The Fueling Forward Podcast

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

Questions for today’s episode include:

• A running influencer that I follow recently got a stress fracture but blamed it on biomechanics. This got me wondering if bone stress injuries are ever not related to fueling and overtraining in some way? Do you have any thoughts on this in the running culture?
• I’m a collegiate runner running 50-55 miles per week and am trying to put on weight. I’ve been drinking ensure drinks, but do you have any other tips for meals and snacks for weight gain?
• I recently experienced my first bone stress injury and I’ve also been dealing with chronically low ferritin. I’m in a healthcare system that is reluctant to provide more care than they deem necessary. How do I make sure that I’m getting all of the information I need to treat my injury with limited access to tests and treatment? How do I know which tests are important and worth advocating for?
• What are your thoughts on meal kits and how to navigate healthier options?

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 sports psychologist and former professional runner, Lennie Waite.

Lennie grew up abroad, where she primarily played soccer. She was recruited to play D1 soccer at Rice University, but after her sophomore year ended up switching to running and became a 2x All-American. She went on to run post-collegiately and represented Great Britain at 3 Commonwealth Games, the World Championships in 2017, and the 2016 Olympic Games in the steeplechase.

Lennie did all of this while completing her PhD in Industrial-Organizational Psychology and becoming a Certified Mental Performance Consultant. She currently works with athletes and is also the chief science officer at Hite EQ, while being a mom to her 2 daughters.

In this episode, we talk about:

• What it was like growing up abroad and how different the rhetoric is around food and sport
• How being good at a sport from a young age automatically creates pressure and expectations, and how she dealt with this
• Why she decided to pursue soccer instead of running initially in college and what led her to make that shift
• Her tips for helping athletes navigate pressure and comparison when it comes to racing
• What she sees athletes struggle with when it comes to fueling as a sports psych and some tips to work through those emotions

If you would like to learn more about Lennie's and her services as a sports psychologist, you can go to her website HERE.

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

Questions for today’s episode include:

• In college I experienced a stress fracture, and since then I’ve been stuck in an injury cycle. Can you talk more about the science behind fueling to help heal injuries?
• What are your go to meals and snacks for track meets? I don’t have many resources at the meets and I’m someone who often runs 3 distance events.
• Is there a connection between motivation and energy levels, especially in a race? I notice lower motivation on days I don’t fuel as well, could these be related?
• You mentioned in a previous podcast that high cholesterol can be a sign of RED-S. What would you recommend for an athlete who tests high in cholesterol?

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].

Today's episode is an interview with Ali Feller of Ali on the Run. Ali discovered running when she was living in NYC as a way to be social, and ultimately fell in love with the sport. She created her blog, Ali on the Run, that eventually evolved into podcast and ultimately led her to become a race announcer and broadcaster. Ali completed the 2023 Eugene Marathon, after which she discovered a lump in her breast that led to a breast cancer diagnosis. Ali has been navigating life with stage 4 cancer while continuing to be a force in the sport, and has so many inspiring things to share.

In this episode, we talk about:

• What it was like when she discovered running, and how she found herself falling in love with the sport
• Her relationship with food growing up as a dancer in the 90's, and how a diagnosis of Crohn's disease at the age of 7 impacted that
• What it has been like dealing with an inflammatory bowel condition that impacts running, and how she has navigated that over the years
• How she created Ali on the Run and what it's like being at the finish line of major marathons
• How her cancer diagnosis has impacted her ability to run, and how the running community has rallied behind her with support

You can find Ali's podcast, The Ali on the Run Show, on all major platforms and you can find Ali on Instagram @aliontherun1.

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 to get through an entire year healthy. I always make it through the fall and winter, then struggle with soft tissue injuries in the spring. Do you think this might be nutrition related or are these just things that come with running?
• What is your take on bicarb? Does it really make a difference and do you recommend it for high school athletes?
• I’m a high school swimmer and I’ve been struggling with GI issues immediately after races. This never happens during training. Can you think of anything that might be causing this and is there anything that might help from a nutrition standpoint?
• What advice would you give to an athlete that is struggling with fatigue, soreness that doesn’t go away, and is struggling in races? As her coach, how can I help an athlete recover from LEA/RED-S mid season?

