Zach Bitter, a renowned ultramarathon runner, has garnered attention not only for his impressive records but also for his unique approach to diet and training. This article delves into the intricacies of Zach Bitter's diet and training regimen, exploring the principles that underpin his success.
Who is Zach Bitter?
Zach Bitter is a celebrated endurance athlete with multiple World and American records. His notable achievements include:
- Current 100 Mile World Record Holder (11 hours 19 minutes 13 seconds)
- Current 12 Hour World Record Holder (104.88 miles)
- 9th Fastest Time Recorded on the historic JFK 50 Mile Course
- Three-time National Champion (50 Mile ‘12 & ‘15 100km ‘14)
Bitter’s success isn’t solely attributed to rigorous training; his dietary choices play a pivotal role. He is known for adopting a Low Carb, High Fat (LCHF) diet, sometimes referred to as a ketogenic diet. This dietary approach focuses on minimizing carbohydrate intake while increasing fat consumption.
Bitter's Dietary Philosophy
Bitter generally adopts an LCHF (Low Carb, High Fat) diet, which means he trains and competes on minimal carbs. At times, carbs account for as little as 5 percent of his diet. However, it's crucial to note that Bitter's approach isn't a static, one-size-fits-all solution. He periodizes his nutrition much like he periodizes his training, adjusting his macronutrient ratios based on his training cycle and energy demands.
Periodization of Nutrition
Zach Bitter emphasizes that his diet isn't a rigid carnivore approach, despite his high intake of animal products. He periodizes his nutrition, meaning his dietary intake varies depending on his training phase.
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- Recovery Days: On recovery days, Bitter consumes a lot of animal products like salmon, eggs, and red meat.
- High-Intensity Training Days: When doing a big training run, he reintroduces carbohydrates, referring to them as "rocket fuel."
Macronutrient Ratios
According to his blog, Bitter's typical daily intake ranges from 5 to 30 percent carbohydrates. He eats more animal products aka a ketogenic diet to support recovery after hard workouts, and maintain his fat-burning ability.
Fat Adaptation
Eating low carbs has also made Bitter an efficient fat-burner. It has been recorded that in Dr. Volek’s FASTER study, which looked at fat and carbohydrate metabolism in endurance athletes, Bitter’s results showed that at his peak he could burn 98 percent fat and 2 percent carbs. Bitter has been known to run great distances taking in only water.
Strategic Carb Use During Races
During ultramarathons, Bitter strategically uses carbohydrates. He targets up to 40 grams of carbs per hour during an ultramarathon. He views this as a way to defend his muscle glycogen without causing digestive issues.
Nutritional Strategies During Different Training Phases
Zach Bitter structures his nutrition around four key phases of his training cycle: offseason, base development, speed work development, and ultramarathon long run development.
Offseason
- Training Structure: Focus on movement and fun. Running is available but unstructured. Strength training emphasizes upper body, core, and lower body exercises. Mobility work is also a key component.
- Nutrition Structure: This phase involves the lowest carb input of the year, at times as low as 5% intake (similar to a strict keto diet). The diet consists of 70-80% fat, 15-20% protein, and 5-10% carbohydrate.
- Historic inputs: Coconut oil, Olive oil, Canola oil, Sunflower oil, Butter or ghee, Lard or tallow, Full fat salad dressings, Fatty cuts of beef, pork, and lamb, Chicken and turkey (preferably with skin), Fatty fish like salmon, Whole eggs, Bacon and sausages, Organ meats like liver, Full-fat cheeses (cheddar, brie, mozzarella, etc.), Heavy cream, Sour cream, Full-fat yogurt, Cream cheese, Coconut milk (unsweetened), Almonds, Macadamia nuts, Pecans, Walnuts, Chia seeds, Flaxseeds, Hemp seeds, Pumpkin seeds, Leafy greens (spinach, kale, Swiss chard), Broccoli, Cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, Cabbage, Zucchini, Cucumbers, Asparagus, Avocado, Eggplant, Bell peppers, Berries (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries), Coffee.
Sample Day:
- Training: Lower Body (Hex bar deadlift, Bulgarian split squats, Dumbbell box steps, Abductor machine, Adductor machine, Weighted tibialis raises, Weighted calf raises, Sled push pull)
- Nutrition: Walnuts, Eggs, Canola Oil, Olive Oil, Spinach, Plain full fat yogurt, Broccoli, Salmon, Heavy cream, Sharp cheddar cheese, SFuels Train, LMNT Chocolate, Strawberries
Base Building
- Training Structure: Focus on zone 2 or base intensity as the primary target. The goal is to build volume tolerance at base intensity and improve pace at base intensity.
- Nutrition Structure: Carbohydrate input increases slightly from the offseason, targeting approximately 10% carbohydrate. The diet consists of 65-75% fat, 15-20% protein, and 10-15% carbohydrate.
