This week is a special episode of The Fueling Forward Podcast where you get to hear from the Fueling Forward dietitians, Maddie Alm and Alexa Efraimson. After a listener asked to hear our stories, we decided to interview each other so you can learn more about the dietitians behind Fueling Forward.

In today’s episode we talk about:

• How Alexa got her start in running, going pro right out of high school and running the American junior record in the 1500
• How Maddie went from a walk on to an All-American while at the University of Colorado
• What Alexa struggled with as a pro athlete that led her to discover the field of nutrition and pursue a career as a dietitian
• How working with a dietitian in college helped Maddie learn the importance of fueling for performance, and the changes that inspired her to become a dietitian
• What each of us hope to change when it comes to nutrition for runners, and the runners we work with to help them learn how to fuel for health and performance
• Our answers to the end of episode rapid fire questions!

If you would like to learn more about Fueling Forward and the services and resources we have to offer, you can head to our website at www.fuelingforward.com

This episode is a Q&A episode where I answer questions that have been submitted by listeners.

Questions for today’s episode include:

• I’ve been struggling with a bone stress injury since June 2025 and have been mostly cross training. I’m struggling with body image and acknowledging that I still need to fuel. Do you have any advice?
• I know I should fuel with carbs before a run, but should I also be fueling before strength training sessions? If so, what would be a good example?
• I’m a high school runner trying to dial in my nutrition. I have an hour commute after practice, should I be fueling during this window? If so, what should I be having?
• I’m a collegiate athlete and have been struggling to fall asleep at night. Is there anything I can do from a nutrition standpoint to try to improve this?

Thanks so much to everyone who has submitted questions so far! If you would like to submit a question for future episodes, you can do so on my website HERE or email me at [email protected].

This episode is an interview with runner and pelvic floor PT, Jessica Dorrington. Jess grew up in North Dakota, where she fell in love with running and went on to run at the collegiate level. Through her experience with injuries, she was inspired to pursue a career in physical therapy. She went on to get her Master's in Physical Therapy, and became a Board Certified Orthopedic Specialist and Certified Manual Physical Therapist. Throughout her time as a PT, she discovered that she was passionate about pelvic floor health and became Pelvic Rehabilitation Practitioner Certified, a certification that only 150 practitioners have nationwide. She is now the Director of Physical Therapy at Therapeutic Associates Bethany and Rock Creek, where she works with everyone from recreational to pro runners to help them manage injuries and a wide scope of pelvic health related issues.

On top of her incredible career as a PT, Jess has also finished 10 marathons and has run a sub 3-hour marathon twice, most recently at Chicago in 2025. She's also a mom of 2, and her experience with pregnancy and postpartum and working with athletes going through this phase inspired her to co-write the book Strong as a Mother with former professional runner Shannon Rowbury.

In today's episode, we talk about:

• How Jess got her start with running and what the running and nutrition scene was like in North Dakota
• What she learned navigating injuries and how this inspired her to become a physical therapist
• The overlap between physical therapy and nutrition when it comes to preventing, managing, and treating injuries in runners
• What pelvic floor PT is and why pelvic health is important for runners of all ages, genders and levels
• How Jess balances fueling with a busy life schedule, and her tips for runners to help them stay on top of their needs
• Her book, Strong as a Mother, and why she hopes it will help empower women to find the balance between staying active and listening to their body throughout pregnancy and postpartum

You can learn more about Jess and her services as a PT HERE and you can find Jess's book Strong as a Mother HERE.

This episode is a Q&A episode where I answer questions that have been submitted by listeners.

Questions for today’s episode include:

1. My husband and I are both former collegiate athletes and have noticed our bodies shifting as we enter our 30's. Is this normal, and if so can you explain the science behind why this might be happening?
2. I recently learned that calcium can block iron as well as other things. How do you recommend splitting it up at meals and with other supplements?
3. My daughter has to take thyroid medication in the morning and can't eat for 30 minutes before she runs. I don't want her to train fasted and she doesn't want to wake up earlier to take it. Is there anything we can do?
4. I lift a lot and have gotten bulkier in the off season, and I'm worried this will prevent me from running a PR during track. Do you have any advice on race weight?

Thanks so much to everyone who has submitted questions so far! If you would like to submit a question for future episodes, you can do so on my website HERE or email me at [email protected].

If you're interested in our free Zoom webinar that will take place on Wednesday 3/18/26, you can register for that HERE.

This episode is an interview with runner and coach, Amy Haas. Amy is from Columbus, Ohio and is better known on Instagram as Race Across the States because she has completed a half marathon in every single state. In addition to that accomplishment, she is also a sub 3 hour marathoner as well as a running and strength coach. Amy is expecting her first baby due in a few weeks, and has been able to train and even race throughout her pregnancy.

In today's episode, we talk about:

• How Amy discovered her love for running, and how that love for running eventually turned into a way to control how her body looked
• Amy's worsening struggles with her relationship with food and body image, and the rock bottom that ultimately served as her wake up call to make some changes
• How increasing her fueling and not focusing on weight allowed her to go from a 1:58 to a 1:19 half marathoner, and why weight isn't everything when it comes to performance
• Amy's journey to becoming pregnant, navigating a miscarriage, and experiencing pregnancy after loss
• What it has been like for her to continue to train and race throughout pregnancy, and why it has been an important part of her pregnancy journey

If you'd like to keep up with Amy, you can find her on Instagram @raceacrossthestates and you can also learn more about her coaching business HERE.

