Inside Sports Nutrition

Ema Thake, Sports Dietitian and Director of Performance Nutrition for the Denver Broncos, joins us to share her insights and experiences as a Sports Dietitian from the collegiate level to her current work for a professional football team. 

Our discussion includes:

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More about our guest:

Ema is a Registered Dietitian and Board-Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics.

Ema graduated with her Bachelor of Science from the University of Northen Colorado in 2010, where she ran cross country and track and field. In 2013, she completed her master’s degree in Sports Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, as well as her dietetic internship at the University of Utah. Through her graduate work and internship, she worked closely with the Utah football team as well as a handful of Olympic sports teams as the sports nutrition team and athletic department navigated deregulation and a rapidly growing demand for sports nutrition services.

Ema started her career as a sports dietitian at UCLA (2013-2014), also working at the USC Keck Medical Center as an inpatient oncology dietitian. During this time, she also consulted with California State Long Beach as the first dietitian working with their athletic department. In 2014, Ema returned to Salt Lake City and the University of Utah to work as a sports nutrition fellow. From 2014-2015, she worked as an outpatient performance dietitian, building the sports nutrition clinic within Intermountain Healthcare.

Ema has held positions as Director of Performance Nutrition at the University of Washington (2015-2022) and the University of North Carolina (2022-2023), where she oversaw the entire nutrition department and supported athletes from football and Olympic sports. Ema returned to her hometown of Denver, Colorado and joined the Broncos staff as the Director of Performance Nutrition in 2023, where she oversees all aspects of player nutrition and food service. 

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Connect with us on Instagram @isnpodcast and on Facebook @insidesportsnutrition

This episode is brought to you by All Around Snack Co. which features tasty snacks that are low in added sugars, contain zero dyes, colorings or additives and help control blood sugar for steady energy levels throughout the day.  Use code ISNPODCAST24 to save 15% on your purchase.

Want to try the deltaG products to provide your brain another fuel source? Check out their products and save 10% by using the code ISNPODCAST and you’ll also help support our podcast! 

We’d love to connect with you on social! Follow Dina on Instagram at @nutritionmechanic and Bob at @enrgperformance. You can learn more about Bob’s services at www.enrgperformance.com and Dina’s services at www.nutritionmechanic.com. 

What sort of dietary and supplement changes did Dina make since knee surgery in February? We do a quick 6-month overview of the process so you can hear what a Sport Dietitian did to support her recovery process, along with discussing the exercise progression. You can catch our earlier episode 119 to hear more about her nutrition changes that occurred right after her skiing accident and around surgery for more background. 

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Connect with the podcast on Instagram @isnpodcast and on Facebook @insidesportsnutrition

This episode is brought to you by All Around Snack Co. which features tasty snacks that are low in added sugars, contain zero dyes, colorings or additives and help control blood sugar for steady energy levels throughout the day.  Use code ISNPODCAST24 to save 15% on your purchase.

Want to try the deltaG products to provide your brain another fuel source? Check out their products and save 10% by using the code ISNPODCAST and you’ll also help support our podcast! 

We’d love to connect with you on social! Follow Dina on Instagram at @nutritionmechanic and Bob at @enrgperformance. You can learn more about Bob’s services at www.enrgperformance.com and Dina’s services at www.nutritionmechanic.com. 

In this Ask Us Anything #17, we address a listener question for how to get more protein as a vegan athlete. Even if you are vegetarian or an omnivore, you can use these tips to get more plant protein in your daily nutrition plan.  

Send us your questions to [email protected] or DM us through our IG @isnpodcast or Facebook @insidesportsnutrition and we’ll get your question addressed on a future AUA episode. 

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This episode is brought to you by All Around Snack Co. which features tasty snacks that are low in added sugars, contain zero dyes, colorings or additives and help control blood sugar for steady energy levels throughout the day.  Use code ISNPODCAST24 to save 15% on your purchase.

Want to try the deltaG products to see if it helps with your cognition and focus? Check out their products and save 10% by using the code ISNPODCAST and you’ll also help support our podcast! 

Bob and Dina would love to connect with you on social too. Follow Bob on Instagram at @enrgperformance and Dina at @nutritionmechanic.

Learn about Bob and Dina’s nutrition and coaching services and programs at www.enrgperformance.com and www.nutritionmechanic.com. 

We sit down with Carrie Tollefson, who is a public speaker, 2004 Olympian with an extensive middle distance running career and sports broadcaster, to talk about her running journey and her experiences in sports media coverage such as the recent Paris Olympics. 

We discuss:

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More about our guest:

Carrie was born and raised in Dawson, Minnesota where she was a 13-time State Champion: eight in track and five in cross country. Her five cross country titles established a national record for most consecutive titles, which still stands to this day. Carrie attended Villanova University, where she was a 5-time NCAA Champion and the 1998 NCAA Indoor Track Athlete of the year. She was also the first person in NCAA history to win both the 3K and 5K titles.

