LeBron's New Diet

So I need to talk about something: LeBron. Have you heard he is on a new diet? That's right, this offseason, LeBron decided to go low to zero carbohydrate to "slim down." LeBron has been seen on Twitter with a more slim physique and everyone in the sports world is now talking about how this will affect LeBron's game come the new season, also the new team. I'm going to tackle this commotion in two parts today: the diet and the reaction.

Photo from LeBron's Instagram since starting his low carb diet.

What's going on with LeBron's diet is not a new idea. It's essentially the Atkins diet. People have used this before, but this diet has been found to be based on shoddy scientific research and currently the Atkin's company is bankrupt. It's also very similar to the paleo diet which avoids processed foods, especially grains. The diet works as such: the body fuels off of carbohydrate which eventually metabolizes down to sugar. When this is decreased to very low levels, the body must switch its fuel source to the next best thing: fat. This fat, in the form of foods and fat stores on the body, starts to burn. For this reason, the body slims down and weight can be dropped somewhat quickly.

LeBron's desire to slim down isn't so bad. This is how athletes should think when in the off-season because it is too easy to put on weight when not practicing and performing as often. The problem here is in the teaching. LeBron wants to train the body to use fat as a fuel source so he can utilize it better during games. Basically, when the glycogen, or carbohydrates, run out mid-game, LeBron can switch to fat stores to keep on trucking.The idea really makes sense, but unfortunately this type of energy use really is better at impacting long term energy use for athletes like long distance runners and track stars in long distance events. Glycogen is needed for the power moves. So for this reason, it could be difficult for LeBron to keep his power jumping, shooting, rebounding, sprinting, and dunking prowess. Basically, his sport demands the carbohydrates. By the way, not being fueled correctly and going into heavy training or competition could result in extreme fatigue with the possibility of blacking out. Not good.

This is why sports drinks exist or why halftime is a good time to have a quick recovery snack. It will help replace the glycogen stores you just lost.

The reaction to his diet change is what upsets me a little more. I cannot stress this enough: you must pay attention to who you are listening to. Look for articles written by dietitians, not doctors, not nutritionists, not editors, not athletes. I hate to break it to you all, but dietitians are the ones who have gone through extensive schoolwork to actually understand what is going on. When I read this article, I was furious at the beginning with its highlighting of some MD on a power trip. I got excited when the dietitian for the Indiana Pacers chimed in with logical advice and making a point to how dangerous this diet can be in certain situations. Unfortunately the article finishes with just throwing that all away and jumping on LeBron's decision once again.

Do not blindly follow what the athletes do. In this world, everyone is individualized. Watch out with how easily a writer can make it look to try a new diet. And realize one of the greatest tips: even those at the top can make mistakes. Staying empowered with knowledge is always the best option.