Why See a Sports Dietitian for Your Young Athlete's Nutrition

You might be in a place where you are thinking, “I know my athlete needs help figuring out their best nutrition strategy to perform their best in their sport”. 

Maybe your athlete complains of:

• Trouble eating anything before morning practices, making it hard for them to reach their potential in each practice

• Trouble fueling through a busy school day, often skipping lunch or missing needed snacks

• Feeling dizzy or light headed in practices or events

• Confusion over what to eat before games or performances and between events on long days of games or competition

• Not knowing what to eat after sustaining a big injury like an ACL tear or stress fracture

• Constant fatigue, even though they get a good amount of sleep at night

You have tried to talk to them and they may or may not have tried to make changes on their own, but you both realize that they need more. They need guidance from a professional.

You start doing your research and realize there are a LOT of people out there saying that they can help. Who do you choose in the sea of options?

This is why I am writing today’s article. Because I have found that there are so many people out there claiming they can help but with very little training or education or understanding about the needs of a child and adolescent athlete. If your athlete is truly struggling with their nutrition, to the degree that it has been affecting their performance or their mental health or their growth and development, I urge you to get with a Registered Dietitian and, preferably one who specializes in both pediatrics and sports. Why see this person? Why choose someone with these specialties? Are they really worth it? YES, they are 100% worth it and I’m answering your questions below…

WHY CHOOSE A REGISTERED DIETITIAN (RD) TO WORK WITH YOUR YOUNG ATHLETE:

#1: An RD has done undergrad work in nutrition

• In undergrad they were in chemistry and biology and labs with the pre-med majors learning to fully understand how the body works and how chemicals and particles work together to form different solutions and substances.

• They were also in food science classes taking what they learned in chemistry and applying it to the foods we eat every day. How foods change when exposed to heat or cold or the reaction two ingredients have when they come together to create something totally new.

• They were in nutrition classes learning how nutrition needs change over the life cycle and how nutrition is used as medical therapy to help heal and prevent illness in all ages and populations.

• They even took research classes and probably had to have a research project before they graduated (I know I did as a graduate from TCU) so that they understood what strong research looked like. They could, therefore, differentiate between weak studies and studies that could actually be applied to a population (one study using only a small group of participants should NOT be used to base recommendations off of, which I see happen a lot in today’s society).

#2: An RD has completed a competitive and extensive Internship

In this internship they had to complete at least 1,000 hours of supervised clinical and community work. They worked with doctors, surgeons, nurses, PT’s, OT’s, Social Workers, and all different families in gaining the skills they needed to work independently after graduation.

• Some RDs also completed a Masters Degree with a certain focus, giving them more education and experience and some went on to further get a PhD. I believe that, as of this year, you must get your Masters if you are going to become a Registered Dietitian.

• To give you a more detailed look at the RD’s training and education to getting to practice I can share a little bit more about my Internship and Masters experience.

• I did a dual Internship - Master’s accelerated program. I completed my internship and Master’s courses in 16 months at the University of Memphis in Memphis, TN.

• My Internship was very clinically focused, although I got to do something a little different at the end. I think having a clinically focused internship has given me such a strong foundation to practice on my own and, now, go into private practice. In my internship I had rotations in: pediatrics, general nutrition (worked in a general hospital on all floors), renal, diabetes, community health (lots of teaching classes and nutrition coaching), nutrition support (2 weeks in the ICU and burn unit at a trauma hospital managing tube feeds and TPN, which is nutrition via IV in its most elemental form), school food service and more.

• To complete the Masters program we took classes outside of when we were in the hospital or in our facility getting supervised experience. We had to complete a Thesis by the end and a “Big Paper”, mine being on Irritable Bowel Disease (Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis), which we then had to transfer to teaching format and teach our class on our topic.

• Registered Dietitians not only know the facts, but their internship has taught them how to teach and how to counsel, which are two completely different sets of skills. Knowing the facts is one thing. Using that knowledge to help another person understand complex topics and actually make needed changes is quite another. RD’s have been trained in this.

#3: An RD is bound to a code of ethics & continued learning

• RD’s are held to a Code of Ethics and they must complete 75 CEU’s a year. We know that science is always changing and we are always learning new things. The RD credential ensures that your support is current and up to date with the most recent findings and recommendations.

WHY CHOOSE A REGISTERED DIETITIAN (RD) WHO SPECIALIZES IN PEDIATRICS:

#1: An rd specializing in pediatrics is extremely familiar with the unique needs of a child or teen

• Children and teens are assessed differently than adults.

