Dr. Bruce LaBelle - My BIG Why

My education as an Organic Chemist and subsequent career as the Lab Director for the California Department of Toxic Substance Control has helped me understand aspects of Human Health the public is largely unaware of. My career as a scientist combined with my lifelong participation in ultrarunning and love of the outdoors has led me to realize how metabolic health is the foundation for both health and performance whether someone is an athlete or simply wants to live a healthy life. 

In the 1980's when I was competing as an elite ultramarathoner, I 'trained' my body to become 'fat adapted' and metabolically fit through fasted runs or all day runs on a few Brach's hard candies. This helped me compete to podium finishes at the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run. But what I did back then was crude and uncodified compared with the OFM program. 

In the ensuing years I've been following the research associating consumption of processed carbohydrates with long-term impacts on health and performance. There is no doubt carbohydrates 'work' for short-term performance, however, their overconsumption leads to problems. . . "It's the dose that makes the poison." Endurance sports has continually evolved toward greater reliance and dosing of carbohydrates during training and racing, leaving athletes more susceptible to energy swings and GI issues during physical activity and the potential for a host of downstream health challenges. 

This is even more evident in the sedentary population with the rise of chronic diseases which are largely preventable. OFM offers a viable and sustainable solution toward achieving or regaining  metabolic health and, thus, performance. I've been observing and supporting Peter's work since he began his development of OFM so I am thrilled to be a formal member of his advisory committee to help move the needle in sport and science in a positive direction.