|
|
|
|
Home > Racing Weight: How to Get Lean for Peak Performance
|
|
Racing Weight: How to Get Lean for Peak Performance
|
|
By Matt Fitzgerald
|
 (64 Reviews)
|
|
List Price: $18.95
|
|
Our Price: $12.89 Eligible for FREE SHIPPING on orders over $25.00. Details
|
|
You Save: $6.06 (32%)
|
|
From our affiliated sellers:
|
|
|
|
|
Availability:
|
Usually ships in 24 hours
|
|
Publisher:
|
Velo Press
|
|
Published:
|
December 31, 1969 |
|
Binding:
|
Paperback
|
|
Pages:
|
224
|
|
|
|
| |
| 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.
|
|
|
| |
Customer Reviews:
Add Your Own Review |
 Good Addition but Touts Disproven Physiology Theories, January 12, 2010
By miss-tenacity (New Mexico)
|
|
Fitzgerald is a great training resource, and I was very excited to get this book as weight is not addressed enough in the sport of running and how it can affect performance.
Unfortunately, he does fall back into some of the party-line statements about diet and calorie consumption that have been outdated or completely disproved.
For instance, he touts the discredited theory that muscle burns 40-50kcal per pound whereas fat only burns 3-5kcal. This factors heavily into his argument for being lean rather than just light, but it IS NOT TRUE. Muscle does burn more calories, but the two numbers are more like 4-6kcal/lb for muscle and 3-5kcal/lb for fat. It is a small difference overall.
And he also touches on nutrient timing for performance, which is GOOD. But he too easily slips into saying that you can also change up the times of the day that you eat in order to lose more weight. Also, not so much.
So... not a bad book and it addresses an underrepresented topic, but check sources and make sure that you really trust what he is saying before committing 100% to his statements.
127 of 127 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
 EXACTLY what I've been looking for...for a LONG time!, December 18, 2009
By Brooklyn Running
|
|
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 :)
[...]
59 of 62 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
What a terrific book!, November 30, 2009
By Grumpyphil (New York City)
|
|
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!
52 of 56 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Major omission in dietary advice, February 21, 2010
By Boston Runner
|
|
This long overdue book with advice about reaching your ideal racing weight in various types of sport (running, cross-country skiing, cycling, rowing and swimming) is well-written and very informative. I would recommend it for (almost) everyone who wants to lose weight and lean up for peak performance. As a vegan, I have one very serious problem with the dietary advice though. Good (quality) food types are arbitrarily divided into fruit, lean protein, whole grain, low fat dairy and essential fats. Athletes are supposed to eat at least one and in some cases more than one serving of each of these categories, to maximize their nutrition. Fine and dandy. Problem is, one of the mainstays of vegan nutrition - and in many cases omnivore nutrition as well - is simply ignored. That is of course beans and legumes. You won't find a word of advice about eating healthy, carb- and protein-loaded (not to mention fiber & a host of other nutrients including calcium!) beans of a wide variety, and other legumes such as lentils. That is like writing a book about opera and leaving out Puccini or Verdi! A major error like this makes me question other assumptions and conclusions. Who edited this book? Anybody with at least a working knowledge of nutrition knows that beans and legumes play an invaluable role in a healthy diet.
22 of 29 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
I finally know my Optimum Performance Weight, January 5, 2010
By Charles Kyle (Alexandria, VA)
|
|
Racing Weight: How to Get Lean For Peak Performance
By Matt Fitzgerald
Velopress, 2009, 288 pages, $18.95
Reviewed by Charles Kyle (chuckkyle@me.com)
Like many other books on cycling fitness, I picked up Racing Weight purely do to advertising within Velonews. I really had minimal expectation and figured that this book would layout the obvious points that many others do at each publication. The first thing that caught my attention was the second chapter entitled, "How to Determine Your Optimal Performance Weight". Noticing that it was just a mere 21 pages from the beginning, I resisted the urge and started on page one. Unlike many other writers, Matt Fitzgerald kept my interest peaked as he explained the five steps outlined in Racing Weight. My eagerness to jump to page twenty-one was set to rest as I began highlighting information just in the introduction.
Chapter Two continued information that I have been looking for since my first cycling event over a decade ago. My calculation of what I felt would be a good "weight" was close, but the concept of BMI had only been a reading that I saw on the three hundred dollar Tanika scale that sits on my bathroom floor, not something that I would train towards. Though I had to read chapter two twice, to gain a firm grasp of the concepts, I walked away with the ability to log onto TrainingPeaks and enter a season goal, based on knowledge and research, not a blind assumption on my part. I now know my BMI Goals. Notice I did not talk weight goals, why not, read Chapter Two and you too will be thinking is this manner.
