The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Performance

by Jeff S. Volek

A Revolutionary Program to Extend Your Physical and Mental Performance Envelope.

Our recent book 'The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living' was written for health care professionals, championing the benefits of carbohydrate restriction to manage insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and type-2 diabetes.

In response, our athlete friends asked "What about us?"

This companion book is our answer, and it could be titled: 'The Art and Science of Avoiding the BONK'. But actually, it is much much more than that. The keto-adapted athlete benefits from superior fuel flow not only when nearing glycogen depletion, but also during training, recovery, and in response to resistance exercise as well.

"On a well designed ketogenic diet as recommended by Jeff and Steve, I consume up to 4200 Calories per day while maintaining 6-7% body fat. This transformation has increased my power to mass ratio and allows a high level of performance in a range of activities. Equally if not more important is the efficiency with which I operate in every facet of my life. My energy level in the keto-adapted state is constant and nver undulates." Tony Ricci, MS, CSCS, LDN, CISSN, CNS. High Performance Coach/Sports Nutritionist

Genres: Health, Nutrition, Nonfiction, Diets, Food, Fitness, Science

174 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2012

Reviews

[Polina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book as answered a lot of the questions I had left after exploring other books and Internet and practicing low carb for the past few months. If I was to recommend just one book as an intro to someone on low carb diets - this one would be it. The most invaluable chapter for me was the recommended nutrient intake during exercise days, something I could not find in other books but instinctively new would be different to generic "protein shake and electrolyte drinks" prescription of the high carb consumers.

[Bar Franek · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book if you lift weights or do sports but are worried about the effects of a ketogenic diet on your performance.

Keto is something I tried earlier this year with good results, and I'm trying again now, but this time I have much better knowledge of how it affects my performance so I know what to look out for.

Just one example - most weight lifting articles have you eating as much protein as possible. Can't hurt, can't it? But it does. I didn't know that too little fat and too much protein can keep you out of a keto state, which flies in the face of almost all weight training advice.

This is a short read at about 150+ pages. Highly recommended if you're interested in keto and you workout a lot.

[Tamahome · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short book with some interesting science tidbits. I would never do this diet though (I understand ketones promote fungal infections). I went a little crazy with kindle app highlights.

"[Chart, Fat Breakdown vs Insulin Concentration, highest after a meal]"

(I googled this one:)

"you will find that the peak rate of fat burning...occurs on average at about 50% of maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) if you're untrained"

"There have been a number of nutritional strategies aimed at increasing fat burning during exercise such as caffeine, carnitine, ephedra, medium chain triglycerides [MCT], green tea extract, and hydroxycitric acid to name a few."

"Exercise sharply increases the rate of production of oxygen free radicals (aka, reactive oxygen species, or ROS)."

"In the past, it was assumed that fat cells lived 'forever', but now we know that they die off intermittently..."

"exercise can lower your metabolism"

"It is well known that exercise improves the insulin sensitivity of muscle cells"

"Studies show xylitol promotes dental and gut health, has anti-bacterial/anti-microbial effects"

"[Chart] Approximate fatty acid composition of subcutaneous adipose tissue. [55% MUFA/27% SFA/18% PUFA]"

"Current evidence shows no association between dietary saturated fat intake and cardiovascular disease (CVD). There is, however, a consistent pattern of increased risk for CVD and diabetes associated with increased amounts of saturated fat circulating in the blood [triglycerides from too many carbohydrates]."

"[Steve] fed himself most of his fat intake overnight via a tiny feeding tube in his stomach (so taste wasn't an issue). Within 3 days of feeding himself 1500 Calories of either soybean or corn oil nightly, he developed quite prominent nausea and gastro-intestinal upset."

"Cook meats so the drippings aren't lost [potassium]"

I missed the most important point in the book:

"When carbohydrates are restricted, the body changes from retaining both water and salt to discarding them [so increase sodium intake]".

[Jeff Nicholas · Rating 1 out of 5]

might just throw this one in the trash rather than put it back on my shelf

[Sonya · Rating 5 out of 5]

It works! I feel great! What else is there to say?

