: Rubber, Meet Road
048 Become an Energy-Using Chameleon
050 Signs Youre Burning Through Fat Like a Mofo
051 What to Put in Your Mouth
053 Protein
056 Carbs
059 Fats
061 Macro Summary
062 Pre-, Intra- & PostWorkout Nutrition Intro
064 PreWorkout Nutrition
067 IntraWorkout Nutrition
068 PostWorkout Nutrition
072 Summary
073 Strength & Power Athletes
076 High-Intensity Athletes
079 Endurance Athletes
082 Youre an Experiment. N = 1.
083 Chapter 4: File Under Other
084 Equipping Your Kitchen
087 Cooking Tips
090 Hydration
093 Supplements, Safe Starches & Sugar...Oh My!
099 Carb Cycling, Carb Backloading &
Intermittent Fasting
103 Put Your Game Face On
109 How to Handle the Haters
112 Go Forth & Prosper...Its Not Just
About the Food
122 FAQs
129 Troubleshooting
133 Chapter 5: Food Time
134 PreWorkout Meal Ideas
136 PostWorkout Meal Ideas
Breakfast
137 Breakfast Sausage Scotch Eggs
140 Hearty Spinach Beef Frittata
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143 Paleo Carnitas Egg Muffins
146 Eggs n Brussels Sprouts
149 Spanish-Style Sweet Potato Tortilla
Carb-Dense Side Dishes
152 Wills Yam Fries
155 Sweet Potato Applesauce Mash
157 Apple Cranberry Sweet Potato Bake
160 Blueberry Sweet Potato Mash
162 Potato Rsti
165 Kale n Tatties
168 Neep & Carrot Mash
171 Perfectly Roasted Butternut Squash
173 Butternut Squash & Pear Mash
175 Zucchini Fritters
178 Coconut Milk Mango Sticky Rice
180 30 Paleo Post-Workout Carb Recipes

Meaty Goodness
183 Crispy Italian Chicken Thighs
185 Paleo Chicken Nuggets
188 Paleo Thanksgiving Leftovers Sandwich
192 Slow Cooker Chicken
194 Slow Cooker Mocha-Rubbed Pot Roast
197 Paleo Mediterranean Meatza Pie
200 Chai Tea Braised Beef Short Ribs
203 Hard Cider Braised Brats
205 Simple Shrimp Ceviche
Drinks & Other Good Things
208 Pumpkin Pie Recovery Shake
210 Homemade Gingerbread Spice Mix
212 Gingerbread Spiced Coffee
214 Chocolate Orange Naked Bars
217 Simple Paleo Tortillas
219 Appendix: Cooking Conversions
222 References
225 Books & Resources
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My Story
In seventh grade, my friends nicknamed me Seafii.
Thats short for sea elephant. (True story.) I think you can guess how graceful and lithe I was.
Growing up, despite being active in youth sportssoccer mostlyI was always a bit chunky and awkward. I liked junk
food and candy on a pretty regular basis. Fast-forward to high school. In senior year, I stopped playing sports, got a job
bagging groceries and then decorating cakes, and gained 25 pounds.
By the time freshman year of college rolled around, I made a pact with myself to get active again and regain some
fitness. I joined a gym, started doing lots of bodybuilding lifts and committed to eating healthier (which, by my
understanding meant switching out regular pasta for whole wheat and drinking soy milk). It worked. I lost weight but
would always feel bloated and horrible after eating. I was also still addicted to anything sweet.
In my early 20s, I found mountain biking and started a nearly decade-long love affair with anything pedal powered. I
became a vegetarian and ate a lot more soy in my quest to lose more weight, even mixing in pseudoWeight Watchers
and counting points (express train to Crazy Town!). This slimmed me down another 10 pounds, but at the same time I
started feeling sick and having some frightening abdominal / digestive problems. Dont worry, Ill spare you the details.
Bikes became my passion. I raced anything and everything: insanely steep downhill courses all over the West, lung-
busting cyclocross races and absolute soul-crushing solo endurance mountain bike courses for upwards of 12 hours at a
time. I was a little masochistic.
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Through this, I maintained my healthy diet
while being plagued by symptoms like fainting
spells, bloating and acne-riddled skin.
In late 2009, my dear friend Allison started
talking about some diet called Paleo. I
distinctly remember thinking 1) she was nuts
and 2) there was no way I could continue to
race bikes and eat that way. Yet, always one
for an experiment, I decided to try it. On
January 10, 2010, after letting myself indulge
over the holidays, I cleaned out my pantry,
emptied my fridge and went Paleo.
I kept racing, performed well and progressed
to Xterra triathlons. Ironically, despite my sea
elephant nickname, it turned out swimming
wasnt exactly my favorite thing ever, so I let it
go. From there, always interested in finding a
new challenge, I started doing CrossFit and
weightlifting. Another passion was born.
Most of my physical complaints went away once I committed to removing grains and gluten for good in 2011. (I was
more of a Paleo dabblist until that point.) My fainting ceased, the acne disappeared and I no longer had a food baby
after eating. My energy was boundless, muscle mass increased and I continued to achieve more athletically than I ever
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thought possible. Ive raced almost 100 miles on my mountain bike in a day; competed on a team at the CrossFit Games
Regionals; and recently back-squatted 130 kg, all while eating gluten-, legume- and dairy-free.
My years of athletics, holistic nutrition certification and experience running Stupid Easy Paleo combine into the best,
competition-proven Paleo advice for you here in this ebook. Its my hope that you find my lighthearted approach and
information a useful aid to getting you started as a clean-eating athlete. Its time to kick some ass and set some PRs!
Steph
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CHAPTER 1
The Basics
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Beyond eating enough food to support
your athletic endeavors, getting adequate
protein, refueling post-workout and other
best practices, what you may be missing is
that certain foods can contribute to
systemic inflammation. You could be
making inflammation worse with the food
youre eating.
SECTION 1
Introduction
Tired of being confused about nutrition and performance?
Me too.
Its impossible to go online and get a straight answer about how to eat for performance without putting a bunch of junk
in your body. Over the past four years, Ive scoured countless resources, read dozens of scientific papers and done more
than a few different nutrition experiments on myself in the quest to become a more effective athlete. You see, Im not
special or uniquely talented. Im actually quite average when it comes to sports, but luckily persistence and an ability to
learn most things quickly have played into my favor.
When I learned about Paleo in 2009, I knew it could be a way for me to maximize my performance as a bike racer.
Nutrition was the one arrow missing from my quiver.
Unless youre going to dole out big bucks for a nutrition coach, youre probably relying on the Internet or books for
information and, while that can be effective, its a huge time waster. Be prepared to wade through dozens of low-quality
sites, message boards and online mags only to wind up more confused than when you started.
By the end of this book, youll be clearer on how to approach fueling for your sport and the nuances that go into it.
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You wouldnt put cheap gas in a race car, would you?
In case youre wondering if this is a trick question, its not. And the answers no. To make the analogy clearer, if you want
to start performing better as an athlete you have to stop putting crap in your gas tank. (Of course your amazing human
body is much more complex than a car. Lets not kid ourselves.) You may be reading this right now because youve
noticed that your compadres in the gym are kicking your ass despite how hard you feel like youre training. If youve
started to suspect that what youve been putting in your pie hole could be holding you back (or could help you fly),
youre right.
I created The Paleo Athlete because Ive received dozens of inquiries and counseled loads of people about how to eat
real food (read: Paleo) as an athlete through my website, my Facebook page and email. I decided the need was great
enough to warrant writing a book, so I sat down and compiled the best scientific information and my experience into one
place for you.
Its okay. Im a science nerd.
I get the science, and twelve years as a high school chemistry and biology teacher means Im good at helping people
understand technical information. Im not going to overwhelm you with pointless details but will provide you with
resources for further investigation, if youre so inclined to geek out and take it further once youre done here. Names like
Robb Wolf, Dallas and Melissa Hartwig, Dr. Loren Cordain, Chris Kresser and Mark Sisson may or may not be familiar to
you, but theyre great at breaking down the science-y stuff into digestible bites.
My role here is to convey the science in a way you can put into practice.
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Heres the rub.
Nutrition is a hotly debated topic, even when people are tossing around scholarly journal articles as evidence. Want to
start an Internet flame war? Go on the website of someone with an opposing nutritional viewpoint and just start asking
questions. (Ever ask a staunch Paleo about vegans or a vegan about Paleo-eaters!?) Arguments erupt, and things can get
very ugly.
The one thing you, the athlete, need to do is to keep an open mind and test things out. Think the idea of cutting out
grains is ludicrous? Pick a time during the off-season, and test it for 30 days. Think you cant survive without pounding
whey protein every day? Try it out. (More to come on that in the Supplements, Safe Starches & Sugar, Oh My! section.)
If you finish reading this and think theres no way the concepts could benefit your performance, email me and well chat.
Really. Chances are, though, something will resonate.
Next, its time to figure out if Im talking to you or not
Im willing to bet you I am.
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SECTION 2
This Book Is for You if You:
Take your sport seriously.
Care about your performance.
Spend more than five hours a week involved in your sport (including things like warm-up time and active recovery).
Have sacrificed other things to accommodate your training.
Are tired of feeling like youre training a ton, but your performance isnt great.
Are experienced in your sport, but youve not tried to clean up your nutrition yet.
Have tried to eat cleaner, but you feel lost.
Compete in your sport or you want to start.
Have realized you cant out-train your crappy diet.
Do any of these describe you? Okay, good. Im confident youll find something in this ebook thatll help you. Are you
willing to troubleshoot for improved performance? Even better. Youll get much more out of this resource if you can
apply the lessons within it to your situation, keep what works and tweak what needs adjusting.
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If youre a much more experienced athlete or youve been doing Paleo for a while and you want me to help you get to
the CrossFit Games, this ebook probably isnt for you. (Athletes at the elite level often have very precise needs that must
be dialed in by one-on-one support from a dedicated nutrition coach.) Im not saying you wont learn something, but
keep in mind the ideal reader of this book is less experienced than you.
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SECTION 3
Paleo...with Benets
Heres the part where I dangle the carrot in front of you.
Before we get into all the details, youre probably wondering what the heck Paleos going to do for you, and that makes
sense. Humans, it turns out, really love positive feedback.
Something works, and youre compelled to keep doing it. When youre able to see or feel the results of your efforts
lets be honestyou feel fan-freakin-tastic. You stay motivated and on target. Paleo as a lifestyle is the same. Stick with it
long enough and youll feel so good that you want to keep going.
What will you experience from going Paleo?
Positive side effects include:
Steady energy
Mental clarity and acuity
Increased muscle mass
Increased strength
Better immune response
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Better athletic performance
Fat loss
Better gut health
Improved mood
Better hair, skin and nails
Decreased inflammation
Faster recovery
Improved sleep
Ive linked to more than 30 articlesmany primary sources and scholarly journals, some blog articles with links to primary
sourcesso you can follow them further if youd like.
The thing you need to think about is this: Its possible to find a scholarly journal article to support any claim. At the end
of the day, whats going to be more convincing, a paper or how your own body feels?
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SECTION 4
Whats Paleo?
Paleo is the nickname for The Paleolithic Diet. The founder of the movement, Dr. Loren Cordain, published the book
The Paleo Diet in 2002 which spurred the popularity of this way of eating. The premise is that there are certain food
groups that our hunter-gatherer ancestors would have thrived on before the dawn of the agricultural revolution, and
these foods form the basis of the original Paleo diet recommendations. These food sources are higher protein than a
typical Western diet with moderate fat intake and non-starchy carbs from fruit and veggies.
Some people are skeptical of the anthropological basis and attempt to debunk Paleo. They cite things like the shorter
lifespan of Paleolithic man and fact that the food available to modern humans hardly resembles that of our ancestors as
reasons why its not a legitimate way to eat.
Thats why folks like me have started using physiology as the lens to understand how this stuff really works on humans
that are alive, oh, now.
You see, theres a physiological (how the body works) underpinning that really informs the recommendations of a Paleo
way of eating. We know certain foods are inflammatory in nature. We know how sugar affects the pancreas. We know the
health of our gut lining is essential for properly functioning immunity. Were starting to understand the role of systemic
inflammation in metabolic disorders.
Its SCIENCE.
Not to say that Paleos perfectthe scientific community is constantly learning new things to shape and inform our
knowledge of how foods affect the body. Sometimes things change. Recommendations are finessed. New ways of
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looking at things pop up. Think of this book as pragmaticsteeped in the practicalrather than dogmatic. Because you
know what, the dogmatic Paleo folks say you cant eat vinegar or even add salt to your food. While thats great if you
hate sour food or have high blood pressure, its just too restrictive to make it stick long term. Which brings me to
Labels.
Why do we love them so? They put everything in tidy little groups so we can go about our days knowing how to navigate
this thing we call life. We know vegetables are nutritious, caffeine is a stimulant and exercise makes us sweat. You
know its not that cut-and-dried though. What if you have an autoimmune condition so you avoid nightshades? What if
youre so sensitive to caffeine that even a square of dark chocolate can keep you up at night? What if you walk for
exercise and dont want to really sweat?
Sometimes we get so bogged down in labels that we end up pointlessly arguing with each other.
You might say, I eat a diet high in protein with lots of veggiesand a little bit of fruit, and healthy fats like seeds, nuts
and animal fat. I make sure to eat starchy carbs after I train, and Ive tested clarified butter in my diet...it definitely
doesnt bother me, though milk does. And oh! Sometimes I rotate in white rice as a post-workout carb source. I say, I
eat Paleo plus some safe starches. Thats a whole lot easier.
What I see happening a lot lately, especially on my blog and social media, is too much arguing.
This isnt Paleo, because it has a teaspoon of honey in it.
Youre not Paleo, because you ate tapioca.
Shes not Paleo, because she uses ghee.
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Being practical and finding ways to eat that optimize your health and performance but dont make you insane are the
way to make something stick long term. The key is that your context matters.
Who you aregoals, lifestyle, needs, wants, current state of healthMATTERS and will make it easier to figure out how
to make Paleo work for you. So somebody might protest when you say that you eat Paleo + butter, or Paleo + the
occasional white rice. SO WHAT?! Theres no Paleo jail. You havent failed at anything, and at the end of the day, only
you know how your body feels when you eat certain foods.
If youre just staring out with Paleo, its highly recommended that you eat strictly for at least 30 days to see how your
body reacts to removing potentially problematic foods and to give your gut a chance to heal. You may think you feel
normal eating your current diet, but thats because you have no other frame of reference. I used to be bloated after
every meal, but I thought I felt fine. For good 30-day protocols, I recommend reading The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf
or It Starts with Food by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig.
A general Paleo framework is one that, compared with the traditional Western diet, is:
Higher in protein
Relatively low in carbohydrate
Moderate to high in healthy fat intake
Dense in micronutrients from vegetables and (some) fruit
More balanced between Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids
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For athletes, taking care to eat enough carbohydrate is of utmost importance. (More on that later.) Call it Paleo 2.0 or
Paleo + carbs or whatever you need to do to rectify that youre still following a Paleo template but damn it, know your
context and whats right for your level of activity. And if some website says that if you eat salt and youre not an
endurance athlete youre not Paleo, disregard it and move on.
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SECTION 5
Why Do It?
If you want to be a higher-performing athlete, the type of food you eat has an impact on your athletic output and on
your recovery. Yeah, no kidding, Steph. Eating Cheetos and ice cream and Coke day in and day out isnt exactly a recipe
for health and wellnessand certainly not high performance. Youre not stupid. You get that.
But its more complicated than just junk food versus health food.
If youre eating whole-wheat bagels and quinoa pasta and drinking soy milk, arent you doing better than junk food?
Arent those healthier options? No. No theyre not. Heres why.
From a physiological (how the body works) perspective, certain foods and their components cause less-than-ideal effects
on the body, for some people more than others.
For example, grainsparticularly those that contain the protein called glutenmess with integrity of the gut lining.
Whats the gut lining like when its healthy? Its only supposed to let digested nutrients pass through and be absorbed
through the cells into the bloodstream. Think of it like a selective screening system. Stuff that doesnt belong in your
bloodstream is kept out while the good stuff is let in. By the way, at this point, until nutrients are absorbed, theyre still
technically outside your body. Crazy, right?
Imagine gluten like someone poking microscopic holes in your small intestine, allowing things like proteins and bacteria
to get into the bloodstream that shouldnt normally be there. Sounds pretty grossbecause it is. The body ramps up its
immune response to fight off these invaders, which causes chronic, system-wide inflammation.
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The old adage, Your immune system is found in your gut, is also based on this idea. If you get sick a lot, one possibility
is that your gut lining isnt as healthy as it could be.
Go ahead, you may be saying, and pry the bagel from my cold, dead hand.
If you eat bread and grains and dairy and legumes and lots of refined sugar and you feel fine, I know what thats like. I
mean, I was bloated after nearly every meal, had completely whacked-out blood sugar (once, I passed out at work) and
had weird acne on just one side of my back. But yeah, I felt fine too. You see, I was so used to feeling like crap that my
mind rationalized it as normal.
My challenge to you is to remove these notoriously troublesome foods for 30 days to see if it makes a difference. If you
honestly dont look, feel or perform any better, you have a free invitation to email me and say, I told you so. Ill be
having my bagel for breakfast tomorrow. I wont be offended. Perhaps youre one of the lucky folks for whom these
problematic foods have no effect. Whats more insidious, though, is that you could be silently affected by these foods
and not know it until youre in a heap of trouble.
You see, certain foods cause inflammation in the body. And its not the good kind (yes, some inflammation is good).
Two major types of inflammation occur naturally in the body: acutelocal irritation such as when you cut your skin, train
your muscles very hard or are fighting off the flu; and chronic systemicas Mark Sisson
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puts it, a constant low-level
feature of your physiology thats always on and always engaged. As you can guess, acute inflammation is necessary, but
its the chronic systemic type thats known to cause long-term problems.
When you train, youre likely to incur acute inflammation as part of the normal process of building capacity and getting
stronger, provided its counterbalanced by adequate recovery (read more on that here). Subjecting yourself to multiple
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hard training sessions in a rowfor days, weeks and months on endcoupled with poor nutrition, life stress and
inadequate sleep is a recipe for chronic systemic inflammation that goes beyond just sore muscles.
How is diet involved in all this? Beyond eating enough food to support your athletic endeavors, getting adequate
protein, refueling post-workout and other best practices, what you may be missing is that certain foods can contribute to
systemic inflammation. You could be making inflammation worse with the food youre eating. Lets look briefly at the
culprits.
Both refined and whole grains are particularly problematic because they contain proteins such as gluten and prolamins
that wreak havoc when they cross the gut barrier into the bloodstream. The second is dairy (in some individuals more
than others
2
), which tends to be most dubious with unfermented products like milk.
Another consideration is the all-too-common imbalance of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acids in the typical Western diet,
made worse by the liberal use of Omega-6rich, pro-inflammatory seed oils found in processed and fast foods. Last but
certainly not least is sugar
3
, which isnt just capable of whacking out your insulin levels. Its also inflammatory.
A Paleo way of eating removes these inammatory foods.
Nice, right? By eating a diet rich in protein and vegetables, plenty of healthy fats and some fruit, you should be less
inflamed (especially important for athletes, who are introducing inflammation via training), have more stable blood sugar
and give yourself the opportunity for better gut health and recovery from training.
Am I saying you have to be 100% perfect all the time? You can never indulge or have a treat? For some people
especially if youve got a gluten intolerance or sensitivity to dairythe indulgence in that food isnt worth the shit feeling
they get. For some folks, the every once in a while treat quickly becomes nightly pints of ice cream or bottles of wine.
29
Then their training starts to suffer because they feel like junk or they cant recover as quickly or...you get the picture. My
point: You have to know yourself.
One more thing...
If youve been spending your dietary time looking up from the base of the USDA food pyramid, you cannot possibly
expect to apply the principles of Paleo to your training immediately without a period of transition. Converting from a
sugar-burner to a fat-burner will take a short period of time, but youve got to stick to it for the change to really take
effect. If you do Paleo for a week, then go back to a diet stuffed with grainswhole or refinedand high-carb foods,
then go back to Paleo, youll have a heck of a time teaching your body to rely on your fat stores for energy while youre
at rest or during longer endurance exercise.
A common mistake is to flip-flop between short periods of Paleo and high-carb diets (or worseyo-yoing between
eating fairly well and the junk food Olympics) and then get frustrated and claim, Paleo doesnt work for me. Youve got
to give your body a chance to switch over.
How long will it take? Usually a few weeks, which sounds like a long time, but in the long run itll be worth it. Some folks
convert over to a fat-burning Paleo machine without noticing much. Others will suffer a short bout of whats affectionately
been termed Carb Flu: low energy, fatigue and mental fogginess. If you stick to the Paleo plan, itll eventually pass.
If you think youre suffering from Carb Flu, stay the course. Dont give up! Give your metabolic systems a chance to
switch over to burning fat as fuel and soon enough youll start to enjoy the more stable energy that Paleo peeps rave
about.
30
And trust me, youll want some of what weve got because it feels fantastic.