Matt continues his book by articulating the five steps to achieve this Optimized Weight. The steps are simply improving your diet, balancing your energy sources, timing your nutrition, managing your appetite and training right. Though this information is sporadically found in other books, Racing Weight lays them out concisely and provides a simple means of calculation, unlike other books trying to account for the number of calories in that last Mocha. Matt's methodology looks at food in a more holistic view, based on quality not on strictly counting. Yes, that Snicker's has carbs but should it really be counted as part of the typical 60-20-20 carb, fat, and protein ratio?
Matt finishes off the book with a chapter showing what a professional athlete consumes, a chapter giving the recipe of some "Endurance Fuel", and finally the obligatory appendix on some strength exercises. I am looking forward to trying some of the recipes. Matt also includes a very informative chapter on the roles of supplements, which many cyclists will find interesting.
All in all, Racing Weight is well written and a fast read. Mine is now littered with highlights, notes, and sticky flags and will become part of my daily reference library. This is necessary read for all amateur cyclists who desire to take their training and racing to the next step.
16 of 17 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Looking to drop those last few lbs?, December 18, 2009
By Justin Dennen (Findlay, OH)
|
|
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).
14 of 19 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Pretty Standard really, January 7, 2010
By Pastor Guy (Gilroy, CA)
|
|
This was a solid book but I found that the ideas and concepts mirrored quite closely concepts found in many other books. The unique idea expressed or implied that it had key information for shaving off final pounds for the already fit wasn't quite accurate as the concepts would be the same for weight loss across the board. Still, it was well done and well written.
11 of 13 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
offers insight, but didn't quite have it, June 18, 2010
By A. Tejani (ontario)
|
|
I really struggled with whether to give this book a 3 or 4. I did get a lot out of it, and it was well written and edited. The concept was exactly what I need, and for the first 1/3 to 1/2 the book, I was totally into it.
Eventually, though, three things started to bug me.
One was that, sure he quoted lots of research, but some of the research he quoted was ridiculous! I recall him mentioning one study that took place over 36 hours with 17 women. Excuse me? Agreed, he points out the study's shortcomings, but then why refer to it at all?
Two - I expected a lot more information about "the Racing Weight Program." The actual program, if you could call it that, took up very little space and offered very little information. I like the concept, but we really should have been given more information about food. For example, where on the list lies lentils? If nuts are a lean protein then are they also a healthy fat?
Three - he often refers to "gym exercisers" in an unappealing way, and made one statement that was outright untrue. At one point he suggests that "gym exercisers" use cardio only for fat loss. Well I've been a "gym exerciser" for many, many years and I always used cardio for fitness, and HIIT to bring up that fitness the most possible amount in the least amount of time. Tons of people don't have the time for 2-hour runs and 4-hour bike rides. I found that a little insulting.
In the end I did get information from this book, and appreciated the sports-specific weight training at the end, so I give it a 3.5 rating.
8 of 11 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Common Knowledged packaged for newbies..., August 23, 2010
By T. Morken (California)
|
|
This book will be helpful to beginning athletes or those who have been training awhile but have no idea what they are doing, or have never approached an endurance sport in a serious way. It takes concepts that are commonly known by experienced athletes and puts them in one publication. Everything here can be gleaned from other readings but this at least makes it convenient. I can't find anything here that I either hadn't learned myself or learned from others over the past 30 years of endurance racing, from swimming to cycling to running or even backpacking. If you've been at it a long time in a serious way you already know everything that is presented in this book and probably could add a few things of your own.
7 of 7 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Fantastic approach, January 1, 2010
By Trail Runner (Bay Area, CA)
|
|
Logically put together, Racing Weight creates a step by step process to analyze your current weight and to determine where you want to be and how to get there. From an author who has written in bits and pieces on many of the presented topics, it is really nice to have everything and more in one place. The suggestions for exercise and diet modification are perfect for anyone wanting to improve performance by reaching an optimal weight.
There are calculations involved, but they are explained and easy to follow. After reading tons of nutrition/diet books, I wouldn't have thought it possible, but from beginner through elite, this book really does offer something to everyone!
7 of 7 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
 Disappointing, January 18, 2011
By me="R1652LWRC3DMJV">
5 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
|
|
If you're an athlete that knows anything about nutrition then don't waste your money. It's filled with obvious nutrition information. What I was looking for was a book to help me lose fat while continuing my high intensity training. If that's what you're looking for you won't find it in this book.
5 of 10 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
This book is a must read!, March 19, 2010
By slow running mom (NY-USA)
|
|
I purchased this book in my quest to loose weight while training for an upcoming 1/2 marathon. I am not a very skilled athlete in the sport of running but I do enjoy exercising daily and love to run. As many runners know, the key to improving your racing times is to be at your best performance weight. Although we know this, it is often difficult to acheive for many reasons. This book outlines many different sports (cycling, swimming, skiing, running, ect..)and how each sport requires a different body type, strength, and endurance. It talks about how genetics play a role in our body type and how using food to fuel our bodies will help us acheive our optimal performance weight. I am looking forward to putting some of this information to the test in my next training cycle. He offers inexpensive and practical ways to keep track of body fat, weight, and other numbers that any athlete is sure to love. I think this book has something to offer serious endurance athletes as well as recreational athletes looking to improve in their sport by fueling their bodies for their personal best results.
