Explore every episode of the podcast The Eat for Endurance Podcast
Dive into the complete episode list for The Eat for Endurance Podcast. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.
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Title
Pub. Date
Duration
The Athlete's Guide to Off-Season Nutrition
04 Dec 2025
00:26:37
Happy December! I'm hopping back on the mic to bring you a bonus episode all about a topic that comes up every single year with my clients: off-season fueling.
When training volume drops and structure loosens, it’s easy to shift your focus away from your nutrition. And let's face it - it's also a crazy time of year. But what you eat in the off-season has a huge impact on your energy, recovery, general health, and how you feel heading into your next training cycle.
Whether you're taking real time off, switching activities or sports, or simply doing less of the same, this episode will help you stay fueled without micromanaging every bite.
In this episode, I cover:
What the “off-season” actually is (and why it matters)
Core fueling principles that don’t change, no matter the season
How to adjust your nutrition when volume and intensity drop
A practical look at carb needs during lower-volume training
How to build balanced meals and snacks without tracking everything
When (and when not) to consider body recomposition goals
Why fueling your workouts still matters in the off-season
How to use this time to build resilience for your next training cycle
This is a must-listen for anyone feeling a little lost with their nutrition after a big training cycle or who needs a refresher on foundational fueling strategies that are relevant year-round.
🎧 Tune in to learn more!
P.S. Spotify unwrapped came out this week and The Eat for Endurance Podcast was a top show for a bunch of you out there. Who are you? Say hi!
Episode 124 with Sports RD Alex Larson on body comp work
Shop my sale through 12/20: Use code DECEMBER25 for 25% off hats and sticker packs plus get a free sticker with each purchase
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Get in touch: claire@eatforendurance.com
Enjoyed this episode? Please subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and share with a friend who could use some off-season fueling support!
Disclaimer: All information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is not intended to replace individualized medical or nutrition advice.
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
Ask a Sports Dietitian: Your Nutrition Questions Answered
06 Nov 2025
00:46:21
Episode 127 of The Eat for Endurance Podcast is the final show of the year, and I'm dedicating it to you, my listeners, clients, and Fuel for Life Crew members. You all sent me so many great nutrition questions and stories over the past few months, and I spend this episode answering and reading all of them.
If you're an active person trying to feel and perform your best, whether you're training for a race or just for everyday life, this one’s for you.
In this episode, I cover:
How to simplify nutrition when it feels overwhelming
What “gut training” really means and how to start
Tips for becoming a Board-Certified Sports RD (CSSD)
Estimating calorie and macronutrient needs
Navigating hunger cues vs. performance fueling
Travel nutrition tips for busy working athletes
Body image challenges and fueling during the off-season
And more!
This is a must-listen for any athlete who wants evidence-based, compassionate guidance from a registered Sports Dietitian with 11+ years of experience helping athletes of all levels.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to this episode. I appreciate every question and message, and am so glad to hear that this show is helping you stay well-fueled.
🎧 Tune in to learn more!
Links & Resources
Join my membership service, Fuel for Life Crew, for $30/month (cancel anytime, discounted membership options available)
Enjoyed this episode? Please leave a 5-star review and subscribe to help more athletes fuel smarter!
Disclaimer: All information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations.
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
Embracing an Alcohol-Free Lifestyle as a Multi-Sport Athlete
17 Jul 2025
01:06:29
In episode 120 of The Eat for Endurance Podcast, I’m joined by Emily Holland, a trail runner, climber, creative business owner, and all-around outdoor enthusiast based in Boulder, Colorado. Emily is the co-founder of Wild Poppy Creative Consulting, where she helps small businesses and creatives increase their impact.
I first connected with Emily earlier this year when she and her business partner, Angie (who you may remember from episode 110), supported me behind the scenes with this very podcast. We hit it off immediately, and I knew I wanted to bring her on the show to share her story.
In this episode, Emily shares her journey to embracing an alcohol-free lifestyle and how that decision has transformed her relationship with movement, food, and self-care. We also dive into how she fuels her multi-sport adventures, including trail running, hiking, rock climbing, and skiing, with more energy, joy, and intention.
Emily and I discuss:
Her evolution from using exercise as punishment to finding joy in movement
Why she chose to stop drinking alcohol and how it’s improved her mental and physical health
Fueling strategies for trail running vs. rock climbing
Her favorite sports nutrition tools and non-alcoholic beverages
How small mindset shifts around food, alcohol, and movement have made a big difference
That alcohol-free isn’t all or nothing, it’s about paying attention to how it makes you feel
Enjoyed this episode? Please leave a 5-star review and subscribe to help more athletes fuel smarter!
Disclaimer: All information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations.
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
Season 3 - Back in NYC!
27 Oct 2020
00:13:47
Season 3 is finally here!! Or at least this short episode with yours truly is, giving you a little update on what I've been up to these past couple of months, and a preview of my plans for this season of the show.
After a two-month break from recording to head back to NYC and settle back into the working / watching the kids / crazy Covid life, I’m finally starting to record episodes again and get some interviews lined up. I have a lot of emails out there waiting for responses, and many guests who have agreed to come on the show and just have to get on my schedule. It’s been particularly slow-going lining up schedules with such limited work hours on my end and my guests having crazy schedules as well. Client work always takes priority for me (need to make a living!), which doesn't leave much time for the show, but I'm doing my best to get things going. I wanted to at least get a quick intro episode out before any more time passed!
One goal I have for Season 3 is to broaden the type of athletes I feature. It’s been largely running focused so far because I’m a runner, and also that’s where I have the most connections. But as a dietitian, I work with a wide variety of athletes, and I want to bring that variety to the show. I hope to interview a prominent triathlete, adventure racer, olympic skier, and cyclist, among others. Plus some more runners because, well, I love running!
Another goal is to get more feedback from YOU - my listeners! If you have any specific nutrition topics that you’d like me to cover in a solo or RD guest episode, or a person or type of athlete you’d like me to interview, please let me know. As much as I do this show for myself because I love to do it, I also do it for you. Your feedback is important to me!
So along those lines, if you enjoy my show, can you please help me get the word out? Please share with your friends and training buddies, and give me a rating / review on iTunes if you haven't already. I want to keep it going, and your support is much appreciated.
Lastly, I finally have the Spring Energy code that I mentioned in Episode 29 - it is “EATFORENDURANCE” and gets you 10% off. I love their real-food based sports nutrition products (I used on my trail runs all summer), if you’re looking for something new to try! In full disclosure, I do get a small commission when you make a purchase, which is appreciated since this show is currently not sponsored.
Thanks again for your support and patience. I look forward to sharing Season 3 with you all!
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
When Races are Cancelled, Create Your Own Adventures - A Detailed Look into My California Trail Running "Event"
19 Aug 2020
01:28:35
I’m particularly excited to share Episode 29 of the Eat for Endurance Podcast with you all, as it’s a more personal episode in which I share my own recent running and nutrition experiences, and I also introduce you to my fellow adventure-seeker and running buddy for life - my husband Eric.
My goal for this episode is to demonstrate that running (or whatever sport you enjoy engaging in) is not cancelled! I know how disappointing race cancellations have been this year, but that does not mean that you can’t get out there and create your own adventures for yourself. I wanted to use my own experience of choosing my “event” as a case study of sorts - how we picked our target run, trained, created our nutrition plans, picked the right gear, dealt with childcare challenges etc. I also finally share my running background in more detail, especially related to running postpartum. There’s so much left to say, but it was nice to chat briefly about it and I hope it resonates with some of you. Suffice to say, I finally have my running mojo back!
We hadn’t expected to have the opportunity to run anything too long when we planned this trip, so it was such a pleasant surprise when we discovered later in June that my parents were on board with watching both kiddos all day so that we could have a big running adventure! We are fortunate to live very close to the most gorgeous redwood forest with miles and miles of beautiful trails - Nisene Marks in Aptos, California. We were perfectly happy running 1-2 hours there once a week with some shorter beach runs thrown in, but with the possibility of something bigger in the picture, we immediately thought of the Skyline to Sea trail (my local bucket list item), which is just slightly further North of where my family lives in Santa Cruz.
Have a listen to learn more about how we chose our route, trained in Nisene, created our nutrition plans, and much more. We had so much fun recording this episode outside on my deck! And FYI, it’s broken up into three parts:
August 10th - Pre-run discussion including our running backgrounds, choosing our target route, nutrition planning, gear, etc. This is the longest section (about one hour)
August 12th - Short voice memos recorded from the trails - we had to capture things in the moment!
August 14th - Post-run recap, with a big focus on nutrition and how recovery is going
The scary part of this is that just over a week after running this route in Big Basin, the whole area is now on fire. Thankfully our home here in Santa Cruz is safe, but the air quality is poor and ash is everywhere. We are staying inside for the time being. My heart goes out to everyone affected more deeply by the fires! I’m hoping that our beautiful State Parks will be okay too. With that said, I really hope you enjoy this episode that celebrates our beautiful State Parks, and wraps up Season 2 of the podcast!
Announcements:
Please SUBSCRIBE to and rate/review the show if you're enjoying these episodes!
Have nutrition questions, a guest or topic request, or any other feedback? Email me - claire@eatforendurance.com.
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations.
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
Gastrointestinal Issues & Athletes - A chat with Registered Dietitian Anne Mauney
31 Jul 2020
00:59:48
Welcome to Episode 28 of the Eat for Endurance Podcast, featuring Anne Mauney, MPH RD.
Anne is a DC area based Registered Dietitian as well as a mother, a runner, and a lover of travel, adventure, the great outdoors, and healthy recipe creation. She has a blog called fAnnetastic food and she has her own nutrition counseling private practice to help clients improve their relationships with food via an intuitive eating approach.
