Nutritionist for runners: 9 ways they support athletes

What the heck does a dietitian nutritionist for runners do? Well, let me first tell you a quick story.

“I would have never made it to the start line of my 50 mile race without you.” My chronically under-fueled client mentions this powerful statement during our last session after working 4 months together. Prior to us meeting, she often saw food as “earned” instead of enjoyed. Eating “less” was constantly on her mind because eating less implied weighing less which meant faster miles, at least in her head. She was stuck in a vicious cycle of over-restricting her food which lead to frequent injuries and negatively impacted her training. She dreaded training and made it to the start line of very few races that she signed up for.

Fortunately, within such a short time frame of working together, we were able to turn the key. We ultimately provided a whole new balanced nutrition realm for her. Together we developed a tailored nutrition program with weekly goals and accountability to keep her healthy, strong, and fueling well. We dramatically boosted her confidence around meal planning and preparation, and also improved her relationship with food. She ended the program confident in her ability to maintain her nutrition goals independently.

For my 50 mile runner client, there is no one-size-fits-all nutrition plan or program. In fact, there is no one-size-fits-all nutrition program for any client. But if you are looking to improve your nutrition and confidence around eating, consider working with a Registered Dietitian that will provide you with more than a meal plan. In fact, there is so very much that we can offer that is beyond a simple meal plan. Let’s get started…

What’s the difference between a Registered Dietitian versus Nutritionist?

Many people unintentionally use the terms “dietitian” and “nutritionist” interchangeably. Although there are vast similarities between these professions, there are also big differences. The biggest difference between dietitians (RDN) and nutritionists lies in the legal restrictions that each title carries. 

A Registered Dietitian (RD) or Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), both titles can be used interchangeably, must complete a 4 year degree in nutrition. They must also complete a dietetic internship of with a minimum of 1,200 supervised practice hours and pass the national RD examination. A Masters degree will actually be required for all new dietitians sitting for the exam after 2024.

Licensing standards must be completed each year after successfully passing the examination. Only nutritionists that become registered with the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) may legally declare themselves as dietitians. Lastly, they must complete 75 hours of continuing education every five years.

Unlike dietitians (RDNs), the nutritionist profession is much less protected under law. Few states require nutritionists to obtain an occupational license from a Board of Nutrition. Though many states allow individuals to practice as nutritionists without any formal education, training, or work experience. If you are looking to work with a dietitian, I highly recommend researching an appropriately credentialed provider that will be a good fit for you.

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for Runners – How can we help?

There are amazing possibilities that can happen when you work with a RDN and optimize your nutrition. Here is a list of the top 9 ways my team and I can help:

Improve athletic performance

Nutrition is one of the single-most important factors for improving and optimizing endurance performance. Just like a car needs the right type of gasoline to run properly, your body needs the right types of foods. In addition, your body needs the right foods in the right amounts and at the right times. If you are wanting to reap the benefits of your endurance and strength programs, it is important to ensure your nutrition program is supporting your athletic goals.

Most of the athletes I work with regularly start my nutrition coaching program dramatically under-fueled. Unfortunately this leads to frequent injuries and very poor training and racing outcomes. Working with a dietitian can help you fuel your best while training and can lead to dramatic improvements in endurance, strength and stamina.

Relationship with food 

Plain and simple, food is meant to be enjoyed, not over-restricted. Every calorie does not need to be accounted for to see improvements in your nutrition. For endurance athletes, a flexible eating style is an unrestricted way of eating. It is more of a lifestyle than a diet. This approach is about creating a lifestyle that allows you to feel like you. 

Body composition goals that are more than weight loss

Many athletes want to to build muscle, reduce body fat, or even simply maintain body composition during off season. A dietitian can help you manipulate your nutrition intake to support your body composition goals, during any season of training. 

Energy levels (not just during training, but the rest of the day too)!

Many clients reach out and report low energy in training and not being able to finish even easy runs. So strong is this fatigue, don’t even think about the laundry unattended to piling up in the corner! Typical nutrition routines that precipitate this fatigue and lack of energy are:

• Breakfast was skipped; in a hurry and out the door for work or dropping the kids off at school
• Light mid-morning snack of fruit or a string cheese
• Mid-day work meeting trumped an actual lunch so opted for a granola bar and coffee for a boost
• Afternoon snack- does more coffee count?  Feeling super low on energy and need more caffeine
• Dinner- grab and go fast food or pizza. Feeling quite hungry so overate and feeling pretty bloated and run down

This phenomenon is common in the desperate athletes that come to me wanting to see gains in their athletic performance and also improvements in their energy levels. I mean that laundry isn’t going to finish itself! Merely surviving is not an ideal goal when it comes to an athletic lifestyle. You need balanced energy levels to support your lifestyle and the demands of training. Nutrition certainly plays a large role in this.

Improve confidence for meal planning and meal preparation

It can be wildly daunting to implement a healthy and balanced meal plan for not only you, but also your family. Working with a dietitian can help educate you on what foods to include regularly in your meal planning and preparation routine. Increasing confidence in meal planning and preparation is one of the most effective ways to make any lifestyle changes sustainable.

Providing individualized nutrition recommendations based on your goals and busy lifestyle

It would be so convenient if there was one fueling plan that was perfect for every athlete. Unfortunately, this is very far from the truth. Each athlete has truly different nutrition needs based on body type, training plan, food preferences, medical history, age, gender, environmental factors (i.e. altitude), and performance goals. It is important to work with a dietitian that recognizes and accommodates these individualized nutrition needs.

The big day – getting you race ready

Nutrition goals should be flexible and also contingent on in-season training, off-season, carbohydrate loading in preparation for a big race day event. While race day nutrition is important, my team and I are here to help you get race day ready for your next big endurance event.

Reduce risk of injury and illness

Studies show that typically, 50% of runners experience an injury each year that prevents them from running for a period of time. For even the best-intentioned endurance athlete, simply the participation in the sport is not without injury risk. Nutrition has significant implications for injury prevention and also the enhancement of the recovery process.

Ensure your supplement routine is safe and effective

Grocery stores and social media incessantly bombard us with seemingly high-quality nutrition supplements. Before starting a nutrition supplement routine, it is important to know what you are taking is appropriate and safe. Before you start any nutrition supplement, speak with your primary medical care provider and also opt for a supplement that is third-party tested.

Fueling your training in a way that works for your lifestyle is an art and a science. As a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, my team and I are here to support you. We are an experienced and passionate team that can get you fueling your best to support your every day and performance nutrition goals. 
If you are feeling that your nutrition needs some fine tuning, check out my 1:1 performance nutrition coaching.