I bought this book after watching Jimmy Moore's success. I've been low carb/paleo for years but not seeing the weight loss as much as I wanted despite much health marker improvements. I'm training for a half marathon this November and the keys in this book have been instrumental in my successful training. I highly recommend this book for anyone, but especially those who want to be able to go longer, faster and stronger in their respective sports.

[Sebastian Castillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book may change your life.

Is short, is scientifically written, it’s specific and pragmatic, summarizes all the best facts I have learn about low carbs in a way only this 2 guys can.

I have been doing keto for a while now… but was hesitant about doing sports or just workouts while having very low carbs… after reading this it seems safe and indeed fun.

Let’s see how it goes.

[João · Rating 2 out of 5]

Came for the science, found a bunch of copy-pasted recipes and anecdotal testimonials from athletes. There's some valuable stuff at the beginning, but it mostly overlaps The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living.

[Esther VanderMark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second time reading this - Volek & Phinney are literally the OG pioneers of the research being done on this, and primarily as it relates to performance. They have true scientifically curious minds that are brave enough to go outside the box. Their experiments are phenomenal and comprehensive to say the least. I’m with them though on the idea that “if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it” but if you are suffering and hitting plateaus, be unprejudiced enough to experiment with your body and delve into deeper thinking/research. Love one of their concluding lines, “Change is never led by consensus. That’s what pioneers are for…True innovation is usually disruptive of traditional business or societal norms, and thus the consensus responses to a new idea - no matter how good - is usually denial.” Fairly dense in its scientific terminology which I LOVE and aso love the addition of various athletes’ anecdotal and experimental experiences/tributes.

[yusuf habib Dibs wazit · Rating 2 out of 5]

Where to begin, Giving bad reviews is not something I enjoy but alas , I’ll attempt to argue my points against this book using other doctors and physicians knowledge from previous books.
But first let me state that I’m not against low carb, I actually advocate for it.

I’ll split this review into sections to make it easier for you to to jump to parts that are relevant.

a) contradicting science
b) book read : was is easy/difficult to read
C) wrong advice & information
D) my bias conclusion

A) There is contradicting science in this book. For example, as you can see from the photos (on page 59) it’s stating ASPARTAME as an alternative to Sugar because it has zero carbs. Ok, lets take a little step back.

The whole reason we restrict carbs or lower them, as mentioned in several other books and this book( see page 10, 68 ) , is because we want to lower insulin.

INSULIN: Is the barrier preventing us access to our fat for fuel.⛽️

The lower the insulin (barrier) the easier it is to tap into the fat Storage/tank.

So what has this to do with Aspartame? Apart from it being a contributor to brain degeneration ( can cause memory loss and Alzheimer’s ) it Also triggers an insulin response in the body ( read the obesity code ~ jason fung).
So following this scary advice, we would essentially be leaving our bodies in a Carb burning state ( high insulin) with no access to Fats as fuel all whilst depriving the body of sufficient Carbohydrate for fuel. Basically you’re starving yourself but now with added toxins ( aspartame) in your brain. 🧠

This is the very opposite of what a low Carbohydrate diet is. Ketogenesis which comes from low carb diet or naturally produced because of healthy fasting, ALLOWS our bodies to access the fats for fuel because the barrier ( insulin) has now been lowered.

This all tells me, that the authors of this book are just reiterating the low carb diet without sufficient knowledge or fully understanding how the mechanisms of the human body work in accordance to the effects of foreign substances (aspartame).

B) This book was not an easy read although containing very few pages. It reads more like a Science academic book than something trying to explain what the whole ketogenic/ low carb lifestyle is about to the general public.

The summaries of each chapter are weirdly placed at the beginning of every chapter instead of the rear ( see page 79)

Also there was a sense of lack of confidence, they were not firm with their ideologies but instead, used sentences and words like : You could probably try this or that.

As a reader I want affirmation. I have no time to waste on experimenting on myself like a guinea pig. This is the job of YOU as doctors & scientists to provide us readers, with the solutions, if you expect us to buy a book with our money. This book has failed to address this.

