Books
While few of today's athletes take the time to sit down and read a book, they can certainly benefit from using well-indexed books as a resource. Here are some titles I recommend.
General Nutrition Books
- The American Dietetic Association's Complete Food & Nutrition Guide by Roberta Duyff RD
- The Best Things You Can Eat by David Grotto RD
- Cooking Light. The Food Lover's Healthy Habits Cookbook by Janet Helm RD
- Secrets of Feeding a Healthy Family: Orchestrating and Enjoying the Family Meal by Ellyn Satter
- Food Guide for Marathoners: Tips for Everyday Champions
- Food Guide for New Runners: Getting It Right From the Start
- The Cyclist's Food Guide: Fueling for the Distance
- Food Guide for Soccer: Tips and Recipes from the Pros
- Endurance Sports Nutrition, new 3rd Edition by Suzanne Gerard Eberle RD
- Power Eating, new 4th edition, by Susan Kleiner RD
- Vegetarian Sports Nutrition by Enette Larson-Meyer RD
- Diabetic Athlete's Handbook by Sherri Colberg
- The Athlete's Guide to Sports Supplements by Kimberly Mueller RD and Josh Hingst
- 8 Keys to Recovery From an Eating Disorder by Carolyn Costin
- The Don't Diet, Live-It! Workbook: Healing Food, Weight and Body Issues by A. LoBue and M. Marcus
- Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Program That Works by E. Tribole RD and E. Resch RD
- The Exercise Balance: What's Too Much, Too Little, Just Right by P. Powers. and R. Thompson
- Making Weight: Healing Men's Conflicts with Food, Weight, Shape & Appearance by A. Anderson, L. Cohn & T. Holbrook
- Body image: Body Image Workbook: An 8-Step Program for Learning to Like Your Looks by T. Cash
- Food and Feelings Workbook: A Full Course Meal on Emotional Health by K. Koenig
- Surviving an Eating Disorder: Perspectives and Strategies for Family & Friends by M. Siegel et al.
- Your Overweight Child: Helping Without Harming by E. Satter
More: Top 10 Superfoods for Endurance Athletes
Sports Nutrition Books
My book titled, Sports Nutrition Guidebook, new 5th edition has sold over 550,000 copies, this easy-to-read resource is considered by many athletes to be their "nutrition bible." It's comprehensive yet enjoyable—and even has a recipes.
You might also enjoy my sport-specific books that make useful gifts for friends, family and teammates:
More: 5 High-Carb Super Grains and Recipes for Athletes
Other excellent sports nutrition books include:
More: 7 Supplements That Burn Fat
Books on Weight Issues, Dieting and Eating Disorders
An estimated 30 to 60 percent of female athletes, as well as a smaller number of males, struggle with balancing food, weight and exercise. If you or someone you know struggles with disordered eating patterns, let them know they're not alone and can benefit from these self-help books.
More: Athletes and Eating Disorders: How to Find Peace
Primarily for Professionals
While most professional journals offer "heavy" reading, one exception is the International Journal of Sport Nutrition & Exercise Metabolism. While it's far from "light" reading, you'll learn the latest research on carbohydrates, protein, sports supplements, fueling practices and more.
Personalized Advice
No website or book can compare with sitting down and talking with a sports dietitian in person. A one-on-one, personalized approach is best to learn what, when and how to eat to fuel your body for optimal performance. To find a local sports dietitian, enter your zip code into the referral networks at SCANdpg.org or EatingRight.org. You may be surprised to learn how much you don't know. After all, you don't know what you don't know.
More: Nutrition Tips for New Runners
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