• Growth charts are used to assess needs, different calculations are needed to assess energy needs, these clients have different number goals when assessing Energy Availability, they have different macro and micronutrient needs depending on their stage of development. They are different than adults!

• This RD can look at and talk with your athlete, understand what stage of development they are in (not just how old they are) and give recommendations from there. An RD that works in pediatrics understands that you can’t simply go off of their age. You must talk with and meet with the athlete to then assess their needs most accurately.

• An RD who has spent their career working with children and teens will more understand their goals, their common obstacles, and how to work with them.
  
  

WHY CHOOSE AN RD WHO ALSO SPECIALIZES IN SPORTS:

#1: Elite and highly competitive athletes have their own personality characteristics

• They are typically very very driven, have an impeccable ability to focus and achieve and take direction. Many, although not all, might consider themselves “type A” or “perfectionists”. A pediatrics sports dietitian understands not only the mind of a child/teen but also the thinking and actions of an athlete. They are able to take into consideration both of these characteristics as they create recommendations and nutrition plans.

#2: Elite and highly competitive athletes have different nutrition focuses and needs

• There are very specific recommendations around calorie, macro and micronutrient needs for athletes that train a certain number of hours a day. Different macronutrients are used most efficiently at different efforts of training. Certain labs should be checked in athletes that may not be necessary for the average child / teen or the average non-athlete. Hydration and electrolytes and energy availability are all important topics for athletes, especially a pediatric athlete. A non-sports dietitian may not be as experienced in this.

#3: A sports RD who has their CSSD has obtained a high number of hours of experience and sat for a national exam to become Board Certified in Sports

A sports dietitian who has their CSSD, has obtained a certain number of hours of experience through a mix of clinical practice, research, and education and sat for the CSSD exam, which is a 3 hour exam focused on sports nutrition-specific questions and case studies.

• There are scenarios that don’t typically come up for non-athletes that sports dietitians are well-informed on, including scenarios like:

• Pre-event fueling

• Recovery nutrition (after exercise or after injury)

• Training at altitude

• GI distress during events

• Performance hydration

• Electrolytes

• Low Energy Availability / RED-S

• Sports related iron deficiency with or without anemia

• Endurance fueling and hydration

#4: A pediatric sports rd can combine the recomendations for athletes and recommendations for children and teens

• While the recommendations for sports nutrition are mostly made for adults, there are some that have been set for children and teens, but a sports dietitian who also specializes in pediatrics can help merge the two specialties to come up with the right recommendations and plans for the child or teen athletes that come to see them.

_________

I know this was a long post today. Thanks for hanging in with me.

I saw a “pediatric health coach” claiming something on social media the other day and it lit a fire under me to get this information out there. There are so many Health Coaches out there or Nutrition Coaches or Nutritionists with zero credentials, who got their certification over a couple of weekends or who practice because something worked solely for them. But, just because something worked for one person does not mean it will work for everyone! You need to work with someone who has seen the big picture.

I urge you to work with an RD because they KNOW WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT! And if they are not sure, they will tell you and they will go to the right place or read the right research to find the answer for you. Please be careful who you see for your athlete’s nutrition care. Choose someone with the best experience. Choose a Registered Dietitian. 

If you’re not ready to meet with someone but want to get started on creating a good foundation for your athlete’s fueling, I have a great free resource to get you started in a good direction. You can download my FREE Guide now.

If you would like more information about me and the services I offer, you can check it out HERE.

Wishing you a well-fueling athlete,

Taylor

When Your Athlete Is Always Hungry

Hi there! Welcome to the blog where I do my very best to support young athletes and help them fuel when fueling feels hard.

Recently I had someone tell me that their athlete is struggling with always feeling hungry. I heard that and thought, “How have I not done a blog on this yet?!” If your athlete complains of always feeling hungry and you feel like you just can’t keep enough food in the house, you are absolutely not alone! I hear this often from the teen athletes that I work with. It is an uncomfortable feeling to never feel full or to feel satisfied from a meal for only about 1 hour and then feel ravenous again. I see this happen so frequently in growing high performing athletes with their multiple practices a day and long school schedules.  If this is something your athlete struggles with, then today’s post is for you. I want to give you a few nutrition takeaways that your hungry athlete can start implementing this week to help them feel more satisfied.

3 Initial Nutrition Strategies to Help Your Hungry Athlete Feel Full:

1. No skipping meals

   I would think this is a given, but you never know. And I know from years of experience that adolescent athletes can be regular meal skippers. Your athlete needs at least 3 meals a day, minimum, and if he/she is super hungry all the time, I would throw in a 4th meal, especially if it’s a season of higher training volume or intensity.

