The Eat for Endurance Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Organic, Processed, and GMO foods with Brooke Czarnecki, RDN LD Aug 08, 2024

Show notes

In Episode 96 of the Eat for Endurance Podcast, sports dietitian Brooke Czarnecki of Intentful Nutrition joins me on the pod to help me answer a listener question.
This person asked to learn more about organic foods as a runner, and also mentioned that she tries to minimize processed foods surrounding her runs. This inspired me to do an episode on organic versus conventional foods and “processed” versus “unprocessed” foods for athletes. I added a quick GMO chat at the end because it’s relevant to this discussion.
There’s so much confusion, fear-mongering, and extremism when it comes to making nutrition decisions, especially regarding organic, “processed” (in quotes because it's not clearly defined) and GMO foods. For example, there is a widespread belief that if something is labeled organic or non-GMO, it must be nutritionally superior. But that's not true.
In reality, this conversation is nuanced and complicated, and cannot be approached with the black-and-white way of thinking that so many people in the health and wellness space love to adopt.
Brooke and I did our best to hit the main points, though there are some gaps in what we cover (especially on GMO foods). We define some key terms, differentiate between opinion and science (while throwing plenty of our own opinions in the mix), and talk about how all of this applies to you, as an athlete, in your everyday eating and performance nutrition.
Our overarching message is that the right decision is the one that works best for you. If you want to buy organic, minimally processed, non-GMO foods and products, go for it.

AND...

There's s no conclusive evidence that organic food is healthier than conventional food. Highly processed foods, including sports nutrition products, have a place in an overall balanced diet, if you want to include them (most endurance athletes need to). Current evidence does not universally support GMO foods as harmful.

YOU get to choose how you want to eat. We’re just here to tell you that you don’t HAVE to buy organic and swear off all “processed” non-GMO foods to be a healthy, worthy human and athlete.

Links & Announcements:

Brooke’s website and Instagram
Watch this episode on my YouTube page
Check out my free and for-purchase offerings
Sign up for my email list to download my FREE fueling before exercise guide
Fill out a new client inquiry form if you’re interested in 1:1 nutrition coaching
Join my Patreon community to support the pod while getting free merch, special discounts, and other perks
Please subscribe or follow the show and rate/review it wherever you listen
Get in touch at claire@eatforendurance.com.
Music Credit: Joseph McDade

Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations

Want to get in touch? Send Claire a message!

Support the show

Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).

Fueling the Ultra Life: Coach Jes Woods' Journey from Triple Jump to 200 Milers Jul 25, 2024

Show notes

Welcome to Episode 95 of The Eat for Endurance Podcast! I have an Athlete Nutrition Profile for you today, featuring ultrarunner and coach Jes Woods.
You may already be familiar with Jes, especially if you live in NYC. She coaches thousands of athletes through Nike Run Club, Brooklyn Track Club, and Brooklyn Trail Club, and has also worked with boutique fitness studios including Mile High Run Club and Flywheel.
Jes also is a fierce athlete herself. She competed as a triple jumper for nearly a decade, and then discovered distance running after college while working in broadcasting at NBC. She ultimately embraced the ultra running community, started coaching, and turned fitness into a full-time career.
We had a great discussion about her nutrition and how that has changed over time as she transitioned into distance running. We explore how she fuels herself, from the marathon to the 200 mile distance, as well as what she observes and teaches her own athletes. Jes also shares that she hates to cook, and tells us how she keeps herself well-nourished to support her health and very active lifestyle.
I hope you enjoy this episode! And if you do, please remember to share it with your friends, give it a 5-star rating and write a review wherever you listen to your podcasts. Your support is greatly appreciated!
Links & Announcements:

Follow Jes on Instagram
Watch this episode on my YouTube page
Purchase my NEW Peak Performance course
Check out my other free and for-purchase offerings
Sign up for my email list to download my FREE fueling before exercise guide
Fill out a new client inquiry form if you’re interested in 1:1 nutrition coaching
Join my Patreon community to support the pod while getting free merch, special discounts, and other perks
Please subscribe or follow the show and rate/review it wherever you listen
Get in touch at claire@eatforendurance.com.
Music Credit: Joseph McDade

Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations

Want to get in touch? Send Claire a message!

Support the show

Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).

How to Improve Body Image with Holley Samuel, MS RD CSSD Jul 11, 2024

Show notes

In Episode 94 of the Eat for Endurance Podcast, sports dietitian Holley Samuel (MS RD CSSD) joins me to talk about body image among athletes.
Holley and I explore how you can improve or at least neutralize your mindset when experiencing negative body image so that you can embrace fueling yourself adequately and withstand the physical demands of training and of life. We also discuss specific strategies we use when we’ve helped an athlete eat, feel and perform better, but they still struggle with poor body image.