One (big) thing: If youre not Paleo now and you want to switch over, dont plan to do it in the middle of your
competitive season or right before a big event. If youre an athlete consuming a traditional Western high-carb diet, going
cold turkey right before a race leaves your body grasping for some usable form of energy. If that form is tons of carbs
and you suddenly hold out, expect a revolt. One of the symptoms of Carb Flu is that training quality and output tend to
bomb. Pick a time in the off-season, between big events or during a deload period, to introduce new changes in your
diet. If you arent as peppy, are feeling less energetic or sluggish, trust that these symptoms will pass as long as youre
fueling properly.
31
SECTION 6
Foods to Avoid
What about the foods that arent Paleo (because many are typically avoided for good reasons)? Nobody decided to just
make up some Paleo rules to make your life miserable or thought itd be fun to tell people not to eat bread anymore. For
more detail, I recommend reading The Paleo Solution or It Starts with Food.
Avoid... because...
grains they have anti-nutrients.
they are inflammatory.
theyre carb-rich but nutrient-poor.
legumes
(beans)
they have anti-nutrients.
they are inflammatory.
theyre carb-rich but nutrient-poor.
gluten its inflammatory and damages the gut lining.
dairy its inflammatory.
its good at making baby things get bigger. Unless youre trying to mass gain, you
probably dont need it.
rened sugars its inflammatory.
it causes swings in blood sugar.
it can be addictive.
alcohol see refined sugars.
processed foods theyre crammed with chemicals, preservatives, extra sodium and are nutrient-poor.
32
SECTION 7
A Primer on Energy Systems
Different types of exercise will put demands on different energy systems of the body. As an athlete, knowing how to best
fuel your body and how to time your nutrition can have massive implications on the quality of your training and your
recovery. Which type of athlete are you? What sort of energy system does your sport rely on?
The chart below contains examples for the three main energy systems of the body: phosphogen, glycolytic and aerobic.
Your training may cross over between different systems. Example: Youre a distance runner who incorporates sprints in
your training weekly. Find the category that describes your training most of the time.
Phosphogen Glycolytic Oxidative (Aerobic)
What it is ATP (adenosine triphosphate)
and CP (creatine phosphate)
broken down
Glycogen (stored glucose)
broken down
Stored glucose is used to
generate larger amounts of
ATP
Description Very short bursts of energy in
limited quantities, short efforts
lasting just seconds
Slightly longer efforts
characterized by feeling very
out of breath, anaerobic in
nature
Long efforts, breathing is
more controlled, being able to
go long distances at that pace
Time domain Up to 10 seconds Up to about 2 min 10+ min
Example sports Short sprints, weightlifting,
powerlifting
Longer sprints like 400 m,
high-intensity workouts,
CrossFit, field sports like
football
Long-distance running,
triathlons and cycling events,
rowing a 10K
33
Theres some overlap here. If youre an Olympic weightlifter, you may spend most of your training relying on the
phosphogen system, though sometimes you may do some metabolic conditioning, which relies on the glycolytic system.
The graph below demonstrates how the energy systems overlap based on time domain.
Okay, coolscience. But what does it mean for you?
What you put in your mouth to fuel yourself before and afterand possibly duringa workout matters. If you want to
start performing better, not only is the quality of your nutrition important, but the breakdown of macronutrients you eat
and when you eat them is, too. Waithold it. Macro-what? I thought you might want to know more about that. Keep
reading.
34
CHAPTER 2
The Macros
35
Lean people start to gain body fat,
especi al l y around the abdomen.
Performance goes down. And all the
while nobody can figure it out. Were
eating really clean Paleo, they say.
Whats going on?
SECTION 1
P, F & C
Todays lesson is brought to you by the letters P, F and C.
Science nerds love to use letters and acronyms to make ourselves sound elusively smart, but this ones pretty easy. If we
examine the foods we eat, we see that the nutrients they contain could be put into three major categories: proteins, fats
and carbohydrates. If you remember basic biology, youll recall these are three of the four macromolecules that make up
living things. The fourth categorynucleic acids, like DNAarent used by our bodies as fuel though theyre in
everything we consume. Lets look into each one, shall we?
Proteins are three-dimensional structures formed by linked chains of amino acids. Virtually all foods we eateven plant
mattercontain protein, though the relative quantity varies. For athletes, its essential to include adequate protein,
ideally at each meal, because of its role in the recovery and muscle rebuilding processes.
Dense protein sources for a Paleo way of eating come from animals: muscle meat, organ meat, fish, shellfish and eggs. If
youre an athlete who chooses to supplement with whey protein, check out the section on supplements for some food
for thought. Animal protein provides vitamin B12, an essential nutrient that folks like vegetarians and vegans are
commonly deficient in. One significant way proteins differ from fats and carbs is that theyre generally not used for
energy.
Fats come in several structural types, with fatty acids being the basic building blocks. Not all fats are created equal, and
in recent years much has been debunked about what we once thought was healthy regarding saturated fats
5
. One
36
thing is clear: Fats are energy-packed juggernauts, containing more than double the calories per gram compared with
protein and carbohydrates.
Fat chemistry can get a bit confusing so Ill try to break it down into some simple terms. The names of fatty acids tell us a
lot about their structures.
First, fats are either saturated or unsaturated, depending on the types of bonds found in the long fatty acid tails. If the
long tails only have single bonds, theyre called saturated because each tail has the highest density of hydrogen atoms
possible. Saturated fatty acid chains are straight and pack together nicely, like a pile of Pick-Up Sticks, which makes them
solid at room temperature (like animal fats: butter, lard, duck fat and tallow).
37
If the tails have at least one double bond in the mix, theyre called unsaturated. These tails are kinked and cant get as
close together, so theyre generally liquid at room temperature (like plant oils: olive, macadamia nut, walnut, sesame
seed, cottonseed and soybean).
Now we add a prefix to it to show how many double-bond kinks there are: mono for one and poly for many.
Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA moo-fah) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA poo-fah) are the two main
categories, and its these MUFA and PUFA we want to limit or avoid because the chains are unstable and oxidize easily.
Breakdown of these fats, encouraged by heat (cooking!) or exposure to light, air and moisture, is bad because they can
spawn tissue-damaging free radicals.
Whys this relevant?
Some fats are better to eat than others. Generally, its wise to limit MUFA and avoid most PUFAespecially those derived
from cheap, industrialized seed oils like cottonseed, canola, corn, sunflower seed and soybean. Of notable exception are
the Omega-3 fatty acids but even then, care should be taken in storage to minimize oxidation. Thats why high-quality,
Omega-3rich fish oil capsules are sold in dark bottles, and sometimes dark capsules. Its to keep them from oxidizing.
Store them in the refrigerator, or better yet, freezer for best shelf life. Of course, dont be a maniac and cook with fish oil.
The typical Western diet can have upwards of a 30:1 ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 (both PUFA), and this is pro-
inflammatory. The ideal ratio is closer to 2:1
6
. The solution? Minimize PUFA intake, especially from industrial seed oils,
eat Omega-3rich foods like oily fish and dont crack out on nuts and seeds.
Even MUFA-rich olive oil is best avoided in hot cookingagain because heat can accelerate oxidationand instead
used cold for dressing or drizzling over food once its been cooked. To really geek out on oils, MUFA and PUFA, The
Definitive Guide to Oils is waiting for you.
38
I havent mentioned the elephant in the room. The big, saturated fat elephant.
Doesnt saturated fat cause heart disease?! If we should limit PUFA and MUFA, and SFA (saturated fatty acids) clog our
arteries, should we just go low fat?
NO.
You can thank a poorly correlated study by Ancel Keys
7
for much of societys aversion to eating fat. Though the studys
been thoroughly discredited now, it sparked a worldwide industry for low-fat, fake-fat foods thats been ruinous to health.
We turned away from the healthy saturated fats of our ancestors and started putting buttery low-fat spread on our
morning toast and obsessively counting fat grams, all the while watching blood markers of disease not get any better,
and constantly feeling hungry.
Im convinced the generation of folks who came of age in the 1980s dont know what its like to feel full because theyve
been brainwashed into eating low-fat, processed food.
One last thing: What about coconut oil? Its a beautiful thing. Hailing from the plant worldwhich mostly yields PUFA-
rich oilsthis Paleo favorite is 92% saturated fat and has a relatively high smoke point which makes it ideal for cooking.
Next, its on to carbs.
39
SECTION 2
Carbology 101
Nutritionally speaking, carbohydrates are (generally) faster burning sources of energy compared with fats. If fats are like a
pile of burning tires, carbs would be like a pool of gasoline thats just had a lit match flicked onto it. The carbs we eat
come in many forms: from single link pieces like glucose and fructose, to long chains made up of links, like starch. If
youve been poking around and trying to learn a bit more about nutrition on your own, you may be afflicted by a
common condition.
Its called Carb Confusion. Luckily, theres a cure. Read on.
When it comes to nutrition for athletes, the macronutrient getting most of the attention these days is the carbohydrate.
You wont find much debate about protein. Athletes need it more than the sedentary general population. Even fats,
which we need to maintain fat-burning status at rest, feel satiated and have good body composition, are less
controversial. But man, the arguments on the Interwebz that youll see about carbs
Has everyone gone carb crazy?!
Until what seems like recent history, it was pretty much accepted fact that if you were training for a marathon, youd eat
lots of carbohydrates, and then the few days before your race, youd stuff yourself with even more carbs. Pre-race pasta
parties (say that five times fast) wereand still arede rigueur. Youre weird if you dont turn up with some toast in hand
on the morning of the race. Carbs = energy = good performance, right? Since youve been told you need a boatload of
carbs to train and compete, how the heck can you possibly be a Paleo athlete?
Good question. Youre here to learn how.
40
In 2005, Dr. Loren Cordain and Joe Friel published The Paleo Diet for Athletes, outlining how to apply a Paleo template
to the demands of aerobic-based sport. Remember the chart from a few pages back? Aerobic, oxidative-dominant sports
(a.k.a. long, slow distance training, or LSD) were the focus, as shown by this quote from their promo materials, At every
level of competition, The Paleo Diet for Athletes can maximize performance in a range of endurance sports.
Thats perfectly fine. In fact, if youre an endurance athleteI was when I picked up The Paleo Diet for Athletes in 2009
Im very happy youre here to learn some of the newer perspectives that have come about in the almost nine years since
the book was published.
Dont be fooled into thinking Im a Kool-Aidsippin CrossFitter out to discredit or bash endurance sports, because Im
not. I know the exhilaration of finishing a half marathon, the deepest parts of your mind you go to when racing your bike
for hours on end and the inner strength it takes to finish a triathlon. I just migrated away from endurance sports, but I
know all about what it takes to do them. Plus, who am I to judge someone elses exercise methods? So long as your ass
is up and off the couch, thats a win in my book. With that being said, it didnt take long for people to start applying the
concepts in The Paleo Diet for Athletes to OTHER types of sports.
For some people, the wheels started falling off.
Lean people start to gain body fat, especially around the abdomen. Performance goes down. And nobody can figure it
out. Were eating really clean Paleo, they say. Whats going on?
A Paleo diet, even with the best of intentions, can be misapplied. The CrossFit community (its worth saying here that this
ebook is in no way associated with or endorsed by CrossFit HQ) started adopting Paleo thanks in part to Robb Wolf
being on the nutrition certification staff. That relationship didnt last forever
8
.
41
The mark of Paleo was made, though. Walk into any CrossFit gym today and chances are good that Paleo is known and
practiced by at least some of the clients. (Perhaps thats why youre here.) What many high-intensity athletesnot limited
to but including CrossFittersdo wrong is not eating enough carbs to support their efforts in the glycolytic realm of
training. This places an added stressor on the body which can shift cortisol, a stress hormone, in the wrong direction over
time
9
.
When cortisol increases, glucose is freed from body tissues and enters the bloodstream. Insulin rises in response. When
this is chronic and low-grade, over time it can lead to insulin resistance (the body cannot hear your insulin signal very
well)and systemic inflammation, which causes an increase in cytokines, protein signals theorized to be a factor in
obesity
10
.
Not to add insult to injury, but cortisol also tells the body to store fat around your belly. Not sexy.
Suffice it to say, the following is known:
Minimize cortisol caused by chronic factors. This isnt just a dietary thing, either. If a lioness is chasing you, you bet
your ass cortisols going to go up naturally. If its jacked up from not eating enough carbs, thats bad and avoidable.
Eat enough carbs to support physical activity and the demands of your sport.
Exercise is known to increase insulin sensitivity because glucose is used. When you consume glucose in an insulin-
sensitive state after exercise, its shuttled into cells for storagewhere it freaking belongs. Timing matters.
Insulin sensitivity is good.
Insulin resistance is bad.
42
SECTION 3
Not All Carbs Are Created Equal
Its time to be a bit biased. If youre an athlete, you shouldnt look at all carbs in the same way.
Simple sugars, like glucose, are termed monosaccharides (mono = one, sacchar = sugar). Theyre the smallest and digest
the fastest. Next come double sugars like sucrosethe disaccharides (di = two)and finally the polysaccharides, like
starch (poly = many), which digest the slowest.
Carb Type Chemical Compound Found in...
simple sugar
(monosaccharide)
glucose
galactose
fructose
fruit
simple sugar
(disaccharide)
sucrose (glucose + fructose)
lactose (glucose + galactose)
table sugar, honey, dairy products
complex carbohydrate
(polysaccharide)
starch (glucose + glucose + glucose) sweet potato, rice, tapioca, starchy veg
The types of carbs you eat are used by the body in different ways. Glucose is the main source of fuel for the
mitochondria, the energy factories of your cells, to convert to ATP.
It can also be used in the glycolytic energy pathwayalso called lactic acid fermentationand is the only sugar your
brain can use for energy.
43
How the heck can you survive if youre not slamming carbs 24-7, then?
A cool but very inefficient process called gluconeogenesis in the liver makes glucose from protein or fat
11
. Check out the
reference for more info. Another example is fructose, the sugar in fruit, which is preferentially broken down by the liver
12
.
To that end, fruit isnt as good at replacing muscle glycogen after exercise. Its not bad. Its just not as good. Yes, thats
quite relative, but so are many things related to nutrition and training.
Youve probably heard, Sugar is sugar is sugar. What gives?
Sugars, in the most general sense, all raise insulin levels, but its been shown that different sugars arent metabolized by
the body in the same way. A 2009 study in the Journal of Clinical Investigation
13
concluded that the consumption of
glucose-sweetened drinkscompared with those sweetened with fructoseresulted in less fat deposited around the
abdomens of the subjects (visceral fat), and better liver function. Both groups gained about the same amount of weight,
but the fructose group was also more insulin insensitive. (Remember we concluded insulin resistance is bad?)
Are you saying to never eat fructose ever again?
Not at all. My point is that not all sugar is treated the same by the body. So whats an athlete to do? Remember, if youre
trying to optimize performance, sticking to starch post-workoutits broken down into glucose and stored by the body
as glycogenis the way to most directly replenish spent glycogen, especially for high-intensity and endurance athletes.

44
SECTION 4
Stop the (Low Carb) Insanity
Gotta love Susan Powter for giving us that catchphrase.
Earlier, I mentioned that for some people, a really low-carb approach to Paleo means the wheels start falling off the
wagon. I was on that wagon, too. For a short while, I got extremely lean. I never had my body fat hydrostatically tested
but Id estimate I was 13% or below, was very vascular and lost most of my breast tissue. I was generally happy with how
I looked, but my performance in the gym started to suffer so I hired a nutrition coach to check things over for me.
On most days I was averaging 50 grams of carbs or less. Ouch. It was no wonder my performance wasnt great, hitting
five days of CrossFit a week with my glycogen tank empty.
Turns out, it went back to my triathlon days too, and I often wonder if Id have done better in racing and training had I
not been so carb-depleted.
Its time to draw a line in the sand.
You need to make a choice, and its a big one.
Are you a casual athlete who cares more about aesthetics and being lean?
Or do you value performance goals over body composition?
45
In the long term, you may not be able to have both. If youre going to eat for performance, you may not have the
absolute leanest body fat percentageand if youre eating a healthy macronutrient balance, you shouldnt get fat. If you
care about being really low carb and youre hitting hard workouts all the time, you may not perform as well as you could.
Not to mention, you may be amping up cortisol with this practice over the longer term and start to accumulate body fat,
particularly around the midsection, and put additional pressure on your adrenals.
Click here to watch the video. Password: paleoperformance123
46
CHAPTER 3
Rubber,
Meet Road
47
The rest of the time you can rely on your fat
stores for energy and reach the ultimate in
metabolic nirvana: being fat-adapted and
making changes to your metabolism at the
genetic level.
SECTION 1
Become an Energy-Using Chameleon
Lets quickly recap:
Protein is an essential macronutrient for growth, repair and recovery. Its not generally used for energy.
Fat is a dense source of energy. Saturated fat is good. Some PUFA are okay though youll want to limit them.
Carbs are an energy source. Athletes need to ensure carbs are replenished after exercise. The best source of carbs is
starchy veggies, followed by safe starches and glucose. Fructose is less ideal because it preferentially replaces liver
glycogen and we want to replace muscle glycogen first.
Ideally, youll burn stored glycogen to fuel your training and then the rest of the time, when youre going about your
daily business, slip back into fat-burning mode. That means that topping up glycogen stores after exercise is imperative,
and so is keeping things in relative low-carb mode compared with the traditional Western diet which puts grains at the
base of the food pyramid.
The rest of the time you can rely on your fat stores for energy and reach the ultimate in metabolic nirvana: being fat-
adapted and making changes to your metabolism at the genetic level
14
.
Being fat-adapted is the Holy Grail.
Our fat stores are far more extensivemeasured in pounds even in lean peoplethan our glycogen stores, which are
generally 500 grams or less
15
at any time. If youre sugar-adapted (no bueno!), youll very quickly use up your glycogen
stores during exercise and then...your tank is empty.
48
Youre unable to start using your fat stores. You bonk. Competition over.
(This is related to the metabolic transition termed Carb Flu, which you may experience when first going Paleo because
your body has to reprogram itself to burn fat and not sugar.)
49
SECTION 2
Signs Youre Burning Through Fat Like a Mofo
Here are the signs youre fat-adapted (hooray!):
Three hours after eating youre not tearing someones head off. See hangry.
You dont have intense cravings for carbs.
You enjoy mental clarity and steady energy throughout the day.
You can exercise while fasted or semi-fasted without feeling like youre going to die.
You burn the fat you eat for energy instead of packing it on your waistline.
As an endurance athlete, you burn your fat stores to get you through your training session or event, sparing stored
glycogen for more intense moments.
You burn glucose, but youre not dependent on it.
Ultimately, metabolic flexibility means better performance and feeling better. Being fat-adaptedthe way nature
intendedmeans youre more metabolically stable and youve exited the roller coaster ride that is being sugar-adapted.

50
SECTION 3
What to Put in Your Mouth
Lets start examining how to put all this science into practice because the reality is, if it just sits here on the page its not
going to do you a lick of good. Throughout this chapter, were going to dive into macronutrient ratios and how to get
your living space and training situation on board with your new life as a Paleo athlete.
Note that while nutrition is the most important, so many other factors play into your success as an athlete. If youre
sleeping five hours a night and blaming poor performance on cutting bread out of your diet, you frankly need to pull
back and reevaluate.
When you research this stuff, youll find differences of opinion, and the confusion often results in paralysis by analysis.
You get so confused that you dont follow any of it.
Start with a baseline for macronutrients and then give it at least two weeks to track any changes. You need to pay
attention. Hows training? How do you feel before, during and after a session? Whats your mood and energy level like
throughout the day? Do you look forward to training or do you dread it? Make notes in your training log or spreadsheet.
If you dont have a training log, get one and start writing in it. The same macronutrient recommendations that work for a
125-pound female triathlete will likely not work the same way for a 225-pound male football player.
51
What about food quality?
Glad you asked. Food quality does matter. Youre trying to optimize your potential as both an athlete and a human, so
the food you put in your mouth could quite possibly affect your quality of life now and in years to come. Its an
investment. Now, dont go max out your credit card buying freezers full of grass-fed meat if you cant keep the electricity
on.
If budgets a concern, decide what you can compromise on and what you can splurge on. If you cant afford grass-fed /
pastured / organic meats, go for leaner cuts and trim or drain the fat when possible.
For produce, a look at the Dirty Dozen List from the Environmental Working Group for an idea of what to avoid if organic
is out of your budget. For fats, avoid industrial seed oils and dont cook with plant oilsexcept coconut or palm kernel
oilsat high temperatures.
52
SECTION 4
Protein
Lets get something straight: Adequate dietary protein is non-negotiable. As an athlete, you need to eat more protein for
growth and repair of muscle and other tissues than a sedentary person.
Its a highly satiating macronutrient, is thermogenic (takes energy to
digest) and, when consumed in higher quantities, it can actually cause
you to consume less carbohydrate and fat (the overconsumption of
which are more typical and can cause weight gain). So what to eat?
Meat is your friend.
Animal sources of proteinmuscle meat, organ meat, eggs and fish
are the most dense and complete and should be a staple at each meal.
Yes, you can get protein from virtually any food, but the differences are
substantial. Im not rallying against vegetarianism, but when you look
at how much food youd need to consume to match the protein levels
found in meat, its daunting. To get the same amount of protein in 100
grams of chicken breast, youd need to eat 7.5 cups of broccoli.