2. Consistent snacks

   Is your athlete including at least 3 snacks? Most of my athletes struggling with persistent hunger get more than 3 snacks a day. If your athlete gets 3 meals a day already, how could they start getting in 4 or 5 snacks / day?

3. Create variety on the plate

   What are the athlete’s meals and snacks made of? I think we often immediately think “protein, protein, protein” in the sports world. BUT we cannot forget those other macros. Carbs and fat are really big energy sources for the athlete’s brain and muscles. They also slow digestion.  

• Have your athlete take a look at their plate.  What is the plate made of?

• It needs to have a balance of foods that provide protein, carbs and fat. 

• Example: if your athlete’s go-to snack is a bagel, great! That is a great source of carbohydrates but, while carbs are fantastic energy sources, they get utilized by the body pretty quickly. So, let’s add some fat and protein by topping that bagel with a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter and maybe they need a glass of milk or a yogurt to go with it for a protein and carbohydrate boost (not to mention calcium for the growing bones)!

• Example: Or, maybe your athlete is drinking a protein shake for a snack.  While these do contain a lot of protein, they are typically very low in carbohydrates, calories and fat. What if you blended that protein drink into your own shake with banana and peanut butter for added carbs and fat?

Now, of course you have to take into account the athlete’s school and training schedule. If they can’t eat that many snacks, then we adjust accordingly. And if it’s a snack right before practice, we may need to leave that snack alone and really focus on ramping up the others.

But, these are a few “getting started” techniques to help your athlete feel more satisfied with meals and snacks and less hungry so he / she can focus on the other aspects of the day.

If your athlete needs more help implementing a nutrition strategy that fills them up and fuels the sport I have a few resource that might interest you!

• You can download my FREE Getting Started Guide to a Well Fueled Young Athlete

• OR, I’m running a VIRTUAL LIVE SPORTS NUTRITION PROGRAM FOR THE YOUNG ATHLETE this summer! It’s perfect for the young athlete wanting to learn the sports nutrition fundamentals so they can feel confident building meals and snacks and a fueling plan to meet their goals on their own. If you’re interested in learning more about this program opportunity, I encourage you to book a call with me to chat! You can also learn more details on our Confidently Fueled Young Athlete Info Page.

• Registration closes May 23rd!

Much love and a well-fueled young athlete,

Taylor

Female Athletes: What your period is telling you

As someone who grew up in a house that NEVER talked about periods / menstrual cycles, I sometimes laugh at the irony of HOW MUCH I talk about periods every day. I really mean it.  It comes up weekly with the female athletes that I see. It comes up so much so that I don’t hesitate or even give the topic a second thought. I hope that continues so that my daughter feels totally comfortable talking about it as she gets older. Although, I’ll probably be the “embarrassing mom” that talks about it too openly. I can already see the eye rolls and hear the “ughh, moommmmm”s now.  But, oh well. It’s a fate I’m willing to embrace if it means she’s aware of its importance and how it can be a sign and indicator of her overall health.

TOday I’m talking all about female athletes and their periods from the sports nutrition angle

I want to discuss why a female’s period becomes a focus in the work that I do and why I put such importance on it. Having a menstrual cycle is a normal function of the female body as they reach and navigate through puberty. A young female athlete should get her period by 15 years old.

Typically if a young female has reached 15 years old without ever having had a period it is termed “primary amenorrhea” and she is typically referred to a specialist to determine if something is going on in the body that has prevented her cycles from starting. 

It is fairly normal for a young female athlete to reach menarche (her first period) and for her periods to be a little irregular at first. However if she gets further into her sport and you notice it stops completely and she goes months and months and months without having one, OR, it normalizes and then her training increases and she starts skipping her periods, that is not normal. Losing her period or going three months or more without it is not a badge of honor displaying what a hard core athlete she is. This is a medical condition known as “secondary amenorrhea”. 

Whether the athlete is experiencing primary or secondary amenorrhea, there is reason to take a look at what might be going on. I’ve seen and research supports that it can be a cause for concern in the sports world.

Annoying BUt important

I know that having a period as a young female athlete can be VERY annoying. The cramps, the fatigue, nausea, bathroom breaks. It’s very annoying and very inconvenient. So, when we skip one or more periods or delay ever starting, we may think, “sweet, one thing I don’t have to deal with”.  However, what we may not realize is that this period and regular menstrual cycle is very important for injury prevention and performance, specifically things including (but not limited to) hormone regulation like estrogen which impacts bone health. 