C) Wrong advice & information:

To add insult to injury, they are classifying mushrooms as a vegetable ( see page 58). I know generally speaking, we classify them as vegetables, but this book snobbishly attempts to make it self clever by stating that tomatoes 🍅 are fruits ( which is true) but then does the atrocity of classifying something from the Fungi kingdom 🍄 as a vegetable. Epic fail !

It also states to take bullion cubes as an easy solution ( see page 81) to cooking , but they lack the understanding that also these manufactured bullion cubes contain artificial ingredients, additives, preservatives and sometimes sugar that contribute to triggering an insulin response.
This takes us back to section’s A,B and makes me question the accuracy of the information provided in this book.

D) my bias conclusion:
Why haven’t I rated this book 1 star then? Because this book at least provides us with real life testimonies and stories of people who have made it.
But in all sincerity, this book lacks in what others have to provide. It being a book about Athletic low carbohydrate performance DOES NOT once mentioned how to DEAL with the transitional phase of the body switching over from Carbohydrates as a source of fuel to fats. They briefly mention keto adaptation but never HOW TO DEAL with it. I think that this is the most critical point not mentioned in this book.

Personal Back story: When I first attempted a low carbohydrate diet, I was cycling on my bike and could not do 12 miles ( I usually do 30 miles with ease) because my body had no carbs to burn and still had a high barrier (insulin) preventing me access to my fats for fuel. After that ride, I quit the diet and said to my self that low carb was not for me.
Not until I read books that explained this critical transitional period , did I then comprehend that I had to take things steadily during this transitional phase.
( note to the dvanced nutritionists: I’m fully aware of the glycogenesis and liver producing glucose even if I have not eaten carbs. But there was just not enough to sustain my high rhythm of cycling and therefore “ bonked”.

A low carb diet is not about committing carb deprivation on one’s self, but about lowering the barrier (insulin).
I’d recommend reading other books on the topic such as ( the obesity code ~ Jason Fung) or ( the fast diet~ Dr michael Mosley) but highly recommend the former for it’s ease of writing style and vast amounts of knowledge.

Only after having read those books, would I then recommend reading this book for the useful minuscule nuggets of information found between the lines.

[Kristen Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

So informative!

[Huynh Phan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Read

Provides good scientific information on the affects of ketogenic diet on athletes performance. A good read and introduction to ketogenic diet.

[Pedro Chaves · Rating 5 out of 5]

A life changing book! Will be back to tell you how much. Definitely a must read!

[Nicolas · Rating 4 out of 5]

The more I read and learn, the more I lean toward trying a low carb diet. Since cycling and general fitness/activity is important to my life, the insights from this book on the performance effects were particularly interesting. Maybe I'll try to convert after the summer?

4 stars for the content, but really only 2-3 stars for the writing and editing.

[Chelsea Hibbard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good, quick read on the subject of low carb living. Unlike other resources on the benefits of a low carb lifestyle (which inevitably revolve around weight loss and/or treating Type II diabetes), this one was written by two pioneering doctors/scientists who have spent decades studying the benefits of low carb lifestyles not only for weight loss, but for athletic endurance. The book is complex, much of it above my head because it is heavy on science (if you geek out over the inner workings of your body, you’ll LOVE this). But I was still able to walk away with a lot of new information, which is awesome considering I’ve spent two years reading books, scouring YouTube and watching conferences all about the ketogenic diet.

I went on a mostly ketogenic diet (but wasn’t tracking carbs or calories) last year and lost 22 lbs. I viewed it as a short-term fix, and gave in to that nagging inner voice that said, “You can’t do this forever! So much fat, fat is bad!” thanks to 31 years of engrained fat fears. I gained everything back over the course of six months or so back on a carb-heavy diet, but more than that, I just felt like crap. ALL the time. This time around, I wanted to read all the literature I could get my hands on to make sure I felt truly comfortable adopting this as a lifestyle, not a quick fix diet. So rather than turning to bloggers or keto fans, I wanted hard facts, scientific facts, research from doctors who’ve been studying this way of eating for a long time. This book delivered exactly that. The little bit of “fat fear” I had left has vanished. One week back into the ketogenic lifestyle and I’m already down 11 lbs (what?!) and feel amazing. Now I’m excited to put into use what I learned in this book in regards to exercise and endurance.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

I missed my window of opportunity to write a good review of this book: at this point, it's been months since I read it, so I can't give any detailed review. What I can say is this:

I had an initial sense of disappointment; I read The Art and Science of Low-Carbohydrate Living, to which I understood this book to be a supplement. This was the book I was really interested in reading, but I read Phinney and Volek's first book first, figuring it was important that I do so. In retrospect, I don't think that it is. My disappointment came from the fact that there seemed to be an awful lot of overlap between the two books, from the ideas and explanations to the recipes. I would at least have liked to have had new recipes!

