WHOLE FOOD DIET

The whole food diet is a nutrition plan that is based on eating unrefined and unprocessed foods, or foods that are as little processed or refined as possible before they are consumed.

This is my favorite way to eat! I love a good salad, with avocados and frozen yogurt (homemade out of Kefir) with raw chocolate for dessert.

Whole foods consumed in the diet do not contain any added sugar, unnecessary fats, or chemical preservatives, flavor agents or colorants. The diet is occasionally confused with the organic food diet, but whole foods are not necessarily organically grown, and not all organic foods are necessarily whole.

Still, these two diets are somewhat similar in nature, especially since they both involve avoiding agricultural techniques that are chemically assisted. I do have a wash though that can be used to help with washing the pesticides off of fresh food.

I use organic foods for my whole food as there are just too many pesticides on non organic vegetables. This has been challenging during racing.

ATHLETES AND WHOLE FOODS

Whole food diets are as natural as diets can be which makes this one an excellent choice for athletes who are looking for a nutritionally sound eating plan. I feel my very best while eating whole foods with some added protein from whey.

Athletes need to be conscious of what they are putting into their bodies at all times, and following a whole food diet is an excellent way to ensure that only healthy, natural food products are put in.

In other words, because there is so little processing involved, athletes can get the full spectrum of nutrients that foods are supposed to supply, rather than the small amount left following the processing and packaging part of the equation.

IS THE DIET RAW?

The whole food diet is based on the idea that whole foods, or foods that have not been refined or processed, are much more easily assimilated and absorbed into the body.

Whole foods are rich in nutrients and promote excellent health because they contain all of the vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients that the body requires for optimum health.

The diet concept does not mean that all foods have to be consumed raw, but it is based on the idea that less processing is better, because cooking, processing and packaging remove vital nutrients from the foods that we eat, so that we are not getting nearly as many nutrients as we are meant to from our diet.

I have really enjoyed a raw soup, I make in a blender. It is simple and I heat it just enough to melt the cheese. Raw Bars are also very good.

CONCERNS FOR ATHLETES

The biggest concern for athletes that applies to the diet actually applies to any specialized diet or eating plan.

Athletes need not only to get the right amounts of vitamins and nutrients for their bodies to thrive, but they also need extra vitamins and minerals to support the exertion experienced in their sports.

Athletes who are following this diet need to carefully plan out their nutritional guidelines to ensure that they are getting the nutrients they need.

Athletes that are having difficulty getting their optimum nutrient levels with the diet should consider adding a multi-vitamin supplement to add the necessary vitamins and minerals into their diet.

I use supplements from Hammer Nutrition. They are made especially for endurance athletes. I have not found a product for athletes that is better.