Diets Designed for Athletes

Maryann Karinch has written numerous books and articles on fitness and nutrition, including Lessons from the Edge, a book featuring stories and how-to insights from athletes in extreme sports; and Boot Camp, a humorous back-to-basics fitness plan, coauthored by Patrick The Sarge Avon.

An avid competitor in endurance and outdoor sports, Karinch began her serious study of nutrition in an effort to improve her own performance without the use of anabolic steroids. She has successfully competed in powerlifting and National Physique Committee bodybuilding events, and she was a member of one of the few teams to complete the inaugural Eco-Challenge in southern Utah. She was also a collegiate regional gymnastics champion.

Karinch has continued her advanced nutrition studies as a certified personal trainer with the American Council on Exercise (ACE). She holds an MA in speech and drama from the Catholic University of America and lives in Half Moon Bay, California, where she enjoys ocean whitewater kayaking, weight training, and cooking.