But as I thought about it, I realized that there was actually a fair bit of new information that was specific to athletic performance. That said, the focus was strongly slanted toward endurance sports, which is not my primary interest. This has something to do with the state of research at this point: there's just been more research done on low-carb diets and endurance sports than low-carb and weight-lifting or other sports that involve explosive performance. But then, it's hard not to suspect that this might be because low-carb is best suited to endurance sports and less well suited to other kinds of athletic endeavors.

[Rolls Eyes · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a proponent of a Nutritional Ketosis way of eating -- although I've not necessarily managed to stay in NK for long periods. I've got to say that the two books by Volek and Phinney are pretty much where you should be starting when getting into this lifestyle choice. I say 'choice', because every food-related decision has to be thought about and chosen based on staying in NK (0.5 - 3mml range). Anything outside of a measured decision can actually drop you out almost instantly! There's no "cheating" here, either. This isn't a loose diet, nor is it a faddy one, either. It's a really quite strict and complex (at times) way of eating for health and wellbeing.

That said, even if you're just curious about what Keto is and how it works, then this is still your best starting point for that, too. V&P are at the forefront of NK research, and most of the other books you'll read about NK are actually just rehashing what is written in the two books by V&P.

The writing can be quite technical in parts, yet the overall tone of the text is easy(ish) to follow for non-scientific readers. They outline the core tenets of NK and the benefits of following / being in Ketosis. And also there's a lot of emphasis on the research and results concerning such a way of eating.

All-in-all, the best starting point for a Ketogenic way of life and even if, like me, you don't manage to stay consistently in NK, then even just the iconoclastic approach to food and health is super interesting and informative.

[Sea Lard · Rating 2 out of 5]

Despite a great amount of scientifically-looking information on biochemistry of a human body, the authors allow themselves to make such primitive mistakes as calling mushrooms vegetables or comparing diatery values of unequal portions of different foods that it consequently makes me wondering if they might be not so well-informed on more advanced topics covered by the book.

[Cherese Severson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book, answers a lot of questions about exercise and nutritional ketosis. I have been applying what I have learned, my weight is down and my endurance has definitely improved. The best part is that without the carbohydrates I'm the one in control again. Hallelujah!

[Ronald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great. On the cutting edge of Low Carbohydrate living.

[Mohammed H · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am definitely going to try ketone adaptation. Although many think its wrong and that it does not work. I will make sure to post my findings and experience later.

[Ricardo Sanchez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ejercicio y dieta cetogénica. Muy documentado.

[Lloyd Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent guide on the benefits and practice of low-carb diets.

“My energy level in a keto-adapted state is constant, and never undulates. My quality of sleep, focus, and cognitive abilities are elevated. For me one of the most profound effects of eating a very low carb diet is the satiation. On high carb diets I was always hungry and on an incessant quest for food.”

“For all the recent events, I started the day with a low-carb breakfast, but then had little or no food until about 12 hours later, and consumed only water during the exercise. I now hypothesize that even breakfast is optional! When you use fat for fuel, the timing of meals is completely non-critical; you’ve got plenty of fat on reserve at all times. I still like to consume a little extra protein within 12 hours of strenuous exercise, but even that seems very flexible. I run when I want to for as long as I want and eat when I get around to it. On a day-long expedition, I do get a little hungry around lunchtime, but that fades quickly when I don’t eat.”