In her post collegiate career, she was a three time national champion and after winning the 1500m trials in 2004, she represented the US in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. Carrie has worked on-camera with ESPN, NBC, NBCSN, ABC and USATF.tv. She does regular media coverage for the New York Road Runners including the TCS NYC Marathon and the United Airlines NYC Half Marathon. Carrie has done commentary for several world class events, including the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon, Boston Marathon, Tokyo Marathon and Foot Locker Nationals and the 2024 Paris Olympics. Currently, Carrie lives and trains in her home state of Minnesota with her husband Charlie and their three children: Ruby, Everett and Greer. She inspires and motivates people to GET AFTER IT in life through her public speaking and training camps.

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Connect with the podcast on Instagram @isnpodcast and on Facebook @insidesportsnutrition

This episode is brought to you by All Around Snack Co. which features tasty snacks that are low in added sugars, contain zero dyes, colorings or additives and help control blood sugar for steady energy levels throughout the day.  Use code ISNPODCAST24 to save 15% on your purchase.

Want to try the deltaG products to provide your brain another fuel source? Check out their products and save 10% by using the code ISNPODCAST and you’ll also help support our podcast! 

We’d love to connect with you on social! Follow Dina on Instagram at @nutritionmechanic and Bob at @enrgperformance. You can learn more about Bob’s services at www.enrgperformance.com and Dina’s services at www.nutritionmechanic.com. 

Elizabeth McNear, Consulting Sports Dietitian for the Oakland A’s and owner of Transitional Nutrition, joins us to talk about nutrition for baseball. 

We discuss:

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More about our guest:

Elizabeth McNear is a Registered Dietitian (RD) and a Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD). Originally from Colorado, she received her undergraduate degree in Food Science and Human Nutrition at Colorado State University and completed her graduate degree in Nutrition and Physical Performance at Saint Louis University. She has worked in Division I college athletics for seven years at Ole Miss University, the University of Florida, and the University of California Berkeley. She has provided performance nutrition guidance to athletes from over 28 sports and various backgrounds. She currently owns her own company, Transitional Nutrition and is the Sport Dietitian consultant for the professional baseball team, the Oakland A’s.

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Connect with the podcast on Instagram @isnpodcast and on Facebook @insidesportsnutrition

This episode is brought to you by All Around Snack Co. which features tasty snacks that are low in added sugars, contain zero dyes, colorings or additives and help control blood sugar for steady energy levels throughout the day.  Use code ISNPODCAST24 to save 15% on your purchase.

Want to try the deltaG products to provide your brain another fuel source? Check out their products and save 10% by using the code ISNPODCAST and you’ll also help support our podcast! 

We’d love to connect with you on social! Follow Dina on Instagram at @nutritionmechanic and Bob at @enrgperformance. You can learn more about Bob’s services at www.enrgperformance.com and Dina’s services at www.nutritionmechanic.com. 

We meet with Gregoire Guyot, Vice President of Product, Innovation and Impact for NAAK, a Canadian-based sport nutrition company that creates efficient, sustainable and high quality fueling products for endurance athletes (especially the ultra trail runners!). Tune in to learn more about Gregoire, the philosophy of NAAK’s approach to creating sports nutrition products, and highlights of some of their products.

We also discuss:

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More about our guest:

Gregoire Guyot is VP of Product, Innovation and Impact for NAAK. He has more than 10 years of experience in the food industry and his expertise includes food formulation, product and process industrialization, operational excellence, sensory optimization, and quality management. 

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Connect with the podcast on Instagram @isnpodcast and on Facebook @insidesportsnutrition

This episode is brought to you by All Around Snack Co. which features tasty snacks that are low in added sugars, contain zero dyes, colorings or additives and help control blood sugar for steady energy levels throughout the day.  Use code ISNPODCAST24 to save 15% on your purchase.

Want to try the deltaG products to provide your brain another fuel source? Check out their products and save 10% by using the code ISNPODCAST and you’ll also help support our podcast! 

We’d love to connect with you on social! Follow Dina on Instagram at @nutritionmechanic and Bob at @enrgperformance. You can learn more about Bob’s services at www.enrgperformance.com and Dina’s services at www.nutritionmechanic.com. 

In this episode, we chat about Bob’s self-supported attempt to complete a 200-mile trek on the Colorado Trail after this year’s training for the Tahoe 200 with his athlete, Linda Quirk. 

Links:

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This episode is brought to you by All Around Snack Co. which features tasty snacks that are low in added sugars, contain zero dyes, colorings or additives and help control blood sugar for steady energy levels throughout the day.  Use code ISNPODCAST24 to save 15% on your purchase.