One common concern about eating a high-protein diet is the
possibility of developing kidney problems. Simply put, the fear is
unfounded and in normal, healthy individuals, a higher-protein diet
doesnt cause kidney stress or damage
16,17
.
53
Protein Per 100 Grams:
Chicken breast, 21; kidney beans, 9;
Brazil nuts, 14; broccoli, 2.8
Daily Protein Per Pound of Bodyweight Daily Protein Per Pound of Bodyweight
Minimum recommendation* 0.8 gram
Maximum recommendation* 1.25 grams
Bodyweight in pounds x 0.8 = minimum grams of protein per day Bodyweight in pounds x 0.8 = minimum grams of protein per day
Bodyweight in pounds x 1.25 = maximum grams of protein per day Bodyweight in pounds x 1.25 = maximum grams of protein per day
*Remember, these are general recommendations and you will need to adjust based on how big and active you are. The
following table lists some suggestions for Paleo-friendly protein sources.
54
55
Protein Sources Protein Sources
Whole Protein Whole Protein
Ruminants Game
Beef
Lamb
Boar
Bison / Buffalo
Elk
Exotic game (kangaroo, antelope)
Venison
Poultry
Boar
Bison / Buffalo
Elk
Exotic game (kangaroo, antelope)
Venison
Chicken
Duck
Eggs
Turkey
Boar
Bison / Buffalo
Elk
Exotic game (kangaroo, antelope)
Venison
Chicken
Duck
Eggs
Turkey
Fish & Shellfish
Chicken
Duck
Eggs
Turkey
Non-oily fish (like trout)
Oily fish (like sardines)
Clams, mussels, shrimp...
Other
Non-oily fish (like trout)
Oily fish (like sardines)
Clams, mussels, shrimp...
Deli meat (look for clean options)
Jerky
Non-oily fish (like trout)
Oily fish (like sardines)
Clams, mussels, shrimp...
Deli meat (look for clean options)
Jerky
Pork
Supplements
(not recommended over whole protein sources)
Supplements
(not recommended over whole protein sources)
Branched chain amino acids
Egg white protein
Whey protein
Other protein isolates
SECTION 5
Carbs
If you skipped over Carbology 101, Ill give you the quick and dirty rundown. You need carbs as an athlete. Starchy, carb-
dense veggies are best, safe starches are a decent option if you get bored, and fruit is best left as an occasional and not
your default choice. Well get more into timing of these macronutrients later, but lets just say that carbs are tough to pin
down for one single, all-encompassing answer. Even green veggies have carbohydrates so its actually really challenging
to eat zero carbs.
Suffice it to say, youll get carbs at virtually each meal, but the timing of your big carb refeed is going to matter. For
athletes considering carb cycling or carb backloading, that discussion is coming up shortly. In the post-workout refeed,
plan to take down 50100 grams of carbs.
Daily Carbohydrate Per Pound of Bodyweight Daily Carbohydrate Per Pound of Bodyweight
Minimum recommendation* 1 gram
Maximum recommendation* 2 grams
Bodyweight in pounds x 1 = minimum grams of carbs per day Bodyweight in pounds x 1 = minimum grams of carbs per day
Bodyweight in pounds x 2 = maximum grams of carbs per day Bodyweight in pounds x 2 = maximum grams of carbs per day
*Remember, these are general recommendations and you will need to adjust based on how big and active you are. The
following tables list some suggestions for Paleo-friendly carb sources.
56
Carb Sources Carb Sources Carb Sources
Produce Produce Produce
Veggies Carb-Dense Veggies Fruit
Artichoke
Asparagus
Bell peppers
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Celery
Cucumber
Eggplant
Garlic
Greens
Jicama
Leeks
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Onion
Snap peas
Tomato
Zucchini
Beets
Butternut squash
Carrots
Plantain
Rutabaga
Sweet potato
Turnip
Taro
White potato
Winter squash
Yam
Yuca
Apples
Bananas
Berries
Cherries
Citrus
Dates
Figs
Grapes
Kiwi
Mango
Melons
Pears
Pineapple
Stone fruit (peaches, plums)
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Carb Sources Carb Sources Carb Sources
Safe Starches Safe Starches Safe Starches
Arrowroot flour
Tapioca flour
Tapioca pearls
White rice
Arrowroot flour
Tapioca flour
Tapioca pearls
White rice
Arrowroot flour
Tapioca flour
Tapioca pearls
White rice
Other Other Other
Coconut water
Dextrose powder
Coconut water
Dextrose powder
Coconut water
Dextrose powder
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SECTION 6
Fats
Important as a fuel source when the bodys at rest, healthy fats are a feature of Paleo. Theyll help you feel full (promote
satiety) and make food more satisfying. Remember, Paleos not a low-fat diet, and there are plenty of tasty fats to add
into your daily nutrition plan.
Keep in mind that saturated animal fats and plant oils with a high concentration of saturated fatty acids, like coconut oil,
are the best options for high-temperature cooking because theyre less prone to oxidation.
Is eating fat going to make you fat?
Unless youre slamming back huge amounts of carbohydrateas in, basing your diet around refined carbs like bread and
pastayour default energy source will be the fat you eat rather than the excess carbohydrate found in a traditional
Western diet.
Daily Fat Per Pound of Bodyweight Daily Fat Per Pound of Bodyweight
Minimum recommendation* 1 gram
Maximum recommendation* 2 grams
Bodyweight in pounds x 1 = minimum grams of fat per day Bodyweight in pounds x 1 = minimum grams of fat per day
Bodyweight in pounds x 2 = maximum grams of fat per day Bodyweight in pounds x 2 = maximum grams of fat per day
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*Remember, these are general recommendations and you will need to adjust based on how big and active you are. The
following table lists some suggestions for Paleo-friendly fat sources.
Put another way, eating fat in the context of a lower-carb Paleo approach means youll be burning the fat you eat instead
of burning through sugar while at rest, and storing fat as adipose (fat) tissue. Technically, its possible to overeat fat and
have that stored as adipose tissue, but its somewhat difficult to do because fats so satiating.
Fat Sources Fat Sources
Animal Fats Plant Fats
Bacon
Butter (grass-fed)
Chicken fat (schmaltz)
Clarified butter
Duck fat
Egg yolks
Ghee
Goose fat
Lard
Tallow
Fish oil (not for cooking)
Almonds / almond butter
Avocado
Brazil nuts
Cashews / cashew butter
Coconut butter / flakes / milk / oil
Hazelnuts
Macadamia nuts / butter
Olive oil
Olives
Pecans
Pine nuts
Pistachios
Sesame seeds / tahini
Sunflower seeds / sunbutter
Walnuts
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SECTION 7
Macro Summary
Protein, carbs and fats fuel your training and athletic performances along with your other daily energy requirements. Use
these general recommendations to get started planning your daily macronutrient requirements. Well look into the timing
more in depth in the next section.
Remember, your individual quantities will vary upon the intensity and duration of your training, your body size and your
specific goals.
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General Daily Macronutrient Recommendation Summary General Daily Macronutrient Recommendation Summary General Daily Macronutrient Recommendation Summary General Daily Macronutrient Recommendation Summary General Daily Macronutrient Recommendation Summary General Daily Macronutrient Recommendation Summary
Protein Grams Protein Grams Carbohydrate Grams Carbohydrate Grams Fat Grams Fat Grams
Minimum
(per pound
bodyweight)
0.8 Minimum
(per pound
bodyweight)
1.0 Minimum
(per pound
bodyweight)
1.0
Maximum
(per pound
bodyweight)
1.25 Maximum
(per pound
bodyweight)
2.0 Maximum
(per pound
bodyweight)
2.0
SECTION 8
Pre-, Intra- & PostWorkout Nutrition Intro
Now that you know how much protein, carbs and fat to eat per day, lets consider timing. Its truly of the essence. Youre
not just eating Paleo to have overall health; youre after performance. You want to be faster, go farther and be stronger.
Macronutrient timing matters.
Weve already decided that cheap gas isnt going to help your high-performance vehicle. You need premium fuel. But
what good is premium fuel if you let the tank run empty in the middle of the Monaco Grand Prix? Oh sure, we put the
best fuel mix in, but we forgot to fill it up when it mattered.
The nuances of when to fuel are just as important as what to fuel with so you can 1) get through your training or your
event and 2) make sure youre properly topped off for the next session. For our purposes, lets define these terms:
Eventually, were going to break these zones down by sportbecause youre not going to stop during a four-minute
Fran to eatbut for now well address some general considerations.
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PreWorkout (PreWO) ! The time 1575 minutes
before the workout.
IntraWorkout (IWO) ! The time during your workout.
PostWorkout (PostWO) ! The time 1530 minutes
If you Google sports nutrition, youll get countless recommendations. It gets downright confusing and contradictory.
Ive done my best to pull together recommendations from many Paleo experts; their endorsements are based in science
and are heavily peppered with real-world implementation. My personal experiences of more than a decade in
competitive sport also come into play. Someday, scientific discoveries may contradict these guidelines, but until then,
these are our best practices.
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SECTION 9
PreWorkout Nutrition
Whether you eat anything PreWO is highly variable and will depend on the time of day you train and whether fasted
training works for you.
Early Morning Training
Do you work out first thing in the morning? Getting up two or three hours before training to eat, thereby sacrificing
sleep, is just plain dumb. That may be blunt, but trading hours of sleep for a belly full of food doesnt make good sense.
Fasted trainingnot eating anything before your morning sessionworks well for many athletes because they can avoid
that heavy feeling in their gut from eating a full meal (or worse, throwing up from going hard on a full stomach).
I used to go on long morning training rides, and knowing Id be up a mountain for several hours made the idea of fasted
training less attractive. Id often grab hard-boiled eggs and some nuts, avocado or roasted sweet potato to keep hunger
at bay. If youre big, eat more than me.
Why does fasted training work? If youre fat-adapted, you can tap into your reserves for energy. Some athletesmyself
includedreport not feeling quite as strong on heavy lifts while fasted. But for high-intensity, short workouts where
glycogen is the fuel, and longer endurance workouts, it works.
Ultimately, youll need to test how your body reacts to fasted training to see if its a good option for you. Very important:
If you want to rely on glycogen stores and you dont eat any carbs PreWO, you need to refuel the day before. Dont let
yourself run on empty.
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What if you have time before your morning workout to eat? A small amount of easy-to-digest protein, like eggs, plus
some fat (coconut milk in your coffee or better yet, Bulletproof

-style coffee with grass-fed butter and MCT oil or

coconut oil) is a great option here. Some athletes like BCAAs*branched chain amino acidslike leucine before
training, too, because they help prevent muscle breakdown (catabolism).
If you take in glucose PreWO, you may be able to goose your metabolism into a heightened state of insulin sensitivity.
The result? Less muscle catabolism.
Afternoon or Evening Training
If you train later in the day, youve likely eaten one or more meals already. Unless youre ravenous, you probably wont
need to eat again PreWO.
*More about BCAAs in the Supplements section in Chapter 4
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Lets say you train at 4 p.m. You should have eaten a
mid-day meal (lets be civilized and call it lunch) so its
probably been three to six hours since you ate. If its
closer to three hours, youre probably feeling
good...lunch is digested and not sitting in your gut
but you feel energized and ready to go. If its closer
to six hours, you may need a couple quick bites to
stave off any hunger pangs.
Real-world example: At Invictus, I trained mostly with the 3:30 p.m. competition class. Each day, I ate lunch at 12:15
regular bell schedules are part of a teachers lifeso my lunch had about three hours to digest. I never felt like I needed
a PreWO meal.
Every once in a while, Id under-eat at lunch because I planned poorly, and hunger pangs would distract me during
lifting. Theres nothing worse than that hollow, rumbly feeling in your gut when youre trying to concentrate. If youre
prone to eating an inadequate lunch or dinner, keep a stash of snacks like Primal Pacs jerky or Epic Bars in your gym bag
or car.
Click here to watch the video. Password: paleoperformance123
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SECTION 10
IntraWorkout Nutrition
Athletes in certain sports wont take any nutrition during their training session, and Ill be covering some specifics in the
breakout sections to come.
For power athletes like Olympic weightlifters, you may consider sipping on BCAAs for protein synthesis (read: helping
rebuild muscle) or something glucose-basedbecause lifting heavily impacts the central nervous systembut you really
wont need to replete between lifts.
If you do high-intensity training like CrossFit, unless youre doing a long chipper or hero workout, theres little need to
eat or drink anything during training. Choking down food or drink while youre doing Helen or Grace really just isnt
practical. You (hopefully) have topped off your glycogen, and youll be tapping into it to get you through.
If its something like Murphwhere youre working out for about an hoursipping on something like coconut water may
help. You may also consider taking BCAAs, probably via a powder mixed with water or in pill form, during your workout.
Endurance athletes, particularly those whose workouts are over an hour long, will need to pay attention to fueling during
training. Youll never be able to replenish all the energy youre burning by eating or drinking during training. Try doing it,
and youll end up with a gut full of liquid or food. How much and what to eat will be covered in the Endurance section.
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SECTION 11
PostWorkout Nutrition
Your post-workout refeed is another meal tacked onto your daily food intake. It doesnt count as one of the three meals
youre already eating.
I repeat: Your PostWO meal is a mandatory meal.
You get to eat more because you trained. Ladies, Im talking to you, too. Weve got this predisposition to want to eat
less less less. All the time. If you want to build muscle and get stronger, you need to eat enough food. Starving yourself
is not good.
The temptation is to skip eating PostWO and just wait for the next meal of the day. Example: You wake up at 6:00 a.m. to
get to the gym by 7:00 and do a fasted high-intensity workout. Once trainings done, you hop in the shower and then
race to work, barely getting there on time. No time to eat so you knock back a few cups of coffee and cant get a real
breakfast in your gut. You eat a normal-size lunch and dinner.
Youre likely in a caloric deficit for the day and unless you bump up your carbs at lunch, now your body is working harder
to refill your glycogen tankand remember, its got other things to do, like repair and grow muscle. Not only does taking
in some PostWO carbs help refill glycogen for the high intensity, it may also assist with muscle protein synthesis (though
the research on this is conflicting).
If youre a newbie athlete trying to lose fat, and charging hard isnt on your radar, you may be able to go a bit more low-
carb and a bit hypocaloric (under on calories) for the day compared with other athletes.
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However
If youre trying to maintain or increase muscle mass and really perform well, cutting corners by chronically under-eating
and being very low-carb is not a good long-term approach.
Youre already bumping up cortisol with training and other life stress, so you dont want to add fuel to that fire and put
more drain on the adrenals than you already are.
What should you put in your pie hole PostWO then?
Protein and carbsunless youre cycling your carbs...more on that laterand possibly a small amount of fat. If youre
really trying to lean out because you have significant fat to lose, you may be able to steer the boat toward protein and
fat in the PostWO. (Remember, this is NOT a majority of competitive athletes.)
Whole protein sources like meat, eggs and fish and whole carb sources like starchy veggies are always your best choice.
Due to time constraints and the reality of balancing your training with, oh, having a life and a job, you may default to
supplements like BCAAs, whey protein or carb drinks. The upside? Theyre convenient. The downside? Theyre usually
more expensive than real food, and they dont provide anything you cant find in real food.
Im here to tell you whats the most nutritionally ideal. You get to make the choice of what to actually eat. Deal?
When I say most ideal, I mean from a scientific standpoint. If you have an egg sensitivity, for example, dont eat them. If
whey protein gives you bubble gut, studiously avoid. If youre hell bent on a banana PostWO, have it. It may not be
optimal, but its better than gorging on a bunch of junk food.
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What if you want to gain or lose weight?
Though this is simplistic, if you want to gain weight, you need to eat more calories than you burn, and to lose, vice versa.
However, two different foods may have different hormonal effects on the body even though they contain the same
amount of energy. So yes, calories matter but not all foods are created equal. What does this mean for you? If you want
to get big (mass gain) youll probably need to eat. A lot. If youre doing a lot of high-intensity exercise and trying to get
big at the same time, youll need to eat more. Just dont spend all your calories on soda, chips and candy. Make sense?
Put another way, you can calculate how many calories you spend just existing in a resting state, called your basal
metabolic rate or BMR, then account for the calories you spend training. If you want to gain weight, youll have to
consume more calories than BMR + calories burned in training. You can estimate your BMR with online tools like this
one, but for the most accurate results you can have it assessed via blood tests.
For cutting weight, you need to be consume fewer calories than your BMR + calories used in training. And to maintain,
at about a balance.
Again, these are general guidelines so if you notice youre porking out, its probably time to dial back your overall
caloric needs to your activity level.
Getting too big? Cut back on food. Getting too small? You guessed it, eat more. Not sure what the culprit is? Log your
food for three to five days. Everything you put in your mouth gets written down. Sit down and take an honest look. Its
easy to forget eating junk food, and its often easy to rationalize eating a whole bag of nuts in one sitting while its
happening. Looking at it in black and white will usually give you clues about whats going wrong.
Pay attention to your body.
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I dont mean obsessively measuring every morsel that passes your lips (hellllllllo, train to Crazy Town), but I do mean
noticing how your clothes fit. How visibly leanor notyou are. How energetic you feel. Dont count on anyone else to
do it for you, because unless you have a coach or spouse who notices, nobody probably will.
How much should you eat on rest days? Generally less. For power athletes who want to try cycling carbs, youll probably
want cut your carb intake down on rest days and keep it higher on days you train.
Whatever you do, dont get bogged down obsessively logging calories. Youve got other, far more important things to
attend to. If, though, youve done your 30 days but things just arent sitting right no matter what youre trying, consider
hiring a nutrition coach for an objective eye.
Click here to watch the video. Password: paleoperformance123
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SECTION 12
Summary
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PreWorkout ! Test out fasted training if you work out
before breakfast. If hungry, take a small amount of protein
and fat or a bit of carbs 1575 minutes ahead of training.
IntraWorkout ! Depends on your sport and duration of
the training period. Read the specific recommendations in
the next section for your sport.
PostWorkout ! Generally, youll want to refuel with
protein and carbs quickly after your training session. Your
post-workout refeed is an extra meal.
SECTION 13
Strength & Power Athletes
Powerlifters. Olympic lifters. Football players.
Youre in a special group because the primary fuel for your training is ATP / ATP + creatine dependent; consequently, you
arent ripping through glycogen like a power, high-intensity or endurance athlete would.
If youre a sprinter or football player or other power athlete, youll likely do more glycogen-dependent movements than
your pure strength counterparts, so replacing carbs PostWO is critical.
Takeaway: You may be able to play with cycling your carbs on recovery days and on easier days...but if it aint broke, no
need to fix it.
If youre looking, feeling and performing well, keep doing what youre doing.
However, if youre trying to get bigger youll need to eat more. Duh. If youre trying to lean out a bit, you may want to
play with higher- and lower-carb days. Be smart. Dont go lower-carb on the days you do your hardest efforts. Best to
save that for easier days or rest days.
You need adequate proteinperhaps even more than 1.25 grams per pound of bodyweight per day if youre trying to
mass gain. Period. Taking protein during your training session may help prevent muscle catabolism, so a supplement like
BCAAs may be your best option since you can drink it as powder mixed with liquid or take it in pill form rather than
chewing on some meat during training.
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PreWorkout
Even though its not needed for glycogen-dependent efforts in power athletesyou dont want to cram yourself too full
of glycogen if youre only doing a 10-minute workoutsome folks will eat a small amount (up to 50 grams) of PreWO
carb. If youre insulin sensitive, thatll ramp up testosterone and up-regulate receptors on the muscle cells that signal,
Grow! Commence muscle protein synthesis. Muscle catabolism = bad. Muscle anabolism (growth) = good.
IntraWorkout
You may choose to sip on BCAAs for protein and / or something like coconut water for carbs.
PostWorkout
You need protein for muscle protein synthesis, and carbs will help replenish glycogen for power athletes. Strength
athletes like lifters may do well cycling on and off carbs throughout the week. This is discouraged in power athletes and
anyone doing glycogen-spendy activities.
Carb-cycling protocols are as many and varied as training programs. Perhaps the simplest way to do it is to consume
more carbs on high-effort days and fewer carbs on low-effort days.
You can really take these guidelines and calculations pretty far down the rabbit hole and get intimidated by complex
methods, but if youre just starting out, I recommend refueling with protein and carbs to keep it simple. If youre not
getting the results you want or are gaining too much fat, try backing off carbs on low training days / rest days if youre a
strength athlete.
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Get your PostWO refeed in your belly quickly after youre done training, within 1530 minutes if youre able, for best
results.
General Recommendations for Strength & Power Athletes General Recommendations for Strength & Power Athletes General Recommendations for Strength & Power Athletes General Recommendations for Strength & Power Athletes
Timing Protein Carbohydrate Fat
PreWO 48 ounces meat
or
1020 grams BCAAs
up to 50 grams minimal
IntraWO
PostWO 48 ounces meat 50100 grams
or
possibly carb cycle
minimal
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SECTION 14
High-Intensity Athletes
CrossFit. Kettlebells. Sprint intervals. MMA.
If youre spending mucho time in relatively short but glycogen-dependent efforts, this is for you.
Lets sum this up right now: Eat carbs.
