The Gluten-Free Edge: A Nutrition and Training Guide for Peak Athletic Performance

WHEN I WAS diagnosed with celiac disease in 2006, it was a relief to have an answer, but overwhelming to learn how to live a gluten-free life while training for distance races. I spent hours in the bookstore trying to find a book with all the answers. I spent even longer reading labels. Learning to cook gluten-free and to eat safely while traveling was a trial-and-error process. My perseverance ultimately paid off, and I made the 2008 Beijing Olympic Team in the 10,000 meters two years after my diagnosis. That diagnosis was a doorway to a healthier life that allowed me to reach my potential and accomplish my dreams.
Now, I get weekly emails from athletes with questions about eating and training gluten-free, and I am excited to be able to point them to one resource, The
Gluten-Free Edge. It is an informative book that covers everything a newly diagnosed celiac or a veteran gluten-free athlete could want to know. If you don’t have a medical reason to go gluten-free but are wondering whether it will boost your performance, The Gluten-Free Edge will leave you convinced. I have a degree in exercise science and I still learned new things from these pages.
The Gluten-Free Edge is the first book for all athletes that explains what gluten is and how it affects digestion and the body in an easy-to-read yet scientific manner. Pete and Melissa also break down the complicated aspects of energy systems, nutrition, hydration, and training programs so that you can easily apply them to your gluten-free diet. And they conclude with a great mix of nutrient-dense, gluten- free recipes specifically tailored for athletes.
They also include examples of athletes from many sports who have benefited from going gluten-free, whether they have celiac or gluten intolerance or just switched for improved performance. Each athlete took a different route to becoming gluten-free, but all of them will inspire you with their accomplishments. They prove that it’s possible to reach your goals while being 100 percent gluten-free.
I enjoyed reading The Gluten-Free Edge, and I am excited to recommend this book to athletes everywhere. It will encourage the newly diagnosed and prove a valuable resource to those already experiencing the gluten-free edge. AMY YODER BEGLEY is an Olympian and six-time national champion American middle and long distance runner. Gluten-free since her diagnosis with celiac dis- ease in 2006, she represented the United States in the 10,000-meter track event at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. She lives in Oregon with her husband.