For athletes, eating lots of carbohydrate enriched foods is a vital matter. Carbohydrates are one of the sources that provide us the energy that we need to function. The digestive system converts these compounds into glucose, a form of blood sugar, which then are used by every cell, tissue and organ inside of our body. Considering the intensity of activities that athletes subject themselves into, some speculations have already been raised about whether Paleo diet is applicable for athletes or not.
Since there are lots of different foods that athletes need, but are not included in the Paleo food lists; Loren Cordain, the author of The Paleo Diet, made some adjustments especially for athletes. They can consume carbs during the post-workout period and follow the rest of the diet plan afterwards. There's actually a custom generated five-stage program to correlate with an athlete's training.
The first stage is to eat before exercise and eat during the activity constitutes the second. Next is to eat 30 minutes after the workout, followed by the third which is performing a short-term exercise and lastly, the fourth, which constitutes long-term exercise. Along with these, there are many recommended foods that can be eaten during a specific stage.
First on the list, obviously, are fruits and vegetables. Chicken, turkey and ostrich meat are also good beside pork and red meats. Sea foods like mussels, shrimps and oysters are also included together with macadamia and walnuts, seeds like sesame and sunflower.
Moreover, athletes who follow Paleo diet are reported to feel healthier, train harder, able to get rid of aggravating migraines, insomnia, allergies and reduced feeling of stress. Of course, whether you believe these claims or not, think about a Paleolithic man. They lived off of chasing around and hunting wild animals most of the day.
They survived eating meats, fruits and nuts while doing all that running and other taxing activities and managed to endure the harsh conditions and demands of the Stone Age, in a very excellent manner. Considering these facts, they were still able to live on to propagate the next generation without eating burgers, cakes and energy drink. They were athletes in their own way and they certainly spent their long lives without suffering from weak heart and bones.
So the claims of the Paleo diet being unsuitable for athletes seem to be quite erroneous and based on simple whims and fancies. Athletes are encouraged to try this diet out and then decide for themselves.