***Trigger warning: this episode discusses pregnancy and pregnancy loss, so you may want to skip it if you're not in a place to hear about those topics.***

This episode is a Q&A episode where I answer questions that have been submitted by listeners. Today's episode starts off with a fun personal announcement 👀.

Questions for today’s episode include:

• Can you talk about how to fuel when you’re sick, and also maybe how to decide if you should train or rest when sick?
• You mentioned in a previous episode that high hamstring and plantar fasciitis injuries are often related to under fueling. Can you talk more about why that is?
• I really struggle with hydration in the winter. Do you have any tips or suggestions?
• I’m a high school athlete involved in 2 sports, and I’m noticing it’s hard to tel when I’m full or not. I often feel unsatisfied after meals, but if I eat more I feel bloated. Do you have any tips on how to navigate this?

Thanks so much to everyone who has submitted questions so far! If you would like to submit a question for future episodes, you can do so on my website HERE or email me at [email protected].

This episode is an interview with American middle distance running great, Shannon Rowbury. Shannon grew up in San Francisco, where she switched from Irish Dance to running. She found herself on a full ride scholarship to Duke, and was offered a professional contract with Nike out of college. During her professional career, Shannon was an 8 time member of Team USA, including a 3 time Olympian. She was the American record holder in the 1500, running a time of 3:56, and has won 3 bronze medals: one at the 2009 World Championships, one at the 2016 Indoor World Championships, and as of recently was upgraded to a bronze from the 2012 Olympic Games due to 3 athletes getting caught doping. She will receive her bronze medal at the 2028 LA Olympics. She is also an Emmy winning sports broadcaster, co-author of the books Medalist Mindset and Strong as a Mother, and co-founder of the non-profit Imagining More.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How growing up with dance allowed her to develop skills that eventually translated to running, and why it's important to her for her kids not to specialize too early in sports
• What her relationship with food was like growing up, and how that foundation was tested when she moved across the country to attend college at Duke
• How she navigated her first major injury while trying to sign a pro contract and pursue a pro running career out of college
• What it was like training in a toxic environment as a pro, and how she realized she could have done things in a healthier way
• Her experience training throughout pregnancy and postpartum, and why staying on top of fueling is key to avoiding injury
• What her new book, Strong as a Mother, is about and why it was so important to her to create this resource
• Her non-profit, Imagining More, and how she hopes to inspire young girls to get active in sports

If you're interested in learning more about Shannon's Projects, you can find them here:

• Strong as a Mother
• Imagining More

This episode is a Q&A episode where I answer questions that have been submitted by listeners.

Questions for today’s episode include:

• I'm in a busy phase of life and am eating more convenience foods. Is there a difference between eating convenience vs. whole foods, and are there convenience foods that are better than others?
• I took some time off of running and noticed that I was feeling super hungry. Can you explain what might be going on in my body and do you have any advice for what I should do during the rest of my break?
• I'm 1 year postpartum and have been struggling with how much my body has changed. As a runner, I know how important fueling is, but it's also hard not feeling like myself. Is there a way for me to safely lose weight, or is that not something I should focus on?
• I’ve been really focusing on incorporating more post-run fuel, but I'm still feeling like I'm chronically sore and not recovering well. Do you have any recommendations for anything else I should be focusing on?

Thanks so much to everyone who has submitted questions so far! If you would like to submit a question for future episodes, you can do so on my website HERE or email me at [email protected].

This episode is an interview with UK based runner, Pippa Woolven. Pippa grew up in the UK and found her way into the sport of running. She was offered a scholarship to compete at the D1 level with Florida State University, where she found herself struggling with food and body image. After a decline in her health and performance left her unable to train or compete and with no diagnosis from doctors, Pippa did her own research and discovered she was likely suffering from RED-S. She went on to recover through the help of medical professionals, and went on to have a successful running career at the elite level. Her experience inspired her to found Project RED-S, a resource for athletes, coaches, and parents to help educate people around what RED-S is and how to prevent it and recover from it.

In today's episode, we talk about:

• How sports in the UK are different from sports in the US, and how Pippa's transition to the US was a big culture shock
• What it was like for her suddenly being surrounded by athletics, and how comparison to her teammates led her to make slow, subtle changes to her fueling that resulted in weight loss and RED-S
• What her decline into RED-S looked like, and what it felt like when she finally was able to receive a diagnosis
• Why she decided to start Project RED-S, what it is, and what resources they can offer to athletes, coaches, and anyone who works with or supports athletes
• What her experience with RED-S taught her and why it's so important to her to spread the word about RED-S

You can head to red-s.com to learn more about Project RED-S and checkout their resources like the toolkit and the FAQ section

This episode is a Q&A episode where I answer questions that have been submitted by listeners. This is the first episode of 2026 and start of season 2 of the podcast!

Questions for today’s episode include:

• Can you talk more about collagen and when someone might benefit from using it?
• I lost weight last track season and ran a PR. I then lost my period and am now underweight, which I know isn’t sustainable, but I can’t help but associate my performance with weight loss. Do you have any advice on how to change my mindset to be a healthier runner?
• What would you look for in a multivitamin for a runner in their 30’s?
• I’m a new parent struggling to find the time and energy to deed myself. As an athlete I know how important it is, do you have any advice?

If you would like to submit a question for future episodes you can do so on my website HERE or you can email me at [email protected]