I just finished it and think that it offers some interesting thoughts on how much energy is wasted given a certain weight versus a lighter weight and it touched on the importance of not trying to maintain your racing weight year round due to the likelihood of increase chance of injury. Other than that there is nothing that I haven’t read in other sports nutrition books. Overall still a pretty good read.
I’m one of the reviews of the book on Amazon. I really enjoyed it, and think his writing is interesting. I followed his blog for about a year, and because I have read some of his other books I left like I had heard some of it before, but I am planning on putting some of his practices in effect starting on Jan 4 when my season starts.
If your curious about getting a few tips on dropping a few lbs check it out, I believe that its worth it.
I just got it last night, knocked out about 60 pages and did some skimming through the whole book. I like it so far, I like the pro’s sample food diary and the recipe section. Sounds like good advice in it, nothing ground breaking but good advice. The supplement section looked useful as well.
Thanks everyone. I’ll pick it up.
I am currently reading and enjoying it.
Just started as well so far a solid read
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I read it and quite honestly was not terribly impressed. I didn’t find anything in the book that I hadn’t already read or found out previously. Simply put, there isn’t anything “new” in this book.
I got it last week but have only read the first 2 chapters.
Seems reasonable so far.
jaretj
I’m curious to hear more feedback on Racing Weight. What did you think? Did you buy a body composition scale (or did you already own one)?
Dave Trendler
VeloPress
I like it, I did get a better scale, but I really dont think that its made a great difference, plus with it being as expensive as it was I was hoping it would be a little more accurate. Yesterday it told me I had 6.7% bf, I am pretty skinny, but I know that I’m not that low!
I like it, I did get a better scale, but I really dont think that its made a great difference, plus with it being as expensive as it was I was hoping it would be a little more accurate. Yesterday it told me I had 6.7% bf, I am pretty skinny, but I know that I’m not that low!
impedence scales only are measuring your legs. so women will tend to read high and men low
Actually I did buy a composition scale, it didn’t reveal much but it is more consistant than my older scale. I had only read through the first 3 or 4 chapters and realized what I needed to do.
Since november I’ve lost 11 lbs (I was about 5 lbs over last years racing weight) and still have a few lbs to reach my initial goal. I’m not a really big guy to begin with so losing has been slow but fairly steady.
jaretj
where did you get the info that they only measure your legs?
I just finished it. To be honest, it’s one of the only Nutrition books I have read cover to cover so I dont have any "apples’ to compare it to. That said, I really liked this book. The book discusses diet/nutrition for all endurance sports, not just Triathlon. It was simple enough for a nutritional idiot like me but it also contains a lot of explanations for those who would like to really understand the way our bodies use nutrients/fuel. I especially liked the chapter on “What the Pros Eat”. Proving there’s no one right way to eat. He also has an easy to use “scale” to rate your daily nutrition, helpful for someone like me who doesnt have time to input everything into a calorie/nutrition site. He recommends doing a “diet audit” every now and again rather than having to track daily calories. I learned a LOT from this book, I realize that my diet isnt terrible but there’s lot’s of room for improvement.
I like it, I did get a better scale, but I really dont think that its made a great difference, plus with it being as expensive as it was I was hoping it would be a little more accurate. Yesterday it told me I had 6.7% bf, I am pretty skinny, but I know that I’m not that low!
impedence scales only are measuring your legs. so women will tend to read high and men low
Say it ain’t so! My Tanita shows me at 19 - 21% usually, and my girlfriend at 12%…why does my scale hate me…or does it just think I’m a woman?
Big thumbs-up for the book from me.
It’s true that few of the concepts are revolutionary, but Matt does a great job explaining and backing up the sound (and unsound) approaches to diet and endurance sports. I especially liked his diet quality score (“DQS”) concept, a really simple but powerful way to think about how you’re fueling yourself. The nutrient timing chapter is also influencing my behavior in a big way.
I wouldn’t suggest that athletes need to follow Matt’s recommendations precisely in order to be successful, but I do think his book, because it is so comprehensive and well-researched, is a must-have for forming your own successful approach.
Pete
Portland, OR
Slowman wrote all you need to know on the topic:
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the trick is to keep losing weight until your friends and family ask you if you’ve been sick. then you know you’re within 10 pounds. if they start whispering to each other, wondering if you’ve got cancer or aids, you’re within 5. when they actually do an intervention, you’re at race weight.
Dan Empfield
aka Slowman
The electrical impulse will find the shortest route from lead to lead. So if you’re standing on a scale thats through the “ABC” and back down the other leg. This is why some models come with hand held leads too, attempting to balance the estimate.
This book has helped me out a lot but I will state that I had never read a book specifically on nutrition and even more specifically nutrition for endurance athletes. I did read a good amount of information on the internet but the only thing I was doing with my diet in the past that was all that “healthy” was the avoidance of processed foods.
I read this book 2 months ago and I have lost 15 pounds in those 2 months - power output levels on the bike are actually up and my recovery time from workouts is decreased as well so it is not unhealthy weight loss. I was pretty lazy with my diet in the past, eating out a lot and eating a lot of burritos and pizza which of course contain a lot of calories.
I have made some drastic changes in my diet with the suggestions from this book, consisting mainly of hugely increasing my fruit and vegetable intake. With these foods taking the place of more calorie-dense foods I was eating in the past I have seen a lot of progress.
Anyway, for people that already have a lot of nutrition knowlege this book may not help much but if you have not payed a lot of attention to your diet in the past it will help. I read “Racing Weight” in conjuction with “Sports Nutrition for Endurance Athletes” by Monique Ryan and “Endurance Sports Nutrition” by Girard Eberle. All were helpfull and I gained a large amount of nutrition knowledge in a short period of time. I now have a six-pack again for the first time since College and am crushing dreams on the bike again. 
Sounds right to me.
When I finished HS I was 135 lbs. Today I’m 155 my family and friends think I’m skinner than ever. My own mom is a little worried. I get tired of reminding them that I’m actually the heaviest I’ve ever been.