This episode covers a topic that many athletes and especially runners have likely experienced at some point in their training and/or events - gastrointestinal (GI) issues. It’s a very common complaint, and obviously can result in inadequate fueling and reduced performance. I know in-person races have been cancelled, but many people are still training hard (myself included), racing virtually, and/or challenging themselves in other ways. So, I thought that this would still be a great topic to cover with another RD! It can be daunting trying to figure out the “right” combo of what to eat before, during, and after workouts and events, with all the products on the market and a variety of (often conflicting) info floating around out there. Our discussion really only scratched the surface, but I hope it still helps some of my listeners who are struggling! And of course, if you ever need professional and more detailed, individualized assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out to me or another Sports RD for help.
I recorded this episode exactly two months ago, right before I headed out to Santa Cruz, CA to be with my family for the Summer. After so many months being stuck inside in our tiny NYC apartment, it’s been AMAZING to be back in nature. E and I have been able to run together and reconnect with our beloved trails in the Redwood forest - we hadn’t done either in over a year, and it's been very special. We're training to do a big chunk of the Skyline to Sea trail in mid August - stay tuned for my next podcast episode detailing our training, fueling, and how our “event” goes!
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations.
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
Athlete Nutrition Profile - Ali on the Run Show Host, Ali Feller, on life with Crohn's disease
07 Jul 2020
01:05:41
Welcome to Episode 27 of the Eat for Endurance Podcast, featuring Ali Feller, host of the Ali on the Run Show.
I’m embarrassed to say that it’s taken me over two months to edit and publish this episode! The joys of working and parenting in these crazy times, that’s all I can say. Podcasting has had to take a bit of a backseat to everything else unfortunately, but I’m still recording episodes whenever I can!
You probably know Ali from her podcast - and if you don’t, check it out! She has interviewed so many incredible athletes and other guests. Ali grew up dancing, and found running after college while living in NYC. Like many running stories (mine included), she quickly became hooked, and started training for her first of many marathons! What makes her story different is that she was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease at the age of 7. The disease did not seem to affect her too much when she was younger, but her symptoms have become much worse in recent years. Runners and other athletes have enough GI concerns as it is - adding Irritable Bowel Disease to the mix makes sports nutrition (and life, generally speaking) extra challenging, as you can imagine. It’s something that she has discussed at length on her own show, but I wanted to dig further into her experiences, specifically to see how Crohn’s has affected her nutrition and training. Ali also is a (relatively) new Mom, so we of course chatted about motherhood and how she has coped with Crohn’s flares while caring for her daughter.
I hope you enjoy this episode! Ali was so much fun to talk to - not a surprise at all, if you’re familiar with her show. As you will hear her say, energy is not something she usually is lacking!
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations.
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
Athlete Nutrition Profile - Elite Ultrarunner and (Mostly) Vegan Athlete, Mike Wardian
26 May 2020
01:26:19
Welcome to Episode 26 of the Eat for Endurance Podcast, featuring elite ultrarunner and (mostly) vegan athlete, Mike Wardian.
If you haven’t heard of Mike, he’s a beast of an athlete and also one of the nicest, down-to-earth guys you’ll meet in the running world (and elsewhere). The number of back-to-back races, Fastest Known Times (FKTs), and other events that he participates in - and conquers - seemingly every week is superhuman. Most athletes would take a bit of a break after running (let alone winning) a major event - but not Mike! He’s always hungry for more, and it’s truly inspiring to watch.
Mike follows a mostly vegan diet (he eats eggs and honey), and I was so excited to get him on the show to hear more about how he fuels his amazing and diverse athletic accomplishments. We recorded on April 14th, about a week after he won the Quarantine Backyard ultra. If you’re not familiar with this event, it’s a last-person standing race (in this case, a virtual competition with runners around the world), and Mike won it running 262 miles in 63 hours around his neighborhood, just shy of the world record!!
Mike races pretty much every distance out there on both road and trail, and has made the podium for many half-marathons, marathons, 50k, 100k and 100 mile races. He has set a number of world records, including the fastest time for 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 days, fastest marathon as Spider-man and Elvis, fastest time for the Abbott World Marathon Majors, fastest 50k on a treadmill (he is attempting this one again in early June), and fastest marathon pushing a jogging stroller. He also has set many FKTs around the world, including the Israeli National Trail in 2019. All in-person events have been cancelled, but that hasn’t stopped Mike - he’s been setting FKT after FKT on the trails near where he is based in Arlington, VA, and hopes to run across America later this year.
But what’s even more impressive is that he does ALL of this while working a full time job and with two kids. As you can imagine, he’s not getting all that much sleep, but somehow he is able to put in all those training hours and perform at an incredibly high level.
I hope you enjoy my chat with Mike - I certainly felt inspired after our interview, and love following along his adventures on social media, especially these past few months of quarantine.
Hope you are all continuing to stay safe and healthy! Thanks again, Mike, for taking the time to chat with me!
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
Infant and Toddler Nutrition - A Discussion with Pediatric Dietitian Pegah Jalali
05 May 2020
01:06:37
Welcome to Episode 25 of the Eat for Endurance Podcast, featuring Pediatric Dietitian, Pegah Jalali, MS RD.
Yep, I’m taking a little break from my usual sports nutrition programing to focus on infant and toddler nutrition! It may seem unrelated to talk about general nutrition for kids on this podcast but really, it’s not. Many of my listeners and clients are parents, and as parents, we of course want to do our best to keep our entire family healthy and to cultivate positive relationships with food (and exercise) for life. I sometimes get nutrition questions about babies and toddlers, and that is not my specialty, so I figured it was time to bring on an expert!
I also wanted to do this episode for personal reasons. With a 7-month old who recently started solids and a 3 year old who can be challenging to feed, infant and toddler nutrition is very much a part of my daily life. I was excited to get a refresher on some things I forgot from my older daughter (hello, baby brain!) and to learn some new strategies that I could immediately work into my day to day.
Here are some of the topics that we cover in this episode:
Breast and formula feeding - things to keep in mind, whichever you choose
Weight and growth charts - just like with adults, weight isn’t everything!
Starting solids - Purees? Baby led weaning? When do you even start?
Feeding toddlers - picky eating, snacks, treats, role modeling, and more
Using food as a reward (especially with sweets)
If you're looking for nutrition advice for slightly older kids, definitely check out Episode 7 all about fueling young athletes (also includes general nutrition advice for adolescents, teens, and college kids).
We had a few technical issues including a mic fail that diminished the sound quality, but I think you’ll enjoy the content and find it valuable, assuming of course that infant and toddler nutrition is relevant to you. If not, skip ahead - I have an awesome athlete nutrition profile coming up! Also, I think it makes sense to time stamp things in the post-Covid world, so FYI, this episode was recorded on April 13th.
Thanks for your time, Pegah, and hope everyone (especially my fellow parents of little ones) are hanging in there during these difficult times.
Announcements:
Please SUBSCRIBE to and rate/review the show if you're enjoying these episodes!
If you can afford to donate a few bucks to help support the show financially, please visit my Patreon page
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations.
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
Courtney Dauwalter on Nutrition, Ultrarunning, and Listening to Her Body
21 Apr 2020
01:09:31
Welcome to Episode 24 of the Eat for Endurance Podcast, featuring Elite ultrarunner, Courtney Dauwalter.
Welcome to Episode 24 of the Eat for Endurance Podcast, featuring legendary ultrarunner, Courtney Dauwalter.
Courtney is one of the best ultrarunners competing right now. She’s not just coming in as first female and setting course records at races like UTMB, Western States, and Hardrock; she sometimes dominates races outright. I wanted to get her on the show to dig into how she fuels her training as well as her incredible race performances.
Courtney is known for her love of beer, nachos, and candy as well as her laid-back and cheerful demeanor. She’s also a fierce competitor and incredibly tuned into her body.
As you’ll hear in this episode, there’s no one big “secret” to her success. It’s years of experimenting with her fueling (she has learned the hard way, like many of us), putting in the miles, remaining flexible with both food and training, and problem-solving when things inevitably go wrong.
Courtney has her sports nutrition go-to’s (Tailwind, Honey Stinger waffles and chews, and instant potatoes, for example) plus several “safe” meals she chooses prior to a race. Mostly though, she listens to what her body craves.
Tune in for the rest of Courtney Dauwalter's nutrition story, including some of her favorite nacho toppings and candy.
PLEASE NOTE - this episode was recorded on March 10th, so keep that in mind when listening (we touch on Coronavirus briefly at the end, but obviously much has changed since then…).
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations.
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
Athlete Nutrition Profile - Podcast Host and Former Pro-Runner, Tina Muir
02 Apr 2020
01:03:49
Welcome to Episode 23 of the Eat for Endurance Podcast, featuring elite runner, Running for Real podcast host, and soon to be Mom of two, Tina Muir.
Tina famously took a break from professional running in 2017, at the peak of her career and just a few months after setting a PR of 2:36 in the marathon, when she decided to prioritize her health and well-being after not having her period for nine years. She has openly shared her story and her own struggles to bring more awareness to amenorrhea and disordered eating commonly found among female athletes, and has created a wonderful online community for runners to support one another on good days and bad.
I hope you enjoy learning more about Tina’s nutrition story and how her relationship with food has evolved over time. We discussed her journey as an athlete, her struggles with food and nutrition, why she decided to stop running, how she regained her period, nutrition as a family of 3 (soon to be 4!), establishing her Running for Real community and podcast, and much more. It was a fun chat, and of course a very open, honest and real discussion of important topics that many athletes (especially women) face. I hope you find it helpful!
Thank you again Tina for coming on the show, and wishing you as smooth as possible rest of your pregnancy!
PLEASE NOTE - this episode (including the intro) was recorded on March 3rd, so that is why we don't discuss Covid-19. I hope you are all staying safe and healthy, and that this episode provides a bit of entertainment while you stay home or enjoy a socially distanced walk or run.
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations. If you'd like to work with me for individualized nutrition support, please reach out!