4 of 5 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
A must-have marathon trainer that is well-researched and well-referenced!, May 14, 2010
By Responsive Reader (Eastern Seaboard, USA)
|
|
This book is geared for all levels of endurance athletes from beginner to advanced. Its not only for runners but ALL endurance athletes, including cross-country skiers, long-distance cyclists, swimmers, rowers, and triathletes alike. My main interest is running, and if you are a runner, don't start training to run a marathon without this, ESPECIALLY if you are training to run your very first. This book tells you everything you need to know about bodyfat, diet, and optimal race weight. It covers the fundamentals of nutrition and optimal performance (for beginners) very well, but also extends deeper into nutrition for the more experienced runner. Another plus is that the book is well-referenced, and if it doesn't have the answers you're looking for, particularly for the more experienced, it directs you to resources that can give you information on advanced techniques. I highly recommend this book; it is a coach and a big help. An excellent guidebook to the realm of nutrition and weight training for endurance athletes.
3 of 3 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Great guide to getting fit, April 16, 2010
By Loren Queen (Yakima, WA)
|
|
I have been training for triathlons and knew I was overweight but had no real idea where I really needed to be. This book helped a lot with that question. It also has some great guidence and references that make it fun to read. I have learned to read with a marker and pen in hand, loads of good ideas. His advice has helped me drop 24lbs so far and, thanks to this book, I have a good idea that losing another 15 will make running triathlons again (over a decade since my last) much easier and more enjoyable. It's not about just about losing weight but increasing performance by/while doing so. I'm feeling a major difference in my performance.
3 of 4 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
 Nothing New, July 22, 2010
By bluetoolguy
|
|
Oh my what a disappointment this book was. I can honestly say that I did not learn a thing, except for what some famous runners eat. There are pages and pages of detailed information and studies that I will never read again. I have been running for fun for a few years and decided this year to start getting serious. I was hoping that this book could help guide me to eat more effective foods for a runner. Perhaps if I spent all my time eating junk food and candy bars, this book would have been helpful. I certainly will never buy a book from this author again, as he clearly did not have anything new or useful to say.
3 of 15 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
 Encyclopedia for attaining maximum weight for efficiency, October 13, 2010
By raspell (Memphis, TN USA)
|
|
This is really a great book for showing the effect of weight training for endurance athletes. The book starts a little slow with a lot of background. But don't be misled, you are about to get some of the best information about what it takes to reach maximum efficient weight, the effect of diet on training, timing your meals, sample elite athlete food journals and menus to maintain proper diet. A lot of this is repeat; things you know like eat lots of fruit and vegetables. But let's face it, we need to be reminded because we all are more comfortable eating bad food. So this book provides great motivation and dialog to motivate you to eat properly. One of the great features of this book is the continual citing of studies. He's not shooting from the hip and provides great research on his opinion.
By about the third chapter I knew I was in over my head and started taking notes and underlining as this will be referred back to often. So, if I think so highly of this book, why only four stars? When you start slowly you can lose some readers and I do think that's a flaw in the book. But, again, stay with it as there is much to learn. He shows info on calories in/calories out and how to calculate both thru food journals and other info to show calories burned not only in exercise (easy with a heart monitor), but also how many calories does your body burn when not exercising. He summarizes this by inventing a "Diet Quality Score" which he believes is a worthwhile tool in easily tracking your intake of foods.
This is very close to a research journal and to a serious endurance athlete it should be viewed that way. I strongly recommend this book for the endurance athlete or those serious about losing weight.
2 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Excellent resource for athletes, March 23, 2010
By Lover of fitness, politics, readi.. (Washington, DC USA)
|
|
As a runner, avid reader of Runner's World, and an aspiring triathlete, I have been a fan of Matt Fitzgerald's articles for some time. Now that I am training in 3 sports and struggling to find and maintain my perfect "racing" weight, I was thrilled at the release of this book and have definitely not been disappointed! The book provides excellent, sport-specific nutrition advice for everything from beginner to elite athletes, and includes a nice section on sport-specific strength training as well. In the book, Matt mentions the Web site "Training Peaks," which he supports as a trainer, and I highly recommend that as well. Combined with the knowledge in this book, the site, which can track both the calories you expend during your workouts (Calories Out) and those you intake from meals and snacks (Calories In), will certainly help you achieve your happy weight. Highly recommended.
