By far the most popular diet for athletes during the past fifteen years has been the high carbohydrate diet, otherwise known as "carbo-load" to the athletic community. The foremost authority on athlete nutrition and a big promoter of the high carbohydrate diet is Nancy Clark, a nationally recognized nutritionist and author of The Athletes Kitchen..

The main focus of the high carbohydrate low-fat diet is on calorie consumption. According to these nutritionists, the calories consumed need to be primarily in the form of carbohydrates. They state that the best fuels for your muscles are carbohydrates, either simple sugars (such as the naturally occurring sugars in fruits and juices) or complex carbohydrates (the unrefined grains and starches in whole bread, brown rice, bran cereal, oatmeal,etc.). According to Clark et al y

In addition to the reasons above, protein also plays another critical role. It stimulates the release of the hormone called glucagon, which is the hormone that allows the body to use stored energy as an energy source. Glucagon also is important for controlling insulin output.(6)

2.) Should have some protein at every meal but balance it with carbohydrates. 3) Eat fruits and vegetables- the preferred source of carbohydrate, and 4) Eat some form of fat, a monounsaturated fat is best.

This group of nutritionists maintain that for health and performance reasons, you should try to choose wholesome carbohydrate rich foods for both daily training diet and for pre competition meals. A high carbohydrate diet eaten everyday should prevent chronic glycogen completion and ensure adequate glycogen replacement.

This new diet promotes primarily eating low density carbohydrates such as fruits and vegetables, as opposed to high density carbohydrates, such as sugar and bagels. This way a natural control system is set up that controls the total amount of carbohydrates being consumed at one meal. Also, the fiber and low density carbohydrates help slow down the rate of entry of carbohydrates into the blood stream thus lowering insulin secretion.

The theory is that the food you eat is probably the most powerful drug you will ever encounter and that we must learn how to administer food at the right time, and in the correct dosage to keep the hormone insulin at the right level, not too high, not too low. One of the suspected side effects of the popularity of the "carbo load" mentality has been the huge increase in the incidence of diabetes among Americans. Many physicians fault the high carbohydrate diet adopted by many Americans.(4)

The next area of importance for the endurance athlete is hydration. This is a nutrient that is easy to overlook in the middle of intense competition but is generally agreed to be the most important nutrient. Dehydration can affect performances in many ways. The reason hydration is so critical is because it keeps the body temperature below 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Sweat accounts for the loss of most body water and this comes mostly from blood plasma. A loss of five percent body water means a loss of ten percent water from blood plasma, leading to reduced oxygenation of brain and muscle-crucial function in athletic performance. (7)

ou store only carbohydrates, not protein or fats, in your muscles in the form of glycogen (muscle sugar). During hard exercise, you burn this glycogen for energy and if it becomes totally depleted you "hit the wall" and you feel overwhelmingly exhausted. These nutritionists preach that eating a high carbohydrate diet can help prevent early exhaustion.(1)

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