Proper fueling for sport is vital for performance, prevention of injury/illness and maintaining overall general health. Navigating the energy needs of an athlete, adolescent or adult, can be difficult when the physical demands of sports vary in addition to the unique differences between nutrition needs for adolescents/adults and men/women. Each group requires different attention to nutrition whether it be maintaining and ensuring adolescent development, maintaining hormonal balance, including menstrual cycles, or maintaining/building lean body mass throughout training.

Low energy availability (LEA), the energy left over for metabolic functioning after accounting for exercise, is not a new concept however when left undetected can lead to decreases in performance and metabolic functioning, and increased injury and illness. If not addressed, LEA can worsen physical/mental health and lead to Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDS) which can increase the risk of an athlete developing disordered eating/eating disorders.

As a Sports Dietitian, my responsibilities include evaluating an athlete’s nutrition to make sure they are properly fueled for both health and performance, while also reducing the risk of REDS or serious eating disorders. If an athlete is already experiencing LEA, REDS, or an eating disorder, I support them in rebuilding a healthy relationship with food, restoring metabolic balance, correcting nutritional deficiencies, and ensuring they are ready to return to their sport.

 Why a Sports Dietitian:

Personalized nutrition plan to optimize performance

• Athletes of all ages and genders across various sports need varying nutritional requirements to meet the demands of their sport. Nutrition education is crucial here.

Identification of low energy availability/ REDS

• If recurrent injuries/poor healing; illness and/or loss of menstrual cycle, decreased performance observed this could be Low Energy Availability. Identifying this early on to help prevent further development of REDS is crucial.

Support through challenges related to Body Image/Disordered Eating

• Misconceptions related to body composition, size and shape in athletic performance can lead to decreased body image and possible disordered eating/eating disorders.

Prevention of injury/illness

• Ensuring nutrition plan is adequate to meet energy needs for an athlete’s training and prevention of LEA which could lead to injury and illness

Guidance for recovery and time out of sport

• Helping the athlete nourish themselves properly in times of needed rest or break from sport to heal and prevention of LEA which could extend recovery periods

Education on Supplements – when to use them or not

• Food first is best, however, sometimes supplements may be used – knowing what is safe, legal and effective is important

Athlete considerations: Hydration, Sleep, Travel, Training schedules and nourishment timing

• Learning how to rest/fuel/hydrate in various times of travel and demanding training schedules are crucial to health and performance