Eat most of your carbs PostWO. I already touched on this in Stop the (Low Carb) Insanity in Chapter 2, but if you try to
restrict carbs all the time, youre likely to see decreased performance and worsening of body composition. Remember
our friend cortisol? Youll end up jacking it up even moreand trust me, you get enough of a cortisol bump from the
intensity of your training and other stress. Be nice to your adrenals, okay?
Some folks advocate taking IntraWO nutrition, but seriously, who the hell has time to stop and swig on BCAAs during
Fran? You just dont need it. Top off protein and carbs PostWO and youll be fine.
If youre doing intervals and you want to keep a bottle of BCAAs and maybe some coconut water or electrolyte mix
nearby to sip on, it might work for you. Bear in mind theres a good chance youre going to be a heaving, sweating mess,
just trying to get your heart rate down and wipe the drool strings off your chin before heading back in for another
interval.
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PreWorkout
Fasted training may be something to try, especially if you are working out in the early morning. Remember: Dont trade
sleep for breakfast.
You may decide to do a small amount of protein or protein + fat especially if youre really hungry somewhere within 15
75 minutes before training. Why no carbs? Unlike an athlete trying to get really big, you may be focused on maintaining
your current weight to maximize your strength-to-bodyweight ratio. Adding extra carbs PreWO may provide more than
you really need. BCAAs might also be an option here.
IntraWorkout
Likely, you wont be eating or drinking anything during short intervals. However, if you need something you may want to
play around with BCAAs or a glucose drink or both.
PostWorkout
You need protein for muscle protein synthesis, and carbs will help replenish glycogen for high-intensity athletes. Carb
cycling is highly discouraged. You need topped-up glycogen for your next training session.
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General Recommendations for High-Intensity Athletes General Recommendations for High-Intensity Athletes General Recommendations for High-Intensity Athletes General Recommendations for High-Intensity Athletes
Timing Protein Carbohydrate Fat
PreWO 48 ounces meat
or
1020 grams BCAAs
minimal
IntraWO
PostWO 48 ounces meat 50100 grams minimal
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SECTION 15
Endurance Athletes
Distance runners. Cyclists. Triathletes. Adventure racers.
If youre going long, this is where you want to be. If your training or competition lasts an hour or more, you need specific
nutrition to cover the time periods and metabolic changes your bodys going through.
You differ most from the power / strength and high-intensity athletes in that youll probably need to fuel during your
training. For shorter efforts (less than 60 minutes) you may decide to take in not much more than water or water with
electrolytes. Once you pass the 30-minute mark or so, supplying carbs is important, even if youre fat-adapted.
Eating a quickly digested carb source means blood sugar will rise quicklybut then crashso a starchier form of
carbohydrate is recommended. Since youre fat-adapted and your bodyll be burning through some of your fat stores,
consider adding a readily digested fat like MCT (medium chain triglycerides as are found in coconut)
18
.
After an hour, your body will start breaking down muscle protein for fuel so supplying protein is important for those
efforts.
The huge challenge with fueling for endurance events lies in quantity: You can never take in a volume of nutrition while
youre training to replace what youve burned through.
If you try, expect bubble guts.
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Ive used sweet potato mixed and thinned with coconut milk for a carb / fat mixture and jerky for protein, and those
would be examples of whole food sources. For sports where youre in constant motionespecially during competition
chewing on solid food is challenging. Youll have to experiment to see what works for you.
Hydrations also critical, and I highly recommended an electrolyte replacement like Elete to make it more effective. Elete
is sugarless and tasteless but works incredibly well. Ive personally used it as an electrolyte replacement since 2009, and
its been essential for hydration and preventing cramps. At the 6 Hours of Temecula in January 2010, I was treated to
double quad cramps for the first time ever in a mountain bike race. The only thing Id done differently in my nutrition? I
forgot my electrolytes.
PreWorkout
A small amount of protein + carbs will work well for many athletes.
IntraWorkout
A mix of easily digestible fat like MCT oil, protein and slow-breakdown starchy carbspreferably from whole foodis
recommended when youre going for more than an hour. For less than an hour, you may want to try a carbohydrate or
carbs + fast-digesting fat mix.
PostWorkout
You need protein for muscle protein synthesis and carbs to help replenish glycogen. Carb cycling is highly discouraged.
You need topped-up glycogen for your next training session.
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General Recommendations for Endurance Athletes General Recommendations for Endurance Athletes General Recommendations for Endurance Athletes General Recommendations for Endurance Athletes
Timing Protein Carbohydrate Fat
PreWO 48 ounces meat
or
10 20 grams BCAAs
minimal
IntraWO recommended if training is
over 90 min
if training is over 30 min,
choose slow-digesting
if training is over 30 min,
choose fast-digesting
PostWO 48 ounces meat 50100 grams minimal
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SECTION 16
Youre an Experiment. N = 1.
Even the best laid plans sometimes fail. Yes, youre a unique snowflake. Nutrition forms the foundation of training
success, but other factors can steer the boat.
When youre making changes to your nutrition, give it time to take effect before deciding it doesnt work. One of the
most common mistakes is making a change, waiting a week, deciding its crap and making another change (unless youve
been doing something egregious).
Get your proverbial hands dirty. Test things out. Write down notes. Decide what works and doesnt. If its broken, fix it. If
it works, dont.
Sticking to a basic Paleo template with plenty of starchy carbs and enough protein for recovery will take most athletes a
long way, but even the best recommendations may have to be tweaked for your circumstances.
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CHAPTER 4
File Under
Other
83
Its worth repeating: When it comes down
to it, if youre not performing to the level
you desire, youve got to make sure your
nutrition and sleep (and recovery) ducks are
in a row first.
SECTION 1
Equipping Your Kitchen
By now, youre super stoked to start Paleo and apply it to your training. You want the faster recovery, the decreased
inflammation and the improved energy, power and strength. It sounds all well and good, until you realize youre probably
going to have to make a majority of your food at home. What to do if cooking isnt your thing?
Youve got to suck it up, Buttercup.
Unless you want to throw down some coinage to order from a pre-made Paleo meal service or hire a personal chef, youll
be spending more time in the kitchen. There are some things you can do to lessen the blow.
First, youve got to get your workspace under control. Having to fight your way through a disorganized, messy space
creates stress where you definitely dont need it. Making way for a smooth workflow will get you jiving in the kitchen
quickly. Wading through clutter wont.
Clean it up:
Time for some elbow grease, baby. Give your kitchen a good scrub down. Clean all those nooks and crannies you
avoid, like the top of the fridge and that stupid little crack between the stove and the cabinetyou know, the one
that you always drop food down and say, Ill get that, oh, never.
Organize your cupboards. Put a bit of thought into this. If your cooking utensils are on the opposite side of the
kitchen as your stove, its time to start thinking smarter. Got a huge collection of water bottles or shaker bottles you
never use? Cull the herd.
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Match storage containers with their lids. I know. Its like the sad pile of single socks without matches you keep in your
drawer hoping one miraculous day the lost one will reappear. Just stop. If its long gone and not useable, toss it. On
that note, if youre low on storage containers, buy more. I cant stress this one enough. More cooking = more food to
store. Dont be that guy or girl taking your lunch to work in a serving bowl covered with foil. I recommend glass
locking containers because theyre durable as hell and safe for reheating in the microwave or oven.
Replenish basic supplies like dish soap, paper towels and sponges. This sounds obvious but theres nothing worse
than staring down a pile of dirty dishes without the proper accoutrements.
Once youve made nice with your kitchen, its time to purge your pantry and fridge. If youre new to Paleo, you cannot
skip this step. If youre a Paleo veteran, its still a good idea to do this a few times a year. What if you live in a household
with non-Paleos? If you think it will go over well, tell them they dont have a choice or simply divide up your pantry and
fridge and go from there. Your shelf. Their shelves. Done.
Purge the pantry:
Go through and toss or donate anything that you wont be eating. Yeah, three-year-old box of Pasta Roni, Im lookin
at you.
If its old, expired or growing mold, toss it. While you can hold onto that favorite pair of jeans forever and ever,
keeping food thats clearly past its prime is grounds for getting yourself on the next episode of Hoarders.
Once the purge is done, youve got to restock with Paleo pantry and fridge staples like canned coconut milk, almond
flour and spices. You can grab the Paleo Pantry Guide on my website by clicking here and the Basic Paleo Foods
Guide by clicking here. These will help you get started with a full arsenal of Paleo-friendly foods.
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Every sport has its gear, and outfitting your kitchen shouldnt be any different. You dont need to go whole hog and
spend thousands to get every new and cool gadget; rather, a few key pieces will have you cooking like a pro.
Remember not to buy cheap stuff, as tempting as it is. As the saying goes: Buy cheap, buy twice. For specific
recommendations, go to the resource list on my website by clicking here.
Get the essential tools:
The most important tool in the kitchens got to be a good-quality 67 chef's knife and possibly one small paring
knife. You don't need a 40-piece Ginsu set to get the job done. Invest wisely. If you can, get out to a store where you
can actually see the knives and hold them. You want a knife that fits comfortably in your hand with good handle
weight.
Get two sturdy cutting boards: one for meat and one for veggies (getting different colors is one way to avoid mixing
them up). Make sure theyre large enough to accommodate chopping a large amount of food at once. Nothing more
annoying than chunks of food falling all over the countertop.
I love my cast-iron skillet because it goes from stovetop to oven so easily. If kept seasoned with oil and cleaned
properly after each use, itll last decades. It also doesnt come with the same health concerns of aluminum or nonstick
cookware.
If you dont have a slow cooker yet, what are you waiting for?! Is there nothing more amazing than a simple appliance
that cooks everything for you while you go about your day? I think not (well, unless were talking about coffee
makers). The slow cooker is great for stews, soups, curries and stocks, but it also does whole chickens or even roasted
sweet potatoes. WIN.
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SECTION 2
Cooking Tips
Now that your kitchens pimped out, what about the cooking part? Clean-eating athletes will eat home...a lot. You
control what goes in the food so its high-quality and there are no surprises. If youre a real person with a job, a social life
and a training schedule, things can get overwhelming faster than Usain Bolt runs the 100. Youve got to have a plan of
attack to keep the machine (you) fed and happy. Not being prepared results in under-fueling or putting junk /
convenience / processed food in your lovely fuel tank.
Heres a plan of attack:
You need two cook-up days per week: one big, one small. The big one should ideally be on a day off from work and
training. If thats not possible (speaking as an entrepreneurfood bloggerathlete), pick a day youre less busy or
stressed, possibly a rest day. The small cook-up day can be any other day during the week, and again, aim for a less-
crazy day. Maybe you only have a short session on one day or its active recovery. Pick that one. It makes most sense to
stagger these two cook-ups a few days apart when possible.
My teaching job was Monday to Friday. My training days off were Thursday and Sunday. With that in mind, I chose my
big cook-up day as Sunday with my touch-up day on Thursday. Id make a grip of food to carry me from Monday through
Thursday and then another small batch to last Friday through Sunday.
But Steph, I hate leftovers.
Get over it. (Tough love, I know.)
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Properly stored, most food is going to last three to five days. Unless you want to throw down for meal delivery or be
stressed out cooking every night, get used to leftovers. You can get creative and rotate through them so you arent
eating the same exact thing for multiple meals in a row.
Develop a routine around food shopping. Im not saying to never venture off plan, but when training occupies a good
chunk of your free time, it helps to build the mundane tasks like shopping into your schedule. I always do a big shopping
trip on Sunday morning, then do a huge batch cook later that afternoon. Find what works best for your schedule and
stick to it.
On that note, find a couple favorite dishes to rotate into your weekly cook-up. No, dont eat the same thing day in and
day outget in a wide range of nutrients, vitamins and mineralsbut by incorporating a few of the same recipes on a
regular basis, you wont have to constantly get creative.
It just so happens there are 30 recipes in the last chapter and another 200 on my site. This is especially helpful if youre
new to Paleo. Its overwhelming to wrap your brain around a new way of eating, but if you build some repetition into
your menu, youll take a little of the pressure off. Once you get your sea legs, you can start incorporating new dishes.
What about food for training?
To manage that, decide when you have to eat. Will you bring your post-workout food to your training session or do you
live close enough to get home and eat it within a half hour? Yes, you can technically eat your post-workout anytime after
your training session, but again, if youre trying to optimize recovery, get it down your gullet as soon as you can. Even
though I live close to the gym, I find it tough to cool down, drive home and do any necessary admin before I can get the
post-workout refeed in.
If youre training for endurance, will you need something to eat during your training session?
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Some things to chew on:
What time of day are you training?
Will you be able to eat a meal priorlike lunchor can you work out fasted?
The night before, did you pack something for post-workout? If you use a BCAA drink or whey protein, how will you
transport that? It may seem like these are minor details, but a bit of planning saves so much time and avoids you missing
part of your nutrition. You wouldnt go to the gym without your lifting shoes or head out for a training ride without your
bike. Nutrition is no different: Make it a routine and itll be a piece of the puzzle you need to worry less about.
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SECTION 3
Hydration
Ah, water. Good ol dihydrogen monoxide. The essence of all thats alive. For many athletes, getting a handle on
hydration can be the difference between cramping, bonking or just a flat-out sluggish training session.
Why water? Lets just say it keeps everything working. It forms the basis of our blood and cellular fluids, assists in
dissolving and absorbing nutrients and keeps muscles firing properly. Exactly how much you need varies according to the
source, but heres a general formula:
For my metric counterparts:
bodyweight in pounds x 0.5 = ounces per day
bodyweight in kilograms x 14.2 = milliliters per day
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Even small dips in hydration (-1%) can massively impact performance
18
. Add in exercise, heat or dry conditionsplus
other factors like medicationsand youll have to increase fluid intake from there. Endurance athletes training or racing
for more than an hour at a time need to be especially vigilant about dehydration because of the long duration but heres
the rub:
Its really hard to replace exactly the same volume youre sweating out.
Your stomach can only cope with and process so much fluid at once, and if youre not careful, electrolyte levels can dip
and affect performance, too. What to do?
Consider hydrating well before your training session or event. Including electrolytes is a good idea.
Start drinking early in your training session or race. Dont wait until you feel thirsty.
If going over 60 minutes, add an electrolyte replacement to your water, like Elete, to replenish sodium, potassium
and magnesium. Electrolytes actually help the body retain water
19
.
If using a carb drink with something like maltodextrin (not recommended because its highly processed, and you can
get carbs from whole food sources) keep the concentration in the range of 48%. Too dilute and it wont help you fuel
relative to how much fluid youll be taking in. Too concentrated and your stomach will end up in knots because it
wont empty properly. Ever tried training with fluid sloshing around in your gut? It feels miserable (yes, theres some
personal experience there).
A good starting point for fluid intake is 16 ounces per hour. Again, you may have to adjust based on conditions but
remember to factor in electrolytes. Pouring a bunch of plain water into your system in without electrolytes to
encourage fluid retention is grounds for diluting your blood electrolyte levels and ending up in serious trouble.
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As crazy as it sounds, its possible to drink too much. Dizziness, confusion and seizures can result. Essentially, blood
electrolytes get too dilute and the body stops producing urine, which signals the body to retain more water. Blood
volume increases. This condition is technically called hyponatremia.
In your post-workout refeed, continue to rehydrate and include electrolytesthough dont just stick a garden hose in
your mouth and gulp down as much as you can. Youll likely continue rehydrating from particularly long or intense
workouts, especially in hot / dry conditions, for several hours.
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SECTION 4
Supplements, Safe Starches & Sugar...Oh My!
Now we get to the topic that everyone really wants to know about. As an athlete, youre probably willing to do a lot to
optimize your performance; its a good bet thats why youre reading this book in the first place. Even though the
following information may help, dont be lulled into a false sense of security or think you can take shortcuts with basic
nutrition or sleep at the expense of training or other hacks.
Its worth repeating: When it comes down to it, if youre not performing to the level you desire, youve got to
make sure your nutrition, sleep and recovery ducks are in a row rst.
Thenand only thenyou may want to explore some of the other possibilities laid out here.
Think of this section not as Steph said to do this, but rather an objective look at some of the most common topics
athletes want to know about. After youve read through it, hit up The Googles for more information if something piques
your interest. You may decide to experiment with some of them yourself, but only you can ultimately determine whats
right for you based on your goals.
On Supplements
The supplement industry is basically an unregulated juggernaut. Marketers work hard to convince you that you could be
performing so much better by taking the newest thing theyre selling. When it comes to supplements, buyer beware. If it
sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Also, dont make the mistake of eating crappy food, then taking supplements
to supply what quality food couldve. Washing down your daily multivitamin with Coke just makes no sense.
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Whenever possible, get your nutrition from food that follows a Paleo template. The vitamins and minerals found in whole
foods are packaged the way nature intended them to be consumed.
Still confused? The good folks at Whole9 put together this handy-dandy Supplement Evaluation Checklist to help you
decide.
A complete list of every supplement known to mankind would take up pages and pages here, and new ones are
constantly being created, so suffice it to say, I wont be talking about all of them. Rather, Ill touch on some of the more
common ones you may hear about in your travels or on the Internet.
BCAAs
Amino acids are protein building blocks, so getting them is critical. Three amino acids have branched structures: leucine,
isoleucine and valine. They are essential, meaning they cant be made by the body and must be consumed in the food
you eat.
If youre doing fasted training, it may be worthwhile to play around with BCAA supplementation pre-workout to spare
the muscle-tissue-breakdown-for-fuel scenario.
Can you get BCAAs from protein-dense foods? Yes. Is it always realistic to sit down to a chunk of protein directly before
or duringyour training? Depends, but probably not. If youre trying to prevent the breakdown of muscle tissue and
are chasing huge strength gains with hard training, supplementing with BCAAs helps do that without requiring you to eat
a pile of meat right before.
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Fish Oil
Recommendations for fish oil have varied widely of late, so lets take it back to basics. Whats so special about oily fish?
The oils contain a high concentration of Omega-3 fatty acids, renowned for their anti-inflammatory properties. If you
want to get nerdy, Ill lay it on you: Alpha-linoleic acid (ALA)a type of fatty acidis converted into EPA
(eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA
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(docosahexaenoic acid). Fish convert the ALA in the plankton and algae they eat into
EPA and DHA. While humans can also do the same from ALA, its a less efficient process.
Eating oily fish is one of the best ways to get Omega-3s. Remember, getting these substances from food is a better
option than supplementing. Starting to sound familiar, isnt it?
Since athletes incur so much inflammation from training, it makes sense to consume a rich source of Omega-3 fatty acids.
How does fish oil reduce inflammation? One way is by decreasing the effect of prostaglandin hormones that contribute
to inflammation
20
.
Magnesium
Not just for soaking tired feet in Epsom salt baths, magnesium seems to be gaining a lot of traction in the athlete camp
lately. Its known for its role in muscle function
21
contraction and relaxationas well as energy production via ATP-
generating proteins
22,23
in the mitochondria, so you can imagine why its getting attention.
Mags found in many foods and is also available in supplement form. The catch? It can be bound to different chemical
partners, some of which are known for theirahemlaxative effect. If you decide to supplement with magnesium, read
the dosage recommendations on each bottle carefully. Probably my favorite pleasant side effect of taking magnesium is
a general feeling of relaxation, so I like to dose mine in the evening before bedtime.
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Zinc
Often packaged together with magnesiumlike PurePharmas M3 or ZMA, zinc + magnesium + vitamin B6zincs
important for immunity and the production of testosterone. One of the hallmarks of over-reaching or over-training is
being prone to colds and flu, so for athletes, maintaining a tip-top immune system is even more important. (P.S. Paleos
also known to help heal the gut lining, where the immune system is rooted.) As far as testosterone goes, just think:
muscle growth and recovery.
Vitamin D
This ones getting a lot of attention as the scientific community starts to understand the role of vit D in general health and
well-being. Why is D so amazing? It functions as a steroid hormone in the body. In case you missed it, hormones are the
chemical messengers of the body, and their balance and regulation are critical to health and help manage other minerals
like calcium and phosphate.
Deficiency in vitamin D can present as everything from weak bones to depression. The bummer is that the human bodys
evolved to produce vitamin D, subdivided into D2 and D3, from the suns UVB rays, but we spend so much time indoors
that were deficient in it. Even those who live in sunny climes are unlikely to get enough vitamin D. Click here for more
information from the Vitamin D Council.
You may want to get your vitamin D levels tested before supplementing to prevent overdosing.
Creatine
What is it? Its a nitrogen-based compound that assists with the generation of ATP through the ATP-phosphocreatine
pathway. It takes the powerhouse of the cell, the mitochondria, and makes them more efficient energy factories. Creatine
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appears to be associated with performance gains, especially in high-intensity, anaerobic or power-type training
24
. Its also
tied into gains in muscle mass, although creatines precise role in this isnt well understood.
Again, by consuming a diet rich in protein, youll be supplying the amino acids that help the natural production of
creatine in the body. Supplementing with creatine simply increases the concentration above what can normally be
obtained from food.
As stated before, dont make the mistake of falling down the supplement rabbit hole. Focus on good, solid nutrition as
your foundation. Just like you cant train your way out of a bad diet, you cant supplement yourself out of one, either.
On Safe Starches & Sugar
Weve touched on this before, but you need carbs. Whether theyre in the form of starchy veggies, safe starches (like
white rice) or simple sugars found in fruit, carbs are necessary for the athletes diet. Thats not to say you should go eat a
handful of lollipops to supply your carbs, since theyre basically devoid of nutrients. Lets remember that starchy veggies
rule because theyre nutrient dense.