2 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Was able to takeaway a handful of good simple changes to my diet., February 23, 2010
By Btown (Erie, PA, USA)
|
|
Not an amazing book but I found that i was able to get a handful of good ideas from it. I already did all the calorie counting and so I am beyond that so I sort of skipped over a lot of that detail and just focused on the main messages that were given. It has a section that shows you what the pros eat which was fun. The one chapter has some great recipes too. Bottom line is that there is no magic to becoming lean so there is no magic in this book either. But there are some good solid principles to follow.
2 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
A Great Read!, February 3, 2010
By heatherlovesapples (bellingham, wa)
|
|
I bought this book for a research project I am doing at college for the women's rowing team. I received the book on Friday and finished it by Saturday! It is packed full of practical information and backed up with all sorts of references. I love that this book not only talks about the way different foods affect your metabolism, but also the power of sitting down to enjoy your meals. The short section on supplements was also a great and concise chapter that covered some of the supplements I get the most questions about, such as creatine and whey. I have been a collegiate rower for four years now and watched many of my teammates struggle with how to lose weight while maintaining such a demanding training schedule. The answer comes down to making small, subtle changes that really add up and Matt addresses these changes really well. The section that includes sample diets of professional endurance athletes was also super helpful! Crash diets and cutting out carbohydrates does not work for training endurance athletes and I think the girls on my team will benefit greatly from the information that I will be citing from this book in my research paper. Thanks Matt for an awesome read and my new nutrition bible!
2 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Best of its Kind, February 2, 2010
By T Nick
|
|
This book was perfect for me. Practical, easy and fun to read with tons of good science and applied training experience. I have read all the other "diet" books in the last 10 years, this one blows them all away. Fitzgerald not only utilizes his experience in training and coaching, but masterfully uses the most up-to-date scientific data and studies to give us encouragement in a successful plan and debunks some of the other "science-based" diets. Being a real athlete, and having been heavier than my racing weight, this book has worked for me and inspired me to achieve my goals.
2 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Why Carbs are an Endurance Athletes Best Friend, November 2, 2010
By reader in seoul (Wherever I can read)
|
|
I wish I had bought this book years and years ago. I would have saved myself a lot of time and effort in trying to eat like a bodybuilder, while exercising like an endurance athlete. Matt Fitzgerald is a nutritionist and this book is mainly a nutritional guide for endurance athletes, which he defines as someone who basically cycles, swims, rows, or runs for more than an hour a day multiple days a week. What I like best about this book is that is very readable. It has a nice combination of stories and nutrition science. What this book is not is a day-by-day, or minute-by-minute exercise guide, which is OK. Fitzgerald has done a good job at fitting a lot of useful information about nutrition including what to eat (carbs and lots of them), when to eat, how much to eat and why you should eat a lot of carbs for energy. In particular, he does a good job at illuminating and making good sense of the good carb, bad carb narrative, which is often puzzling. He also has a nice section about how to exercise for each of the main endurance sports.
To sum up: It's a good book. You'll learn that carbs are an endurance athlete's friend and not their enemy. You'll learn how to better eat for endurance sports and you'll learn why you should let go of the bodybuilding nutritional paradigm, because it did not serve your energy needs the best. I was touched to read, early in the book, that the best thing to do if you are approaching endurance sports for weight loss is to do the sport that you enjoy the most. As he explains, if you enjoy it, you will keep it up, which will lead to better health, better performance and eventually becoming leaner. He's right. If you've ever felt guilty about letting your expensive health club membership expire after you only used it for a month or two, as I have, relax. It's all right. You didn't like it, thus you let it waft away. Grab your shoes and go outside...and enjoy yourself by running, cycling, (or all three as a Triathlete) rowing, or go to your local pool and swim, which will help you become leaner and you'll enjoy the journey a whole lot more, too.
2 of 3 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
the real deal, March 22, 2010
By Matt (Sacramento, CA)
|
|
Really good. At first I was reluctant to pick this up as Fitzgerald is a pretty prolific writer in the multisport world, which gives me the impression that authors will publish works for the sake of $$$ when they really aren't an authority / offering something new. Not so with this book... and I was really impressed. A key tenent in the book is that optimizing your weight isn't enough... body composition is just as important. This book shows you how to optimize both is a systematic way. A+
2 of 3 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Really disappointing, February 15, 2011
By J. Deleonardo (San Francisco, CA United States)
|
|
The book states the obvious and then goes on to create a new formula for eating. To me this is just another fad diet like the zone diet was. It was one of those books that builds, builds, builds and then you get there and you say, "really?!"
I've run 16 marathons and training for an Ironman now. I was looking for a way to eat, to lose the extra fat, while still being able to fuel my workouts. It wasn't found in this book.
If you understand basic nutrition for endurance athletes then don't waste your time with this book.
2 of 6 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Best Book I've Read on Preparing to Race, January 16, 2012
By I Heart Criteriums
|
|
I own a lot of books on training for bicycle races. Those books focus on periodization of training throughout the year and discipline-specific drills. Those are valuable if you are a newcomer to an endurance sport. If you've been racing for a while then re-reading those books has limited utility.