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].

You can find the links to the waitlists for the Fueling Forward programs below:

• High School Summer Boot Camp Series
• Fall Marathon Group Nutrition Coaching Program
• Healing Your Relationship With Food

This episode is an interview with NYC based RD, Natalie Rizzo. Natalie is the owner of Greenletes, a plant-based sports nutrition company, and she works primarily with plant-based athletes to help them learn how to fuel for health and performance on a plant-based diet. She has her Master's in Nutrition and Exercise Physiology from Columbia University and is the author of the cookbook Planted Performance. Natalie has been a vegetarian herself for over 15 years, and has completed 2 marathons and over 20 half marathons. She's also a mom to 2 boys.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How Natalie found running later in life and caught the bug after finishing her first race
• Natalie's winding path to finding nutrition as a career after originally going into sales
• Her decision to become vegetarian and how she learned about plant-based sports nutrition through her own experiences
• Myths around plant-based eating for athletes
• How to navigate fiber intake as a plant-based athletes, and ideas for lunches for runners training in the afternoon/evening
• Top nutrition recommendations for plant-based runners and tips for anyone who is interested in becoming plant-based

If you're interested in working with Natalie, you can learn more on her website https://greenletes.com/ and you can find her on Instagram @greenletes

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

Questions for today’s episode include:

• I prefer not to weigh myself or know my weight, how do I go about telling my doctor I don’t want to be weighed or see my weight?
• I’m a high school runner and I haven’t PR’d since my freshman year. I still have my period and feel like I’m getting stronger, so I question whether or not it’s fueling related. Do you have any advice?
• I’m a collegiate heptathlete and was wondering if you have suggestions on how to fuel during a heptathlon?
• I struggle with knowing how much to eat during my taper weeks with a lower training volume and get anxious about eating too much. How do you recommend approaching this for peak performance?

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].

Today’s episode is an interview with Boulder local and professional trail runner for Nike, Bailey Kowalczyk. Bailey grew up in upstate New York where she discovered her love for running. She committed to running for Clemson in college, but right before her arrival the coaching staff underwent a complete change that ultimately ended with her struggling as a collegiate runner. Bailey ended up leaving Clemson and moving to Boulder, where she became a full time student at CU and put running on the back burner. She re-discovered her passion for the sport after some time away, and ultimately went on to find success on the trails with a win at the US trail half marathon championships and a top 5 finish in the Golden Trail series. Bailey is also a run coach, and focuses on helping athletes find life balance while chasing their goals.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How Bailey discovered running, and how she considered herself to exclusively be a middle distance runner in high school
• Her transition to collegiate athlete at Clemson, where a last minute coaching change led to a less than optimal environment for her
• Bailey’s experience with RED-S that led her to seek help from a multi-disciplinary team, move to Boulder and take a break from the sport
• How that break allowed her to re-discover her love of running and that ultimately led her to the trails
• What is different about trail running, and how fueling has played a key role in her success
• Why coaching is so important to her, and why she encourages her athletes to find life balance while chasing their goals

You can learn more about Bailey’s coaching services on her website HERE.

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 a collegiate runner and want to know how to fuel for 3k, 5k and 10k races. Do you have any tips, especially when it comes to hydration as I tend to get a sloshy stomach before my races?
• I’m a collegiate runner and recently learned that I’ve been under fueling. I usually eat when I’m hungry, but now I know I need more fuel than that. Do you have a fueling structure or schedule you recommend to help with this?
• I’m a 40 year old active female who lifts and runs regularly. I’ve been using creatine but haven’t noticed a big difference. Should I increase my dose and if so at what rate?
• I’m going through the process of RED-S recovery and I’m really struggling as a runner. I haven’t had my period for 6 years, I have low ferritin, and all of my runs feel awful. Is this just part of RED-S recovery, or do you have any advice for overcoming these issues? Will I ever be able to perform the way I used to?

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 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