- Historic inputs: Coconut oil, Olive oil, Canola oil, Sunflower oil, Butter or ghee, Lard or tallow, Full fat salad dressings, Fatty cuts of beef, pork, and lamb, Chicken and turkey (preferably with skin), Fatty fish like salmon, Whole eggs, Bacon and sausages, Organ meats like liver, Full-fat cheeses (cheddar, brie, mozzarella, etc.), Heavy cream, Sour cream, Full-fat yogurt, Kefir, Milk 2%, Cream cheese, Coconut milk (unsweetened), Almonds, Macadamia nuts, Pecans, Walnuts, Chia seeds, Flaxseeds, Hemp seeds, Pumpkin seeds, Leafy greens (spinach, kale, Swiss chard), Broccoli, Cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, Cabbage, Zucchini, Cucumbers, Asparagus, Avocado, Eggplant, Bell peppers, Berries (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries), Potatoes (all kinds), Beets, Honey, Apples, Melon (all kinds), Sourdough bread, Coffee.
Sample Day:
- Training: 90-minute base run, Mobility routine
- Nutrition: Ground beef, Olive oil, Macadamia nuts, Kefir, Mixed berries, Avocado, Beets, Brussels sprouts, Cucumber, Yogurt plain whole milk, Eggs scrambled, Milk 2%, Salmon, Sharp cheddar cheese, Honey, SFuels Life Bar, Coffee
Speed Work Development
- Training Structure: The training framework follows an order of specificity, including short intervals targeting VO2max, long intervals targeting LT, hybrid sessions combining intensities, fast finishes, and surges.
- Nutrition Structure: This phase involves the highest carb input of the year. The diet consists of 60-70% fat, 15-20% protein, and 15-20% carbohydrate.
- Historic inputs: Coconut oil, Olive oil, Canola oil, Sunflower oil, Butter or ghee, Lard or tallow, Fatty cuts of beef, pork, and lamb, Full fat salad dressings, Chicken and turkey (preferably with skin), Fatty fish like salmon, Whole eggs, Bacon and sausages, Organ meats like liver, Full-fat cheeses (cheddar, brie, mozzarella, etc.), Heavy cream, Sour cream, Full-fat yogurt, Kefir, Milk 2%, Cream cheese, Coconut milk (unsweetened), Almonds, Macadamia nuts, Pecans, Walnuts, Chia seeds, Flaxseeds, Hemp seeds, Pumpkin seeds, Leafy greens (spinach, kale, Swiss chard), Broccoli, Cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, Cabbage, Zucchini, Cucumbers, Asparagus, Avocado, Eggplant, Bell peppers, Berries (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries), Potatoes (all kinds), Beets, Honey, Apples, Melon (all kinds), Sourdough bread, Nutritional yeast, Coffee.
Sample Day:
- Training: 90 minutes of short intervals, 30-minute recovery jog, Lower Body Strength (Muscular Endurance Program)
- Nutrition: Eggs, Butter, Milk 2%, SFuels Chocolate Revival, SFuels Race+, Cabbage, Riced cauliflower, Spinach, Almonds, Sunflower oil, Sweet potato, Kefir, Ground beef, Nutritional yeast, Avocado, Honey, Coffee
Ultra Long Run Development
- Training Structure: Focus on long runs to build endurance and simulate race conditions.
- Nutrition Structure: Lowest carb input of the year. The diet consists of 65-75% fat, 10-15% protein, and 15-20% protein.
- Historic inputs: Coconut oil, Olive oil, Canola oil, Sunflower oil, Butter or ghee, Lard or tallow, Full fat salad dressings, Fatty cuts of beef, pork, and lamb, Chicken and turkey (preferably with skin), Fatty fish like salmon, Whole eggs, Bacon and sausages, Organ meats like liver, Full-fat cheeses (cheddar, brie, mozzarella, etc.), Heavy cream, Sour cream, Full-fat yogurt, Kefir, Milk 2%, Cream cheese, Coconut milk (unsweetened), Almonds, Macadamia nuts, Pecans, Walnuts, Chia seeds, Flaxseeds, Hemp seeds, Pumpkin seeds, Leafy greens (spinach, kale, Swiss chard), Broccoli, Cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, Cabbage, Zucchini, Cucumbers, Asparagus, Avocado, Eggplant, Bell peppers, Berries (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries), Potatoes (all kinds), Beets, Honey, Apples, Melon (all kinds), Sourdough bread, Coffee.
Sample Day:
- Training: 4-hour long run, Mobility routine
- Nutrition: LMNT Chocolate, LMNT Watermelon, SFuels Life Bar, DeltaG ketones tactical, Coconut milk unsweetened, Salmon, Olive oil, Sharp cheddar cheese, Walnuts, Strawberries, Apple gala, Yogurt plain whole milk, Spinach, Eggs
Training Methodology
Bitter aims to train specifically for his event, tailoring his training to the elements he may see on race day including terrain and environmental conditions. Bitter is a running coach who focuses on both motivation and a science-based approach.
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Key Advantages of Bitter's Approach
Zach Bitter highlights several advantages to his dietary approach:
- Stable Energy Levels: He experiences even energy levels during long training days.
- Reduced Digestive Issues: His nutrition minimizes the risk of digestive problems during races.
- Improved Sleep Quality: He enjoys reliable energy levels throughout the day and what he considers great sleep quality.
Sponsors and Products
Bitter uses 33Fuel’s chia energy gel, the world’s only truly ketogenic energy gel. Bitter wears Altra running shoes and is sponsored by Altra. Bitter has partnered with Purpose Apparel to design a series of running and athletic apparel.
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