Racing Weight addresses the fact that most amateur racers have a few extra pounds and these few extra pounds prevent them from maximizing their results in competition. This book outlines a system for figuring out how much energy is coming in via food and how much is going out via activity and how you can translate that into fat loss. It's simple and the author backs his system up well with lots of peer-reviewed research on diet and exercise physiology. It's a diet and lifestyle book, not a training book.
The most important thing I did after reading was start a food journal. It's amazing how easy it is to pass on that late-night snack if you know you have to write it down. It's also really easy to use the web to figure out how many calories you are taking in throughout the day.
It's tempting to share data on what 3 weeks following the Racing Weight system has done for me but that's not the point of my review. The point is if you are serious about improving your cycling, running, or triathalon performance and you don't currently have sub-10% body fat, this book will help you get there. Even if you simply want to improve your overall health this book is filled with tons of information on smart diet choices and the recipes rock. My wife is a professional chef and she loved all the recipes.
So before you drop $5,000 on a superlight bike, buy this book and take a few pounds off the "engine."
2 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Nutrition knowledge for the Averate Athlete, January 6, 2011
By Steven J. Thibault (Attleboro , MA (north of Providence)
|
|
Racing Weight is a book that details how to eat and train to reach an ideal body composition, by reducing fat, and increasing lean body mass. All of the information in the book is presented in good detail to understand just enough of the "why" to solidify the concepts, siting current research to back the claims and maintains a "common sense" throughout, while keeping the topic interesting. I am 3/4 of the way through this book and integrating the information I read so far, and have seen a 3% drop in body fat already, and I have the confidence this will continue.
I highly recommend this book to anyone, athlete or not, that wants to look better, and loose body fat, but has struggled.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Real results after employing the knowledge obtained in this book, July 12, 2010
By Todd J. Munk (USA)
|
|
I've seen real results using the knowledge I obtained after reading this book. The sections on 'when' to eat as well as the section on supplements (including what he uses) is worth the price alone. The writing is also simple enough and doesn't devolve too much into scientific studies that it loses your attention. Highly suggested for any kind of endurance athlete.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Great Book for the already underweight but not enough athlete!, February 4, 2010
By Brian A. Bailey (Denver, CO)
|
|
According to the rest of the world, I'm already underweight. My upper body looks like it was locked in a room and made to wither away. My face is almost getting that sunken in cheek thing, and my body fat percentage is well under what is necessary to be considered "healthy". As a mildly competitive cyclist, however, I'm considerably overweight. I've been wishing for a book that would give me the tools I need to lose my kind of weight, but without losing that all important metric of "power" and this is exactly what I needed.
I found this book very helpful in creating a diet plan for weight loss, while keeping my fitness at the level I need it to be. The author cites lots of real studies, and gives not only the results, but also some of the more pertinent details of how the studies were performed. His diet plan is simple, it makes sense given the studies cited, and it's realistic to follow. I'm recommending this book to any of my serious cycling friends who are interested in doing more than just training on the bike in order to gain fitness.
I don't really have any criticism, but I do wish it was longer and went into more depth about cycling specific requirements, stage racing, what to eat during rest days, etc. It's obvious that the author is a runner, but he includes many (although there are never enough) cycling specific points. More detailed recipes would be nice also, but as a whole, I really enjoyed the information provided, and will utilize it from here on out.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Poorly laid out and edited, September 22, 2011
By Racer Ex
|
|
While there may be helpful information in this book, you'll need to wade through a lot of digression about what doesn't work to get to anything helpful. Could be much better laid out, and include far better summaries and tables. The reader shouldn't have to take notes to develop their own checklist on how the want to approach diet. It seems that a lot of verbiage was added to make the book thick enough to seem worthwhile.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Very thorough and approachable, December 7, 2011
By Pat Loughery (North Bend, WA USA)
|
|
Not as thorough on food as fuel as is Base Building for Cyclists: A New Foundation for Endurance and Performance, but very good. I read mine from the library, and partway through I ordered a print copy for my shelf.