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
Nourish Your Mind - Dr. Ashley Selkirk on Mental Health During the Global Pandemic
19 Mar 2020
00:49:05
“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” — Viktor Frankl
Welcome to Episode 22 of the Eat for Endurance Podcast, featuring clinical psychologist Dr. Ashley Selkirk, Ph.D. Given the rapid unraveling of life as we know it in this post-Covid-19 world, I wanted to interview a mental health professional to discuss coping mechanisms and other strategies that we can use to deal with the anxiety, stress, disappointment, fear, and other overwhelming feelings that many of us are experiencing right now. This isn’t directly nutrition or sports related, but when it comes to health and performance, everything is connected. I’m sure you know that there is a strong link between the body and the mind, and now more than ever, it’s a top priority to look after both.
Dr. Selkirk has her own Telehealth practice, Selkirk Psychology, and is a mom of two. We discussed the challenges of attempting to work with the kids at home - something I know many of my listeners can relate to - plus specific breathing and other mental exercises that you can do to be more present (the hardest thing for me), avoid the comparison trap, and calm the mind. I know many of you are devastated that big races have been cancelled, struggling being out of your routine, feeling claustrophobic being stuck inside (esp with family members around, placing even more demands on you), and/or you’re simply trying not to constantly be in a state of fear. I’m sure you’re aware, but I’m going to say it anyway - you are not alone!
Personally, I am very anxiety prone, especially during these postpartum months, and like many others, have been struggling with all the uncertainty. Having spent the last 6 months mostly at home anyway (working from home, taking care of a newborn, winter, etc), in some ways it’s a continuation of what I’ve already been doing. But of course, it’s completely different. I’m home with my 5 month old and 3 year old and continuing to attempt to work part-time from home while my husband works a demanding full-time job, all in our tiny apartment. Needless to say, the days feel long and certainly not very productive. It’s also tough not to spiral once the girls go to sleep, when I start to think about what the future holds. But I’m trying to take it day by day, be more patient, do one thing for myself each day if I can, really prioritize what needs to happen, and let go of any expectations I have regarding productivity. We’re all just doing our best, controlling what we can control in a situation that feels out of control, trying to be kind to ourselves, connecting virtually to friends and family, and practicing compassion towards others in our community.
I hope you all enjoy this episode and find it helpful. I know I did and will be trying to put into practice some of the advice she shared. I hope you all manage to stay healthy, active (as desired, of course), and can find foods, activities, or virtual connections that bring you joy in all this madness!
Announcements:
Please help me grow the show by SUBSCRIBING if you're enjoying these episodes, and rate/review if you have a minute!
Have nutrition questions, a guest or topic request, or any other feedback? Email me - claire@eatforendurance.com.
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations.
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
Food Allergies & Intolerances - A Discussion with Registered Dietitian Chelsey Amer
03 Mar 2020
01:02:01
Welcome to Episode 21 of the Eat for Endurance Podcast, featuring a discussion of food allergies and intolerances with NYC-based dietitian, Chelsey Amer, MS RD. This is an important topic and one that often causes confusion, especially in the landscape of all the fad diets out there. It’s also one that I can relate to, as I developed a severe shellfish allergy in my early 20’s, so I’m glad that we’re tackling this topic in today’s episode.
Chelsey is the founder of Chelsey Amer Nutrition, a virtual nutrition counseling practice and consulting business. She has had severe allergies from a young age, which is in part what inspired her to become a dietitian - to help empower others with allergies figure out what they can safely eat without feeling deprived. In addition to her private client work, she loves to whip up all kinds of (allergy-friendly) recipes! Definitely check out her IG/blog as well as her brand new cookbook below if you’re looking for some cooking inspiration. She also has an 8 month old son, so we of course enjoyed chatting about the challenges of postpartum life.
Here are some of the things that we cover in this episode:
Our personal allergy stories
The basics - what is an allergy vs an intolerance?
Lactose intolerance and dairy, more generally
Celiac disease, gluten intolerance/sensitivity, and gluten, more generally
Pro-inflammatory foods
Increased prevalence of allergies in kids
Disordered eating disguised as allergies/intolerances
How Chelsey approaches recipe development
Postpartum life - sugar cravings, exercise, and more
Eating out with allergies
Gluten, dairy & thyroid
*FYI, if you’re mostly interested in the allergy/intolerance discussion, we take a break from the topic for a bit and then resume the main discussion around 43 minutes into the episode, when I finally remember the remaining questions I wanted to ask!
Her new cookbook, “28 Day Pescatarian,” which is available for pre-order
Announcements:
Please help me grow the show by SUBSCRIBING if you're enjoying these episodes, and rate/review if you have a minute!
If you can afford to donate a few bucks to help support the show financially, given I do not currently have sponsors and podcasting is very very time consuming, please visit my Patreon page
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
Fueling on the Fly: Travel Nutrition Tips for Busy Athletes
03 Jul 2025
00:27:10
In episode 119 of The Eat for Endurance Podcast, I’m on the mic solo to share some of my favorite travel nutrition tips for busy athletes, inspired by decades of personal experience and 10+ years as a sports dietitian helping active people fuel on the go.
Travel is fun, exciting, and can be an enriching experience from a fitness and nutrition perspective, but it can also throw your fueling routine completely off track.
Whether you’re headed out for local errands, a vacation, work trip, or a destination race, this episode will help you plan ahead with confidence (and without obsessing over every bite). You’ll walk away with practical, evidence-based strategies to stay fueled, hydrated, and energized wherever life takes you.
Key Takeaways:
Why travel nutrition matters (and the most common fueling mistakes)
How different types of travel impact your nutrition needs
Tips for commuting around town, work travel, vacations, plane vs road trips, and traveling for a race
How to stay proactive and create a flexible but individualized plan
Packing the right sports nutrition and gear to stay active while you're away
How to prep before and after a trip so you’re not scrambling for food
Enjoyed this episode? Please leave a 5-star review and subscribe to help more athletes fuel smarter!
Disclaimer: All information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations.
Welcome to Episode 20 of the Eat for Endurance Podcast, featuring four-time Olympian and legendary distance runner, Meb Keflezighi.
Like many of you I’m sure, I have admired Meb - both his athletic accomplishments as well as his character - for many years. He won the NYC Marathon in 2009, right as I started to train for my first marathon. And in 2014, I was in the middle of running my second Boston Marathon when I heard the amazing and uplifting news that Meb, at nearly 39 years old, had won the race (he was the first American to do so since 1985). He’s also an Olympic silver medalist (Athens, 2004), the oldest marathoner to qualify for the US Olympic team, and an author of three great books that detail his unique story and long, inspiring career (Run to Overcome, Meb for Mortals, and26 Marathons).
I had the privilege of meeting Meb this past Fall. We chatted briefly about nutrition and bonded over having daughters (he has three, and I was very pregnant with my second). Just as he was about to move on to the next person, I mustered up the courage to ask him to be on my newly-launched podcast. He said yes, and five months later, I had the honor of interviewing him!
I will confess that I was a bit nervous going into this one, but that melted away the minute we started chatting. He truly is a kind, down-to-earth, funny guy and a wonderful ambassador to the sport. He also is a great example of endurance and longevity in running, so obviously I was excited to deep-dive into his nutrition!
Meb and I explored his life and career in detail through a nutrition lens, including:
What he ate while in Eritrea and after emigrating to the US via Italy (Eritrean cuisine sounds delicious, btw)
How his nutrition evolved once he started running competitively in high school and college
Significant learning moments re: his nutrition after he turned pro
Juggling family life with his nutrition, training and recovery demands
Nutrition sponsorships (UCAN, Powerbar)
What training and nutrition look like now that he is retired (hint - he is loving his sweets)
Please help me grow the show by SUBSCRIBING if you're enjoying these episodes, and rate/review if you have a minute!
If you can afford to donate a few bucks to help support the show financially, given I do not currently have sponsors and podcasting is very very time consuming, please visit my Patreon page
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations. If you'd like to work with me for individualized nutrition support, please reach o
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
Athlete Nutrition Profile - Outdoor Sports Journalist and Author, Lisa Jhung
11 Feb 2020
01:14:09
Welcome to Episode 19 of the Eat for Endurance Podcast, featuring outdoor sports journalist, editor, copywriter, and content marketing creator, Lisa Jhung.
Lisa has been a journalist in the outdoor industry for 20 years. She writes about adventure, running, endurance, and outdoor sports and the gear that goes with them for magazines like Outside, Runner’s World, Backpacker, Mountain, Women’s Running and Podium Runner, andalso writes content for brands in the outdoor industry. Lisa has authored two books: “Trailhead: The Dirt on All Things Trail Running,” and most recently, "Running That Doesn't Suck: How To Love Running (Even If You Think You Hate It).” That’s actually how Lisa and I connected - she reached out a couple years ago to interview me for the fueling section of her book (find me on page 161), and when I received my copy, I figured why not interview her too?
We had a fun conversation that took us through a wide variety of topics, including:
Growing up in California, with the culinary influences of her Korean father
Life as a college athlete, including struggles with nutrition and fueling
How she came to love running (because it wasn’t always that way…hence her latest book!) and her tips for all of you!
Life in Colorado, with her husband and two young, active boys
Her own passion for outdoor sports (running, triathlon, skate skiing, snow showing, snowboarding, adventure racing, and more) and the nutrition that helps support these activities
Life as a sports journalist and all the adventures that accompany her work
I hope you enjoy the episode! If you’d like to learn more about Lisa, check out the links below:
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations.
I’m very excited to kick off Season Two of the Eat for Endurance Podcast with ultrarunner, mountaineer, adventure racer, speaker, and author, Marshall Ulrich. As an athlete, Marshall’s list of accomplishments is impressive, to say the least (and still growing, too). Just to name a few: he has climbed Mount Everest, crossed Death Valley on foot (in July) a record 22 times, completed the Seven Summits all on first attempts, finished more than 100 ultramarathons averaging over 100 miles each, competed in all nine Eco-Challenge adventure races, and broke two transcontinental speed records at the age of 57 when he ran 3,063.2 miles in 52.5 days from San Francisco to New York.