Even amongst simple sugars, it appears that not all affect the body equally. In a 2011 study
26
, researchers found that
people consuming fructose burned less fat after a meal than their glucose-consuming counterparts. New research
continues to emerge on fructose, and its been vilified to the point that some people refuse to eat fruita naturally
occurring source of fructosefor fear its toxic.
On the other hand, can a diet consisting purely of fruit supply optimal nutrition? Of course not. If youre partial to putting
sugary things (of the junk food kind) in your mouth, foods like dried fruit may be a trigger for you. See how so much of
this depends on your individual situation and the importance of knowing yourself?
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Just as extremes arent goodlike never eating fruit for fear of getting fat or living on a diet of bananasneither is
being clueless about how food affects you. Not you in the metaphorical sense of people. You as in you.
So, what if youre super bored of sweet potatoes? Seek out some of the other carb-dense veggies from Chapter 2 or try
a new preparation. Boiled, steamed and microwaved veggies taste okay, but the minute you roast them its a whole new
game. The flavors concentrate and get all caramelized and yummy. Need I say more?
If you want to go off the Paleo reservationits okay, weve learned this is something athletes who care about
performance may doand work in some safe starches like white rice or tapioca, go for it. Try introducing safe starches
one at a time for a period of a few days post-workout, and pay attention to how you feel. If youre not metabolically
broken or trying to significantly shift body fatdropping a couple percent in body fat isnt a significant shift in my mind
white potatoes and safe starches can play a part in your carb refeeds without negative consequence.
Lets talk about rice. Yes, its a grain, but it doesnt contain gluten. White rice, which has had the outer bran (husk)
removed, contains fewer phytates than brown which is why folks who eat safe starches advocate for white. Its essentially
a nice, neat and tidy packet of starch. Super nutritious? Not really but dense in carbs and good for post-workout.
How about tapioca? Its not a grain and is therefore gluten free. This starch comes from manioc / cassava root and is
known for its natural thickening ability. Again, its super carb dense but not as nutritious as equal volumes of starchy
veggies. You may want to test it out and see how you do with it.
What about just taking in refined glucose post-workout? Its usually sold under the name dextrose and could be a
convenient option for you, though I dont recommend it. Again, I always default to real, whole food supplying everything
that supplements can.
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SECTION 5
Carb Cycling, Carb Backloading & Intermittent Fasting
This is the sex of performance nutrition.
It sells.
It sounds exotic and enticing and alluring. Some of the claims are pretty strong and usually fall under the category of
improving body composition and getting super lean.
All I have to say is, just like sex, know who youre jumping into bed withand the potential repercussionsbefore you
do it. Its not that these protocols are inherently bad, but they are freaking potent (just like training). And just like training,
when you layer too many potent programs on top of one other, you end up with a recipe for stress and increased cortisol
you get fatter despite training harder, and your adrenals start to fry.
In 2013, I wrote an article for RobbWolf.com called Eating in All Directions. The premise is summarized best in this
quote:
If youre looking for an edge, theres no doubt that nutrition is bound to be paramount in your mind. After all, theres
little debate at this point that you can out-train a suboptimal diet forever. No matter your groupperformance- or
aesthetics-drivenits easy to fall prey to the rookie (and sometimes not-so-rookie) mistake of piling several nutrition
protocols on top of one another in the hopes that more equals better.
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Just because youve heard intermittent fasting (IF) is good for fat loss or that carb backloading helps you lean out doesnt
mean either of them is appropriate for your situation, or that adding them together is going to get you to your goals
faster.
Lets examine each: the basic premise, the claims and then who its NOT appropriate for.
Carb Cycling
The basic premise: As its name implies, carb cycling is the cyclic ingestion of carbs. No, youre not noshing on sweet
potato while sitting on a Ferris wheel. Rather, youre introducing carbs in some sort of regular interval throughout the
week. There are tons of different protocols for carb cycling. At the simplest, youd replenish carbs according to your
high-intensity training days and be lower carb on low-intensity days.
The claims: Proponents will say that on your low-carb + rest / easy training days, youll be tapping into your fat stores for
fuel, thereby helping maintain leaner body composition.
Who its NOT appropriate for: Athletes in competition and those doing heavy, high-intensity training or endurance
training. You may be able to eat slightly lower carb on rest days, but youve got to be super careful about your carb
levels. It can be used appropriately, especially by strength athletesbut proceed with caution.
Carb Backloading
The basic premise: This one gets confused with carb cycling because, well, carbs. Its similar in that carbs are partitioned
but they are usually restricted even moreless than 30 grams per dayand the time of day theyre eaten is a big focus.
Essentially, carbs are highly restricted most of the week. Then, one evening a week, a high-carb refeed is allowed. The
idea is to help ramp up your metabolism after it starts to slow down.
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The claims: Introducing carbs later in the day, after a workout, helps the body build muscle. Restricting carbs for long
periods in between these nighttime carb feeds causes the body to rely on fat for energy.
Who its NOT appropriate for: Athletes in competition and those doing heavy, high-intensity training, power athletes or
endurance folks. These activities are just too glycogen dependent to starve yourself of carbs post-workout for days on
end. If youre solely trying get strong or only train your physique, you may be able to get away with this. Additionally,
how women and men respond to training, and the fact that women tend to burn through glycogen faster than our male
counterparts, have further implications in this mix from a hormonal / training standpoint.
Intermittent Fasting (IF)
The premise: Oh, didnt I save the best for last?! IF is probably one of the better-known dietary hacks and perhaps the
most misused in the athletic community. The idea is to restrict meals to a smaller window of time during the day and then
consume a days worth of food in that compressed window. Put another way, most IF protocols suggest eating two meals
instead of three but consuming the same amount of calories. That usually equates to about 16 hours of fasting (from
dinner the previous day to lunch the current day).
It really does come from a good place. In our evolutionary history as humans, did we always have a nicely spaced period
between meals? Likely not, so it seems to make sense that we are innately wired to handle this kind of fasting.
The claims: Studies also seem to indicate that fastingchronically eating too few caloriescan help people lose fat, gain
muscle, possibly increase longevity and decrease the risk of certain diseases
25
. For many who undertake IF, fat loss is the
main goal, and it can be quite effective at getting them there. Though intermittent fasting can take several forms, the
desired results are often aesthetic in nature.
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Caloric restriction is also known to be a hormetic stressor. The concept of hormesis is simple: Apply a low-grade stress
and the body will respond by become stronger in some way. This is how smart training is supposed to work: Tear the
body down a bit during training, then recover and adapt so the bodys better able to respond after the next bout. While
hormesis isnt a bad thingor a good thing even...its just a thingwhats widely accepted is that subjecting oneself to
many, chronic stressors isnt a good thing.
As an athlete whos training hard, youve already got plenty of stress. Adding IF on top of that may just be too much, and
Id argue, not necessary or wise for a majority of athletes.
Who its NOT appropriate for: Please dont make the mistake that Im bagging on the proponents of IF. Just know that
for folks putting high demands on themselves as it is, hard-charging athletes arent the prime candidates for intermittent
fasting.
Research on IF also seems to indicate that it isnt as well tolerated in women as in men
26
. Whats worse, most of the
studies thatve included females have focused on menopausal women, not those of reproductive age. Many a female
athlete whos tried intermittent fastingyours truly includedand gotten really lean has found that over time, what starts
as a positive outcome begins to turn in the other direction. If youre a woman, youre significantly hormonally different
from your male counterparts. Lets not make the mistake of thinking that whats good for the gander is also good for the
goose.
Again, it bears repeating: Im not saying these dietary hacks (or interventions or protocols or whatever you want to call
them) are inherently bad. Its important to understand that given the stressors athletes are under (and the type of training
being done), undertaking carbohydrate or caloric restriction may be ineffective, or even have negative consequences.
Each is potent in its own way. If you decide its prudent to experiment, treat it as such and apply one at a time for at least
two weeks and take extensive observations about its effect on you.
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SECTION 6
Put Your Game Face On
What to do when its time to compete?
This section is broken down into three parts: pre-, during and post-competition, but if you can only remember one thing,
its this:
(Repeat after me) Ill never try something on competition day that I havent tested in training.
You know those interesting-looking samples you get at the bottom of the swag bag when you register for an event?
Dont eat them unless theyre the same thing you consume during training.
You know that feeling of desperation when youre really hungry and someone offers you a snack between events but its
something youve never eaten before?
Just dont.
The common thread here is that poor preparation and planning can screw you over on the day of your event.
You must plan, check and double-check that your nutrition strategy is on point. Dont rely on the event coordinators to
schedule vendors who sell exactly the kind of food you like. Dont rely on your teammates or coach to bring food,
especially the kind youre used to. Dont assume youve got snacks in your workout bag and then find that its empty
because you forgot to check. (In case youre wondering, Im guilty, guilty and guilty of those in the past.)
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Youre responsible.
I know its nearly impossible to replicate exactly what its going to be like during your competition. You dont have the
same nerves and jitters, the same routine, the travel to the event and possibly sleeping in a hotel, and the unfamiliar
venue. If youre still dialing in your nutrition, especially for more novice athletes, set up a training session that simulates
the routine of competition day and then the intensity of the actual movements. In other words, dont test your nutrition
strategy doing a long, slow ride or run when youll be pinned to the red line and drooling on yourself in your race.
Example: For CrossFit Regionals, the entire team trained all day Saturday and part of the day Sunday, the support crew
prepped the exact foods theyd be providing us during the event itself, and we ate it. Anyone with individual issues was
strongly encouraged to speak up so an alternative could be planned. In addition, I used the whey protein and
electrolytes I always used during training plus the snacks and other food I wanted and knew would sit well with me.
On event day, you want no surprises. No upset tummies. No bubble guts. No bonking.
Heres how to prep to your event:
34 weeks out
Check your supplies of any supplements or whey protein. If youre getting low and its something you get online
or from a special store, you dont want to be running around trying to find it or testing something new at the last
minute.
Know the general schedule of the event. Most athletic events will start in the morning, so know if youre
comfortable with semi-fasted or fasted training.
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If its a multi-workout event, like a CrossFit-style competition, know how many events youll be doing and roughly
when they start.
If youre staying in a hotel, check whether the room has a refrigerator.
If youre traveling by car, youll probably want to bring a small cooler with any perishable foods. If flying, you can
find collapsable coolers.
If staying in an unfamiliar area, scope out restaurants and grocery stores before you arrive. Use The Googles.
Generally, relying on restaurants for pre-event foods a gamble. Some competitions start so early that either youll
have to rush or the restaurant may not be open in time for you to eat and get to the venue.
If traveling with other athletes and sharing things like cooler space or food, clarify whos bringing what.
Start wrapping up any final major tweaks to your nutrition plan. Be sure to record what you did and how it made
you feel. Pay attention!
1 week out
Purchase any specific, self-stable foods you need.
Do any final testing of your nutrition plan. Youre unlikely to go really hard in the three days leading up to the
event, so if you havent tested something new, youre probably out of time.
Run through your strategy again. Dont forget to include your post-workout refuel!
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23 days out
Shop for and cook any perishable food youll need.
Day before event or day before you travel to the event
Lay out and pack any nonperishable food, water bottles, gel flasks*, or gear bags.
Set out your cooler.
Double-check you have all your perishable nutrition items ready to go and make a checklist so you dont forget
anything.
If youre packing for your significant other because youre both doing the event, you need to communicate. I cant
tell you how many times something was forgotten from a training ride or race because one of us assumed the
other had packed it.
The morning of
Get the rest of your food packed up and grab all your gear.
If eating anything prior to the event, its time to get it in.
Travel to the venue. Leave with enough time that you arent rushing (sometimes easier said than done).
Upon arrival, register and take any pre-workout nutrition within your desired window (generally 1575 minutes
prior).
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Arrange the nutrition and hydration you may need during the event.
If youre a triathlete, for example, make sure any nutrition you need at T1 and T2 is taken care of, plus
anything youre going to take on the bike or run. Short course / sprint tris may require a less extensive
nutrition strategy compared with something Olympic distance or longer.
Endurance mountain bikers doing lap-style races will want to coordinate their pit area with bottles and food
for the upcoming hours. If youre doing a point-to-point race, know if / when youll be relying on aid stations.
(My advice is not to unless youre able to drop a bag with your own food there or its an emergency, because
you never know the type of energy drink or food theyre going to have.) If youre carrying your own nutrition
like I did in Vision Quest, a point-to-point that took me eight hoursyou should have planned that out far
in advance.
CrossFitters, youre usually not away from home base for too long between events. Just make sure after your
event you get your keister back to your tent or wherever youre set up as soon as you can. Dont make the
mistake of mingling around and socializing for too long after your event is done. You need to replenish fuel
ASAP and rest.
Lifters, youll likely need to weigh in the morning of or a few hours prior to your event. If you need to cut to
make weight, you may be quite dehydrated and underfed as you step on the scale. Know what youre going
to eat after you weigh in to get yourself topped up and rehydrated. Lifting places heavy demand on the
CNS, especially in intense situations like meets where youre doing lots of warm-up lifts in a short period.
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Compete. Do your best. Full effort. Kick ass. Eat and drink to keep yourself going but dont overdo it. Your stomach
can only handle so much food at once and youll never be able to keep up with the demands of the energy youre
burning. (Thats why post-workout is so important.)
After your event
Go through the finish chute and get your medal. High-five your teammates and your coach. Give back your timing
chip. Do only what needs to be done and then get back to home base where your post-workout nutrition is
waiting.
Its really easy to stand around and shoot the breeze about the trials and triumphs you just went through then
realize that an hour later, youve still not eaten. No, post-workout recovery after a tough event doesnt just happen
in the 1530 minutes immediately after its over, but youve got to get some protein and carbs in you to jumpstart
the recovery process. Go get your post-workout refeed taken care of then head back for social hour.
One last thing: Dont do anything with nutrition in competition you havent done in training!
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SECTION 7
How to Handle the Haters
At some point, youre going to be reviled by someone who says, You say youre Paleo, but you just ate some white
rice.
Youll get a look of disdain and maybe feel a moment of shame, but youve got this. You know why you eat safe starches
and that supplements or whey protein may not be better alternatives than real, whole foods (though these alternatives
may allow you to recover faster and keep up with the superhuman training demands youre putting on your body).
Maybe youll develop a quick, canned elevator speech you give people in response. Try something like this: Most of the
time I eat Paleo foods because theyre really nutrient dense, but when it comes to recovery from training, I know Ive got
to make adjustmentslike eating more carbsfor the sake of performance. Or you can try one of my other favorites:
Haters gonna hate.
If youre really aware, you can usually tell where people are coming from. Is it your buddy who is always busting your ass
for eating anything that doesnt look Paleo so (s)he can give you a hard time and be right?
Trust me, as my blog readership has grown and people know Im the stupid-easy Paleo girl, Ive run into my fair share of
folks trying to catch me doing something wrong / bad / not Paleo with my nutrition. The truth of it is, I eat clean about
90% of the time (in competition season, its basically 100%) and adjust my nutrition according to my needs. You can bet
that at CrossFit Regionals, I was shoveling mango sticky rice into my mouth between events.
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You see, some people just want to be the Paleo police and point out how theyre doing it right while everyone else is
doing it wrong. Bear in mind, unless theyre a nutritionist or your coach or some other expert, you can tell them to go
pound sand if theyre just harping on you for eating white potatoes.
On the other hand, is it someone new to training or truly confused about why youre eating white potatoes because in
your gyms latest nutrition workshop, the presenter clearly stated that white potatoes are off the menu?
You can see where that might change how you phrase your reply. It could be the difference between Mind your own
business! and a longer, less dismissive discussion about the why. Youre not obligated to become a teacher in that
moment, but use your judgment.
One example of this is the old green bean debate. Yes, green beans are legumes and legumes arent Paleotheyre
carb-dense but relatively low in nutrients, plus the issue of phytates make them a less optimal choice. However, in green
beans, the veggie itself is mostly the green pod, and the tiny seeds inside can be eaten raw, unlike other beans. For this
reason, theyre given a pass.
Why this story? I sparked a debate on the Stupid Easy Paleo Facebook page several months back by posting a photo of
my lunch: a gorgeous Nicoise salad with tuna and tons of amazing, fresh veggies includingyou guessed itgreen
beans. I got many comments, some inquisitive and some downright harsh, about why there were legumes on my plate.
I erred on the side of caution. Most people doing Paleo have learned no beans and carry that around, not truly
understanding why green beans might be an exception. Instead of the dogmatic, I tried to return the discussion to the
pragmatic because I realized where the misconception was. It was just never explained well to most people.
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Yes, I couldve reacted sharply and defensively, but I chose the route of trying to educate instead of dismissing those
folks as wrong. You know what? It worked.
If all else fails, ignore the people who are giving you crap. They cant call the Paleo police because no such entity exists.
Know that how youre fueling is right for you. Know how it makes you feel to eat Paleo: clear-headed, full of energy,
eager to train and happy. Be comfortable that those reasons are enough. You dont have to change for anyone or justify
your reasoning ad nauseam.
If that still doesnt work, send the curious parties to my site or to another resource you trust and let the experts do the
talking.
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SECTION 8
Go Forth & Prosper: Its Not Just About the Food
Hoo boy. Youve just learned all about why nutrition is the keystone, the foundation, the most important part of athletic
performance.
Guess what? Its not the only component. Yeah, there are some other really key things to consider in your quest for
athletic bad-assery.
You may remember when I wrote, in order of importance:
Im not saying you can simply eat, sleep well, never train and be great at your sport; obviously, training is necessary. But
where people get into trouble is assuming that training comes first, before nutrition and sleep. Thinking you can hammer
out two-a-days on five hours of shuteye and eat chips, ice cream and soda all day while ignoring recovery practices is just
irresponsible, because in the long run, its going to fall apart.
Im fully aware of the Rich Fronings (three-time consecutive CrossFit Games winner), Lance Armstrongs (seven-time,
though now decrowned, Tour de France winner), Venus and Serena Williamses (tennis phenoms) and similar of this world.
The athletes who seem to defy all logic and perform superhumanly year after year. You are likely not them, nor will you
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nutrition ! sleep ! training
ever be close. Not trying to burst any bubbles, but the odds just arent in any of our favors. Dont make the simple
mistake of saying, Well if its good for them, then I should just do what they do. It doesnt always work that way.
Young athletes are particularly prone to the above behaviors because, well, theyre generally more resilient and recover
faster next to their older counterparts. Our CrossFit Regionals team had three gals in our early to mid-30s and three guys
in their early 20s. Our age range was a full decade, and even though us ladies were performing at high levels like the
guys, we had to be more disciplined about nutrition and sleep.
As a mid-30s athlete training and performing at that level, I couldnt afford to be lax like I was in my 20s. I always seemed
pretty bulletproof back then, but putting such high demands on myself now means I have to be much more structured in
my approach. In the competitive CrossFit seasonwhich essentially starts in mid-March and for me ran through mid-May
I was a teetotaler (100% alcohol free), was in bed from 9:30 p.m. through 5:30 a.m. every day, and my nutrition was
spot on.
Did it help? Yes. Without a doubt, I was able to train harder and performed better but only because I had all my other
stuff together.
Lets examine some of these other factors a bit further.
Sleep
It needs to be high-quality. Period. Simply getting horizontal for eight hours but thrashing around like a fish on a ship
deck isnt going to cut it. While some research has tied longer hours of sleep to higher rates of disease, these studies
were correlative at best. You arent a sedentary, obese person with little life stress. Youre highly active and putting great
demand on yourself. You need to sleep.
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Why? During the early stages of deep sleepof which we should be getting into twice per nighthuman growth
hormone is released into the body. These deep sleep stages are incredibly important for physical repair, while the lighter
REM sleep stages (when we dream) that occur later toward the early morning hours are implicated in psychological
renewal.
Normally, cortisol should ramp up toward the morning hours, peak around the time of waking and then begin to taper off
throughout the day. At the same time, the hormone melatonin should show the opposite curve, peaking at night to help
put us to sleep. In folks who report feeling tired but wired at night, cortisol is often disregulated. No bueno.
Unfortunately, if that describes you and youre crushing yourself with training on top of that, youre only making it worse.
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Sleep images courtesy of Synergy Health
Factors like too much stress, exercising in the evening, too much caffeine and exposure to lots of blue light at night can
screw with sleep quality.
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What to do?
Develop a relaxing routine around bedtime. This should be a protected ritual that you can default to, to help you
wind down. Maybe you have a warm bath, read a book or spend time catching up with your loved ones. I usually plan
on my routine starting about an hour before I want to have my head on the pillow.
Limit exposure to blue light at night because it can disrupt melatonin production
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. In our artificially lit world (thanks,
Edison), we tend to stay up longer than we normally would if we relied on natural light only, and the electronic
devices weve come to know and love emit blue light right into our eyes. If you can, limit blue light exposure in the
last hour before bed, install a free program like f.lux onto your computer, oras nerdy as it soundswear amber
glasses to block blue light at night.
Sleep in a completely black room. Blackout window coverings can help tremendously, but dont forget things like
digital alarm clock displays and the charging indicator lights on your phone.
