Customer Reviews

Sports Nutrition for Endurance Athletes

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

As a physician with a degree in nutrition, and a triathlete of 16 years, it is refreshing to read a book full of sound, no- nonsense information. In a world full of books espousing the diet/supplement fad of the day, this one thorougly explains the fundamentals of nutrition and how to apply them to maximize performance. Knowing these fundamental allows the athlete to make informed decisions when planning a diet, as well as, when trying to choose between the myriad of supplements available. If your looking for a magic bullet to take your performance to the next level this is not the book for you, but if you want to arm yourself with proven knowledge that is supported by scientific literature and will not only help you to improve your athletic performance but will also help you live a healthier life, this is the book for you.

I'm a front of the pack marathoner. After bonking in Boston two years ago I decided to learn why. I purchased and read several books on nutrition and hydration. Ryan's book has easily become my bible. Its specific enough to allow you to plan your nutrition needs around any number of endurance events. Its laid out in a logical format and provides reasons behind the recommendations. I practiced her pre-race calorie intake suggestions (far more than you'd expect) for my last two marathons and moved the "wall" well into miles 24-25. Great text. Remember, its more than having a race plan. Having a nutrition plan and a hydration plan make a huge difference.

As a 43-year old beginning triathlete, there were lots of things I needed to know to ensure success in my sport and knew early on that proper nutrition would be key. I read the book from cover-to-cover and found almost every paragraph provided valuable information. Not only did the author explain in detail what I needed to know, she explained all the whens, whys and whats -- when to eat, why particular foods are better for training that others and what foods work best for the MY training. I used the book as a bible and, on my way to reaching the best shape I've ever been in, lost nine pounds and went from 22% to 12% body fat. And although I faced challenge after challenge along the way, by following what I learned in the book, nutrition was never an obstacle.

In the past I would almost always suffer from some form of muscle pain, cramping, or dehydration during marathons and triathlons. That was before I found Monique Ryan's book. Two weeks ago, I completed the Ironman Arizona triathlon and Monique Ryan's book was a strong factor in getting me through the race without any cramping or muscle pain whatsoever.

The book is perfect - it gives you comprehensive nutrition information but also gives you plain, simple guidelines for eating and drinking - both in general and in preparation for a race.

If you are preparing for a race and follow the book, you'll know not only what to eat and drink but how much and when. There are guides for the few days before a race, the night before, the morning of the race, and of course, during the race.

I strongly recommend this book for anyone interested in nutrition, but especially for everyone involved in endurance sports.

Having been in the fitness industry for twenty years as an exercise physiologist and lecturer, I've read most of the nutriton books that have made the circuit. I found Monique Ryan's book to be one of the most satisfying sources of well researched information available. Monique's book is short on fluff and big on information. It's refreshing to find a well organized, conscisely written nutritonal manual for athletes who want to maximize their training methods with facts rather than hype. I make it required reading for the athletes that I work with.

I have one more chapter to read in which i read the almost the whole book in two day. I like this book because it takes the place of a nutritionist. Someone i can't afford, but wish i could. I am also a vegetarian and like that the author mentions the vegetarian diet often when talking about nutrition sources. They don't spend all thier time on vegetarian diets but for instance mentions that most vegans should take a B12 vitamin when talking about B vitamins. Also when giving a list af protien sources tofu and soymilk are in there too (which not all nutrionist do)
This book doesn't have to be for aspiring or actual pro athletes but for weekend warriors as well. As long as you are not knowledge challenged. This book goes into detail about what your body does during training and what sources of energy it is using and may go over the heads of some readers. But i like to know why and what my body is doing! The first two thirds is all about general nutrition and fluids. Then there are seperate chapters on cycling, swimming, running, cycling, adventure racing, and cross country skiing. Which is good becuase i was able to go right to cycling and skip over the sports i don't participate in. There are also small articles thrown in the book like VO2 max and female athletes pregnancy nutrition. Also you should know how to do math. The formulas for your nutrition are easy, but only if you understand basic math and algerbra. Also you should what to take the time to start a nutrition journal at least for a week, so you know how much food you actually are consuming. I almost went for a vegetarian nutrition book, but i'm glad i picked this one instead. A lot of information, with a good format! I think this book covers all aspects of sports nutrition. fluids, daily diet, nutrients, recovery, training and cmpetition, creating your diet, changing body composition, nutritional aids. and how to eat for your sport.

I am a cyclist and purchased this book to help educate myself more about how I need to fuel for cycling. I race at a high level and train 15-28hrs per week. Monique Ryan clearly explains the theory behind certain nutritional requirements, then gives keypoints on how to achieve those, and finally gives sample menu's and various information on the nutritional values of foods. Definitely a good book to keep going back to as a reminder of what you need to be doing.

There are lots of sports nutrition books, but this is easy to read and understand. The first chapter is all about water and how it supports all body functions and even sensory health, which I didn't know. Also valuable is the chapter about the glycemic levels of foods and the charts with which foods deliver which nutrients. The latter part of the book is about nutrition for different sports. I really learned a lot reading this and plan to use it as a guide for my grocery shopping so I can eat a more healthy diet for my energy needs.

This is a good book to have if you know nothing about nutrition and want to learn some of the basics. You can collect all the basic information here through general Internet research. True, it's nice to have it all in one place in a logical format, but I really expected much more detailed advice for a book targeted specifically to endurance athletes than 'you need to manage your carbohydrates over the length of the event'-type advice. Not worth the money in my opinion.

This book is by far the best source of nutritional information I have found for endurance athletes. It's great because it maintains the focus and isn't jammed full of useless information. It has great charts, sample menus, different information tables, and specific sports nutritional guidance. I read it cover to cover, re-read it, highlighting along the way, then shoved it in my backpack to use as a quick reference and as a silent coach. Having this book is as important to me as having the right shoes, bike or clothing.