This last feat was the basis for his 2011 memoir, Running on Empty, which I read several years ago after meeting Marshall and highly recommend. I also thoroughly enjoyed his latest book, Both feet on the ground: Reflections from the Outside, which details his life on the farm and how it shaped his own approach to food and nutrition.
Our conversation took us through a wide variety of topics, including:
The disconnect between us and nature, and the role this plays on our relationship with food and health (i.e. confusion or obsession with eating the “right” foods).
How being an endurance athlete means becoming an “expert in eating”
Being a vegan vs omnivore (a particularly hot topic right now, especially in the endurance world)
The extreme differences in fueling for his various events (e.g. climbing Mt. Everest vs Badwater vs Eco-Challenge)
Becoming a role model for longevity in sport - staying active and strong through your 50s and 60s
I hope you enjoy this episode and find some inspiration in our conversation! If you wish to learn more about Marshall:
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations.
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
Athlete Nutrition Profile - Recreational Cyclist and Runner, Jacqui Cincotta
09 Dec 2019
00:54:13
Welcome to Episode 16 of the Eat for Endurance Podcast, featuring recreational cyclist and runner, Jacqui Cincotta.
Jacqui is a former nutrition client of mine who worked with me back in 2018 on improving her everyday diet and her approach to sports nutrition during training and racing. I found her story to be unique and inspiring, and very much connected to food and exercise, so I asked her to be my first recreational athlete nutrition profile guest on the podcast.
Jacqui lives in Arlington, Virginia, was in the military for many years and deployed overseas, and now works in the public sector supporting global health. She was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) at the age of three, and has had many ups and downs with her illness. Thankfully, her RA has been in remission for the last two years, thanks to regular exercise and following a way of eating that works well for her.
We recorded back in September, right before her first 26.2 attempt at the Marine Corps Marathon. Unfortunately, she was unable to finish. Here’s her update:
“It was absolutely pouring, and some guy (I am sure by accident) knocked into me about 15 or so miles in hard enough that I fell on my knees. I went to a medical tent and had a ton of ice put on my knees but couldn’t finish the race. I was bummed, but still want to achieve my goal of completing a Marathon so I signed up for the New Jersey Marathon in April 2020. I did however run the Army Ten Miler a few weeks before and set a new 10 mile PR for myself. So I learned sometimes things go as planned, and sometimes they don’t; shake it off and try again!”
Great attitude, Jacqui - I know I would’ve been PISSED had that happened to me, but as you said, you just have to move on and try again. Good luck in NJ - I’m sure you’ll crush it!
Hope you enjoy this episode and that it helps motivate you to push through challenging moments, whether it’s a tough workout, a medical issue, or any other obstacles you encounter.
This wraps up Season 1 - thanks again for your support and looking forward to bringing you more content in 2020!
Follow Jacqui:
If you’re a Peloton rider, her LB name is #Le_Chic_JQ
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations.
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
Happy Thanksgiving!
28 Nov 2019
00:02:56
Bringing you all a spontaneous, short episode recorded on this Thanksgiving morning with my 2 year-old daughter and special guest, Arielle! She REALLY wanted to wish you a very happy holiday - no, seriously, she really did. Ever since recording her last episode over the summer, she has wanted to record another. So here you go! :)
Just a friendly reminder as we all head into our Thanksgiving meals that today is about gratitude and enjoyment - enjoying food, family, friends, etc. So eat whatever tastes good, even if you end up being too full. It's okay. It's one day, who cares! Try not to stress or overthink things. And of course, there usually are leftovers, so no need to stuff yourself as if you will never eat these foods again!
A big THANK YOU to all my listeners - I appreciate you and am grateful for your support! Working on getting more episodes out for season 2 for you all to ENJOY.
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
Ask Me Anything #2
25 Nov 2019
00:22:16
Hey guys! I’m excited to bring to you my second Ask Me Anything episode, which also is my first episode recorded post-baby. It’s a short one but I’m still amazed I was able to get this done towards the end of my 7-week-old’s morning nap, without any crying interrupting me (just a doorbell, cause you know, endless Amazon packages of who knows what I ordered in my middle of the night delirium…). This is a completely unedited, recorded in one-go episode FYI - but there's some good stuff in there, so I hope you enjoy my sleep-deprived rambling!
Here are a few of the topics that we cover in this episode:
How to handle upcoming holiday-related food situations, including not having access to foods you like and/or "healthy" foods, feeling pressure to eat more than you want (hello, Italian and Jewish family members), overeating / restricting, and responding to negative feedback / comments from family and friends
Recovery after a marathon or other endurance effort
Nutrition information for women in their 50s (stay tuned for a dedicated episode on this topic in Season 2)
Nutrition information for younger athletes (we covered this in detail in Episode 7)
Managing hunger during training - the role of planned snacks, plus meal timing
Protein needs for women vs men post-workout
Post-workout snacks on the go
Thanks again for your questions! And remember, the best nutrition advice is individualized, so don't hesitate to reach out if you feel you need more assistance!
Announcements:
Please help me grow the show by SUBSCRIBING if you're enjoying these episodes, and rate/review if you have a minute!
If you can afford to donate a few bucks to help support the show financially, please visit my Patreon page
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations. If you'd like to work with me for individualized nutrition support, please reach out!
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
Sports Nutrition Principles with Tailwind R&D Director, Dr. Art Zemach
11 Nov 2019
00:49:24
Welcome to Episode 13 of the Eat for Endurance Podcast, featuring Director of Research and Development at Tailwind Nutrition, Dr. Art Zemach.
Art (or Dr. Z, as his patients call him) is a retired pediatrician and endurance athlete based in Durango, Colorado who competes in multiple sports, including white water kayak racing, mountain biking, skiing, Ironman, ultra trail running, and others. Jeff Vierling, the co-founder of Tailwind Nutrition, was scheduled to join us on this episode and unfortunately couldn’t make it at the last minute, but Art did a great job of sharing Tailwind Nutrition’s story, how Jeff came to create the company’s signature Endurance Fuel, and how Art later joined the team and co-developed their recovery product, Rebuild.
Art and I had a detailed discussion exploring the science behind key sports nutrition principles, using Tailwind's products to help exemplify many of these principles, including:
Specific nutrient needs for athletes (especially with endurance sports), including protein, carbs, electrolytes, and fluids
The timing of these nutrients
Real food vs sports products
Solid vs liquid calories
Training the gut
How many calories we can absorb
The Low-Carb High-Fat (i.e. ketogenic style) diet and how high carb sports nutrition products are used when following this diet
As a sports dietitian, I also found it interesting to learn a bit about how a nutrition product like Tailwind comes to life, going from a tiny business out of a garage to a multi-million dollar company. There are SO many products out there, and I always wonder how people go from seeing something missing in the market to creating it and selling it internationally.
FYI - I happen to be a fan of Tailwind products and am on their Trailblazer team, but any opinions expressed about their products are my own and not the result of a paid partnership.
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations.
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
Athlete Nutrition Profile - Coach Mario Fraioli of The Morning Shakeout
28 Oct 2019
01:12:11
“Instead of focusing on how fast I could go, or how many miles I could run, my main mission every day was to see how many calories I could burn. It became a game. I got more excited by seeing low numbers on the scale than I did by seeing faster splits on my watch.” - Mario Fraioli
Welcome to Episode 12 of the Eat for Endurance Podcast, featuring running coach, writer, and podcast host, Mario Fraioli.
Mario is deeply entrenched in the running scene, and there’s a good chance you have already read or listened to something that he created. He has been running competitively since high school, coaching runners since 2004, was a Senior Editor at Competitor magazine for six years, and in 2015 launched the morning shakeout, consisting of a weekly newsletter and podcast. I subscribe to both and highly encourage you do the same! So much great content.
I was grateful to catch Mario in late September, during a short window of time that he had between vacation and work travel. He was very generous with his time and all the details of his athletic and nutrition story. In particular, Mario has been very open about his past struggles with disordered eating as a young athlete just out of college, and we focused on this quite a bit - so if this is a topic of interest to you, definitely have a listen.
A bit of background on Mario - he was a cross-country All-American at Stonehill College, and has raced competitively from the mile to ultramarathon distances. He is based in the Bay Area with his wife, and currently has a full roster of coaching clients while training for a variety of races himself. He actually broke his 11-year marathon PR at CIM last year, and is running the NYC marathon for the first time this November!
Good luck, Mario - looking forward to hearing how NYC goes!
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations. If you'd like to work with me for individualized nutrition support, please reach out!
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
Athlete Nutrition Profile - Running Coach John Honerkamp
21 Oct 2019
01:19:23
“Everyone is a runner. Some just chose not to run or don’t know how to start.” - Coach John
Welcome to Episode 11 of the Eat for Endurance Podcast, featuring running coach, consultant, and unofficial celebrity marathon pacer, John Honerkamp.
We’re in the thick of Fall race season, so I thought it would be the perfect time to interview Coach John. If you’re a runner in NYC, you’ve most likely heard his name somewhere, as he has coached runners of all ages and abilities in the area for more than 20 years. John worked for the New York Road Runners (NYRR) for six years, and created a number of programs including the NYRR virtual trainer, NYRR group training, NYRR pace team and NYRR race predictor. He co-founded the November Project in NYC, and also is known for training and pacing celebrities in the NYC marathon, including Karlie Kloss, Caroline Wozniaki, Apolo Ohno, and Summer Sanders. In 2015, John started his own coaching and running-related consulting firm, J. R. Honerkamp, LLC.
John was kind enough to come over to my apartment, and we recorded at my rickety kitchen table (which, in hindsight, was not the best location for acoustics…so my apologies for the sound issues). I loved hearing about his upbringing in a large family and being introduced to the NYC running scene at such a young age, and how his enthusiasm for running and later on, coaching, has continued for years to come. Even though he often paces celebrities, he clearly loves sharing his knowledge of and passion for the sport with absolutely everyone. Our discussion skewed a bit more towards running/coaching than nutrition, but I think you’ll enjoy John’s entertaining stories and words of running wisdom, especially my listeners who are currently in marathon training mode. A great listen as you get ready for NYC or any other race this season!
