Fueling like the pros or elites implies one will achieve success with this approach.
Unfortunately, what the pros do is, most often, out of context for the rest of us. But, there are exceptions and one of them is Peter Mortimer. Peter is like the rest of us. He has a demanding career, wife/partner, children and two basset hounds; Homer and Larry. Peter wins races. Not just any race but ones far out on the ragged edge of ultra-endurance. Like recently, the Arizona Monster 300, a 304 mile trail race from Superior to Patagonia, Arizona including a night climb up Mount Lemmon in a snowstorm followed by a day in the desert heat!
With the pros tilting towards hyper-high-carbohydrate strategies, what is missing is that these strategies are completely out of context for 98% of athletes because they completely ignore the metabolic demands of pros versus most amateurs along with the very real negative impacts on health and long term performance.
This discussion takes a critical look at the inference that what works for professional athletes should be universally adopted while highlighting the importance of individualized nutrition strategies.
High-Carbohydrate Diets and Their Drawbacks
The interview opens with a critique of the modern push towards carbohydrate-heavy gels and diets in endurance sports. Both Peters express concern over the long-term health implications of such diets, including gut health deterioration and the onset of chronic diseases linked to excessive sugar consumption.
Simply put; it is a LOT of sugar. Most people do not understand all those carbs they are consuming end up as sugar, thus, they have no idea just how much sugar they are consuming. Over 6 months of training leading up to and through an IronMan or 100 Mile ultra, this adds up to 155 pounds of sugar!
Individualized Fueling Strategies
An alternative fueling strategy emphasizes fat adaptation to minimize or reduce carbohydrate intake during training and races. This allows the athlete to easily reduce their sugar load by a third to half while still having plenty of carbohydrates in the diet and fueling for performance. . . what we call “Strategic Carbohydrates”.
The Advantages of Fat Adaptation In The Heat
It is virtually impossible to consume the 90-140 grams per hour levels of carbs in the heat without risking GI issues. The Solution? . . . A physiology optimized to burn fat as fuel. This highlights how fat adaptation when combined with hydration is a secret weapon during extremely hot races.
The Science of Sugar and Health Risks
The conversation transitions to the broader health impacts of a high carbohydrate approach touching on the links between:
- Chronic inflammation
- Cardiovascular disease
- Diabetes, including Dementia which is now termed as Type 3 Diabetes
- Cancer.
The science has become crystal clear on how the overconsumption of carbohydrates, which your body ‘sees’ as sugar (as glucose), and these modern diseases. This challenges the audience to reconsider the conventional wisdom around carbohydrate -centric fueling.
Practical Tips and Strategies
Rich with practical advice, from specific dietary recommendations to training tips for endurance athletes, the Peters discuss the benefits of OFM, including strategic carbohydrate use, and the importance of listening to one’s body to optimize performance and health.
Real-Life Success Story
Shot over 6 months prior to Peter’s latest ‘monster’ win his transformative journey to OFM serves as an inspiring example of achieving one’s health & performance potential, while living his best life just like the hundreds of people we’ve helped over the years. These real life examples serve as powerful testaments to the benefits of individualizing your diet and fueling strategy and re-establishing your native physiology..
OFM challenges the status quo with real world results. Through a more nuanced and individualized approach instead of a “just like the Pros” / more is better generic message, OFM offers the tools and valuable insights for athletes at all levels.