While there can absolutely be an anatomic or endocrine issue going on, amenorrhea can also be a result of underfueling, the theme we have been covering the last couple of months. And that is what lands so many athletes in my office and why I’m so concerned with the female athlete’s cycle. What is happening here is that the athlete is demanding a very high amount of energy due to training for sport. However, she is not consuming enough energy each day for the body to cover all of the demands being placed on it between energy needs for sport, school, growth and development and daily physiological functioning (breathing, heartbeat, digestion, menstrual cycle, etc.). So, I like to explain this as:

In this state of limited energy availability (or, Low Energy Availability) the body takes an inventory of the functions not absolutely needed in the immediate present to function and it starts powering down or even shutting off those identified systems. That’s when the athlete loses her period. The body says, “I don’t absolutely need you right now to live and function and so I will power you down or turn you off for a bit until I have more energy. Right now I need to use all of this energy for this other function over here”.

my thinking when a female athlete tells me her cylces have been absent or irregular.

When a young female athlete walks into my office and tells me she has not had a period in the last 3 to 6 months or more, I get very concerned about her health, performance and risk of injury, particularly the state of her bone health. If she isn’t already seeing me with a stress fracture, I’m  on heightened alert of her susceptibility to acquiring one in the near future. And, even if she is lucky and avoids a fracture, it can still put her at risk for low bone mineral density and osteoporosis later in life. Not having her cycle is also a sign that she could very likely have RED-S, which we know from my previous posts means she could be setting herself up for further complications like decreased performance, stomach issues, heightened anxiety, cardiovascular concerns, altered iron levels and more.

So, what can you take away from today’s post? Today I want to leave you with a few questions you or your athlete can ask regarding her period to determine if she is fueling well to prevent injury and perform her best…

Period check to determine if your female athlete is fueling well:

• Has your athlete started her period by 15 years old?

• Is your female athlete having monthly periods?

• Does your athlete have regular periods EXCEPT during her sports season? For example: “I have a monthly period all year with the exception of cross country season. I lose it for 4 or 5 months and then it comes back after my season is over”.

  • This indicates likely underfueling in-season

• Does your athlete only have her periods when injured?

  • This could indicate that she may be underfueling when she is fully training. When she is taken out of her sport and her activity decreases her intake is finally able to meet physiological demands and her periods resume.

• Is your young female athlete struggling with or has she in the past struggled with stress fractures?

  • NOTE: An athlete can still experience stress fractures with regular periods and an optimal energy intake. They could be more a result of specific nutrition deficiencies. However….

  • Make sure to at least ask, “is she having regular periods?”

    • If she is not, it should be a red flag to start taking an even closer look at her fueling and working on optimizing and increasing her energy intake as soon as possible.

    • In my practice, stress fractures are often a result of underfueling AND certain nutrient deficiencies (not getting enough food each day = not getting enough nutrients each day)

Now, or course, a young female’s athlete’s period, or lack there of, should always be checked on by the appropriate specialist (pediatrician, OB, endocrinologist, etc.). But, today, I encourage you to not gloss over the fact, that her FUELING could be the reason for her menstrual irregularities. Or, her STRESS INJURIES could be a result of her MENSTRUAL IRREGULARITIES, which could be a result of her UNDERFUELING.

For more info on underfueling you can check out my latest posts linked below….

• Is your athlete underfueled?

• RED-S: The reason for your athlete’s struggles?

• Underfueling: Intentional or Unintentional?

Much love & a well-fueled athlete,

Taylor

Oh! And, if you do feel like your young female athlete is struggling with her fueling and you need a place to start, feel free to grab a copy of my Getting Started Guide to a Well-Fueled Young Athlete! 

When Your Athlete is Losing Weight

Good morning! Well, on a personal note, our kids have started waking up very early in our household. Our 3 year old who has always been the best sleeper and slept easily until 7 or 8am is now coming in our room at 6am and takes five tries to get to bed at night. With that said, time to work has been limited and so this blog will be short.  However, I really wanted to get some content out to you that I feel is important as many athletes are well into their season. And that content is around weight loss. I work with and hear from many of you who are struggling to keep your athletes well fueled now that sports have really ramped up and school is in full-swing and maybe your athlete is involved in additional activities outside of their main sport. 

Today I am going to share a post that I actually wrote a year ago on this topic. I think it is super applicable to what many of you / your athletes are facing right now. We know that weight loss is a sign of underfueling (often unintentionally for this busy athlete population) which can lead to consequences in health and performance and so we want to try and reverse the trend as quickly as we can.  I hope this post gives you some guidance and initial steps to take with your athlete if they are facing the frustrating situation of weight loss during his/her season. 

Also, I got to speak on the topic of underfueling yesterday with a sports medicine center that I work closely with. If you are interested to learn more about the signs and symptoms of underfueling, I would highly recommend watching the recording. I plan to link to it in my last newsletter of the year.