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations. If you'd like to work with me for individualized nutrition support, please reach out!
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
Nutrition and Running - A Toddler's Perspective
14 Oct 2019
00:05:47
Hey guys! Welcome to Episode 10 of the Eat for Endurance Podcast.
In honor of just having had a baby, I thought it would be fun to post this VERY short interview with my two year old daughter, Arielle. She always has lots to say about food and running, which isn't a big surprise given her runner parents and nutritionist mother (that said, she clearly does not understand what I do for work...listen for more on that one!). We did this mostly to test out my new podcasting equipment, but it ended up being too cute not to share! You'll find a couple descriptions in there of some things I like to make (muffins, smoothies etc) that the whole family enjoys, as a bonus.
On a totally separate parenting note, it's really nuts how quickly language can develop in a two year old! We recorded back in early July, when she was quite verbal but speaking more in short sentences, and she's now having full, complex conversations, singing long songs, etc. Watching a child grow truly is amazing!
Back to regular athlete nutrition programming next time, I promise. Lots of exciting guests in the pipeline so stay tuned!
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
High Carb Fueling with the Scientist Behind Carbs Fuel Gels
12 Jun 2025
01:00:13
In episode 118 of The Eat for Endurance Podcast, I’m joined by Aaron Gouw, an endurance cyclist and fellow Santa Cruz native. He's also the Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of the sports nutrition brand Carbs Fuel.
Aaron holds a Master’s degree in High Altitude Exercise Physiology, and is currently finishing his PhD in Human Bioenergetics. For many years, he's been on his own journey as a competitive athlete trying to figure out how to fuel effectively without breaking the bank.
Aaron and I discuss:
How his personal fueling strategy has evolved over the last decade (including a story about his greatest nutrition fail ever)
What it takes to create an endurance gel from scratch in your kitchen
The current science behind high carb fueling, and if you should try it
Why simplicity, personalization, and gut training matter most when dialing in your fueling strategy
Key Takeaways:
High carb fueling (i.e. >90g/hr) can improve endurance performance, but only if it works for you and makes sense for what you're doing
Experimentation and gut training are both very important
Carbs Fuel offers a simple 50g endurance gel for just $2, making it one of the best value gels on the market
Fueling isn’t just about race day; it’s about consistently supporting your training, recovery, and life beyond the workout so you can feel your best
Whether you’re new to fueling or nutrition nerds like us, this episode is packed with practical advice and behind-the-scenes stories. Tune in to learn more!
FYI: This episode is NOT sponsored by Carbs Fuel. I enjoy their gel, love that it's affordable, and wanted to learn more about this brand. I encourage you to try lots of different brands and products to see which work best for you!
Enjoyed this episode? Please leave a 5-star review and subscribe to help more athletes fuel smarter!
Disclaimer: All information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations.
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
Ask Me Anything - Your Nutrition Questions Answered
03 Oct 2019
00:20:09
You asked, and finally received - it only took me 8 episodes, but I finally got around to doing an Ask Me Anything show to answer your burning nutrition questions! At the time of recording (and of writing these show notes), I am almost 39 weeks pregnant and trying to take my mind off of playing the waiting game (i.e. simultaneous desires to get this baby outta me right now, and also - but wait stay in, I need more time, I'm not ready yet!), so thank you listeners for the distraction.
This will be an ongoing series - essentially, whenever I have 20-30 minutes available to sit down and record my thoughts on what you send through, so please email me anytime with your questions. And when I say anything, I mean it (okay, within reason guys)! I assume you mostly want to ask about nutrition, but if you'd like to ask me about - for example - my experiences staying active during pregnancy, or what I feed my daughter, or my past or future race experiences, or whatever else is on your mind, go for it. I do eventually plan on recording an athlete nutrition profile of myself FYI so that you can get to know my athletic and nutrition background (why not right?) - so look out for that in the future. If I ever get to sit down and record again with an infant haha!
Here are a few of the topics that we cover in this episode:
Managing "hanger" post workout and especially during higher volumes of training
Recommendations for protein powders and bars
Macro-counting - yay or nay?
Ironman (or more generally, endurance) nutrition - training the gut, how many calories we can absorb, eating real food, and more
Giving your stomach (and brain!) a chance to register what you have eaten before going back for seconds
Eating three bigger meals plus snacks versus smaller, more frequent meals
Thanks again for your questions! And remember, the best nutrition advice is individualized, so don't hesitate to reach out to me (or another) RD if you feel you need more assistance!
Announcements:
Please help me grow the show by SUBSCRIBING if you're enjoying these episodes, and rate/review if you have a minute!
If you can afford to donate a few bucks to help support the show financially, please visit my Patreon page
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations. If you'd like to work with me for individualized nutrition support, please reach out!
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
Athlete Nutrition Profile - Elite Ultrarunner and Low-Carb High-Fat Athlete Mike McKnight
30 Sep 2019
01:12:16
Welcome to Episode 8 of the Eat for Endurance Podcast, featuring elite ultrarunner and low-carb high-fat (LCHF) athlete Mike McKnight.
Mike has lived his entire life in Utah - until just recently, when he moved to Denver, CO to continue his job as the Event Manager at Altra. Mike races a wide variety of distances, but his “thing” is 200 milers! More specifically, there is a series called the Triple Crown of 200s that consists of the Bigfoot 200 (Mt. St Helens, WA) in Aug, the Tahoe 200 in Sept, and the Moab 200 (which is actually 240 miles) in Oct, totaling 645 miles in 2.5 months. That’s endurance on a whole new level! Not only did he win the Triple Crown in 2017, he is two races into this year’s Triple Crown with two wins and two course records! So, I had to get Mike on the Podcast to chat all about how one goes about fueling for these types of epic multi-day events, especially with a full-time job, a wife, a toddler, and another baby on the way.
His most recent triumph at the Tahoe 200 did not come easily. As he later posted:
“From the moment the race started and I felt how heavy my legs were from Bigfoot, I knew this was gonna be a battle. Heavy legs ended up being the least of my worries. Going into the second night, so much bad happened which almost completely derailed my race. A faulty headlamp which caused me to use my cell phone light. Multiple of the worst bloody noses I've ever had, which caused me to lay on the trail for minutes multiple times to get them to stop. Losing my mind and talking to voices in my head while getting lost in a time loop. Thankfully I had a smart, helpful wife, and the drive to work through it all. So stoked to get the win and counter clockwise Course Record.”
Mike also won Moab too, winning the Triple Crown this year and becoming the first person to win all three races in one season. Read about it here. CONGRATS Mike!!
A big part of what drew me to Mike was a strong curiosity about how he manages to put in all these crazy miles, and WIN these types of races, on a LCHF diet. We often hear about this diet in the endurance world - and many clients ask me about it, usually from a weight-loss standpoint. I still feel that this diet isn’t suitable for most and caution the everyday recreational athlete against “going keto” without having really assessed whether or not it’s appropriate. But I went into our discussion with an open mind, learned a lot, and can absolutely see how a strategic use of a LCHF diet can be very successful among certain athletes, especially in the endurance setting.
Speaking of Mike’s story, he truly has an incredible one. In 2012, he broke his back in a skiing accident and was told he’d never run competitively again. Obviously, that didn’t stop him, and he was back to running within WEEKS.
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
Fueling Young Athletes - A Discussion with Sports Dietitian Lauren Antonucci
23 Sep 2019
00:55:27
Welcome to Episode 7 of the Eat for Endurance Podcast, featuring Registered Dietitian Lauren Antonucci. Today’s topic of fueling young athletes (i.e. through the collegiate level) is one that I am particularly excited about, as I love working with this client population, and as a parent myself, hope to raise my girls to enjoy physical activity as much as my husband and I do!
Lauren is the perfect person to talk about fueling young athletes, both from a personal and professional standpoint. She is a longtime runner and triathlete with thirteen marathons and three Ironman races under her belt, a Mom of three active children, and a sports dietitian who has extensive experience with both adults and younger clients (her additional specialties include diabetes and eating disorders, among others). Lauren is the director of Nutrition Energy, a Manhattan-based private practice where I have been freelancing for the past few years. If you need a dietitian for yourself or your child (especially while I’m on maternity leave), reach out to the office to work with Lauren or another RD on staff and please mention that you were referred from this episode.
Here are some of the things that we cover in our discussion:
Personal experience as dietitians and athletes with raising active, healthy kids
Role modeling healthy behaviors as a parent
Making food and exercise fun and appealing
Balancing treats with other foods to foster a positive relationship with food
How parents can encourage optimal fueling for performance while still allowing their kids to enjoy being kids
Nutrients that we keep a close eye on with young athletes
Navigating body image and disordered eating issues, should they arise
Red flags parents can watch out for re: underfeeding and disordered eating
Handling scheduling challenges from a nutrition perspective, including travel to practice, games, camps, races, etc, especially with rigorous academic schedules
Addressing a child’s desire to follow a restrictive diet (e.g. vegan or vegetarian)
Fueling adequately within the team environment, especially if the environment is not conducive to eating/drinking
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations. If you'd like to work with me for individ
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
From Bartender to Ultramarathon Champion: Maggie Guterl’s Journey to Big’s Victory
16 Sep 2019
01:03:06
Welcome to Episode 6 of the Eat for Endurance Podcast, where we dive deep with elite ultrarunner Maggie Guterl - better known as "Maggatron."
Maggie and I crossed paths through Tailwind Nutrition, where she serves as the Athletes & Events Manager. She also leads the Tailwind Trailblazer group, which I joined this year. To be clear, I’m not sponsored by Tailwind, and I’m not receiving any compensation for mentioning them; I just genuinely love their products!