Also includes recipes! :)
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
knowledge is the best approach to weight loss, June 24, 2011
By Jennifer Costa
|
|
I'm an endurance junkie and during training seasons, may gain or lose weight according to my workouts and goals. This book explains the science for each endurance "niche" and gives you hard facts about proper intake, fueling, recipes and recovery. You need to make an effort to succeed at any goal and this book is for those who are truly serious about getting lean and strong. Great resource.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Racing Weight is a great book for the dedicated athlete, June 16, 2011
By Tony Turner (Midwest)
|
|
The author, Matt Fitzgerald, is very good at making this subject easy to understand. A very informative book that will be a part of my running plan.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
TinaF, April 19, 2011
By TinaF
|
|
im a new runner and i would love to loose just a little bit of weight to make my running 'easier' but this book is more for the very advanced runner. it has a lot of very good info but i think it was hard for me to incorperate in my life.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Essential Reading!, February 28, 2011
By Brian Baxter
|
|
If you interested in your health, you should read this book. Who would have thought eating healthy and exercising would be good for you? Put down that morning milkshake and move.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Great..., February 19, 2011
By savie
|
|
Great book, great service, speedy delivery. I have already read this book and passed it on to a friend who is training for the Olympics. The information presented is nutritionally sound and great for anyone looking to better their times once they're already in pretty good racing shape. Like Fitzgerald said, once you get to peak shape, everyone's the same, so it's the little things like diet and timing that make all the difference.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Good Overview, February 11, 2011
By Y. Zohar (Israel)
|
|
Firstly, I must state for the record that I am not a runner or an endurance athlete. I am a recreational swimmer (short distances) and strength trainer. As I have aged I found it essential to get my nutrition in order. This book is a good overview not only for endurance athletes but for all athletes. It has a solid scientific foundation and there is no fad dieting or extreme approaches. So this is not the place to go for info on warrior, paleo or ketosis diets. Even if one is not an endurance athlete he can do the necessary sifting and get the relevant info he can use.
My only criticism is that the food selections do not have enough vegetables. But that is a very American thing.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
"Scientific weight", January 10, 2011
By Stepann
|
|
The "Racing Weight" from Matt Fitzgerald describes scientifically and humanly the topic of athletes performance weight. You will find both special and "normal terms" which confirm your understanding. While I'm in the beginning of reading this book, my feelings telling me about the right way how to fully understand and manage my performance weight healthy.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
5++ Rating, November 5, 2010
By Bishop (Virginia Beach)
|
|
I am very pleased with the service of the seller. I received the book in the condition promised, and when promised. And . . . The book is Phenomenal! Absolutely the best book on nutrition and exercise I have EVER read. Matt touches on ALL aspects/characteristics of health, nutrition, mentality, etc. The book's title implies that it may be just for runners, or athletes. But, anyone who simply wants to be HEALTHY AND LEAN OR LEANER, THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
A must have for any endurance athlete, October 5, 2010
By Jon
|
|
This is a great read. A must have for anyone looking to race in peak form. It has recipes that are easy and great to eat. I give the book five stars because it truly works.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Excellent book, research focused, August 16, 2010
By Itty
|
|
This book is an easy read that summarizes current information about weight management. The insights are researched based (and quoted) so that you can follow up as you wish. The author puts forward his own proposal, and is clear that it has not yet been "tested", although it's based on the inisghts from research.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Great Tips for Any Athlete, August 2, 2010
By Kirk
|
|
Matt Fitzgerald really breaks down what sometimes can be confussing and complicated diet and fitness tips. Great advice on suppliments!
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
I like this, May 12, 2010
By William M. Batey MD (Helena, MT, US)
|
|
Well written and practical. I like the fact that scientific studies were used to prove or refute the recommendations.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Very informative!, April 10, 2010
By Heidi L. Stokka
|
|
This book has so much great information on how to eat healthy, do extreme sports and not get overweight! Most sources just put carbs but this book tells you there is so much more than carbs that are important to your body. It is great!
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Racing Weight!!, February 15, 2010
By Andrea Halasek
|
|
This book is a wonderful resource for any endurance athlete trying to be the optimal weight for performance! The advice and suggestions are proven to be successful and have been great for me!
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Serious advice for the serious athlete, February 7, 2010
By W. P. Vogt (Illinois)
|
|
An excellent, well-written book based on the best, most recent evidence--not diet fads and internet rumors. It's the most informative book on the topic, and its fun to read.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
alright, October 29, 2010
By thatguy (Sandestin, FL)
|
|
its got some good stuff in it, buts it basically goes back to the food pyramid. Also he doesn't talk about carb loading or pre race meals :/
0 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Commonsense easy reading., May 16, 2010
By Ms. B. A. Jones (Snowy Mountains, NSW, Australia)
|
|
I found Racing Weight full of useful information. Very commonsense, no confusing jargon. Matt Fitzgerald has a nice, easy to read, writing style.
Very useful book, will be read over and over again for sure.
0 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Too technical for this brain!, April 15, 2010
By Zanne (New Mexico)
|
|
I ordered this book with great anticipation after reading other reviews. It is above my level of comprehension...trying to calculate my perfect racing weight. I'm not sure I learned anything new regarding racing, nutrition, fitness, diet etc. It has all been written before in other books and articles. I wouldn't recommend it to the Half Marathon and below runner.
0 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Sensible weight loss for road racers, February 15, 2010
By Anthony A. Boyadjis
|
|
This well written book offers valuable insight into discovering and maintaining your ideal racing weight. Informative and easy to read.
