Most endurance athletes intuitively know that too much sugar isn’t good for long-term health. But what they don’t realize is just how much of it they’re actually consuming in pursuit of performance. In this clip from the full podcast with Colin on the OFM podcast, Peter Defty sits down with elite amateur  triathlete and coach Colin Cook to unpack the real cost of conventional fueling—and the transformative benefits of a more strategic, fat-adapted approach.

From Costco Shock to Clarity: 155 Pounds of Sugar in 6 Months?!

Peter kicks things off with a visual punch: a tray piled with 155 pounds of sugar—an eye-opening representation of how much sugar a typical endurance athlete consumes in the months leading up to and through an Ironman or a 100 Mile Ultra..

Colin reflects on his own fueling journey, estimating he’s cut 50–75 pounds of sugar out of his diet—not by going keto or cutting carbs entirely, but by using them more intelligently.

The takeaway? . . . Significant performance gains without having to go zero-carb to see major health benefits. Simply being more strategic can yield big results.

Why Strategic Carbs Trump Constant Gels

Colin reinforces the idea that he hasn’t abandoned carbs altogether. He’s just become much more selective about when and how he uses them—saving them for when the performance payoff is worth it. This deliberate use of carbohydrates has allowed him to maintain peak energy output when it counts; like winning the Overall Amateur at IronMan Lake Placid.

At the same time, Peter emphasizes the importance of understanding the cost/benefit of high-carb fueling—not just in terms of performance, but in terms of long-term metabolic health. Carbohydrate used strategically not only yield a performance boost but can be adaptive. The problem lies in their chronic use which has unintended consequences. Striking a dynamic balance is key.

Recovery Gains That Go Beyond Nutrition Labels

While the improved performance of OFM is great, Colin points to a different benefit as the biggest game changer: RECOVERY. After long training sessions—like a 4-5 hour Saturday ride followed by a brick run—he’s no longer flattened for the rest of the day. Instead, his energy stays consistent, and he’s still sharp enough to play with his kids and fully engage with life.

This lightning fast recovery is a direct result of optimizing fat metabolism to lower the oxidative stress and lactate load caused by too much glycolysis (sugar/carb burning)..

Conclusion

This isn’t about following a diet or fueling trends—it’s about your metabolism and building metabolic capacity to support both peak performance and long-term well-being. Colin Cook’s experience shows that you can dramatically reduce sugar intake, improve your recovery, and crush your races, even at the highest level of competition—without sacrificing carbs entirely. By shifting the fueling paradigm, athletes can unlock more sustainable energy and avoid the boom-and-bust cycle that chronic high-carb fueling creates.