Originally from Pennsylvania, Maggie recently relocated to Durango, CO, the home base of Tailwind. After running her first marathon in 2009, she caught the endurance bug and went on to run her first ultra (a 24-hour race!) in 2011. Since then, she’s conquered numerous 24-hour races, participated in Big’s Backyard Ultra (which she’ll race again this October), and even faced the infamous Barkley Marathons in 2018 - one of the most challenging ultras on the planet! Maggie’s remarkable achievements include a 2nd place finish at the 2016 Georgia Death Race, earning her golden ticket to the Western States 100, where she went on to place 8th female.
In this episode, we discuss how she made the shift from bartending and partying to ultrarunning, how she fine-tuned both her everyday and sports nutrition, and—surprise!—how it is possible to run long distances without feeling like you’re going to puke your guts out.
UPDATE: Maggie just WON Big’s Backyard Ultra! As in, she was the last person standing, running an incredible 60 hours straight. You can read all about her winning race and the nutrition strategy that powered her to victory here.
Tune in to hear Maggie’s inspiring journey, valuable nutrition tips, and why ultrarunning truly is a mental and physical adventure!
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations
Jason and I met back in 2015, when he moderated a nutrition panel I was on at an Endurance Sports conference. We kept in touch thereafter, and I was excited to be a guest on his new at the time podcast to talk all about the impact of pregnancy on running and nutrition, towards the end of my first pregnancy (listen to the episode here). So now it’s Jason’s turn to talk all things nutrition and running!
A little background on Jason - he’s an accomplished runner, a USA Track & Field certified coach, founder of Strength Running (one of the largest running blogs on the web), author of 101 Simple Ways to be a Better Runner and Running for Health and Happiness, and podcaster (his guest line-up is amazing - check it out) as well as a father of three young kids, based in Colorado.
I think you’re really going to enjoy our discussion about his nutrition and athletic background, how Strength Running came to life, how his diet and approach to nutrition have evolved especially since working on his own Nutrition for Runners Program with fellow RD Anne Mauney, and balancing his own training and professional life with raising young kids.
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations. If you'd like to work with me for individualized nutrition support, please reach out!
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
Athlete Nutrition Profile - Endurance Athlete and Coach Travis Macy
26 Aug 2019
01:03:45
Today’s episode of the Eat for Endurance Podcast continues my Athlete Nutrition Profile Series with speaker, author, coach, and endurance athlete, Travis Macy. You name the sport, he's probably done it – and maybe even all in a single event! You will finish this episode feeling inspired to seek out your own next big adventure in life and/or in sport, even if you are not an ultra-athlete yourself.
A little more background on Travis - he has finished over 120 ultra endurance events in 17 countries, including setting a record in 2013 for Leadman (an epic endurance event consisting of a trail running marathon, 50-mile mountain bike race, Leadville 100 Mountain Bike Race, 10k road run, and Leadville 100 Run), all while raising two young children with his wife in Evergreen, Colorado. He is a former classroom teacher with a Master’s degree in Education, runs a college consulting business with his wife, coaches private clients to finish a variety of endurance events, and wrote the awesome book The Ultra Mindset: An Endurance Champion’s 8 Core Principles for Success in Business, Sports, and Life. I read it back in 2015, after Travis and I met at an Endurance conference, and thoroughly appreciated the important and practical advice that he has gleaned from his years of professional racing and how it applies to other areas of life. I particularly enjoyed our exploration of how his principles can be applied to one’s nutrition!
Next week, Travis is setting off on his next big racing adventure – Eco Challenge Fiji – which is “the ultimate expedition race in which international teams of athletes will race non-stop, 24 hours a day, across hundreds of miles of rugged backcountry terrain complete with mountains, jungles and oceans.” The Challenge will air on Amazon Prime in 2020 – so stay tuned if you'd like to watch! We wish you and your teammates the best of luck, Travis!
If you wish to learn more about and/or work with Travis:
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations. If you'd like to work with me for individualized nutrition support, please reach out!
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
How Matt Wilpers Fuels for Peak Performance and Endurance
16 Aug 2019
01:02:34
Today’s episode kicks off the Athlete Nutrition Profile Series on the Eat for Endurance Podcast, and I’m thrilled to start with none other than Matt Wilpers!
Matt and I go way back to our days coaching a triathlon team together in New York City. He’s an exceptional athlete and coach who blends science and fun into training - an approach I also bring to nutrition with my clients.
Matt’s athletic background is impressive. He competed as an NCAA Division I Cross Country and Track distance runner at Georgia State University and has spent over a decade coaching runners and cyclists.
His coaching experience includes positions at Equinox, Mile High Run Club, and now Peloton, where he leads PowerZone training alongside Denis Morton and also teaches at the Tread studio. If you’re a Peloton member and haven’t taken his classes yet, you’re missing out! As a Peloton bike owner myself, I’m a huge fan.
I know many of you are wondering, “What does Matt eat?” Well, you’re in luck, because you're going to find out!
Join me for this fun conversation, recorded at Peloton HQ, where Matt shares his nutrition philosophy, daily fueling habits, and insights on balancing performance with real-life eating.
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations. If you'd like to work with me for individualized nutrition support, please reach out!
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
Intuitive Eating, Weight, and Athletes – A Discussion with Registered Dietitian Heather Caplan
13 Aug 2019
01:03:46
Meet Heather Caplan – a D.C. based Registered Dietitian, freelance writer, running coach, yoga teacher, podcast host, and mother. Heather and I connected back in 2015 at the SCAN (Sports Cardiovascular and Wellness Nutrition) Symposium in Portland OR, and I thought she would be a wonderful first guest on the Eat for Endurance Podcast!
Here are some of the topics that we cover:
What is Intuitive Eating? (Hint - it's more than simply eating when you're hungry and stopping when you're full!)
Intuitive eating and sports nutrition - reconciling the two
What is HAES (health at every size)?
Weight and sports performance - significance of “racing weight” and lowering weight during training (but at what cost?)
Fit Fueling sports nutrition & intuitive eating course – for more info, email fitfueling@gmail.com
Other Announcements:
Please help me grow the show by SUBSCRIBING if you're enjoying these episodes, and rate/review if you have a minute!
If you can afford to donate a few bucks to help support the show financially, given I do not currently have sponsors and podcasting is very very time consuming, please visit my Patreon page
Have nutrition questions, a guest or topic request, or any other feedback? Email me - claire@eatforendurance.com.
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations. If you'd like to work with me for individualized nutrition support, please reach out!
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
Welcome to the Eat for Endurance Podcast
12 Aug 2019
00:06:44
Welcome to the Eat for Endurance Nutrition Podcast! My name is Claire Shorenstein, and I am a Registered Dietitian and running coach based in New York City.
Today's episode is a quick intro to the podcast, including a little background on myself plus a few things things that I envision for future episodes! Have a listen and let me know what you think. I'd love to hear from you if you have any guest or topic requests, or if you have any nutrition-related questions that you'd like me to address.
Please visit my website www.eatforendurance.com if you would like more information about me or my nutrition practice, Eat for Endurance. You can find me on social media as @eatforendurance (Instagram here and Facebook here) and you can reach me via email at eatforendurance@gmail.com.
Also, please consider supporting this podcast by leaving a 5-star review on iTunes, and by visiting my Patreon page. This helps to keep the podcast advertising free!
I am expecting my second daughter in early October, so obviously August is the perfect time to launch a big new project (!!!), but I hope to continue to publish episodes during my maternity leave. Please also excuse any technical/editing imperfections, as well as my "ums," "likes," and "you knows" in these early episodes while I get used to podcasting.
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
Performance Supplements for Endurance Athletes: What Works (and What Doesn’t) with Vic Johnson
29 May 2025
00:56:03
In episode 117 of The Eat for Endurance Podcast, I’m joined by fellow sports dietitian Vic Johnson, MPH, RDN, to break down one of the most talked-about and often misunderstood topics in the endurance world: performance supplements.
Vic works with many top trail and ultra athletes, and is an ultra runner himself, so he knows what it takes to fuel smart and optimize performance.
We dive into the latest research and give practical tips for popular endurance supplements like caffeine, ketone esters, and sodium bicarbonate, among others.
Our conversation will help you decide whether any of these ergogenic aids are worth your time and money. Spoiler alert: If the basics of fueling, hydration, sleep, and recovery aren’t dialed in yet, that’s where you should start!
Vic and I discuss:
Why caffeine is the most effective supplement for endurance performance
How sodium bicarbonate might help during hard efforts, but why it's risky
Whether ketones live up to the hype, and why they taste like battery acid
Other supplements like dietary nitrates, polyphenols, creatine, and collagen
How to safely and strategically approach supplements in training
Why the basics, including nutrition and hydration, matter most
Key Takeaways:
Caffeine has the most consistent benefits, but dose and timing matter
Sodium bicarb and ketone esters may help some athletes, but come with GI concerns and a steep price tag
Supplements are the cherry on top; focus on food, hydration, carb intake, recovery, and sleep first
Always test out supplements in training and adjust based on tolerance
Enjoyed this episode? Please leave a 5-star review and subscribe to help more athletes fuel smarter!
Disclaimer: All information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations.
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
From Ballet to Ultra Running: An Athlete’s Journey to the Cocodona 250
15 May 2025
01:06:36
In episode 116 of The Eat for Endurance Podcast, ultra runner Kabuki Snyder shares her powerful story, from struggling with disordered eating as a young ballerina to training for one of the toughest races out there: the Cocodona 250.
We dive into how she approaches ultra running nutrition, training, and balancing life and work with her endurance goals.
Kabuki and I discuss:
Growing up in Ghana and how early memories shaped her relationship with food
Transitioning from ballet and body image struggles to finding joy in ultra running
Fueling strategies for single day trail races, stage races like Lapland and Atacama, and other long races like the Cocodona 250
What real-life training and fueling looks like with a 4am wakeup call and a global work schedule
How she has prepared for 250 miles with spreadsheets, snacks, and strong community support
Key Takeaways:
You don’t need to “look like a runner” to be one
Ultra running nutrition must be flexible, practiced, and personalized
“Real food” can be part of your race plan
Fueling enough everyday and surrounding exercise is non-negotiable
You can balance ultra running goals with a full-time job (yes, really!)