If your athlete is struggling with weight loss this season, please give this post a read….

Help! My Athlete is Losing Weight

Initital steps to take to stop the weight loss and get your athlete well-fueled for their season

I hope this post is helpful for you and your athlete as he / she works to stay fueled for the remainder of this season.

If you work through the tips here and still are needing more, I am always happy to chat about working together. You can reach out to me here to schedule a free 15-minute call to chat about your athlete’s needs / goals and see if working together is the best fit.

Happy Fueling!

Taylor

Healthy Weight Gain for the Young Athlete: When It's Indicated and How to Take a Performance & Health-Enhancing Approach

The topic of weight gain has come up a lot in the last couple of months. I’m working with a handful of clients on this very goal and I have some friends who are parents of small children with food allergies who are trying to maintain weight with limited food options.

In a world where we hear so much about weight loss, I wanted to create a post geared towards those working towards the opposite. Just as frustrating as it is for those who are trying to lose weight, it is also frustrating for those trying to gain. For today’s post I’m talking about weight gain and optimizing nutrition for the child and teen athlete. You will hear me say “optimizing nutrition” a lot because, while a client may come to me with the goal of gaining weight, I see this as a chance to optimize his or her nutrition as well. Weight gain can be done in ways that help improve performance or ways that can hinder performance. I think that if we keep the phrase “optimizing nutrition” in mind, it makes sure that that the athlete and we, as the athlete’s support team, approach this goal in a way that doesn’t just lead to weight gain, but also enhances the athlete’s development, health and performance.

So, when might I work with an athlete on weight gain? When might weight gain be indicated?

4 Situations where weight gain is indicated:

1. The athlete needs to gain weight to make a certain position on his or her team.

2. The athlete has experienced sudden, unintentional and continuous weight loss with the start of a new sport, new season, or increased time and intensity of practices.

3. Along with weight loss the athlete has experienced stress fractures or, if a female, lost her period.

4. There is a potential eating disorder to consider (this topic is beyond the scope of this post)

If you fall into these categories, weight gain might be something you are working on. However, as I said initially, weight gain can be done in a way that promotes health and performance and a way that hinders it. Eating 20 chocolate chip cookies every night and a double cheese burger with an extra large french fry and large lemonade may promote weight gain, but it would not promote the building of lean muscle, brain health, speed and agility, and other benefits beneficial to the athlete (I’m not saying the athlete can’t ever have cookies, fries, etc., I’m saying, let’s diversify here). So, what are some key guidelines to follow when trying to achieve performance-enhancing and health-promoting weight gain? Here are 5 initial actions to start getting that weight trending upwards.

5 Tips for Healthy, Performance-Promoting Weight Gain in the Young Athlete:

1. Eat on a consistent meal and snack schedule every day. No skipping meals! Consistency is key. This means consistently eating 3 meals and, for many athletes, 3 snacks a day. It also means sticking to a schedule! An athlete may not feel hungry, but if the schedule says it’s time to eat, it’s important to do so.

2. Include 3 or more different food groups at each meal and at least 2 different food groups at each snack. This ensures the athlete is getting protein, carbohydrate and healthy fats from a variety of sources and a variety of needed micronutrients along with it.

3. Increase portion sizes at each meal and / or make some food swaps, trading out less energy-dense foods (ex: plain popcorn at a snack or regular bread for a sandwich) for more energy-dense foods (ex: a nut & seed granola bar at a snack or a bagel for a sandwich).*

4. Add spreads and sauces to your meals and snacks (ex: Add peanut butter to your granola bar, avocado spread to your sandwich, hummus with your carrots, and cheese with your crackers.*

5. Work with your sports dietitian to get your protein goal and space that protein out evenly throughout the day in your meals and snacks (this is especially important if looking to build lean muscle). Your dietitian will also make sure that you are increasing your energy intake enough and that this increase is coming from the amount of protein, carbs and fat needed to fuel performance and support good health!

   * Notice that most of these additions and swaps offer a degree of nutrition as well as calcium, protein, healthy fats, fiber, magnesium, potassium, and more, all contributing to the athlete’s overall health and performance.

These are some general guidelines. I will always recommend you meet with a sports RD to know that what you are choosing is right for you. Some athletes may need 2 snacks a day, some may need 3 and some may need more! It all depends on you, your sport, and your season of training.

I hope this gets you started in the right directions. Please comment with questions or reach out to me via my contact page with questions or if you would like to work together on weight gain for you or your own young athlete!

Happy Fueling!

Taylor