On Mon, 19 Dec 2005 14:35:55 -0600, Ashley Moran <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> ...  I find the argument that if you
> really push your body you need to cheat on basic (paleo) dietary
> facts hard to swallow.

I suppose if I resort to larger quantities of food, I don't.  It's less of a problem with lots of nuts and fruits, but the prevailing paleo wisdom seems to be that those should be limited and not make up too much of the diet.

> The main reason being that physical fitness
> is one of the keys to our survival- and the daily lives of some
> modern (and probably paleolithic) hunter-gatherers is far more
> strenuous than what people today consider a hard workout.

I do a lot of other work besides the workouts.  I have something of a reputation for doing things by hand that most people would use a tractor or bulldozer for.  (I think the technical term for it is "insanity".)  Granted, these are not tasks that the typical hunter-gatherer would have engaged in, but then neither is using a computer or driving a car, both tasks I undertake frequently.

> If there really is something that can't be done without resorting to
> chronically toxic foods, that's perhaps a sign that the human body is
> not designed to do that!

A very good point!

> I am puzzled why the book suggests adding oats, potatoes and yams,
> but not bananas, raisins or even honey, which are all far more paleo
> by any sensible definition I know.

It does mention those.  I didn't mean my list to be exclusive.  But then the book also mentions using various sports drinks and energy drinks and other such concoctions, which seems completely counterintuitive in context of the diet.

> However, I mainly unconvinced of a need to eat around training.  I do
> a lot of my own training in the morning, which in practice means up
> to an hour of mainly strength work.  This is following an overnight
> fast of about 12 hours,

Same here.

> I generally eat once a day, in the evening,

Wow.  I'd starve.  I eat several pounds of food a day (just to keep my weight stable takes about 3000 calories/day).  I can't imagine doing it all in one sitting.

--
   Robert Kesterson
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