🎧 Tune in to learn more! Also, a huge congrats to Kabuki on finishing the Cocodona 250 in 109:26:29, despite extremely challenging conditions!
Enjoyed this episode? Please leave a 5-star review and subscribe to help more athletes fuel smarter!
Disclaimer: All information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations.
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
Does Body Weight Affect How You Should Fuel During Exercise?
01 May 2025
00:41:22
In episode 115 of The Eat for Endurance Podcast, I welcome back Sports Dietitian Stevie Lyn Smith, MS RD CSSD to dive into how body weight impacts fueling needs during exercise.
For years, carb recommendations during exercise were based on duration and intensity, without considering body size. New research suggests that larger-bodied athletes may benefit from higher carb intake to optimize performance.
What We Cover in This Episode:
Traditional carb guidelines during endurance exercise, and why they have been independent of body size
How a 2024 study suggests a potential shift toward considering body-weight when setting carb fueling goals
Why smaller athletes still need to fuel adequately
How training status and workout intensity also play a major role
Key considerations for long-course events like triathlons and ultramarathons
The importance of fueling, regardless of weight loss goals
Key Takeaway:
Fueling needs are individual (have I said this one enough?!). Larger-bodied athletes may need more carbs during exercise, but every athlete, no matter their size, deserves and needs proper nutrition to perform and recover well.
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
Fuel for Effort, Not Speed: Why Slower Endurance Athletes Still Need Carbs
17 Apr 2025
00:30:57
In episode 114 of The Eat for Endurance Podcast, Sports Dietitian Stevie Smith, MS RD CSSD joins me for the first in a two-part series on how various factors impact how you should fuel during endurance activities.
In Part 1, we discuss how exercise intensity affects fueling needs. More specifically, we tackle a question that we often hear from mid and especially back-of-the-pack athletes:
“Do I really need to eat that many carbs during exercise if I’m not very fast?”
Here’s what we cover to answer this question:
Why higher intensity exercise, even at a slower pace, demands more carbs
How to adjust fueling based on YOUR effort level, not just pace or duration
The risks of underfueling, including fatigue, poor performance, increased injury risk, and mental burnout
High carb fueling and who may (and may not) benefit
Practical guidelines for pre-, during-, and post-workout fueling and for a variety of sports (e.g. road running, trail/ultra, triathlon)
How to adjust your fueling strategy when unexpected challenges occur and throw you off pace
It doesn't matter if you're chasing a PR or just trying to finish strong. Whether you're an elite or back-of-the-pack athlete, your body needs fuel that matches your effort.
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
Fueling an FKT: How Tara Dower's Crew Helped Her Conquer the Appalachian Trail
03 Apr 2025
00:39:22
Last week in Episode 112, I sat down with Tara Dower to hear about how she fuels trail running, thru-hiking, and FKTs, including her record-breaking FKT on the Appalachian Trail. But what does it take to SUPPORT an athlete through such a grueling feat?
In this bonus episode, we’re diving behind the scenes with Amy Good, an endurance athlete and crucial member of Tara’s support crew. Amy is not a nutrition expert, but she did a fantastic job of keeping Tara well-fueled on the AT.
Amy played a key role in supporting Tara throughout her journey, preparing nutrient-dense meals and snacks for the majority of Tara's effort. But this experience wasn’t just about Tara’s success. Amy found a deep sense of purpose and fulfillment in being part of something bigger than herself.
In this episode, we discuss:
How Amy ensured Tara had high-carb, high-calorie meals to sustain her daily mileage
The importance of meal timing, hydration, and electrolyte balance
Why the support crew plays a crucial role in endurance efforts
How this experience changed Amy’s perspective and personal life goals
Tune in to hear Amy’s insights, behind-the-scenes stories (including a big reveal that even Tara doesn't know about), and other incredible moments from Tara’s Appalachian Trail FKT.
If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe and leave a review to help more athletes fuel smarter!
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
From DNF to Dominance: How Tara Dower Fuels Thru-Hikes, FKTs, and Ultramarathons
27 Mar 2025
01:00:14
In Episode 112 of The Eat for Endurance Podcast, I chat with ultrarunner and thru-hiker Tara Dower, aka Candy Mama. If you don’t already know Tara, she’s an incredible endurance athlete with multiple FKTs, podium finishes, and race wins under her belt.
Most notably, she set the overall Fastest Known Time (FKT) on the Appalachian Trail (AT) in September, breaking the previous record by 13 hours! She also recently secured her golden ticket to the Western States 100 with a second-place finish at the Black Canyon 100K.
Tara has gone through a huge transformation in how she fuels for endurance sports in recent years, and it has taken her performance to the next level.
Here's what we cover in this episode:
How she grew up as a selective eater, and what types of foods she currently enjoys
How she uses dramatically different fueling approaches for thru-hiking compared to ultras and FKTs
Why she relies on whole foods for FKTs but sticks to gels and liquid calories for races
How her crew supported her with nutrition on the AT (bonus episode coming out next week on this!)
How she overcame throwing up during ultras by training her gut to handle higher carb intakes and personalizing her hydration strategy
Tara’s recovery strategies after huge endurance efforts, including what she eats post-race and how she balances rest and training
How she manages anxiety and mental challenges during long efforts and in everyday life, including the grounding techniques that help keep her present
Tune in now to hear Tara’s full story and learn how she’s gearing up for Western States!
Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe and leave a review to help more athletes fuel smarter!
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
Nutrition Myths Debunked: The Truth About Food Dyes, Seed Oils, Raw Milk, and Supplements
13 Mar 2025
01:06:42
Confused by all the nutrition noise online? You’re not alone! In Episode 111 of The Eat for Endurance Podcast, Sports Dietitian Lauren Link, MS RD CSSD, joins me to break down some of the most debated nutrition topics from this past year.
We separate fear-driven fads from real science, explore why myths about food dyes, seed oils, raw milk, and supplements have taken off, and give you practical strategies to make safe, informed choices for your health and athletic performance.
We cover:
Why nutrition misinformation is louder than ever (and how to tune it out)
The truth about supplements - do athletes really need them?
Artificial food dyes (especially Red 3 & 40) - should you be concerned?
Are seed oils actually inflammatory? What does the science say?
Why raw milk isn’t worth the risk
Simple, science-backed ways to fuel your body - no fads required
Hit play now to get the facts you need to fuel smarter and safely!
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
Fertility and Hormone Health for Athletes
23 Oct 2025
01:22:34
In Episode 126 of The Eat for Endurance Podcast, I’m joined by fertility experts Laura Ligos, Registered Dietitian and founder of The Sassy Dietitian, and Danielle Kepics, Physician Assistant and founder of Empowered Mind + Body. Together, they co-run The Unconventional Collaborative, a mastermind supporting practitioners, coaches, and trainers looking to elevate their work (I’m a member myself!).
In this episode, we explore a topic that doesn’t get nearly enough attention in athletic spaces: fertility and how it connects to performance and long-term health for both women and men.
PSA: Fertility isn’t just about having kids. It’s also a reflection of hormone and metabolic health, energy availability, and overall well-being. In other words, your reproductive health is a vital sign of how your body is functioning.
We dive into:
Why fertility is about so much more than having kids (although we talk about that too, don't worry)
How underfueling and stress impact fertility and hormone health
Common signs of low energy availability in athletes
Why menstrual cycles (for women) and testosterone levels (for men) are key performance and health indicators
Nutrition strategies to support fertility and healthy hormones
The role of birth control in reproductive health
And SO much more!
This is a must-listen for any active person who wants to perform their best and protect their long-term well-being.
Enjoyed this episode? Please leave a 5-star review and subscribe to help more athletes fuel smarter!
Disclaimer: All information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations.
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
From Underfueled to 100-Mile Finisher: How This Athlete Regained Trust in her Body
27 Feb 2025
01:04:31
In episode 110 of the Eat for Endurance podcast, host Claire Shorenstein sits down with ultrarunner, author, podcaster, and adventure seeker, Angie Marie.
From her early days in karate and track to ultrarunning and gravel bike racing later on, Angie shares her evolving relationship with food and body. She opens up about her struggles with orthorexia, how a surprise ectopic pregnancy and emergency surgery served as a wake up call, and how this ultimately led her to change the way she moves, fuels herself, and adventures outdoors.
We cover:
The impact of diet culture and misinformation on young female athletes
Struggling with mental blocks and fear of failure in high school and beyond
Overcoming underfueling, stress fractures, and distrust in her body
Coping with anxiety and PTSD following her experience at the Boston Marathon bombings
A health crisis that led her to become a “menstrual cycle nerd” and to reconnect with her body
Embracing intuitive eating as part of her healing process, while also eating with purpose as an endurance athlete
How she fuels for ultramarathons, gravel bike races, and other adventures
Her goal to have the most fun, not to go the fastest or the farthest
We also discuss:
How to stay well nourished when traveling frequently
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
Blood Sugar and Performance: Myths, Facts, and Fueling Strategies with Hayden James
13 Feb 2025
00:59:31
In Episode 109 of the Eat for Endurance podcast, Hayden James, RDN CSSD CDCES of Satiate Nutrition joins me for a deep dive into blood sugar levels and athletic performance.
Hayden is a sports dietitian, Certified Diabetes Care & Education Specialist, and the conference director for the inaugural 2025 Fuel Fest, an endurance and mountain sports nutrition conference for healthcare professionals. She's also an avid trail runner, climber, skier, and lifter based in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Hayden and I discuss everything you should know about blood sugar levels as an athlete, including:
Which foods and other factors cause blood sugar levels to increase
The role of insulin in the body
Acute vs chronic glucose elevations
Why maintaining "normal" blood sugar levels is important to overall health
Why a blood sugar spike in itself isn’t a bad thing
How to tell if you truly have low blood sugar, or if you're just hungry
Why simple sugars found in sports nutrition products are helpful
Different forms of simple sugars that you can use during exercise
The importance of adequate carb intake for bone health and iron status
What might be causing your afternoon slump (hint: it's not the carbs)
The use of continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) in non-diabetic athletes
Why athletes should use caution with CGMs, and perhaps even avoid them
We also aim to clear up some of the confusion on this topic to encourage athletes to stop fearing and/or limiting carbs in their diet.