Prioritizing health over physical appearance is crucial, especially if you hope to have longevity in your sport and other life activities. Please know that I understand how hard this can be. Body image struggles are very common, and I certainly am not immune to this!

Our bodies are meant to change dramatically throughout our life, but this does not mean it's easy to accept these changes. Improving mindset is a skill that takes ongoing work to develop, and there are no quick fixes. I hope this episode helps you get started!

One last thing - Holley and I are not therapists. We frequently work on body image and mindset with our clients, but respect our scope of expertise. Please consider seeking mental health support if you are really struggling.

Links & Announcements:

Holley’s website and Instagram
Watch this episode on my YouTube page
Check out my free and for-purchase offerings
Sign up for my email list to download my FREE fueling before exercise guide
Fill out a new client inquiry form if you’re interested in 1:1 nutrition coaching
Join my Patreon community to support the pod while getting free merch, special discounts, and other perks
Please subscribe or follow the show and rate/review it wherever you listen
Get in touch at claire@eatforendurance.com.
Music Credit: Joseph McDade

Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations

Want to get in touch? Send Claire a message!

Support the show

Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).

Fueling Life's Challenges: Erica Sara Reese on Health, Resilience, and Self-Care Jul 01, 2024

Show notes

Episode 93 of the Eat for Endurance Podcast features runner and jewelry designer, Erica Sara Reese, who is the talent behind Erica Sara Designs.

Erica grew up dancing ballet, dabbled in crew while in college, and eventually discovered her love of running while going through some major life and career changes. She actually completed the same nutrition program at NYU that I did, but then decided to pursue her jewelry business instead.

Erica has spoken openly about her recent struggles with burnout, breast cancer, and perimenopause, and continues this discussion and where she’s at now in today’s episode.
Here are some of the other things we explore:

How her nutrition and overall self-care routine has evolved, especially in recent years
What survival looks like - not in the context of cancer, but relating to the juggling act of everyday life (parenthood, running our own business, preparing food for the family, taking care of yourself, relationships, etc.)
The individual nature of nutrition decisions, and how the most important thing is what feels good to you in your unique body

While I asked many of the same questions I often include in my Athlete Nutrition Profiles, this was a far more conversational episode than usual. I think many of you will relate to what we are both experiencing in our own lives, and I hope you enjoy our discussion!

Links & Announcements:

Follow Erica on Instagram and check out her website
Watch this episode on my YouTube page
Check out my other free and for-purchase offerings
Sign up for my email list to download my FREE fueling before exercise guide
Fill out a new client inquiry form if you’re interested in 1:1 nutrition coaching
Join my Patreon community to support the pod while getting free merch, special discounts, and other perks
Please subscribe or follow the show and rate/review it wherever you listen
Get in touch at claire@eatforendurance.com.
Music Credit: Joseph McDade

Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations

Want to get in touch? Send Claire a message!

Support the show

Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).

Krista DuChene on Running, Family & Fueling Success Jun 13, 2024

Show notes

Welcome to Episode 92 of the Eat for Endurance Podcast, featuring Canadian marathon icon Krista DuChene.

Krista wears many different hats - she’s a Registered Dietitian, a coach, a recently retired professional distance runner, and a mom of 3. She has competed in 22 marathons over more than two decades, including the Olympic marathon in 2016 and the Boston marathon in 2018, where she placed third. After retiring from professional marathoning last year in Tokyo, she joined the trail and ultra community and recently finished her first 100k.

We cover SO much in this episode, including:

Krista’s experience and ongoing work as a dietitian
Her nutrition and relationship to food while growing up on a farm, and while running and playing hockey from a young age
How her focus on “lighter = faster” led to major injury
Her experience with low energy availability / REDS
How she recovered to make the Olympic marathon team
Her experience placing third in the Boston Marathon
How she fueled more than two decades of competitive marathons
What her transition into ultra running has been like
How she feeds her family of 5
Racing plans for the future

This was a really fun chat, and I hope you all enjoy it!

Today’s episode is sponsored by CurraNZ, a capsule-based supplement made from New Zealand blackcurrants. It’s Informed Sport certified and backed by over 50 published research studies, supporting potential benefits to recovery, gut health, performance, and more. CurraNZ is offering podcast listeners 20% off with code EforEndurance if you’d like to try out their product!

Links:

Krista’s website and Instagram
Watch this episode on my YouTube page
Check out my free and for-purchase digital offerings
Sign up for my email list to download my FREE fueling before exercise guide
Fill out a new client inquiry form if you’re interested in 1:1 nutrition coaching
Join my Patreon community to support the pod while getting free merch, special discounts, and other perks for just $6/month
Please subscribe or follow the show and rate/review it wherever you listen
Get in touch at claire@eatforendurance.com.
Music Credit: Joseph McDade

Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations

Want to get in touch? Send Claire a message!

Support the show

Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).

Nutrition for Injury Recovery with Callie Roseland, MS RD CSSD May 30, 2024

Show notes

Welcome to Episode 91 of the Eat for Endurance Podcast, featuring Callie Roseland, MS RD CSSD. Callie is a tactical Performance Dietitian and athlete, and today we’re chatting about nutrition for injury recovery.

We cover a lot in this episode, including

Injury prevention (briefly)
Nutrition strategies to recover from a variety of injuries (soft tissue, bone, concussions, surgical vs non-surgical, etc)
When supplementation may be appropriate, and which ones may be recommended
The emotional stress of injury and how this affects nutrition
Pain management
Nutrition when returning to sport

I hope you enjoy this episode and find it helpful! If you want to learn even more about nutrition for injuries, I covered this topic from a slightly different angle with another Sports RD in Episode 65.
I would be so grateful if you would take a minute to subscribe or follow the show and rate/review it wherever you listen. I appreciate your support!

Links:

Callie’s website and Instagram
Watch this episode on my YouTube page
Check out my free and for-purchase offerings
Sign up for my email list to download my FREE fueling before exercise guide
Fill out a new client inquiry form if you’re interested in 1:1 nutrition coaching
Join my Patreon community to support the pod while getting free merch, special discounts, and other perks
Get in touch at claire@eatforendurance.com.
Music Credit: Joseph McDade

Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations

Want to get in touch? Send Claire a message!

Support the show

Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).

Zion 100 Nutrition Recap with Sports Dietitian Julie Shobe May 16, 2024

Show notes

Welcome to Episode 90 of the Eat for Endurance Podcast, featuring sports dietitian and ultra runner Julie Shobe, MS RDN.
Julie is a second-time guest on the show, and I brought her back to tell me all about her recent Zion 100 mile finish. In case you missed it, we did an in-depth episode (number 69) all about how to fuel an ultra marathon. So think of today's episode as a sequel, where instead of general ultra nutrition advice we talk specifically about how Julie created her own fueling plan, what that looked like during training, and how everything played out for her on race day. And as we all know when it comes to these longer endurance events, things rarely go according to plan!
A large reason why Julie wanted to do a 100 miler was to have that personal experience for her client work, since she had never run one before. She shares all the lessons she learned, including things about her nutrition that surprised her, what didn’t go as well as she had hoped, plus some funny stories. We also go off on a few tangents, and even touch on the recent drama about Spring Energy’s Awesome Sauce.
I hope you enjoy this episode and find it useful, especially for those of you training for ultras!
I want to give a quick shout out to this episode's sponsor, CurraNZ, a capsule-based supplement made from New Zealand blackcurrants. It’s Informed Sport certified and backed by over 50 published research studies, supporting potential benefits to recovery, gut health, performance, and more. If you'd like to try their product, get 20% off your first pack of capsules with code EforEndurance!
Links & Announcements:

Follow Julie on Instagram (@ultra.running.nutrition)
Watch this episode on my YouTube page
Purchase my NEW Peak Performance course
Check out my other free and for-purchase offerings
Sign up for my email list to download my FREE fueling before exercise guide
Fill out a new client inquiry form if you’re interested in 1:1 nutrition coaching
Join my Patreon community to support the pod while getting free merch, special discounts, and other perks
Please subscribe or follow the show and rate/review it wherever you listen
Get in touch at claire@eatforendurance.com.
Music Credit: Joseph McDade

Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations

Want to get in touch? Send Claire a message!

Support the show

Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).

Nutrition for Mountain Athletes with Sports Dietitian Alyssa Leib May 02, 2024

Show notes

Welcome to Episode 89 of the Eat for Endurance Podcast, featuring Alyssa Leib, MS RD of Peak to Peak Nutrition.
Today, we’re chatting about sports nutrition for mountain athletes, with a spotlight on climbers. Alyssa is herself a trail runner and climber, and I had a ton of questions about climbing as it’s most definitely not my sport, plus I’m always eager to learn from other sports RDs who specialize in different niches than mine. I thought it would be fun to chat about how nutrition for climbing compares to nutrition for other mountain sports including trail running and mountaineering because as you can imagine, the nutrition concepts are the same, but the logistics and practical considerations are VERY different.
I also find it really fascinating to learn about how sporting cultures compare and contrast, especially when it comes to fueling. We discuss this in detail, and it should come as no surprise that one of the main issues we see among endurance athletes - chronic underfueling - is a major problem in the climbing world too.
Even though we spend a good chunk of the episode chatting about nutrition strategies for climbing specifically, most of our discussion is relevant to all mountain athletes. Alyssa also answers one of my burning questions that I’m SURE you all want to know too - what do climbers do if they have to go to the bathroom?!
Thanks for listening, and I hope you enjoy the episode!
Links & Announcements:

Follow Alyssa on Instagram
Watch this episode on my YouTube page
Purchase my NEW Peak Performance course
Check out my other free and for-purchase offerings
Sign up for my email list to download my FREE Fueling Before Exercise Guide and to receive my monthly newsletter
Fill out a new client inquiry form if you’re interested in 1:1 nutrition coaching
Join my Patreon community to support the pod while getting free merch, special discounts, and other perks
Please subscribe or follow the show and rate/review it wherever you listen
Get in touch at claire@eatforendurance.com.
Music Credit: Joseph McDade

Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations

Want to get in touch? Send Claire a message!

Support the show

Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).

Running Toward Recovery: Trey Duncan’s Path from Alcoholism to a 2:57 Marathon Apr 18, 2024

Show notes

Welcome to Episode 88 of the Eat for Endurance Podcast, featuring Masters distance runner Trey Duncan.

Trey is a former nutrition client of mine, and he recently ran 2:57 and placed second in his age group at the LA marathon. What a different place he is in now compared to just two years ago, when he was suffering from years of alcohol abuse and was about to enter rehab.

Trey originally contacted me for nutrition coaching in August 2022, right after he started the recovery process for his addiction. He had enjoyed distance running in the past, and wanted to get back into the sport!

In this episode, we talk about how Trey went from underweight, underfueled, frequently injured, and over trained runner to a healthier, smarter, and faster athlete. He needed a major overhaul of his everyday diet, a lot of education surrounding everyday and performance nutrition, and focused work on other things like sleep and stress management.

I also recommended Trey to a running coach, so that he would follow a more structured training plan. He tended to lean heavily on exercise for comfort and just to have something to do, and he needed someone to hold him back.

After we stopped working together, Trey kept in touch to share some wins with his running. He recently sent me a photo of him passed out on the streets of LA from just two years ago along with a photo from his recent 2:57 LA marathon finish. That’s what prompted me to ask him to come on the show to share his powerful story.

If you are struggling or have ever struggled with any form of addiction, I hope his story resonates and shows just how dramatically life can change over a relatively short period of time when you seek the help that you need.

Announcements:

Watch this episode on my YouTube page
Purchase my NEW Peak Performance course
Check out my other free and for-purchase offerings
Sign up for my email list to download my FREE winter fueling guide and receive my monthly newsletter filled with nutrition tips, recipes and special discounts
Fill out a new client inquiry form if you’re interested in 1:1 nutrition coaching
Join my Patreon community to support the pod while getting free merch, special discounts, and other perks
Please subscribe or follow the show and rate/review it wherever you listen
Get in touch at claire@eatforendurance.com.
Music Credit: Joseph McDade
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations

Want to get in touch? Send Claire a message!

Support the show

Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).

Personalized Hydration with Sports Dietitian Colette Vartanian Apr 04, 2024

Show notes

Welcome to Episode 87 of the Eat for Endurance Podcast, featuring Colette Vartanian (MS RD), a sports dietitian and the Athlete Care Manager over at Skratch Labs.
Today, Colette and I are chatting about personalized hydration. It’s been awhile since I did a dedicated hydration episode, so I figured it was time to revisit this important topic, especially as the weather warms up. We discuss key hydration concepts and strategies, including how to identify fluid and sodium needs during exercise, the role of thirst, prehydration vs hyperhydration/preloading, various methods of sweat rate and sweat composition testing, how to adjust your hydration plan for different weather conditions, and SO much more.
If you’re fairly new to my podcast or you just happened to miss it, Episode 52 with Andy Blow, the co-founder of Precision Hydration, is another great episode that deep dives into hydration. There's some overlap with today's show, but we also cover many other aspects of hydration, including a more in depth discussion of hydration basics, so it's a great starting point if you're looking to gain a better understanding of this topic.
FYI, this episode is NOT sponsored by Skratch, but I really like their products and always enjoy connecting with my dietitian colleagues. If you’re interested in trying Skratch products, you can use the 20% discount link that I provide to my nutrition clients - EATFORENDURANCE20 (this is an affiliate link, so you can shop while helping to support the pod).
Thanks for listening and I hope you find this episode helpful!
Links & Resources:

Follow Colette on Instagram
Try Skratch using my affiliate 20% discount code EATFORENDURANCE20
Check out my YouTube page to watch this episode
Check out my NEW performance nutrition digital downloads here
Sign up for my email list to receive my monthly newsletter filled with nutrition tips, recipes and special discounts
Join my Patreon community to support the pod while getting free merch, special discounts, and other perks
Please follow/subscribe to the show and give the podcast a 5 star rating and review wherever you listen
Have nutrition questions, a guest or topic request, or any other feedback? Email me - claire@eatforendurance.com.
Music Credit: Joseph McDade
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations

Want to get in touch? Send Claire a message!

Support the show

Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).

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