Racing Weight: How to Get Lean for Peak Performance
Posted on Wednesday, December 30th, 2009 at 4:39 pm
Product Description
Endurance athletes are weight-conscious and given the miles and hours spent training, there’s a lot at stake. Weighing in just five or ten pounds over the ideal weight can dramatically impact race results. Author Matt Fitzgerald shows athletes how to identify their optimal weight and body composition to realize their goals. This 5-step plan to get lean is the key to faster racing and better health. With tools to improve diet, manage appetite, and time important nutrients, Racing Weight will inspire and equip athletes to make the subtle changes they need to start their next race at their optimal weight.
I believe that is one of the most underrated aspects of endurance racing, your weight. When I got into triathlons about 2 years ago I weighed just over 200 pounds, and I knew that it was going to be tough with that extra weight. Well I dropped down to around 170 that summer and felt much better. This year I am planning on taking my training to the next level, and I know that a major thing I need to do is drop the extra weight that I’ve been holding onto.
Matt’s book is exactly what I needed. Not only did this really cover why the extra weight is hurting my performance, but it also showed me how to safely work off the extra weight. He has a specific plan to help reduce calories, and help get rid of fat (which is the thing that really hurts). One great aspect of the book is that he talks to professional athletes about what they do to help keep the weight off, and in some cases keep the weight on.
He also got a great recipe book from Pip Taylor (professional triathlete) so you can easily make meals that are better for you, and really does not take that much time to make. Believe me I was getting tired of eating oatmeal for breakfast, so this really gives me the variety I was looking for.
Thanks to this book, I’ll be on my way to slimming down the correct way and not jamming a finger down my throat (aka the Olsen Twin diet).
Rating: 5 / 5
I have been searching and hoping to find a book that covers this topic. And HERE it is, like an early Christmas present! There are so many books out there about nutrition, but they are not written for people who train their behinds off 6-7 days a week.
I love the way this book talks about WHEN to eat and how that affects your body.
I am happy Matt included different specifics for different endurance sports. This is not just a running book. It’s for rowers, cyclists, triathletes, and anyone who knows what its like to workout for over an hour.
I think that knowing and understanding some of the science behind what happens to your body when you work out and when you eat helps to stay committed to getting to “racing weight”.
Plus, I’ve always wondered what the top athletes really eat…and now I know. It’s all here, and it couldn’t come at a better time for me since I happen to be in the middle of training for the Boston Marathon and struggling to lose these last stubborn 15 lbs.
This book is helping me understand why the pounds are there, why they stay there, and how to shed time…I can’t wait
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Rating: 5 / 5
I love this book. Filled with great, down to earth info on maintaining weight and not the latest fads in diet. The fact that it’s also “sport specific” is really a welcome feature as well. I learned something new reading each chapter. I also like the fact that when a statement is made, it’s backed with research and not conjecture.
It doesn’t hurt that the author seems to a likable guy and writes in a nice breezy style. Just the last chapter (Supplements) was worth the price!
Rating: 5 / 5