Follow Bob on Instagram at @enrgperformance and Dina at @nutritionmechanic.

Learn about Bob and Dina’s nutrition and coaching services and programs at www.enrgperformance.com and www.nutritionmechanic.com. 

In this Ask Us Anything #16, we address a listener curiosity about beetroot powder, nitrates, and beetroot supplements.

We discuss:

Links:

Send us your questions to [email protected] or DM us through our IG @isnpodcast or Facebook @insidesportsnutrition and we’ll get your question addressed on a future AUA episode. 

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This episode is brought to you by All Around Snack Co. which features tasty snacks that are low in added sugars, contain zero dyes, colorings or additives and help control blood sugar for steady energy levels throughout the day.  Use code ISNPODCAST24 to save 15% on your purchase.

Want to try the deltaG products to see if it helps with your cognition and focus? Check out their products and save 10% by using the code ISNPODCAST and you’ll also help support our podcast! 

Bob and Dina would love to connect with you on social too. Follow Bob on Instagram at @enrgperformance and Dina at @nutritionmechanic.

Learn about Bob and Dina’s nutrition and coaching services and programs at www.enrgperformance.com and www.nutritionmechanic.com. 

Jamie Meeks, Head Sports Dietitian for the New Orleans Saints joins us for a fun conversation to talk about her experiences in becoming the first Sports Dietitian to work with Louisiana State University Athletics and insights into her current role with the Saints. 

We also discuss:

More about our guest:

Since 2015, Jamie Meeks has served as the Director of Sports Nutrition of the New Orleans Saints, utilizing her experience and expertise as a Registered Dietitian (RD) and a Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD). A prominent graduate of Louisiana State University, Meeks obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Nutritional Sciences/Dietetics in 2009 and Master’s Degree in Kinesiology/Exercise Physiology in 2011. She completed her Dietetic Internship at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. During her university tenure, Meeks distinguished herself through her leadership role as the captain of the LSU Cheerleading squad for three consecutive years. She represented the university across multiple platforms and supported LSU's major athletic accomplishments, including the 2007 National Championship Football team.

Following her academic achievements, Meeks marked a historic milestone at LSU Athletics by becoming the program's first full-time dietitian. In this capacity, she played a crucial role in developing a comprehensive sports nutrition program, primarily aimed at managing athletes' diets and providing education to enhance health and performance. She was a pivotal force behind the inception of Athletic Fueling Stations and played a significant role in planning for a state-of-the-art athletic dining facility. Meeks also launched the Undergraduate Sports Nutrition Internship program at LSU, opening doors for dietetic undergraduates to gain firsthand experience in sports nutrition.

In her capacity with the Saints, Meeks is dedicated to assisting the team achieve optimal nutritional health and crafting effective strategies for fueling, hydration, and supplementation to promote peak athletic performance. Her role extends to providing medical nutritional therapy while closely collaborating with the team's athletic trainers, strength coaches, and medical team. Additionally, she serves as the Director of Finance & Administration for the Professional Football Registered Dietitian Society, while her professional affiliations include membership in the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the Louisiana Dietetic Association, the Collegiate and Professional Sports Dietitians Association, and the Sports and Human Performance Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group.

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Connect with the podcast on Instagram @isnpodcast and on Facebook @insidesportsnutrition

This episode is brought to you by All Around Snack Co. which features tasty snacks that are low in added sugars, contain zero dyes, colorings or additives and help control blood sugar for steady energy levels throughout the day.  Use code ISNPODCAST24 to save 15% on your purchase.

Want to try the deltaG products to provide your brain another fuel source? Check out their products and save 10% by using the code ISNPODCAST and you’ll also help support our podcast! 

We’d love to connect with you on social! Follow Dina on Instagram at @nutritionmechanic and Bob at @enrgperformance. You can learn more about Bob’s services at www.enrgperformance.com and Dina’s services at www.nutritionmechanic.com. 

Vomiting happens in some endurance sports such as ultrarunning, but does that mean we should normalize it? We share our perspectives along with some strategies to help you avoid or minimize vomiting from happening to you during your training and racing endeavors. 

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This episode is brought to you by All Around Snack Co. which features tasty snacks that are low in added sugars, contain zero dyes, colorings or additives and help control blood sugar for steady energy levels throughout the day.  Use code ISNPODCAST24 to save 15% on your purchase.

Want to try the deltaG products to see if it helps with your cognition and focus? Check out their products and save 10% by using the code ISNPODCAST and you’ll also help support our podcast! 

Connect with Bob on Instagram at @enrgperformance and Dina at @nutritionmechanic.

Learn about Bob and Dina’s nutrition and coaching services and programs at www.enrgperformance.com and www.nutritionmechanic.com.