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally. A focus on athletic performance for the insulin sensitive among us trying to find our way. It seems that most keto resources are dedicated and targeted towards sedentary or low activity people. When presented with active individuals the advice is always “well you have to eat some carbs then” OR “just don’t workout as much”. Both sets of advice are hard to accept when you love an active life but hate the GI issues, bloat, and inflammation that carbs give you. This book focuses in on the science behind low carb and how it functions in a performance based athlete with advice on challenges you may experience along the way (such as mineral composition). The specific ranges for active people in terms of VO2, Keto range, ratios of macros, and adjustment periods are very helpful. I couldn’t rate it 5 stars as there is a whole second on VERSA which was not directly relatable to the average athlete. Using the modifications presented here I am excited to modify my carb cycling ways and adjust to LCHF all the time.

[Hugo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an insightful guide for athletes and fitness enthusiasts looking to explore the benefits of a low-carb diet. The book explains the science behind keto-adaptation and its advantages for performance and recovery, although it could benefit from providing more detailed technical details on how the athlete body works while on keto.

The book challenges the conventional belief that carbohydrates are essential for athletes, explaining how, once adapted, athletes can thrive with reduced carb intake. It highlights the role of low insulin levels in maximizing fat burning and discusses the impact of exercise intensity on fuel use.

Key insights include the benefits of a well-formulated low-carb diet in reducing inflammation and maintaining gut and immune functions. The book also offers practical dietary tips to optimize performance.

Overall, this book provides good inputs for low-carb performance, backed by research and practical advice, making it a valuable read for those looking to enhance their athletic performance through dietary changes.

[Paulo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, straight to the point information about how to be an athlete on a low carb/ketogenic diet. Such information is difficult to find online, as there is plenty of inaccurate/misleading data and charlatans abound in this field.

Volek and Phinney give consistent, researched information and summary points about this, which made the book very much worthwhile. It was a relief to know that I was doing most things right and that it is indeed possible to run longer races (half marathons, marathons and ultra marathons) while keeping a ketogenic diet.

The only criticism I have (hence the 4-star rating) is that the book ends with testimonials and suddenly what seems to be publicity of a specific product, which did not convince me. The last chapter is better skipped, in my opinion.

[Christine Einsel Haba · Rating 5 out of 5]

After being a few months into the keto diet, I had the basic knowledge of a lay-person but still wanted to know more. I ordered this book just in time as my muscles started spasming during workouts and I was becoming really dizzy. Luckily, with this book, I was able to get a better scientific view of my performance on Keto and also troubleshoot my issues so I could get back on track. It is very heavily science-based, so I wouldn’t recommend for a casual reader, but I really enjoyed learning how keto works on a cellular level and all of the other parts that play into making this lifestyle successful.

[Filipe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting but I'm still not sure if I can get this to work for me. Most of the science (and examples given) in the book range between endurance sports and strength training, both of which are know to benefit from LCHF diets. I liked how it detailed maximal fat oxidation in relation to VO2max, but it only seemed to consider moderate intesity exercise, so I'll need to gather more information elsewhere. I still intend to put this in practice, but I would have liked to get more information from a book that supposedly is about "low carb performance".

[Moonbiter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much more concise than their other book "The ard and science of low carbohydrate living" and as expected focusing more on the performance side of things. Really useful if you intend to combine your diet with endurance/resistance training, or if you're just looking for more information on performance on low-carb diet.

The only reason i have giving it 4 starts, is because it kind of lacked gravity of their previous book, and hopefully there will be an updated edition someday, updated with all the wonderful new science in keto performance fields.

[Hesam · Rating 5 out of 5]

The athletic performance aspect of the Ketogenic diet is often neglected or poorly covered in other books, so I was excited to discover this resource. Volek and Phinney are two of the most credible voices on the topic of low-carb diets; they've done an amazing job with this book, presenting a concise, well-written, and accessible summary of their research on Ketogenic diet.

This is the only book you'd need to read to fully understand the science of low-carb diet and how it supports peak athletic performance (both endurance and strength training).

[Obi · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're an athlete on a low or no-carb diet, then I highly suggest you read this book now. It's dense like a textbook because...well, it is. But it's packed full of useful information. And if you're a mad scientist like I am when it comes to your diet and nutrition, then you'll be geeked out by all the studies and numbers and research to back up the claims. It helped get me out of a frustrating plateau and cleared up some misconceptions I had about the process. HIGHLY recommended.