Gluten Free Athlete Profile-Kelly Baker
ByI first ran into Kelly on a bodybuilding/fitness message board. She keeps a journal there, and with gluten free in the title-I was intrigued. Kelly always keeps a positive outlook and has encouraging words for others. Here she is!
Kelly Baker
Kelly Baker, age 31, resides in Columbus Ohio.
National Physique Committee Figure Competitor, Women’s Tri-Fitness Competitor
I was diagnosed July 21, 2008, and oddly enough it was an attempt at finding the best diet for my body. A training
partner had undergone the test, received a Celiac diagnosis, and had had the most staggering transformation I’d ever seen. I figured it was worth a shot as I had thought myself lactose intolerant for years.
I didn’t have a true “trigger” so much as I was becoming more symptomatic over time. I’ve probably always been like this.
Training Program:
I use the P/RR/S (Power, Rep. Range, Shock) system, combined with plyometrics, and various forms of cardio. I try
to be as sports-specific as possible depending on what I’m competing in. My husband and I are looking to do some serious cycling next summer, so I will be more cycling focused between NPC shows.
Nutritional philosophy:
I have other major intolerance’s in addition to Celiac Disease in the forms of soy, dairy, eggs, and most nuts and
seeds. I stick with lean protein sources and lots of vegetables, fruit, and gluten-free grains. I avoid processed foods
as much as absolutely possible. The more ingredients it has the less I trust it.
For pre and post workout nutrition, I have chicken and a rice cake for both. Sometimes I eat Steel Cut oats in place of the rice cake.
Favorite sports supplements:
The following from ALR Industries; Chain’d Out, T-X, Zero-Stim, Hyperdrive 3.0, ProAnabol, WTF Pump’d, Primed Ultra,
Poison, Comatose, and Lean Dreams. For cycling related power-ups GU Chomps work very well.
(Editor note:I have contacted ALRI in an attempt to obtain a listing of their gluten free products and have not yet received a response. Kelly notes she has never has an issue with their products.)
Upcoming competitions/training plans:
I competed in my second Figure show on October 3rd, which will be followed by some medical testing to determine the extent of an injury to my knee. I plan to compete next March in Figure, take most of the summer to do some serious cycling (75-100 mile rides) and compete in two more Figure shows in October 2010.
Advice for other gluten free athletes:
Where there’s a will, there’s a way. In some ways it is harder for us to function nutritionally, but in a lot more ways it
is easier. We must give our systems quality fuel, and we think about what goes “in” much more than a normal person would. For anyone competing in Bodybuilding or Figure it makes the diet a lot easier. Our diets are cleaner to begin with which means less rebound between shows so returning to show conditioning is easier for us to do.
Final notes to share:
July 21, 2008 I got my life back. I’d always been fatigued no matter how much I slept, suffered from low blood sugar
crashes several times a day, and couldn’t make the gains I was working so hard to make. That day, I found out that 90% of my diet, pristine by conventional nutrition standards, was toxic to my system. Once my diet changed the fatigue drained away, the hypoglycemic incidents stopped, and I no longer agonized over the way I’d react to anything that went in my mouth. Discoering I was a Celiac along with my other intolerances was freeing. For nearly 30 years, I had no idea what it was like to actually feel good. and I would not trade any of this for the world.
Thanks for sharing Kelly-best wishes with your knee and your future plans!
Editor note:click here for another related blog post on how celiac can help improve you awareness of proper nutrition and thus your diet.
[...] we are on the subject of successful celiac athletes, read about Kelly Baker. She’s an award winning body builder who also deals with celiac disease, and intolerance to [...]