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
How to Elevate Your Running with Coach Sara Manderscheid
30 Jan 2025
01:05:42
Welcome to episode 108 of the Eat for Endurance Podcast, featuring endurance athlete and run coach, Sara Manderscheid. Sara hosts the podcast Elevate Your Running, which is also the name of her coaching company.
In this Athlete Nutrition Profile, Sara shares how her approach to fueling herself has changed dramatically across her life. We discuss:
Her memories of being physically active as a kid, including adventures on her bike with lots of snacks in her basket
How the message of “smaller is better” from various media sources made her question and try to change her own body as a teenager
How she fueled herself with Diet Coke, 100 calorie packs, and 1 meal per day in college
Why she started to run while working in financial services, and how running (eventually) helped her learn how to nourish herself properly
How she recovered from periods of intentional and unintentional underfueling to become a healthy and strong distance runner again
How she coped with body changes throughout this process
Mishaps with sports nutrition over the years, including an exploding gel
Why carbs are such an essential part of her diet
Some of her current favorite sports nutrition products
Why meal prepping is an important part of her routine, especially during peak training weeks, and what she loves to make
Some of the biggest nutrition challenges that she observes as a coach
What she's currently training for (hint - it's not Boston)
I hope you enjoy my chat with Sara Manderscheid! Also, stay tuned for my appearance on her podcast, where we talk about all things iron and ferritin related.
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
New Year, Your Diet (Still) Sucks with Kylee Van Horn and Zoë Rom
16 Jan 2025
01:08:21
Happy New Year and welcome to Episode 107 of the Eat for Endurance podcast!
We’re kicking off Season 7 with a bang, featuring two awesome guests: sports dietitian Kylee Van Horn, RDN and journalist and writer Zoë Rom. These two are not only best friends but also trail-running partners, running coaches, Aussie dog moms, and co-hosts of the podcast Your Diet Sucks.
With the New Year in full swing, you're probably seeing an avalanche of marketing nonsense plus a lot of confusing if not harmful advice. That’s why this episode is all about cutting through the nutrition noise.
Kylee, Zoë and I discuss why athletes are particularly vulnerable to diet BS, and how to identify and reject nutrition misinformation (especially online). We also chat about how to become the best version of yourself without falling into the trap of constant data tracking and optimization.
Other highlights from our conversation include:
What to look for when choosing supplements
Whether trendy products like ketones and sodium bicarbonate are worth the investment
Why sugar is crucial for endurance athletes
Why extremes in the world of nutrition are not the place to be
The importance of working on nutrition basics before chasing after all the "shiny objects"
Kylee's and Zoë's "nutrition hot takes"
And so much more!
This episode is packed with practical advice, and plenty of laughs. I hope you enjoy it!
Before you give this episode a listen, I want to shout out my NEW nutrition membership service Fuel for Life Crew!
It’s just $30/month, and your membership includes:
Direct support from me AND a group of awesome people like YOU
Private Slack channel organized by different areas of interest
Live presentations on topics that you help choose (with replays available)
Full access to my online library of resources at no extra cost
You can join monthly and cancel anytime, and you get 50% off your first month with code FUEL50 if you join by January 31st. Get more info by visiting my website, eatforendurance.com.
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
From Burnout to Endurance: Emily Halnon on Joy, Nutrition & Running
19 Dec 2024
01:25:35
Welcome to episode 106 of The Eat for Endurance Podcast! It’s been a few months since my last Athlete Nutrition Profile, so I’m extra excited for today's guest - writer, trail runner, and mountain athlete, Emily Halnon.
Emily's essays and articles explore the intersection of running and the human experience, and have been published in a number of major media outlets. She also recently published her first book, called To the Gorge.
To the Gorge is a beautiful memoir that Emily wrote about losing her mother to a rare uterine cancer and setting the Fastest Known Time (FKT) on the 460-mile Oregon Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) later that year to celebrate her Mom's life and help process her grief.
In addition to setting the FKT, Emily has run the Hardrock 100 for the last three consecutive years, finishing 6th female this past summer.
Emily and I cover a wide variety of topics across her life, including:
Early memories of food and mealtimes with her family in Vermont
Her time as a competitive swimmer and the positive nutrition influence of her high school coach
Her transition from swimming to running, motivated by her mother's love of the sport
Emily's mental health struggles, including an eating disorder and depression, which coincided with her identifying as a more "serious" road runner and triathlete
Moving from DC to Oregon, where she started trail running, began therapy, ditched her watch, and rediscovered joy in running
Trail magic and other treats on the PCT
How she fuels during trail adventures as well as races, like the Hardrock 100
What she currently struggles with in her everyday and performance nutrition
Her tips for how to care for yourself through hardship
I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I did!
FYI, this is the last episode of Season 6. If you'd like to support my free content, you can:
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
Nutrition for Active Women in Midlife and Beyond with Sports Dietitian Val Schonberg
05 Dec 2024
01:25:40
Welcome to episode 105 of The Eat for Endurance Podcast! Sports Dietitian Val Schonberg, MS RD CSSD MSCP joins me to discuss several key topics relating to midlife nutrition and health for active women.
Val is a Certified Menopause Practitioner with The Menopause Society and helps women rethink aging, avoid harmful restrictions, and adopt sustainable lifestyle changes for vitality and long-term health.
Here are the topics that Val and I cover in this information-packed episode:
1. Protein needs in midlife and beyond:
Why adequate protein is crucial in peri- and postmenopausal women
How protein needs change for sedentary, active, and highly active women
Why there is some debate about protein recs based on current research
How to consume adequate protein without neglecting other key nutrients
2. Low energy availability (LEA) vs. perimenopause:
Distinguishing between perimenopause and LEA
The importance of addressing symptoms and providing adequate nutrition in both cases to support health and fitness goals
3. Weight gain and body image challenges:
Coping with body changes during perimenopause and postmenopause
Why restriction usually just puts you further away from your goals
How to work with rather than against your body during this time
Examples of how to advocate for yourself during healthcare visits
Using the 5 stages of grief framework to find body acceptance and peace
4. Weight loss medications (GLP-1s) for women in midlife:
When these drugs might be helpful, including in the clinical setting
Potential risks to consider when thinking about taking these drugs
5. Carbohydrates and energy:
Why carbs are essential for active women at all stages of life
Remembering that many carbs are plant foods that benefit health and performance
The importance of individualizing your nutrition plan to your life and needs vs following a generic protocol that you read in a book
Why incorporating ALL types of carbs that you enjoy is crucial to leading a fun, fulfilling, and healthy life
This was SUCH a fantastic discussion and I'm grateful to Val for generously sharing her time and expertise. In case you missed it and want to learn more on this topic, Episode 72 with sports dietitian Dina Griffin provides a great overview of peri- and postmenopausal nutrition for female athletes.
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
How to Take Care of YOU This Holiday Season: 5 Practical Tips [Bonus Episode]
19 Nov 2024
00:26:52
Welcome to Episode 104 of The Eat for Endurance Podcast, which is a special bonus episode on how to practice self-care during the holidays!
The holiday season can be a time of joy, caring, and giving. But let’s be real: it’s also easy to get swept up in the hustle and bustle, leaving little time or energy to care for yourself.
This year, let’s do things differently. In today's episode, I’m sharing my top five tips to help you take care of YOU.
Here's a quick summary of my five tips:
First, eat consistently and adequately. Nourish your body every 3-4 hours to keep your energy levels high and to feel less out-of-control around food later in the day. Don’t skip meals or “save” calories on holidays. If you're traveling, plan ahead and pack snacks to avoid prolonged periods of time without food.
Second, focus on your priorities and goals. Identify what helps you feel your best - whether it’s regular exercise, adequate sleep, or enjoying hobbies - and make time for at least some of those things, even when life gets hectic. Figure out ways to be flexible, rather than fall prey to all-or-nothing thinking.
Third, set boundaries to protect your time and mental health. For instance, learn how to handle encounters with diet or body talk, and set appropriate boundaries with loved ones so that you're able to carve out time for yourself.
Fourth, learn to say no when needed. It’s okay to decline commitments to protect your time and energy. Decide what’s essential, share responsibilities, and avoid overcommitting. You may even need to say no to yourself sometimes (e.g. resting instead of doing your planned workout).
And lastly, try a positive moments journal. Take just two minutes before bed to jot down moments of gratitude or things that made you feel something positive that day. This small habit has been SO helpful for my mental health.
Wishing you a wonderful, safe, and delicious Thanksgiving holiday with loved ones! Stay tuned for my next full episode on December 5th.
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).
Nutrition for Teenage Athletes with Sports Dietitian Bob Seebohar
14 Nov 2024
01:00:24
Welcome to Episode 103 of the Eat for Endurance Podcast, featuring Sports Dietitian and endurance athlete Bob Seebohar, MS RD CSSD CSCS.
Bob comes back on the show today to chat about nutrition for teenage athletes. We both work with high school and collegiate athletes and thought it would be worthwhile to share our experiences as well as our professional expertise on this important and complex topic.
Bob and I cover nutrition for teenage athletes from many different angles, including:
How nutrient needs of teenagers differ from those of adults
The impact of puberty on nutrition and performance in both genders
The importance of prioritizing nutrition for brain development
How to keep over-scheduled teenagers well-nourished
How to navigate peer pressure and the influence of social media
How to support teenagers through body image struggles, especially as their bodies change so frequently
Fueling challenges that result from sports team or family dynamics
How lack of sleep impacts nutrition choices and what to do about it
Why teenagers need to gain some nutrition knowledge and skills before college
How parents can role model health-supporting behaviors and attitudes
And SO much more!
Whether you’re a current or future parent or a teenage athlete yourself, I hope you find this episode useful.
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations