Host Brad Kearns connects with Peter Defty, promoter of Optimized Fat Metabolism and Vespa energy food: Vespapower.com. Peter is a very early promoter of fat adapted training, and is a successful ultra distance athlete, with many marathons and a Western States 100-mile Endurance Run finish. Since the early 2000s, Peter has coached other athletes to optimize their fat metabolism, including some world-class performers like Zach Bitter, Nell Stephenson, and many others. 

This is a lively show with an analysis of some contentious issues in the current fat adapted training scene. Defty is promoting a “MMAF” – Modified Maximum Aerobic Function. Basically, the idea is that fat adapted athletes can increase their aerobic training heart rate by some 20 beats, because of their optimized fat metabolism and improved cardiovascular system function. This is a pretty big deal because MAF is being promoted as the end-all for aerobic conditioning. 

Defty suggests that fat-adapted training improves cardiovascular function to the extent that athletes might even see an increase in maximum heart rate. This is some provocative stuff that will be interesting food for thought for endurance athletes out there who are dedicated to aerobic training and fat-adapted eating.

Who is Peter Defty and what is his Optimized Fat Metabolism and Vespa food promotion? [00:00:40] 

Do carbs have a place in this endurance world? [00:05:56] 

Using the Vespa supplement in races has what effect? [00:08:46] 

People are meant to be fat burners so what happened when the carbs came into the mix? [00:11:08] 

What is Modified Maximum Aerobic Function? [00:14:23] 

When we look at the some of the greatest athletes in the past and know that their diets were different, what happened to their hearts that they were able to perform like they did? [00:20:42] 

If you are fat-adapted and you are getting better performance from your cardio-vascular system does it increase your maximum heartbeat? [00:25:19] 

What about the idea of bumping up your heart rate increasing the stress level of training? [00:29:00]

Isn’t it confusing to think that the diet can increase the heart rate? [00:34:19] 

What are the strength athletes getting from this high fat diet? [00:37:54] 

How does insulin come into play? [00:42:41] 

What is a strategic inclusion of carbohydrates into the diet to optimize performance? [00:46:05]