A low-carb style of eating called the ketogenic diet has quietly become the rage among ultra-endurance athletes and elite soldiers. Here's how they fuel up.
7 a.m.
Sweeney starts with听a blendered combi颅nation of 颅Mayorga 颅Organics coffee, coconut oil, grass-fed but颅ter, heavy cream, and a raw organic egg. He follows that up with three baked eggs, three ounces of smoked salmon, and a few avocado slices.听
127 radical tips for total health.10 a.m.
Mid-morning, he eats a bowl of full-fat plain Greek yogurt topped with walnuts or maca颅damia nuts.
12 p.m.
Lunch is a large bowl of spinach with a sprinkling of blue cheese, four ounces of buttered grilled flounder, crumbled bacon (sometimes), and a tablespoon听of olive-oil-based dressing. He has a听few ounces of cheese on the side.听
Is the High-Fat, Low-Carb Ketogenic Diet Right for You?
The diet is a surprisingly听yummy听way to fuel up.3 p.m.
Sliced cheddar or Mont d鈥橭r cheese wrapped in prosciutto serves as Sweeney鈥檚 afternoon snack.
7 p.m.
For dinner he eats three to four ounces of salmon with asparagus, broccoli, or cauliflower, and a salad topped with a few ounces of cheese. Dessert is more cheese or a square or two of dark chocolate鈥攑referably salted and above 70 percent cacao.
听
Total: 2,800 calories, 80 percent from fat, about 12 from protein, and 8 from carbohydrates.听
Wash It All Down
Sweeney drinks about a gallon of water a day, much of it lime-flavored Poland Spring sparkling water. 鈥淢ost people on the keto diet don鈥檛 get enough water,鈥 he says. 鈥淲hen you鈥檙e ketogenic, especially if you鈥檙e eating a lot of cheese, water is super important to keep your digestive tract cleaned out.鈥
How to Avoid听the Keto Rut
Sweeney eats eggs for breakfast every day, but he changes his protein sources for lunch and dinner, swapping in chicken, duck, and occasionally lamb.听
Do keto in phases. For six to eight听weeks before an event, Sweeney is strict, measuring his ketone levels three times a week and keeping his carbohydrate intake below听50 grams per day. During the off-season, he鈥檚 more laid-back. After a strict phase听of keto, he says, 鈥測ou鈥檙e adapted, and it takes almost as long for your body to go back to burning glucose as fuel.鈥澨
Half a glass of听red wine with dinner now and then helps the cheese go down.
You can learn more about Patrick Sweeney and follow his adventures by visiting his website听.听