0 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Good Information on Ideal Weight, February 10, 2010
By Peter W. Deininger
|
|
Enjoyed the book because it gave many ideas on becoming lean and staying lean. Also, informative in regards to proper fueling for races.
0 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
I liked it but wasn't blown away, May 27, 2010
By R. Ballantyne (Chicago)
|
|
This book is easy to read and has good information but I wasn't blown away. If you are active and looking for help with your weight this book may be helpful.
0 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Enjoyed it,, May 23, 2010
By Cmckinlay (Chch, NZ)
|
|
Enjoyed it, quite a thorough book and plenty of good tips. Is aimed at the endurance athlete though so I wouldn't reccommend it to a non sporty person
0 of 3 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Great book., July 15, 2011
By M. Linton (Murray, UT United States)
|
|
Racing Weight doesn't contain any earth shattering information but has some nice ideas on how to manage ones weight and discover the relationship between diet, weight, body fat percentage, and running performance. It is also provides plenty of motivation for staying lean, something nearly all of us could use.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Missing One Vital Detail, August 16, 2011
By Tejas Lobo (Dallas, TX USA)
|
|
While I did appreciate a lot of the information in this book, I found one piece of very critical information missing: what an acceptable rate of weight loss is for an endurance athlete.
My motivation for buying this book was that I wanted to be able to keep fueled for my training without performance loss while losing body fat. Whenever I've successfully lost weight in the past, I have felt really sluggish and had a tough time getting through my workouts. So I was hoping this book would provide the solution to that.
As instructed in the book, I put a lot of work into counting calories (calories in), calculating my caloric needs (calories out) and determining my ideal weight, but these pieces of information are useless unless you know how to create a caloric deficit. This is where I really wanted guidance. How fast should I shoot to lose the weight? How many fewer calories can I consume without sacrificing performance? I know the standard line is that 2 lbs. per week is safe, but is that ideal? The book doesn't address any of these questions. I feel that it left me hanging right at the point when I almost had my answer.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
simple way to race, August 16, 2011
By granola_man
|
|
This book is much easier to digest and follow than Serious Cycling - 2nd Edition, which I used for a few years. BUT, I'm more of a weekend warrior than a professional endurance athlete. Those that are of the latter group could benefit from something a bit thicker. "Racing Weight" is short and to the point and will be a reference on my book shelf for years.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Great book, August 26, 2011
By Ken D.
|
|
I've been a runner most of my life now and I've always managed what I eat. This book sum's up all the fad diets out there, all the fad things to try, all the myths of if I do this, then I can do that, and it will work. Mr. Fitzgerald wades you through all of the hyperboil out there and brings you back to reality with a ton of fact's, studies, and real life experiences. Great book, ever since I've read it I have shared it with one friend after another here at work. For those that have read it they all say that they are going to buy their own copy to own. The book is just that good.
I highly recommend this book,
Ken Deupser
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Maximizing performance weight, September 4, 2011
By Dr. Rui Amaral Mendes (Porto, Portugal)
|
|
As a 10k, half-marathon and marathon runner, although amateur, I'm aware of the implications of weight in performance!
I've recently purchased Matt Fitzgerald's book and I consider it one of the best books about sports nutrition.
The author not only manages to provide a thorough insight about the implications of nutrition on athletic performance, but it does so using a scientific, yet simple, approach.
More than a book about weight loss, this a book meant for those who are looking for sound ways to achieve an optimal performance weight that enables them to maximize athletic results.
Complete yet simple... but not simplistic!
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Great book arived on time in good condition, August 27, 2011
By Paul w
|
|
Great book and a arrived on time in perfect conditon. I have lots of trust in Amazon to do what they say they will do. This book met my expectations and gave me the information that I expected.
0 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
OK - I'm ready to try this - Go!, November 22, 2011
By My Data is Safe!
|
|
Just finished the read. The science seems good and the principal seems easy enough. I decided to give it a try. So far it seems to be working. It is only day 3 - so the challenge is on. The book is well written and has me psyched! Seeing as how it is off season - I am ready for some intervals... I am using an iphone app to help track the daily food. You can track my progress and continued reviews on this book and the app I am using at [...]
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Hats Off, November 1, 2011
By Stephen Pellerine (In a bookshelf somewhere)
|
|
Hats Off
Hats off to weight off! I have a fairly good library of books on endurance sport and think that this book, Racing Weight: How to Get Lean for Peak Performance, is a good addition to my collection.
I have read some comments here that pick-apart theory within the book, but funnily how the correction is one that rests on unresolved research, therefore; the ideas presented are still worth considering. I also think that Fitzgerald cites his resources well, better than most books on endurance sport (quite like Noakes) and offers cases and research case studies as informative bits for readers to ponder. I like to ponder the well written literature from Matt.
