The first thing that separates extreme athletes from most of the
rest of us is the amount of energy they require. It's true that
when you need to consume 12,000 Calories to keep up with your
training, you simply can't eat clean. It's easy to make up all
the protein the body needs within that amount of Calories, so
these athletes can eat pretty much whatever they want and still
be lean and healthy. There are a few things that we need to
realize about food that may not be immediately obvious: - Food
is the raw material your body uses to convert to energy and
nutrients necessary to repair itself and function properly. -
Unless the body is not functioning properly, what is in food
does not directly go into your blood stream. The body processes
it in the kidneys, liver, and intestines to break it down into
the parts required. - The more demands placed on your body, the
more need for raw energy which means carbs and fats will dwarf
the need for protein. This is in stark contrast to someone who
is already overweight