It seems obvious, but eliminate caffeine intake in the afternoon and evening hours. Oh, and if you have an alcoholic
drink to unwind, booze disrupts normal sleep patterns so drinking later in the day wont help you sleep better.
Control the temperature of your room. Colder environments generally make for better sleeping.
Avoid stressful situations at night. Paying bills or engaging in arguments over social media as youre lying in bed are
unlikely to help you unwind.
Try for sun exposure in the morning hours. Research indicates that a high-protein morning meal plus exposure to
sunlight in your eyes helps the body produce serotonin, the hormonal precursor to melatonin. This may also explain
why, in the fall and winter when theres less sunlight, people tend to feel less energetic and less happy
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.
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Training
Does your training match up with your goals? Really take a moment to think about it. If youre simply out to enjoy your
sport or participate at the recreational leveland theres nothing wrong with thatdoes thrashing yourself with
incredibly intense training at the expense of your health and happiness make sense?
Make no mistake. If youre ultra-motivated to excel in your sport theres nothing wrong with that, either. Having your
sights on making it to Kona or the CrossFit Games is a highly personal goal, and its not for anybody but you to decide if
its worthy or achievable.
Lets not kid ourselves, though.
When you pursue high-level performance, youll quickly get to a point where youre sacrificing health and well-being to
some extent. I know. Ive been there. For two years, my goal was to make it to CrossFit Regionals. I was highly focused.
My performance at the 2013 event was one of the top three of my athletic career.
Did it come at a cost? Yes. I didnt go out and socialize as much as I used to. Food prep, training and recovery became
time-consuming. After the event, it took me several weeks to recover and feel like I could even set foot in the gym and
train properly again. I had such searing elbow painwhich Id trained throughthat I couldnt go overhead anymore.
There were mental tolls as well as physical.
When I raced endurance mountain bikes, there were long days of grueling training. Cold, hot, utter exhaustion, lack of
joy about riding, saddle sores and a really painful lower back were all hardships I dealt with. Was it worth it to achieve my
goals? At the time, yes. Did that type of training ultimately make me healthier? Probably not.
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My point is, if youre not chasing high levels of performance, are there ways you can trim your training so that youre just
using exercise to be stronger and healthier? If you are after performance, are you aware of the costs and the tradeoffs
youre likely to face?
Again, its for you alone to decide, and awareness is the rst step in the path to empowerment.
Im going to mention something else here worth considering: periodization. Going hard all year and never taking a break
or rest is a recipe for disaster, injury and burnout. Some sports have seasonality built in, which helps, but folks find ways
to weasel into other pursuits that bring high volume and intensity of training all year.
A classic example: road cycling. Typically road cycling season goes through the spring. Its not uncommon for roadies to
pick up crit racing through the summer and then cyclocross through the fall and winter. Now youre talking about training
and competingyear round without a break.
High-intensity athletes are no different. Even though the main competitive season is spring into summer, youll find
athletes doing local comps all year and thrashing themselves in training.
If youre doing your own training schedule or programming, I highly recommend taking the idea of seasonality or
periodization to heart. If youre working with a coach, (s)he should have this in mind, but if the trainings not working for
you, you need to speak up and have an honest discussion.
Taking a few days off every so often or taking a week or two off to enjoy a real vacation a couple times a year is not
going to ruin your capacity or training in the long run. I promise. You need mental and physical rest from training to
sustain it for long blocks of time.
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Injury
This ones a biggie. Youre an athlete so training is obviously a big component of your life, and if youre like me, its
probably one of your main identifiers. When I got injured in early 2012, it became clear very quickly that without
something to train for, I felt lost. Athlete is one of the cultures you and I belong to.
Id been battling with an irritated lower back for about a month and had just started the competitive season when, after a
Saturday training session, I could barely stand up straight. My back started spasming so badly that all I could do was lie
on the floor and cry. It was devastating to have made so much progress in training, then have it all ripped away. I couldnt
even bend down to put on my own pants, and while the most acute pain went away within a month, it was almost four
months before it was gone for good. Id DNFd out of the CrossFit Open (the first level of qualifiers).
When youre training hard, injury is just one of those things that happens. Even if you take great pains to be careful,
nobody is immune to the possibility of getting hurt.
Being clear about who you are besides athlete will help soften the blow of injury if and when it happens. When I hurt
my back, I felt completely ungrounded because I couldnt train, so I met with my friend Dawn of Mentality WOD and we
drew up a plan. We explored all the things I could do with my newfound spare time. Though I was able to get back in the
gym after about a month, I was on a rehab program so training was very different. I felt like I still had lots of energy to
give. One of the outgrowths of that session was to devote more time to Stupid Easy Paleo, and that changed my life for
the better in ways I couldnt have imagined.
Even though I eventually got back to trainingand then in a cruel turn of events severely sprained my knee a couple
months laterI never lost sight of the fact that besides being a competitive athlete, other parts of myself were valuable
and could be used to enrich the lives of others.
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I encourage you to explore who you are besides an athlete, because that title is just one dimension of who you are as a
person.
This may seem kind of touchy-feely for a book thats supposed to be about nutrition, but youre a human, not a robot.
The intricacies and subtleties of training go beyond just the fuel you put in and the performance you get out. Even those
of us (myself included) who define a large chunk of the year based on the next event were training for arent immune to
how training affects our moods and self-worth and lives outside of the gym.
Other Recovery Practices
Besides straight-up rest, sleep and nutrition, recovery practices encompass a whole host of techniques to get you
training at your best.
Without going into too much detail, some recovery practices you may want to look into include everything from body
work (massage, ART, acupuncture and electrical muscle stimulation) to contrast therapy (hot / cold showers or baths) to
Epsom salt baths to compression gear, such as socks and tights. Also worth considering are relaxation practices as simple
as meditation, yoga or walking.
Stress Management
Stress management becomes huge for athletes, too, and while its unreasonable to expect a stress-free existence, you
take steps to reduce it. Remember, all forms of stress contribute to rises in cortisol. You might not be able to quit your
job, go pro and train all dayand lets not lull ourselves into falsely believing that pro athletes lead low-stress lives
because they dont have normal jobsbut you can do your best to not get spun up over things that dont require it.
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Suggestions:
Do what you can in your modern, busy life to find things you love besides training.
Spend time out in nature or green spaces.
Be with friends and loved ones who lift you up instead of bring you down.
Be still and quiet for a few minutes each day.
Breathe deeply when youre feeling stressed.
Visualize what you want to achieve in training and in life on a very detailed level (the sights, sounds, smells and
feelings).
Focus on what you can impact and change, rather than worrying about things out of your control.
Think about what you have and can do rather than what you dont have and cant do.
Write and revisit your goals for training and life on a regular basis.
Practice positive self-talk.
Prioritize and schedule important events so you reduce procrastination.
Define your self-worth in ways other than your athletic successes.
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SECTION 9
FAQs
Some common questions athletes ask, along with answersbecause leaving those out wouldnt be very nice.
I want to do Paleo but what the heck do I cook?
If youre looking for recipe inspiration, look on my site or pick up any of the myriad Paleo cookbooks available now. You
can find food to fit any palate and cooking ability. My recommendations: Well Fed and Well Fed 2 by Melissa Joulwan,
Food For Humans by Michelle Tam and Henry Fong, or The Paleo Slow Cooker by Arsy Vartanian.
Do you offer meal plans?
No. Ive tried but writing them isnt a strength of mine. If youre looking for a meal plan thats Paleo-based (though not
necessarily athlete-specific), check out those offered by Holistic Squid. You can preview them for free. Click here to learn
more: Holistic Squid Meal Plans
How do I get lean and jacked and perform at my absolute best?
Pick your priority. For many athletes, focusing on proper nutrition, sleep and training will automatically yield a lean and
jacked physique. But training hard and then trying a bunch of hacks to lean out even more can lead to big problems for
many folks.
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What should I eat PreWorkout?
If you train in the morning, consider fasted training or taking a small amount of protein + fat. If youre trying to get big or
youre doing a long endurance session, try adding a bit of carbs PreWO as well.
What should I eat PostWorkout?
Protein + carbs are your best bet. If theres naturally occurring fat, say, in the eggs you eat PostWO, thats one thing. If
youre slugging down a can of coconut milk, thats another.
How soon should I eat a PostWorkout meal?
As soon as you can. Within 1530 minutes of finishing training is ideal.
Why is fat generally excluded from PostWorkout food?
Fat slows digestionnot what you want to see when youre trying to get the recovery process started ASAP.
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Is fasting a good idea?
For high-performing athletes, not really. Some fasted training may work on a case-by-case basis, but its something to
test out. If you feel like metabolic conditioning, high-intensity intervals and heavy strength workouts leave you feeling
sluggish if youre fasted or semi-fasted, make adjustments. Long-term intermittent fasting is discouraged, especially in
female athletes.
How long will it take me to be a fat burner once I switch to Paleo?
It varies from person to person, but the process can take two to four weeks.
How should I get started with Paleo?
Go for 30 days following a protocol like those found in The Paleo Solution or It Starts with Food.
Is Paleo a fad?
We know how certain foods affect the body, both physiologically and psychologically from scientific studies. Certainly,
the evolutionary and / or anthropological perspective played into Paleos original template, but we know so much more
than that. Theres nothing fad about taking foods that dont make you look, feel or perform as well out of your diet.
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Period. You also dont need to know what humans ate 10,000 years ago to know how foods like glucose affect insulin
levels.
Its also only fad-like if youre looking at websites and books that promise quick-fix results. Its not just about Lose 10
Pounds in 3 Days. Its a lifestyle.
Is [insert hack here] good for me?
Whether its carb backloading, or intermittent fasting, or coffee with butter for breakfast instead of breakfast, or whatever,
the answer is no if youre using the hack in place of solid nutrition practices or youre trying to fix something thats not
broken. Remember that good, whole nutrient-dense food consumed in meals with adequate macronutrients of each
type: protein, carbs and fat.
Wheres the science?
Throughout, Ive inserted studies and useful articles that tie back into the References section at the end of the ebook.
How long before I see results?
It depends. Thirty days is a good point to start feeling some of the results and getting good feedback, but in my
experience it takes some people longer than others to be fully fat-adapted.
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When in my season is a good time to start Paleo?
In the off-season.
Can I use gels, energy drinks and whey protein if Im Paleo?
Again, think of the reasons why youd use these food-like products, such as convenience or ease of use in certain sports
especially those when youre in constant motion like running or cycling. Quite frankly, if you use XYZ and it works for
you and its not Paleo by definition, it doesnt really matter. On the other hand (just to play devils advocate), if you can
perform at a higher level using real food, whats the need for fancy powders and gels and supplements?
What about multi-day events or very long endurance competitions? How do I approach that?
Probably the single biggest mistake enduro folks make is not supplying protein once their events pass the 90-minute
mark or so. Your bodys going to use available resources for fuel in those long-duration events and catabolizing your
muscle mass to get there is not ideal. (Many endurance athletes put a premium on power-to-weight ratio and reducing
body mass. Be careful youre not breaking down your lean muscle mass too much. Its a fine line between lean / light and
too thin / weak.)
Youve got to know what your options are for fueling on your own versus relying on aid stations. If its self-supported,
looking for energy-dense sources that arent going to take up a ton of room in your pack is crucial. If you have the option
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of aid stations, try to figure out if the stuff theyre stocking is familiar to you. Generally, if the race is sponsored by an
energy drink or gel or powder, youre going to find that product at the aid stations.
Starchy carbs and protein are a pretty safe bet, along with a fast-digesting source of fat like coconutmedium chain
trigylcerides are rapidly digested versus some other fats which can sit in your gut like a stone.
What do I eat?
For meals: Meat and eggs. Veggies. Some fruit. Healthy fats.
For recovery: Carb-dense veggies like roots and tubers. Meat or eggs.
For snacks: See For meals.
How many times a day should I eat?
Three meals should do it, provided youre eating enough at each sitting. Dont be a rabbit and eat all day long. You
dont need three snacks plus three meals. If youre hungry after two or three hours, you didnt eat enough. Open up.
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Does my PostWorkout meal count as one of my three meals?
No. Your PostWO meal / nutrition / refeed is the meal you eat before your next meal.
My coach says I cant get enough calories if Im Paleo. What gives?
Your coach needs to read this book. Ive known people to do mass gain programs using a Paleo template. It works. Want
to take down 1000 calories at a time? A can of coconut milk plus some meat, veggies and spices makes a killer energy-
dense curry.
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SECTION 10
Troubleshooting
If the wheels have started falling off the wagon, use the following flowcharts to troubleshoot potential issues and how to
begin fixing them. This is your starting point. Its a rough guide and by no means an exact science, but its not rocket
surgery, either.
Youll notice some common threads: Eat enough, sleep enough, do what you can to reduce stress and dont train
yourself into the abyss.
The following three flowcharts deal with these common Paleo issues:
Do you have enough energy?
Is your performance struggling?
Is your body composition getting worse?
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CHAPTER 5
Food Time
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People who love to eat are always the best people.
Julia Child
SECTION 1
PreWorkout Meal Ideas
Quick PreWO meal / snack ideas (a combo of protein + fat is a good starting point):
Eggs
Egg muffins
Nuts and jerky (Primal Pacs and Epic Bars are good options)
Leftover cooked meat
Canned fish
Coconut flakes
Deli meat (Applegate Farms is a great brand)
For endurance athletes, taking a small amount of carbs along with protein may be helpful:
Fruit and meat
Sweet potato or other starchy veggies
Eggs
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Egg muffins
Leftover cooked meat
Kid-friendly packets of fruit / starchy veggies (like Ellas Kitchen or Peter Rabbit)
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SECTION 2
PostWorkout Meal Ideas
Quick PostWO meal / snack ideas (protein + carbs is a go-to combination):
Pumpkin pie recovery shake
Leftover meat
Canned fish
Mango sticky rice
Roasted sweet potatoes
Roasted butternut squash
Eggs
Egg muffins
Jerky
Deli meat (Applegate Farms is a great brand)
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BREAKFAST
Breakfast Sausage Scotch Eggs
Whats a Scotch egg? Envelop a perfectly boiled egg inside
seasoned ground meat and you get the protein-packed snack
you see here. Traditionally, Scotch eggs are breaded (yuck,
gluten!) so all we do is leave that part off. Easy peasy.
There are as many conceivable combinations for seasonings
and meat as you can imagine, but I was looking for a way to
use my Homemade Gingerbread Spice Mix with cinnamon,
ginger and other warm spices. My mind wandered from pork
to breakfast to breakfast sausage and out popped these.
Another plus? Theyre great as a pre-workout snack!
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Ingredients
6 eggs
1 pound (500 grams) lean ground pork
1 Tablespoon homemade gingerbread spice mix
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 Tablespoon honey, optional
Directions
1. Hard-boil 6 eggs. To prevent the yolks from getting gray, cover the eggs with water in a pot and bring it to a boil.
Cover the pot and turn the heat off. Let sit for 10 minutes. Drain the hot water and cover with cold water for a few
minutes. Peel and set aside. (You can boil the eggs ahead of time.) Dont use very fresh eggs; theyll be harder to
peel.
2. Preheat the oven to 350F (175C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
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3. In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, gingerbread spice mix, salt, pepper and honey (optional). Mix until
combined, but dont overdo it because thatll make the meat tough.
4. To assemble each Scotch egg: Measure 1/3 cup of seasoned ground pork, and use your hands to form into a wide
circle, like youre making a burger.
5. Stand the egg in the center.
6. Carefully fold the meat circle up, gradually flattening as you go, until the egg is shrouded in meaty goodness.
7. Make sure there are no cracks and that the meaty suit of armor is uniform.
8. Place on the baking sheet. Bake for 1520 minutes. Eat hot or cold.
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Change It Up
Use ground beef or chicken instead of pork.
Serve with any kind of dipping sauce. I like mine with
a dollop of homemade Paleo Sriracha or some
Easy Paleo Ghee Hollandaise. MMMM!
Use maple syrup instead of honey.
Double the recipe.
BREAKFAST
Hearty Spinach Beef Frittata
Food baked in an iron skillet is just somehow more
badass than its counterparts. Coolness factor aside,
this dish is super practical because 1) its made in one
piece of cookware for minimal cleanup, 2) its packed
with protein, 3) the variations are endless and 4) it
makes a big batch.
As far as Im concerned, this is the perfect pre-workout
snack and does well as a post-workout protein
powerhouse (that was over the top but I wanted to see
how many Ps I could use in a row).
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Ingredients
10 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons paprika (sweet or smoked)
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
812 ounces (225350 grams) grass-fed ground beef
1 small onion, diced
4 ounces (30 grams) shiitake mushrooms, sliced
10 ounces (280 grams) frozen chopped spinach,
thawed
1 tomato, sliced
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Change It Up
Use any ground meat you like.
Substitute the veggies for your favorites. If you cant
find frozen spinach, you can chop fresh spinach and
wilt it down, though youll need a ridiculously large
amount to make it happen.
Use garlic powder instead of smoked paprika.
Pour the mixtures into silicone muffin cups, and make
egg muffins instead.
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350F (175C).
2. In a large bowl, beat the eggs together with the paprika, salt and pepper. Set aside.
3. In a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, saut the meat until its cooked through.
4. Add the onion and mushrooms, and saut until they are softened.
5. Add the defrosted and drained spinach. [Hint: Defrost the spinach in the microwave while you preheat the oven so
you aren't waiting for it to be done. Drain this well by squeezing out the extra moisture, or your frittata will end up
soggy.] Stir to combine.
6. Pour the egg mixture into the skillet. Turn off the heat, and stir the ingredients to combine.
7. Lay the tomato slices on top.
8. Bake for about 2025 minutes or until the eggs are set and not runny.
9. Serve directly from the skillet or slice and store for leftovers.
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BREAKFAST
Paleo Carnitas Egg Mufns
This is a great way to use up leftover meat, and
egg muffins are portable and easy to nosh while
youre on the go. Make a double batch on your
weekend cook-up day, and stock up for the busy
week ahead.
I make mine in silicone muffin cupsI still grease
them so the muffins will pop out easilybecause
the eggs wont stick as much as they will to paper
liners. This is another great pre-workout snack or
breakfast before your training session.
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Ingredients
1 small onion, minced
1/2 cup tomatoes, diced
1 Tablespoon coconut oil or other fat
1 cup leftover shredded pork carnitas or
other shredded / ground meat
9 eggs
3 Tablespoons coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
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Change It Up
Cant be bothered with fancy muffin cups? Pour the
mixture in a greased 13x9 casserole dish and bake
until set in the middle, about 30 minutes. Cut into
squares when cool. Done.
Substitute the veggies for your favorites.
Use garlic powder instead of smoked paprika.
If you use full-fat dairy, substitute heavy cream for the
coconut milk.
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350F (175C). Line or grease a muffin tin. I used silicone muffin cups greased with extra coconut oil.
2. In a skillet over medium heat, soften the onions in the coconut oil for about 5 minutes. When they are translucent,
add the tomato and cook on medium until the tomatoes begin to soften. Remove from the heat. Stir in the cooked
shredded pork until combined.
3. Combine the eggs, coconut milk, salt and pepper, and beat until combined.
4. Now its time to build the muffins: Put a large spoonful of onion / tomato / pork into each cup. Evenly distribute the
filling to 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle with a pinch of smoked paprika.
5. Pour the egg mixture into each cup until about 3/4 full.
6. Bake for about 30 minutes or until fully set. The cups will come out very puffed up and then fall a bit as a they cool.
(Its science, yo.)
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BREAKFAST
Eggs n Brussels Sprouts
This is one of my favorite breakfasts, and it comes together
pretty fast! One of my best tips for busy folks who cook a
lot at home is to make double batches of meat and sides.
That way, you can save the extra for breakfast or lunch the
next day without having to drag all the ingredients and
cookware out once more (not to mention washing the
dishes...again)!
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Ingredients
Leftover Brussels sprouts (see below)
4 ounces (100 grams) pancetta, diced
34 eggs, beaten
Chives or parsley for garnish
For the Brussels sprouts...
8 ounces (200 grams) bacon or pancetta, chopped
1 pound (500 grams) Brussels sprouts, halved
Splash of balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper
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Change It Up
No leftover sprouts? Sauted spinach or kale makes
a good substitute.
Use chopped cooked sausage instead of bacon or
pancetta.
Directions
For the Brussels sprouts...
1. Render the sliced bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy.
2. Meanwhile, steam the halved Brussels sprouts in a saucepan until fork tender.
3. Add the steamed Brussels sprouts to the skillet with the bacon, increase the heat to medium-high and fry until they
begin to brown and caramelize.
4. Finish with a splash of balsamic vinegar, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
For the eggs...
1. Render the bacon or pancetta in a skillet over medium heat until brown.
2. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the eggs and scramble.
3. Serve eggs with Brussels sprouts and garnish with chopped chives or your favorite fresh herbs.
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BREAKFAST
Spanish-Style Sweet Potato Tortilla
This isnt the kind of tortilla youre probably thinking of
you know, the ones made of corn or flour and served with
breakfast burritos. Rather, this is a Spanish dish typically
made with white potatoes and eggs. I made this one with
yellow sweet potatoes, which tend to be drier than the
orange variety, sometimes called yams depending where
youre from.
Dont be put off by the amount of oil youll need to make
this tortilla. Its there to create a poaching liquid for the
potatoes so they dont get dry as they cook, and youll
drain most of it off before the final steps. Concerned
about cooking with olive oil? The temperature will be
moderate, not high, so the risk of oxidation is lower. If
you want, you can always substitute it with a saturated fat.
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Ingredients
~1 cup (235 ml) olive oil
1 onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 pound (500 grams) sweet potatoes, peeled and very thinly sliced, about 1/8 thick
4 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Directions
1. Heat the oil over medium heat in a cast-iron skillet for best results.
2. Add the onion and sweet potato. The oil should mostly cover the vegetables, and if it doesnt, add a bit more. Dont
worry, youll drain most of it off later. Cook about 10 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
3. Drain the oil off, move the potatoes to a large bowl and let them cool.
4. Add the beaten eggs, salt and pepper.
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5. Return this mixture to the skillet, level out the ingredients with a spatula and cook 23 minutes on this side. Run the
spatula around the outside to loosen the eggs.
6. To flip, place a plate on top of the skillet and very carefully turn the tortilla out onto the plate. Gently slide it back into
the skillet and cook for about 23 minutes.
7. Flip once or twice more, or until the tortilla is evenly browned and not runny in the middle.
8. Allow to cool, then slice and serve. Stores well in the refrigerator.
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Change It Up
Bump up the onion flavor by adding a tablespoon of
onion powder to the eggs.
Use white potatoes instead of sweet potatoes.
CARB-DENSE SIDE DISHES
Wills Yam Fries
These fries are special because of the secret ingredient:
brown mustard. The vinegar in the mustard plus the spices
provide layers of subtle flavor and let you know theres
something out of the ordinary going on here.
Want to get crispy baked sweet potato fries? (No, its not
the stuff of legend.) Obey the two Ss: size and space. For
size, make sure the fries arent too thick or the centers will
get all steamy and limp as they cook. For space, give the
fries some room to spread out on the baking sheet. If
theyre crowded, set up another sheet.
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Ingredients
2 extra large yams or sweet potatoes
12 Tablespoons brown or Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
Melted coconut oil
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400F (200C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
2. Peel the yams. Cut into steak fries: Slice the potato lengthwise. Turn each half to lay flat. Slice into fries no more than
~1/4 thick.
3. Place the slices on the baking sheet. Add mustard, smoked paprika, pepper, salt and a drizzle of melted coconut oil.
Toss until evenly coated.
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4. Roast until the yams are cooked through, flipping over once about halfway through. Youll want them to get crispy
and brown around the edges, approximately 1520 minutes.
154
Change It Up
Sub in garlic powder for the smoked paprika.
Use white potatoes instead of sweet potatoes.
Serve with Paleo Chipotle Lime Mayo.
CARB-DENSE SIDE DISHES
Sweet Potato Applesauce Mash
When I competed on the team at the 2013 CrossFit SoCal
Regionals, we had tubs full of mashed sweet potato with
applesauce at the ready as one of our post-workout carb
refeed options.
You can mix the sweet potato and applesauce in any ratio
you want, but Id do just a little bit of applesauce for flavor
a 4:1 ratio of potato to apple would be greatand to
lighten the texture of what could otherwise be a very
dense mash.
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Ingredients
2 pounds (1000 grams) sweet potato
1/2 pound (225 grams) apples or
1 cup unsweetened store-bought applesauce
Generous pinch of salt
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400F (200C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
2. Roast the sweet potatoes for about an hour. Let them cool.
3. If youre making the applesauce from scratch, do this while the sweet potatoes are roasting. Peel and dice the apples.
Put into a small pot with 23 tablespoons of water and cover with a lid. Cook over medium-low heat until the apples
are very soft. Remove the lid and cook until most of the water has evaporated.
4. Peel the skins off the sweet potatoes. Combine with the applesauce in a large bowl and mash with a hand masher to
your desired consistency, or use a food processor.
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Change It Up
Add 12 teaspoons of cinnamon or 1 teaspoon of
ground ginger plus 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg.
Substitute pears for apples.
CARB-DENSE SIDE DISHES
Apple Cranberry Sweet Potato Bake
Believe it or not, this is one of the first recipes I ever posted
on my blog. Thank goodness Ive improved my photography
skills since then because the original picture left much to be
desired. Though the ingredients are similar to the Sweet
Potato Applesauce Mash, the result is totally different:
Everything gets caramelized, which adds a layer of flavor.
Double the batch and have for meals throughout the week.
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Ingredients
2 pounds (1000 grams) sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 apples, peeled and diced
1/2 cup fresh cranberries
2 Tablespoons ghee or coconut oil
2 teaspoons cinnamon
Pinch of salt
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375F (190C). Grease the inside of a large casserole dish with coconut oil or ghee.
2. Peel the sweet potatoes and apples. Chop into uniform pieces, ~1/2 dice.
3. Place half the chopped sweet potato and apple into the dish. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup cranberries, half the cinnamon,
and a pinch of sea salt.
4. Repeat with remaining sweet potato, apple, cranberry, cinnamon and salt.
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5. Dot the top with small pieces of ghee or coconut oil.
6. Bake covered with a lid or just aluminum foil for ~1 hour or until the potato and apple have softened.
159
Change It Up
Omit the fresh cranberries, and sprinkle with dried
cranberries or cherries after baking.
Sprinkle with chopped nuts for some crunch.
Add a dash of nutmeg along with the cinnamon.
CARB-DENSE SIDE DISHES
Blueberry Sweet Potato Mash
Yes, that is the actual color of
this side dish! For the original
recipe, I used purple sweet
potatoeswhi ch can be
tricky to findbut the orange
variety works just as well.
This Blueberry Sweet Potato
Mash is a riff on the Sweet
Potato Applesauce Mash but
has a different flavor and
obviously, purple food is just
more fun!
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Ingredients
1 pound (500 grams) sweet potato (purple is awesome)
1 cup blueberries
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400F (200C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
2. Roast the sweet potatoes for about an hour. Let them cool.
3. While the sweet potatoes cook, cook the blueberries down in a small pot with 23 tablespoons of water. Cook over
medium-low heat until the blueberries have burst open.
4. Peel the skins off the sweet potatoes. Combine with the blueberries in a food processor and pulse until smooth. You
could mash by hand, but the results better when the mash is smooth.
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Change It Up
Add 12 teaspoons of cinnamon before you puree
the mash.
Sprinkle with toasted coconut flakes.
CARB-DENSE SIDE DISHES
Potato Rsti
If youre an athlete with good body composition, a handle
on your blood sugar regulation and have no issues with
nightshadesthe botanical family white potatoes belong to
theres no reason white potatoes have to be off the menu.
Thats not carte blanche to eat cheap French fries thatve
been swimming in soybean oil.
These rsti are an adaptation of the traditional Swiss dish
but have the same great flavor. Make them in a big batch
and keep em for handy for post-workout carbs!
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Ingredients
2 pounds (1000 grams) all-purpose white potatoes
1 Tablespoon salt
3 green onions, very thinly sliced, white and green parts
2 Tablespoons coconut flour
1-1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 egg, beaten
Ghee or coconut oil for cooking
Directions
1. Peel the potatoes and shred with a box grater or a food processor fitted with a shredding blade. Put the shredded
potatoes in a large bowl. Sprinkle with the salt and toss well. Walk away for 10 minutes.
163
Change It Up
Use sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes.
Add garlic powder to the mix.
Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley or chives.
Serve with a homemade dipping sauce like Lemony
Chive Paleo Mayo, Paleo Chipotle Lime Mayo or
Paleo Sweet and Sour Sauce.
2. Now its time to squeeze all the moisture out of the potatoesbecause nobody likes soggy rsti. Scoop up a
generous handful of the potatoes, and squeeze the living daylights out of them into a sink or bowl. You want them
dry. Place in a clean bowl.
3. Add the green onions, coconut flour, onion powder, pepper and egg. Stir to combine.
4. Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat. Melt a large spoonful of ghee or coconut oil in the pan. Pack a 1/3 cup
measuring cup with the potato mixture, pressing it down inside the cup. Turn the potatoes out onto the pan, and
flatten them gently into a patty about 3 in diameter. You can also use a disher or just eyeball it. I fit about 45 in a
large skillet at one time.
5. Cook each side for 35 minutes or until nicely browned. Repeat until youve used up all the potato mixture. Be sure to
add more ghee or coconut oil to the pan each time you start a new batch.
6. Cool on a cooling rack so they dont get soggy.
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CARB-DENSE SIDE DISHES
Kale n Tatties
Tatties. That would be a Scottish term for potatoes though it
looks very similar to another word. Ahem.
Theres something about mixing mashed potatoes with kale
that just makes it feel more special. Maybe its the color, but
Im sure the boost of antioxidants doesnt hurt either.
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Ingredients
8 ounces (200 grams) chopped kale, stems removed
2 pounds (1000 grams) all-purpose white potatoes, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup (60 ml) chicken broth
1/4 cup (60 ml) coconut milk
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Directions
1. Steam the chopped kale by placing it in a large skillet over medium heat with a few tablespoons of water, covering
with a lid and cooking until the kale softens. Drain and set aside.
2. Boil the peeled and chopped potatoes in salted water until they are easily pierced with a knife, about 1015 minutes.
Drain and set aside.
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3. In a large bowl, combine the kale, potatoes, half the chicken broth, half the coconut milk, crushed garlic, salt and
pepper. Mash with a hand masher until the potatoes arent lumpy. If the mixture is too dry, adjust it with the reserved
chicken broth and coconut milk.
167
Change It Up
Use sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes.
Add a big dollop of ghee or grass-fed butter.
CARB-DENSE SIDE DISHES
Neep & Carrot Mash
Wondering what the heck a neep is?
Unless youre from the UK, you probably have no idea
neither did I. Youll know it as rutabaga or yellow turnip.
(The influence of living in Scotland for the last few months is
staring to show.) Rutabaga is a root vegetable that can be
slightly sweet though sometimes a little bitter. The carrots
help mellow out the flavor.
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Ingredients
2 pounds (1000 g) rutabaga
34 large carrots
2 teaspoons coconut milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Directions
1. Peel the rutabaga and carrots. Chop them into medium chunks.
2. Steam the veggies in a medium pot until fork tender, about 15 minutes. A steamer basket is helpful, but if you dont
have one, just put about an inch of water in the bottom of the pot.
3. Drain the veggies.
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4. To make the mash by hand, put the rutabaga and carrots back into the pot or a large bowl. Add the coconut milk,
cinnamon, salt and pepper. Mash until you reach the desired consistency: I like somewhere between huge lumps and
completely smooth. If using a food processor, put all the ingredients in and blitz to your desired consistency.
170
Change It Up
Use butternut squash instead of carrots.
Add a spoonful of ghee to bump up the healthy fats.
CARB-DENSE SIDE DISHES
Perfectly Roasted Butternut Squash
In the fall when butternut squash
is in season, I cant seem to get
enough. The flavor is mild yet
sweet, and when its roasted, pure
magic happens.
Just like baking sweet potato
fries, obey the two Ss: size and
space. For size, make sure the
squash pieces arent too thick or
the centers will get all steamy and
limp as they cook. For space, give
the pieces some room to spread
out on the baking sheet. If theyre
crowded, set up another baking
sheet so they have room to get
crispy on the edges.
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Ingredients
~1 pound (500 grams) butternut squash
Melted coconut oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400F (200C), and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
2. Peel the butternut squash (or leave it unpeeled and eat the very thin skin), split lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds.
Slice each lengthwise piece into semicircles about 1/4 thick, then into chunks.
3. Place the squash on the baking sheet and drizzle with melted coconut oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss
well. Make sure the squash is in one layer.
4. Roast for 2025 minutes or until the squash is slightly brown around the edges. Stir once during baking. Take care not
to overcook, since they can burn easily.
172
Change It Up
Sprinkle with cumin, smoked paprika or cinnamon
before baking.
Save the seeds and roast separately for a bit of
crunch.
Use ghee instead of coconut oil.
CARB-DENSE SIDE DISHES
Butternut Squash & Pear Mash
Tired of sweet potatoes?
Maybe you dont like apples?
Not to fear! This Butternut
Squash & Pear Mash will save
the day. Youll still get a good
dose of healthy carbs from the
butternut squash and a bit of
flavor complexity from the
pears.
Make this in a big batch on
your weekly cook-up day so
youve got a post-workout
carb source when youre on
the go.
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Ingredients
1 pound (500 grams) butternut squash
2 ripe pears, roughly chopped
Pinch of salt
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400F (200C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
2. Split the squash lengthwise down the middle, and scoop out the seeds. The skin can be left on.
3. Bake the squash, cut side up, for about 30 minutes or until fork tender.
4. When cool, scoop the flesh out into a food processor or blender, add the raw pears and salt, then puree until smooth.
174
Change It Up
Use sweet potatoes instead of squash.
Try another squash, such as kabocha or carnival.
Use apples instead of pears.
Add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg.
CARB-DENSE SIDE DISHES
Zucchini Fritters
Holy cow! These Zucchini Fritters are one of my most
favorite veggie side dishes. The recipes one I adapted
from Smitten Kitchen, a really coolthough not necessarily
Paleoblog. A food processor with a shredding blade
speeds this recipe up, but have no fear; I broke out my
trusty box grater and it worked like a charm.
175
Ingredients
5 medium zucchini, shredded (about 4 cups)
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1/4 cup coconut flour
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
Coconut oil or ghee for cooking
Directions
1. Shred the zucchini using a box grater or a food processor fitted with a shredding blade. Put the shredded zucchini in
a large bowl. Sprinkle with the salt and toss well. Walk away for 10 minutes.
176
Change It Up
Add garlic powder or onion powder to the mix.
Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley or chives.
Serve with a homemade dipping sauce like Lemony
Chive Paleo Mayo.
2. Now its time to squeeze all the moisture out of the zucchini (nobody likes soggy fritters). Scoop up a generous
handful of the zucchini and squeeze the living daylights out of them into a colander. You want them dry. Place in a
different bowl.
3. Add the coconut flour, egg, peppers and baking soda. Stir to combine.
4. Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat. Melt a large spoonful of ghee or coconut oil in the pan. Pack a 1/4-cup
measuring cup with the zucchini mixture, pressing it down inside the cup. Turn the cup out onto the pan and flatten
the zucchini until you get a patty about 3 in diameter. You can also use a disher or just eyeball it. I fit about 45 in a
large skillet at one time.
5. Cook each side for 35 minutes or until nicely browned. Repeat until youve used up all the zucchini mixture. Be sure
to add more ghee or coconut oil to the pan each time you start a new batch.
6. Cool on a cooling rack so they dont get soggy.
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CARB-DENSE SIDE DISHES
Coconut Milk Mango Sticky Rice
File this one under safe
starches. White rice might
be an option for you to add
some variety into your post-
workout carb refeed, and
while its not as nutrient-
dense as carb-dense veggies,
it will do the trick. This dish is
more l i ke treat than an
everyday go-to.
Seek out sticky rice from
your local Asian foods market
i f you re havi ng troubl e
finding it. Its the key to
getting the right texture.
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Ingredients
1 cup cooked sticky rice, about 1/2 cup (200 grams) dry
1/4 cup (60 ml) coconut milk
1/2 ripe mango, cubed
2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup, optional
Directions
1. Cook the rice according to the package directions.
2. Combine the warm, cooked rice with the coconut milk, mango and sweetener (optional). Stir to combine.
179
Change It Up
Add 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Make a large batch and scale up the ingredients.
If the rice soaks up too much of the coconut milk,
add extra.
Use papaya, berries or peaches instead of mango.
CARB-DENSE DISHES
30 Paleo Post-Workout Carb Recipes
If youre still looking for more recipes, check
out this roundup I put together with 30 Paleo
Post-Workout Carb Refuel Recipes from
some of Paleos top bloggers. Full details are
in the blog post on my site, but heres the list
of recipes to get you started. If you see
something that piques your interest, click the
link above to go to the post.
Sweet Potato / Yams
5 Autumn Veggies (and Ways to Eat
Them) from Jules Fuel
BBQ Pork Stuffed Sweet Potatoes from
Primally Inspired
Apple Cranberry Sweet Potato Bake from
Stupid Easy Paleo
Slow Cooker Chorizo Mashed Yams from
Rubies and Radishes
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Sweet Potato Apple Pancetta Hash from Gutsy By Nature
Sweet Potato Brussels Sprout Hash from Nicky in the Raw
Sweet Potato Chips from Hollywood Homestead
Sweet Potato Disks from Yuppie Farm Girl
Sweet Potato Fries from Hollywood Homestead
The Easiest Way to Make Sweet Potato Hash Browns from Real Food RN
Turkey Sweet Potato Pie from Beauty and the Foodie
Yam, Celery Root & Bacon Hash from Rubies and Radishes
Hard Squashes
Butternut Squash Shepherds Pie from Primally Inspired
Delicata Squash Soup from A Girl Worth Saving
Fall Harvest Chicken Soup from Primally Inspired
Rosemary Balsamic Butternut Squash from Stupid Easy Paleo
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Plantains
Homemade Jamaican Banana Chips from Nourishing Time
Mashed Green Bananas from Nourishing Time
Plantain Fries from Hollywood Homestead
Puerto Rican Style Plantains (a.k.a. Monfongo) from Beauty and the Foodie
Sweet Plantain Buns from Stupid Easy Paleo
White Potatoes, Yuca, Beets, Tapioca
Oven Roasted Yuca Fries from Real Food Kosher
Easy Skillet Potatoes from Real Food Outlaws
Roasted Chicken with Potatoes, Kale and Lemon from Gutsy by Nature
Rosemary Garlic Roasted Potatoes from Stupid Easy Paleo
Simple, Candied Beet Chips from Jules Fuel
Slow Cooker Baked Potato Bar from Health Home Happy
Tapioca Flour Paleo Bread from Strands of My Life
182
MEATY GOODNESS
Crispy Italian Chicken Thighs
One of my simplest meals during the week involves chicken
thighs. I like the skin-on variety because they stay moist in
the oven. If you can only find skinless, you can wrap the
thighs in bacon before you bake them. WIN.
To get the skin crispy, make sure its really dry before you
put the chicken in the oven. If youre lucky enough to have
a convection oven, youll want to use that setting. Cant
find bone-in chicken thighs? You can use boneless, but cut
the baking time down by about 5 minutes.
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Ingredients
1 pound (500 grams) bone-in chicken thighs
1 Tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon salt
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400F (200C). Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
2. Place the chicken thighs on the baking sheet and dry the skin with a paper towel. Flip the thighs over so the skin side
is down.
3. Sprinkle evenly with half of the seasonings. Flip over and season the other side, skin up.
4. Bake for about 40 minutes or until the thighs are cooked through completely.
184
Change It Up
Use curry powder instead of the spices listed.
For skinless thighs, sprinkle with smoked paprika, salt
and pepper, then wrap in thinly sliced bacon.
MEATY GOODNESS
Paleo Chicken Nuggets
Like chicken nuggets but dont
want the gluten-filled breading?
This recipe is modeled after one
from a famous chicken restaurant,
and the secret is using pickle juice
as the brine.
Dont like pickle juice? (I was
surpri sed how many peopl e
dont!) You can use a salt-water
brine solution instead. Either way,
it makes the chicken super moist!
This recipes adapted from The
Domestic Man.
185
Ingredients
1 pound (1000 grams) chicken breasts,
cut into large chunks
1/3 cup (80 ml) dill pickle juice
1 egg, beaten
1 Tablespoon coconut milk
1 Tablespoon coconut flour
1 Tablespoon arrowroot flour
1/2 Tablespoon paprika (sweet or smoked)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Coconut oil for frying
186
Change It Up
Use a basic salt water brine solution instead of pickle
juice (2 Tablespoons salt to 2 cups of water).
Serve with Paleo Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce or honey
mustard dipping sauce.
Directions
1. Place the chicken breast chunks in a zip-top plastic bag and add the pickle juice. Let it marinate in the refrigerator for
at least 2 hours. I kept it in overnight. After its done marinating, allow the pickle juice to drain.
2. In a small bowl, mix the egg and coconut milk. Pour that into the bag and let it sit for about 10 minutes while you
prepare the spice mix.
3. In another small bowl, mix the coconut flour, arrowroot flour, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, onion power and garlic
powder.
4. Open the bag and drain out as much egg-coconut milk as you can. It shouldnt be 100% dry because you want
something for the spice mix to stick to.
5. Pour the spice mix into the bag, close the top, and really massage it into the chicken. This may take a minute or two
but you want all the pieces to be evenly coated.
6. In a large skillet over medium-high, heat a few tablespoons of coconut oil until the oil is very hot. Add a single layer
of chicken to the pan (being careful not to crowd it) and fry on each side for about 3 minutes or until completely
cooked through. It took me two batches.
187
MEATY GOODNESS
Paleo Thanksgiving Leftovers
Sandwich
Inspired by Food 52, these beauties are the perfect
way to use up holiday leftovers or to get you in the
turkey mood any time of year!
Dont feel like making everything from scratch for a
whole meal? Each component is great on its own
or as part of another meal. You just earned four
more recipesbonus!
188
Ingredients and Directions
For the Peppered Roasted Turkey Breast
Use 23 ounces (5585 grams) leftover turkey or chicken per sandwich OR
Roast a turkey breast in the oven. I added a lot of black pepper and a sprinkle of salt, but feel free to season as youd
like. I roasted a small, 2-pound (1000 grams) turkey breast in the oven on 350F (175C) for about 45 minutes or until a
meat thermometer read 165F (75C) for the internal temp.
For the Cranberry Apple Sauce...
10 ounces (300 grams) fresh cranberries
2 cups chopped apples, any kind
1 large orange, zest and juice
34 large dried figs, chopped
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1. In a pot over medium heat, combine all the ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer over medium-low
heat until the cranberries pop and the apples soften.
2. This keeps for several days so you can make it ahead!
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For the Sweet Potato Buns (makes about 8)...
4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and grated
2 teaspoons salt
2 eggs, beaten
1 Tablespoon onion powder
2 teaspoons coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Ghee or coconut oil for cooking
1. Place the peeled, grated sweet potatoes in a large colander and sprinkle with the salt. Let sit for about 10 minutes.
2. Squeeze the moisture out of the sweet potatoes. Now is not the time to be wimpy. Really squeeze hard!
3. Move the sweet potatoes to a large bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
4. In a large skillet over medium-low heat, add a large spoonful of fat (I used ghee because it tastes yummy). To make a
bun: Pack a 1/3 cup measure with the sweet potato mixture. Turn this out into the pan and flatten a bit with the back
of a fork until its about 3 in diameter. (If you flatten it too much the bun will be pretty fragile.) Cook 34 minutes on
one side, until nicely browned, then flip and do the same on the other.
5. Cool these on a cooling rack so they dont get soggy on the bottom.
190
For the Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Bacon...
1 pound (500 grams) Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced
4 ounces (~125 grams) bacon, chopped
1 large onion, diced
Salt and pepper, to taste
Splash of balsamic vinegar, optional
1. In a large skillet over medium heat, add the chopped bacon and render it down until its brown and crispy.
2. Add the onion to the bacon / fat and cook until its translucent, a few minutes.
3. Add the raw sliced Brussels sprouts and cook over medium heat for about 810 minutes until they soften. Youll have
to stir them frequently so they all get happy and soft.
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste and a splash of balsamic vinegar.
191
Change It Up
Serve with pan juices for extra moisture and flavor.
Make your own Paleo gravy.
Add a layer of Paleo stuffing!
MEATY GOODNESS
Slow Cooker Chicken
There are few recipes simpler than this one. Chicken in a
slow cooker requires no mindingjust put the bird in and
walk away. It comes out moist and fall-off-the-bone tender.
You actually dont need to add any liquid into the bottom
of the slow cooker; all the juices you see there in the
picture are from the chicken itself. The bonus? You can use
the bones to make mineral-rich chicken stock.
192
Ingredients
1 whole chicken
1 lemon, sliced
Salt and black pepper
Directions
1. Put the chicken in the slow cooker.
2. Arrange the lemon slices on the top of the chicken and, if you have extra, in the cavity.
3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Set the slow cooker on low and cook the chicken for 56 hours. If youre in a hurry, turn the slow cooker to high and
cook for 3 hours.
193
Change It Up
Sprinkle with Herbs de Provence or any dried herbs.
Use sliced orange instead of lemon.
Stuff a few sprigs of fresh rosemary into the cavity.
MEATY GOODNESS
Slow Cooker Mocha-Rubbed Pot Roast
Another delicious, meaty slow
cooker recipe for you here! The
coffee gives an earthy, rich
ba c k gr o u n d f l a v o r a n d
combines really well with the
cocoa powder and spices.
This one takes a bit more time
to prepare than some slow
cooker recipes, but the results
well worth it. Be sure not to use
a very lean piece of beef
because itll get dry in the
crock pot. I like a standard pot
roast or chuck roast.
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Ingredients
For the mocha rub (you will have extra)...
2 Tablespoons finely ground coffee beans, any kind
2 Tablespoons smoked paprika
1 Tablespoon black pepper
1 Tablespoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (or sweet paprika)
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
For the roast...
2 pounds (1000 grams) beef roast (I like grass-fed chuck)
1 cup (235 ml) brewed coffee
1 cup (235 ml) beef broth
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Change It Up
Use decaf coffee instead of regular if youre sensitive
to caffeine.
Puree the sauce after the roast is done cooking.
Substitute additional beef broth for the brewed
coffee.
1/2 an onion, chopped
6 dried figs, chopped
3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Directions
1. Prepare the mocha rub by mixing together the finely ground coffee, spices and salt in a small bowl. You wont use the
entire batch if youre making a 2-pound roast. It stores well in an airtight container.
2. Pat the beef roast dry with a paper towel. Spoon 34 tablespoons of the mocha rub mixture over the roast and rub it
in well with your handsmy preferred method. Or, place the roast and 34 tablespoons of mocha rub in a plastic zip-
top bag and shake until its evenly coated.
3. Combine the brewed coffee, beef broth, onion, figs and balsamic vinegar in a blender. Puree until liquified.
4. Pour the liquid into the slow cooker and place the roast gently on top.
5. Cook for 56 hours on low.
6. Remove the meat and shred with two forks. You can then boil the liquid until it reduces and thickens or simply serve
as is. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper to taste.
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MEATY GOODNESS
Paleo Mediterranean Meatza Pie
Pizza with a meat crust. Oh yes. You can really take this
basic template in so many directions and come up with
some pretty creative combinations that suit your tastes.
One of my favorite variations is a ground lamb crust with a
fresh Greek salad piled high on top. I call it My Big Fat
Greek Meatza!
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Ingredients
For the crust...
1 pound (500 grams) lean ground beef
2 Tablespoons mixed dried herbs (any kind really:
I used an oregano, thyme, parsley mix)
1 Tablespoon fresh basil, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried basil)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Suggested toppings (about 1/2 cup of each topping should be plenty)...
Tomato sauce
Red bell pepper, sliced
Sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
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Change It Up
Use any combinations of toppings or ground meat
for the crust that youd like. I think a BBQ chicken
meatza sounds perfect.
Artichoke hearts (canned or packed in oil), drained and chopped
Olives, any kind, sliced
Arugula leaves (rocket)
Fresh basil for garnish
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400F (200C).
2. In a large bowl, mix the crust ingredients: ground beef, dried herbs, basil, garlic, salt and pepper.
3. Divide the meat in half. Press half the meat into an 8" round pie pan. Repeat with the other half. No pie pan? Use any
baking dish you'd like. You could even do a 13x9 rectangular pan to make one big meatza. Use what you've got!
4. Bake for 1015 min or until cooked through. Remove from the oven and drain off any liquid.
5. Now its time to do the toppings. I added the tomato sauce and red pepper first, then popped it back in for another 5
minutes to soften those up. Then I took out the crust, added the rest of the toppingsarugula leaves, sun-dried
tomatoes, artichokes and olivesand chopped it into 4 pieces while it was on a cutting board.
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MEATY GOODNESS
Chai Tea Braised Beef Short Ribs
Why do I love the slow
cooker so much? It helps take
some of the pressure off busy
folks who dont have much
time to cook but still want to
eat healthy.
These ribs come out super
tender with a bit of sweetness
from the onions and figs.
Cant find short ribs? A pot
roast or chuck roast would
make a great substitute.
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Ingredients
4 chai tea bags
1-1/2 pounds (~750 grams) beef short ribs
1/2 a red onion, sliced
1/2 cup dried figs (~8), chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups (470 ml) beef stock
Coconut oil
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Change It Up
Use a pot roast instead of ribs.
Serve over roasted sweet potato.
If pressed for time, skip step 2 and put everything
into the slow cooker raw.
Directions
1. Brew the tea bags in 1 cup (235 ml) of boiling water.
2. In a skillet, cook the red onion, fig and garlic in a bit of coconut oil until softened.
3. In a slow cooker, layer the ribs in the bottom, then pour the onion / fig / garlic mixture on top and add the vinegar,
salt, pepper, cinnamon, chai tea and beef stock on top.
4. Cook for 45 hours on low.
5. For bonus flavor, after the meat is cooked, remove the liquid and puree it in a blender. Reduce it in a saucepan on the
stove by boiling the liquid until it thickens.
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MEATY GOODNESS
Hard Cider Braised Brats
from Popular Paleo
My pal Ciarra, who runs Popular Paleo, is a
genius in the kitchen. She layers flavors like a
boss and cranks out some amazing food
despite being a busy mom, blogger and
CrossFitter. She kindly agreed to share this
recipe with you. Make sure to head over to
her site and show her some love!
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Ingredients
A package of brats (usually 5 to a pack)
12 ounce (350 ml) bottle of good-quality natural hard apple cider (gluten free, of course)
1/2 a white or yellow onion
1 bay leaf
23 Tablespoons bacon grease or freshly rendered lard
Directions
1. To prep, break out your Dutch oven (or any thick-bottomed pot with a fitted lid) and heat it to medium or medium-
highwhatever will get you a good sear on your brat. Melt the lard (or bacon grease) and add the brats. Once the
brats are in the pan, dont move them around until its time to flip them over. The goal is to get a deep brown crust on
two sides before adding the braising liquid. If youre constantly stirring and moving, they wont sear properly. While
the brats do their thing, slice the onion.
2. Once the brats are seared, toss in the sliced onion and bay leaf. Give everything a good stir and pour in the hard
apple cider. Bring to a boil first before reducing the heat to low and covering the pot. Let braise for 2025 minutes.
3. Serve the brats with sauerkraut and some of that delicious sauce spooned over the top.
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Change It Up
Use unsweetened apple juice or chicken broth
instead of cider.
MEATY GOODNESS
Simple Shrimp Ceviche
Can I interest you in a meal
that cooks itself?
Yes? I thought so!
Its not too good to be true,
its just cevichea dish of
seafood thats cooked using
citrus juices and served up
with ingredients like tomato,
jalapeo and avocado. If you
want something cool and
refreshing on a hot day or
youre looking for something
to bring to a party instead of
the usual shrimp cocktail, this
is it.
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Ingredients
8 ounces (~250 grams) raw shrimp
1 large tomato, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 a jalapeo pepper, minced (optional)
1/2 an avocado, cubed
Juice of 1 orange
Juice of 2 lemons
Juice of 2 limes
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
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Directions
1. Peel and devein the shrimp, if necessary. Chop the shrimp into small pieces.
2. Prepare the veggies. If you want the ceviche to be spicier, you can leave the seeds in or add more jalapeo.
3. Mix the shrimp, tomato, garlic, jalapeo and avocado in a bowl. Squeeze the citrus juice on top and combine. There
should be enough liquid to cover the shrimp.
4. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or until the shrimp has turned from translucent to opaque.
5. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste and top with chopped cilantro.
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Change It Up
Use another firm white fish instead of shrimp.
Add grapefruit juice instead of orange juice.
Add some citrus zest to bump up the flavor.
DRINKS & OTHER GOOD THINGS
Pumpkin Pie Recovery Shake
Pumpkin pie sounds pretty good, right? If youre going to do
a recovery shake, this is the way to go. Protein + carbs and a
flavor reminiscent of pumpkin pie.
If using whey protein, choose a high-quality brand like
Stronger Faster Healthier. You can use pastured eggs instead
of whey protein for an extra protein boost.
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Ingredients
1 cup (235 ml) water
1 scoop vanilla whey protein
1/2 cup (120 ml) pumpkin puree
45 ice cubes
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Dash of nutmeg
Directions
1. Throw all the ingredients into a blender or Vitamix.
2. Blitz until smooth.
3. Enjoy, preferably within 30 minutes of finishing your workout.
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Change It Up
Use chocolate whey protein.
Use sweet potato instead of pumpkin.
Use egg white protein instead of whey.
Use whole, cage-free eggs instead of whey.
DRINKS & OTHER GOOD THINGS
Homemade Gingerbread Spice Mix
Homemade Gingerbread Spice Mix is ace. Why? It has
that warm, yummy smell that evokes the holiday season.
Luckily, this spice mix is super simple to make so you can
have a taste of the holidays any time of the year.
You can use it in coffee, sprinkled over roasted veggies
like squash or in homemade breakfast sausage patties.
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Ingredients
2 Tablespoons cinnamon
2 Tablespoons ground ginger
2 Tablespoons allspice
1 Tablespoon ground nutmeg
1 Tablespoon ground cloves
Pinch of black pepper
Directions
1. Mix all the spices in a small bowl.
2. Seal in an airtight jar. (I like small Mason jars for this job.)
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Change It Up
Stir 2 Tablespoons into ground coffee before brewing
(if making 6 cups).
Sprinkle it over a coconut milk latte or brewed
coffee.
Mix it into dairy-free hot chocolate.
Sprinkle it over roasted carrots or other root veggies.
DRINKS & OTHER GOOD THINGS
Gingerbread Spiced Coffee
Even if its not the holidays, this Gingerbread Spiced
Coffee may make you feel like its that time of year. The
warmth of the spices complements the coffee really well.
No matter how you make your brew, you can create a
version with gingerbread spice.
Did you know...caffeine is regarded for its performance-
enhancing abilities, which is why some athletes take it
immediately before training? (But lets be honest, thats
probably not the reason we love it so much.)
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Ingredients for One Mug
6 ounces (175 ml) brewed coffee
1/2 teaspoon homemade gingerbread spice mix
Directions
1. Brew the coffee. (If using French press or drip, mix the spice into the coffee grounds.)
2. Serve with your choice of heavy cream, coconut milk or almond milk.
3. Sprinkle with a bit of extra spice mix.
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Change It Up
Make Gingerbread Bulletproof

Coffee by blending
your gingerbread spiced brewed coffee with grass-
fed butter and MCT or coconut oil.
For espresso, stir in a pinch of spice mix per shot.
If you really want to be fancy, serve with a dollop of
whipped coconut or heavy cream.
DRINKS & OTHER GOOD THINGS
Chocolate Orange Naked Bars
If youre into Lrabars, youll
probably love this chocolaty
version. Why the name Naked
Bars? In the UK, theres a date-
based bar called N"kd with a
similar flavor. I decided to recreate
the bars so I could make them
cost effective.
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Ingredients
1-1/2 cups nuts (I used 1 cup almonds + 1/2 cup macadamia)
20 Medjool dates (the big, fat, squishy ones)
1/3 cup cocoa powder
Zest of one large orange
1 Tablespoon orange juice
Pinch of sea salt
Directions
1. Line an 8x8" baking dish with plastic wrap or wax paper.
2. Pulse down the nuts in a food processor until they become small, crumbly bits. Dont let it go too long or it will
become nut butterer, not that theres anything wrong with that but it wont help this recipe. Some pieces may be a
bit bigger and some might be tiny. Thats okay. Move the nuts to a large bowl.
3. Pit the dates and put them in the food processor. Pulse about five times until they are slightly broken down.
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Change It Up
Add 2 teaspoons of gingerbread spice mix.
If youre not a fan of orange, you can omit the juice
and zest.
Make into balls instead of cutting them into bars.
4. Add the cocoa powder, orange zest, orange juice and sea salt to the food processor.
5. Process until a huge chocolaty ball forms.
6. With clean hands, add the chocolaty dates to the nuts and knead to combine. Youll have to knead pretty well but
keep at it.
7. Once all the nuts are blended in, youll take the lump of deliciousness and put it in the baking dish. Press the mixture
into the dish until its packed down and smooth.
8. Freeze for 20 minutes until firm.
9. Turn out the mixture onto a cutting board and chop into pieces as big or small as youd like. I usually make 12 bars
from one dish.
10. I individually wrap them in plastic wrap. They can be frozen for a couple months if packed to withstand freezer burn.
If not, store in the fridge for up to a week.
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DRINKS & OTHER GOOD THINGS
Simple Paleo Tortillas
Would you believe me if I told
you this is the #1 most popular
recipe of all time on my blog
(more than 165,000 views as of
publication)? Its true. If youre
looking for a really easy Paleo
version of a flour tortillaor a
French crepelook no further.
These are foolproof and are
much more flexible than other
Paleo tortillas Ive ever tried.
These hold up to folding or
rolling and can be used in
sweet or savory applications.
Its easy to make a double or
triple batch in advance and
save them for upcoming meals.
They freeze and thaw perfectly.
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Ingredients
2 eggs
1 Tablespoon water
1 teaspoon melted ghee
1/4 cup arrowroot powder
1 teaspoon coconut flour
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
Directions
1. Crack the eggs into a medium bowl, and whisk in the water and melted ghee.
2. Add the dry ingredients and beat well to combine.
3. In a small 8 skillet over medium-low heat, pour in about 1/3 of the batter, and immediately roll it around to evenly
coat the bottom. The sides will start to pull up and then its time to flip it over. Cook for about 1 minute on each side.
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Change It Up
Add 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract for sweet
applications.
APPENDIX
Cooking Conversions
Having spent a good chunk to time in the UK, I know how frustrating it can be to have to convert between units of
measurement. (Why the US hasnt embraced how the rest of the world measures is beyond meIm a science nerd so
Im all for metric!) The following pages will help you get your convert on between units of mass / weight, volume and
temperature.
MASS / WEIGHT MASS / WEIGHT MASS / WEIGHT
2.2 pounds 35 ounces 1 kilogram
1 pound 16 ounces 454 grams
3/4 pound 12 ounces 340 grams
2/3 pound 10.5 ounces 305 grams
1/2 pound 8 ounces 227 grams
1/3 pound 6 ounces 150 grams
1/4 pound 4 ounces 114 grams
1 ounce 28 grams
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VOLUME VOLUME VOLUME
1 gallon 16 cups 3.8 liters
1/2 gallon 8 cups 1.9 liters
1 quart 4 cups 0.95 liters
1 pint 2 cups 460 milliliters
1/2 pint 1 cup 240 milliliters
3/4 cup 180 milliliters
1/2 cup 120 milliliters
1/3 cup 80 milliliters
1/4 cup 60 milliliters
2 Tablespoons 1 fluid ounce 30 milliliters
1 Tablespoon 3 teaspoons 15 milliliters
1 teaspoon 5 milliliters
1 Tablespoon fresh herbs 1 teaspoon dried herbs
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TEMPERATURE* TEMPERATURE* TEMPERATURE*
Fahrenheit Celsius British Gas Mark
500F 260C 10
475F 245C 9
450F 230C 8
425F 220C 7
400F 200C 6
375F 190C 5
350F 175C 4
325F 165C 3
300F 150C 2
275F 135C 1
250F 120C 1/2
225F 110C 1/4
200F 95C 0
*Need a cooking temperature not on the list? If you divide degrees Fahrenheit in half, youll get an approximate
temperature for Celsius. Oh, and if theres no temperature listed in a recipe, 350F is a good bet.
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REFERENCES
1. http://www.marksdailyapple.com/the-relationship-between-exercise-and-inflammation-and-what-it-means-for-your-
workouts/
2. http://www.marksdailyapple.com/dairy-intolerance/
3. http://robbwolf.com/2012/03/09/paleo-diet-inflammation-metformin/
4. http://library.crossfit.com/free/pdf/CFJ-trial.pdf
5. http://chriskresser.com/the-diet-heart-myth-cholesterol-and-saturated-fat-are-not-the-enemy
6. http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/71/1/179S.full?ijkey=5c7af875f3dc71a303f7df78c52145e8b7c31643
7. http://www.marksdailyapple.com/saturated-fat-healthy/
8. http://robbwolf.com/2009/11/24/the-black-box-summit-or-how-i-got-fired-from-the-crossfit-nutrition-certification
9. http://www.marksdailyapple.com/how-stress-can-make-you-fat/
10.http://chriskresser.com/how-inflammation-makes-you-fat-and-diabetic-and-vice-versa
11. http://www.marksdailyapple.com/how-much-glucose-does-your-brain-really-need/
12. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20086073
13. http://www.jci.org/articles/view/37385
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14. http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/77/2/313.short
15. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1748-1716.1970.tb04764.x/abstract
16. http://robbwolf.com/2011/05/19/clearing-up-kidney-confusion-introduction/
17. http://robbwolf.com/2011/06/16/clearing-up-kidney-confusion-part-deux/
18. http://khsaa.org/sportsmedicine/heat/exerciseandfluidreplacement.pdf
19. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18715125
20. Effect of ingestion of medium-chain triacylglycerols on moderate- and high-intensity exercise in recreational
athletes. Journal of nutritional science and vitaminology, April 2009, vol./is. 55/2(120-5), 1881-7742.
21. http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/docosahexaenoic-acid-dha
22. Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (2006, April 4). Anti-inflammatory Effects Of Omega 3
Fatty Acid In Fish Oil Linked To Lowering Of Prostaglandin.
23. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7286246
24. http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/minerals/magnesium/
25. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10506126
26. http://www.jssm.org/vol2/n4/1/v2n4-1pdf.pdf
27. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3200169/?tool=pubmed
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28. http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/85/4/981.full
29. http://chc.ucsf.edu/sew/PDFs/Cox%20FructoseFAOXEE%20EJCN%202011.pdf
30. http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletters/Harvard_Health_Letter/2012/May/blue-light-has-a-dark-side/
31. http://archpsyc.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=210137
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BOOKS & RESOURCES
For a complete list of recommended books and products, visit The Paleo Athlete Resources page on my website.
Click here to access the Resources page.
Click here to download or print select charts.
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Click here to watch the trailer for The Paleo Athlete!
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