I would welcome an invitation to read a better book from these critics, honestly so, as the field could use other books on this topic and fur sure, in due time, aspects will be refined. I think that the criticism are also welcome in that if indeed true a future version(s) can address these. So, I also appreciate reading what "issues" people see: but this does not make it a bad book. Not at all.
If you are an academic with deep knowledge in nutrition and are able to adequately apply this knowledge into the arena of sport and endurance sport, this book may be a review for you. Any academic also knows that for every research study investigating a hypothesis there are probably other studies that offer variations of levels of significance, and variations of the general hypothesis. Matt presents both sides, I feel, quite well throughout the book and I highly recommend this to anyone wanting to learn more about weight and getting into peak performance shape: and you do as you are reading these reviews. I would quickly order this book if this is you.
I had hesitated on this book for some time, but after finally ordering it found it quite interesting not only as "racing weight" reference, but as a general book as the reader is exposed to many studies, and short comments on some of the world's leading athletes out there (Tour de France riders to Marathoners).
Since owning this book I have made several changes to my daily approach, directly from the book. Small changes that may be "common knowledge", especially for the well read, but the ideas "we know" become conscious and we can act - in sensible ways to try and make change.
Bravo to a great book
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Highly Recommended!, May 15, 2012
By John McP
|
|
Because of conflicting advice on the internet with regards to Sports Nutrition I have piled on 20lbs of unwanted weight.
I even put on weight when training to run a Marathon, because I believed that I could eat what and when I liked.
Matt Fitzgerald simplifies the endurance athlete's diet, he makes you realise you can't eat whatever you like but neither do you have to starve yourself or struggle through training sessions badly fueled. His food tracking system is a work of genius.
He also pin-points common training mistakes - I was guilty of most of them - and shows you how to correct them.
Every Runner, Cyclist, Swimmer, Rower and Tri-Athlete should have a copy of this book on their shelf.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Where have you been all my life???, May 3, 2012
By eseiman (NY, USA)
|
|
This book is absolutely what I've been looking for. I have not been able to put it down since I bought it. It is a bit sciencey but I think in this type of book it's very important to include calculations and specific data on what nutrients do for your training and the proper method of taking them. This has enlightened me to why I'm not getting the most out of my training. The section on what to eat and when has answered nagging questions I've had for years. I definitely recommend it to any endurance athlete.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Great Information, December 24, 2011
By AndreP87
|
|
After 10 years of being dedicated to nutrition and being disappointed with the results, this book has opened my eyes to see the light! From nutrient timing to nutrient intake, this book has led me to throw away everything that I used to know and adopt a new view of nutrition's relation to training.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Hats Off, November 1, 2011
By Stephen Pellerine (In a bookshelf somewhere)
|
|
Hats Off
Hats off to weight off! I have a fairly good library of books on endurance sport and think that this book, Racing Weight: How to Get Lean for Peak Performance, is a good addition to my collection.
I have read some comments here that pick-apart theory within the book, but funnily how the correction is one that rests on unresolved research, therefore; the ideas presented are still worth considering. I also think that Fitzgerald cites his resources well, better than most books on endurance sport (quite like Noakes) and offers cases and research case studies as informative bits for readers to ponder. I like to ponder the well written literature from Matt.
I would welcome an invitation to read a better book from these critics, honestly so, as the field could use other books on this topic and fur sure, in due time, aspects will be refined. I think that the criticism are also welcome in that if indeed true a future version(s) can address these. So, I also appreciate reading what "issues" people see: but this does not make it a bad book. Not at all.
If you are an academic with deep knowledge in nutrition and are able to adequately apply this knowledge into the arena of sport and endurance sport, this book may be a review for you. Any academic also knows that for every research study investigating a hypothesis there are probably other studies that offer variations of levels of significance, and variations of the general hypothesis. Matt presents both sides, I feel, quite well throughout the book and I highly recommend this to anyone wanting to learn more about weight and getting into peak performance shape: and you do as you are reading these reviews. I would quickly order this book if this is you.
I had hesitated on this book for some time, but after finally ordering it found it quite interesting not only as "racing weight" reference, but as a general book as the reader is exposed to many studies, and short comments on some of the world's leading athletes out there (Tour de France riders to Marathoners).
Since owning this book I have made several changes to my daily approach, directly from the book. Small changes that may be "common knowledge", especially for the well read, but the ideas "we know" become conscious and we can act - in sensible ways to try and make change.
Bravo to a great book
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
Too complicated for this runner, February 26, 2012
By McKean County (Bradford, PA USA)
|
|
I made it 1/3 way through the book and my mind couldn't take it any more. I was hoping for an easier read. This book may be of interest to the Lance Armstrong's or the triathletes of the world but not for just your average everyday person that likes a simple healthy meal plan and tips on how to maintain peak running weight.
0 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Home
View Cart
Bookmark This Page
Contact Us
