High-Performance Nutrition: The Total Eating Plan to Maximum Your Workout

Couch potatoes won't warm up to this enthusiastic fitness and diet advice, but active, interested readers will find plenty of up-to-date information about the effect of nutrition on muscle strength, endurance and performance here. Kleiner, a nutritionist who has worked with professional sports teams, and Greenwood-Robinson, co-author of Lean Bodies and other fitness books, cite current research to back up their position that a high ""good"" (complex) carbohydrate, low-fat diet provides the energy to work out hard while building body muscle. Chapters on vitamin, herbal and fiber supplements are comprehensive and reasonable. Nutritional needs of vegetarian athletes, as well as pregnant and older exercisers, are also addressed. Charts illustrate such topics as best fast-food bets or the healthful phytochemicals found naturally in foods. A 30-day diet plan based on 65% carbohydrates, 15% protein and 20% fat includes 10 main-course recipes, e.g., Asparagus and Shrimp Stir-Fry with Gingered Rice. Readers at high fitness levels will find this valuable reading during exercise breaks. (May)