Sports RDpro, LLC

Such a fun chat with Mike Murray talking all things race day nutrition for swimmers. Check it out, I hope it helps!

https://youtu.be/yIkQjljDFfI
Fitter & Faster Swim Camps USA Swimming Jennifer Brunelli American Swimming Coaches Association

COACHES CORNER: Fueling for Peak Performance During Taper: Jennifer Brunelli, RD. Nutrition is a performance booster!Jennifer (VanAssen) Brunelli MS, RD, LDN is a 7-time All American swimmer and Hall of Fame athlete who attended the Univer...

Thanks for the feature, Subkit! And for sharing more about my entrepreneurship journey! It’s just the beginning.

Maximize Your Performance and Health - Sports RDpro We provide individual counseling, as well as program building for professional and amateur teams, high schools and colleges, and sports programs in order to maximize the benefits of the time athletes spend training and the financial resources available.

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💦Start sweating like a PRO💦

Get a plan for YOUR hydration needs based on science! Not based on a google search or because something tastes good or because someone else uses it 🤪😂

Have you ever wondered why you cramp, feel tired in your training runs randomly, feel dizzy, have heavy legs, feel unfocused, etc?

Have you ever grabbed your water bottle wondering how much should YOU be drinking?

Have you ever bought a hydration “product” and wondered if it was the right one or chose it because it tasted good?

⏰ Time to find out the reality behind your hydration needs. Contact us directly at for individual and team pricing to schedule your very own sweat test analysis.

What is Beta Alanine? 
Beta alanine is a MODIFIED version of the amino acid 'alanine' that is produced in the liver! However, B-alanine can also be consumed in the diet through meats such as fish, chicken or beef! 🥩🍗
 
What does it do? 
Beta-alanine is used by the body to produce another molecule known as 'carnosine'! It is non-proteogenic, meaning it is not used for making proteins! If you ever felt that “burning” sensation in your muscles, that is because there is a higher amount of H+ ions that build up and lactic acid cannot clear it fast enough. But, with carnosine, it comes in to save the day! Carnosine is an awesome buffer that helps control and clear lactic acid from cells in your muscles! B-alanine helps increase carnosine levels in skeletal muscle by up to 80%! 
By helping to clear some of that acid, carnosine has been shown to reduce fatigue and improve performance over longer bouts of intense exercise lasting around 1-4 minutes! This can benefit strength and power athletes as well as endurance athletes! 📶🏋️‍♀️
 
Are there any risks in taking it? 
Some people experience a tingling sensation called paraesthesia when taking beta-alanine at large doses. As of yet there are no known health risks associated with this tingling sensation. ✅
 
So if you want to take Beta-Alanine how much should I take? 
It is recommended to take 3-6g per day for 4-10 weeks out from a competition and then 1-2g/day as a maintenance dose. 
 
 # sportsrdpro 

SALE TIME!!!💥💥💥

There is a 20% sale running on the courses right now. If you’re looking for nutrition education for an age group female athlete or for your college athlete away at school please go to the Academy website - www.leadsportsacademy.com

Its National Nutrition Month!

Here are main tips for you this month:

#1 Move your body🏋️‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏊‍♀️🚴

#2 Ask questions that encourage healthy eating habits!
- What vegetable will you add this week?
- What healthy fat do you incorporate regularly?
- What “want” food did you enjoy in a reasonable portion this week?
- What ways are you flavoring foods instead of salt?
- What ways are planning ways to eat healthier during the week?

#3 Find someone who can inspire and motivate you! 💕

If you are interested in working with us, link is in the bio!

Its not very uncommon to hear nowadays that if you are athlete, you should stay away from carbs because it will make gain excess weight. But let me tell you, CARBS ARE YOUR FRIEND!🍌🥔

Carbohydrates are our body’s main source of energy during moderate and high intensity exercise. This means that for most athletes, not consuming ENOUGH carbs can drastically affect performance.⁣ As the intensity of exercise INCREASES, the amount of carbohydrate you should eat INCREASES.

Carbs are stored as glycogen in the muscles, and not having enough stores of carbohydrates in the body is a limiting factor during exercise. Aside from consuming enough carbs throughout the day, consuming them at specific times around exercise is helpful for performance. Here are a few helpful guidelines for timing of carb intake around exercise:

◾️Consume 1-4 g/kg (0.45-1.8 g/lb bodyweight) of carbs 1-4 hours BEFORE exercise to top off glycogen stores. Example for 150 lb. (150/2.2 = 68 kg) athlete: 68 x 2 = 136 g of carbs 2 hours prior to exercise
◾️For exercise lasting >90 minutes, a general guideline is to consume at least 30-60 g/hr DURING exercise. This helps to maintain glycogen stores, prevent further fatigue and stabilize blood glucose levels. Example of food: Gatorade, hydrolyte, animal crackers, pretzels, etc.
◾️For optimal recovery post-workout, consume at least 1-1.5 g/kg (0.45-0.68 g/lb) of high-glycemic carbs AFTER exercise. Then continue to keep a consistent intake of carbs throughout day. Examples of high glycemic carbs: fruit, dried fruit, Chocolate milk, nature valley bars, peanut and butter jelly sandwich, or cherribundi

Got milk?! 🥛Ever drank a glass of milk and felt bloated? Well you may have a bit of lactose intolerance! Does that mean you can have dairy? Well the answer is yes!

Lactose is a sugar exclusively found in milk, which is comprised of a glucose and a galactose molecule (making it a disaccharide)! It is found in dairy foods, and in the greatest amounts in milk, yoghurt, milk protein powders (e.g. whey, casein) and ice cream, with hard cheeses and butter having very little! 🍦

Some individuals suffer gastrointestinal symptoms when they eat lactose, which is termed lactose intolerance, and is caused by an inability to digest lactose in the gut! Although this condition is common, most intolerant people can still eat 12-15g (the amount in a 250-300 ml cup of milk) without symptoms, and tolerant people can eat much larger amounts (>80g) without problems! Consider drinking milk after workouts or practices because it is a great source of protein, carbs and to replenish fluid losses!

If you ever have experience issues when eating dairy, please see your local allergist to get proper treatment if necessary! 👍

Ever walked into a grocery store and been completely overwhelmed by how many protein bars there are?! Well here are some wonderful tips to make shopping for protein bars a whole lot easier along with 12 different options we recommend! 👍

⁃ The nutrition label is your best friend when looking for protein bars! This where you see the amount of protein, carbohydrates and fat within the bar. When you are looking for a protein, make sure the bar has at least 10 grams of protein! If you want to eat one before or after working out, look for bars with at least 20 grams of carbohydrates! 🏋️‍♀️
⁃ Avoid any bars with artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols which can cause bloating, gas and even diarrhea during workouts! Some examples are Maltitol, erythritol, and xylitol! Some people may tolerate these sweeteners more than others but it is best to avoid them around working out! 🥴
⁃ Look for bars that contain whole food ingredients! This means that you wants your carbohydrates to mainly come from whole-grain sources like oats or brown rice or dried unsweetened fruits like dates. Protein can be in the form of eggs/egg whites, whey protein isolate or pea protein. Great sources of fats in protein bars are seeds, peanut butters, nuts and even sunflower butter!🥜

SUPER BOWL LVI

We at SportsRDPro love doing Grocery Store Hauls with some of our clients! If you have ever had trouble on health shopping/meal prepping, here are some listed below:
- Make sure to go with a plan! Before heading to the store, think about the meals you are going to prepare over the coming week and write down a list of ingredients! 📝
- The outer aisles of the grocery store are where you can find the freshest, least processed foods – fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, dairy, and breads! Some great options are canned beans, tomatoes, whole grain triscuits, cereal with 3 g fiber or Greek yogurt! 🍞
- Don’t forget to read labels! Try to stay from foods high in artificial sweeteners. Some artificial sweeteners you will see are “aspartame, sucralose, Ace-k, or maltitol”. Processed foods tend to be higher in calories and are less
likely to have the vitamins and minerals your body needs! 🏷
- Sometimes the frozen section may be better option! They still contain the same amount of vitamins and minerals as fresh products and usually are cheaper! This can be frozen veggies, frozen fruit or even frozen poultry!🧊
- Pressed for time but still want to ensure you’re eating balanced meals? Pre-grilled chicken or pre-cut broccoli will likely cost more, but that additional expense can be worth it if it means that you’re eating healthier foods on a regular basis! 🥦

Have you ever wondered if you should grab frozen or fresh while in the grocery store!? You may have thought that you should immediately go with the fresh option because it is more “natural” and not “processed”. Although this may be the common view, going with the frozen option may be more cost-effective and even HEALTHIER than some fresh options. 🍇🥦

When vegetables or fruits are frozen, they are are actually frozen when they are the freshest! This ensures that the nutritional profile remains intact longer than fresh vegetables! Freezing vegetables does not in any way remove the vitamins and minerals contained within vegetables. The only way that vegetables could lose all of their nutrients is having it in your refrigerator for a whole YEAR! 😱

Fortunately, buying the healthiest frozen vegetables is easy as, well, buying frozen vegetables. So next time you are in the store, don’t be ashamed to go for the cheaper option because in the end, you will still benefit from either one. 👍

Have you ever wondered if detox drinks, and cleanses are effective?! Well let me state in simple terms: NO. These diets usually involve RESTRICTING the amount of food you eat through the form of liquids and guaranteeing effective weight loss. But the only reason you are going to lose weight is not from the “cleanse” or “detox drinks” but from the number of calories you are restricting. However, one way that our bodies naturally detoxify itself is through our kidneys and liver daily. The liver and kidneys filter the blood of toxins and remove it in the form of urea and bile. So, in truth, our bodies do not need any extra cleansing! 🥒

Whether you see cleanses that are 3 days, 7 days or even 3 weeks long, there is no scientific evidence to support the claims that these diets make. Contrary to the belief that fat and toxins are leaving your body, it is nearly all water. The weight loss certainly comes mostly from fluid loss or potential muscle loss based on how long the cleanse is. Some common side effects from cleanses can be rebound overeating, fatigue, increased cravings, nausea and even LOWERED metabolic rate.  ⬇️

Instead of starving yourself or paying money for detox supplements, some natural ways to promote your body detoxifying process is by cutting back on alcohol, soda, processed foods, drinking plenty of water (at least 64 oz/day) and eating fruits and vegetables daily! 

If you enjoy berries, you are in good company! Why you ask? Because they contain what are called POLYPHENOLS. Polyphenols are naturally found in fruits and vegetables. Some examples of foods that contain polyphenols are oranges, apples, grapes, peaches, grapefruit juice, cherries, and blueberries. While fruit have been known as a nutritious snack, they also are great for recovery in sports/training. Sometimes when the stress caused by exercise is too great and the body is unable to recover adequately, performance will SUFFER!

To help prevent this, including plant foods is suggested to reduce muscle damage and inflammation resulting in INCREASED RECOVERY. One source of polyphenols that has received considerable attention in this area is tart cherries. Following intense training sessions, eating/drinking tart cherries has been shown to REDUCE MUSCLE SORENESS and INCREASE OVERALL PERFORMANCE. You can get tart cherry juice in some grocery stores as well as dried Montomerency tart cherries. You may also consider an NSF for sport certified supplemental form of tart cherry juice 🍒

Does this mean you need to be vegan or vegetarian?! NO! But it does mean try to incorporate a fruit, veg, bean, nut or seed in every meal and snack you eat!

It is a common misconception that if a product is made from cauliflower, it is automatically low carb. Unfortunately this is not true. Often these products are mostly made of alternative starches, such as rice flour, cassava flour, and corn starch. As noted in the post, cauliflower and non-cauliflower products are almost identical in calories, fat, and carbohydrates. This is significant when we think of cauliflower being a “healthier” option.

Some cauliflower products may not have starch driving up carbs, but they are full of cheese, eggs, and oil, which severely drive up the fat. This is particularly an issue with most cauliflower products. If you are athlete, remember that carbohydrates important to your access in performance. So in the end, there are no added benefits of cauliflower vs non-cauliflower products.

Sometimes for athletes, it can feel liadd ke a chore trying to gain weight. Often times we are told to just try to eat as much food as we can. But is there a more effective way? Through these helpful 8 tips, you can accomplish your goal of gaining quality weight and promote long-term health in the process. 
 
Specific ways to incorporate more calories into meals would be: 
•Add coconut oil, avocado oil or olive oil to veggies, potatoes, meat instead of cooking spray. 
•Use nut butters and nuts (trail mix) as an additional snack to meals.  Also, add peanut or almond butter to toast with fruit on the side. 
•Choose higher calorie protein cereals or granola with milk or yogurt. 
•Have high carb protein bar options as a snack. Examples: GoMacro MacroBars, Perfect Bar, RXBar, KiZE) 
•Add oats, peanut butter, ground seeds or carbohydrate powders to smoothies and shakes
•Add seeds to oatmeal, yogurt or cereal. Some seed options are sunflower, flaxseeds or chia seeds. 
•Choose higher carb bread options such as bagels, white bread instead of low-calorie breads.  
•Eat a protein and calorie-rich snack before bed.

Conversion of lbs to kg: lbs/2.2 = # kg (Ex. 200 lbs / 2.2 = 90 kg body weight)

Gluten-free diets have been touted by celebrities for weight loss and athletes for improved performance. From 2004 to 2011, the market for gluten-free products grew at an annual rate of 28% which showed significant growth in sales. But is the gluten free-diet necessary for everyone? Unfortunately, no.

Gluten-free diets are specifically designed for people who have been diagnosed with autoimmune conditions such as celiac disease noncebiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS). Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease where wheat actually triggers antibodies to attach the small intestine. This can cause bloating, diarrhea, abdominal pain and even difficulty with bowel movements. Non-celiac gluten sensitivity is not an autoimmune disorder or an allergy but does cause similar symptoms to celiac disease.

There are no added benefits for adopting a gluten-free diet due to the potential nutritional risk of the diet for who do not absolutely require it for the treatment of celiac disease or NCGS. Instead, following a diet that consist of whole foods will be more sustainable long-term.

Defined by the International Olympic Committee, REDS (‘relative energy deficiency in sport’) is a complex syndrome entailing ‘impaired physiological function including metabolic rate, menstrual function, bone health, immunity, protein synthesis, and cardiovascular health caused by relative energy deficiency’. This was first referred to as “female athlete triad” but now REDS is the preferred term because it encompasses more than just women’s menstrual cycles. There are many physiological consequences for having REDS, especially having an effect on performance. Low dietary intake can cause increased injury risk, decreased muscle strength, decreased muscular endurance and even psychological effects. It is important for athletes to consume adequate amounts of calories to support the demands of the sports.

It’s often assumed that EDs only affect female athletes, but they are also very prevalent in male athletes. A study on 583 male and female triathletes showed that 11% of participants were preoccupied with food and weight, 23% were engaging in restrictive calorie-controlling behaviors, and 100% of the sample were unhappy with their current BMI. Athletes are 2-3 times more likely than the average individual to develop an eating disorder. If you want any more information on RED-S, please see your local physician or talk to your head coach.

Apple cider vinegar has been a common product claiming to relieve a wide range of health complaints. But is there research to support this claim?

Apple cider vinegar is essentially fermented fruit juice. It is made by crushing apples and using bacteria and yeast to ferment the juice. There are also different types of ACV available. There are distilled which is clear and great for canning veggies and raw which is great for salad dressings or marinades.

Research shows that consuming apple cider vinegar could be beneficial in relieving heartburn and providing some good gut bacteria. But as in aiding weight loss, there is no research to support its claims. If you are looking at consuming apple cider vinegar, make sure to dilute it with water before drinking it (1 tbsp + 1 cup of water) because drinking it straight can erode your tooth enamel. If you are looking for an alternative way to consuming ACV, look into using it as a salad dressing.

The no-dessert approach could be the one mistake that creates a bad relationship with food. Thinking certain foods or desserts are "off limits" is where it all starts. It’s time to break that dangerous mindset. No one food will make you fat, and no one food will make you thin. While there is different qualities, of food, it is just as important to consider the quantity. You create a terrible relationship with food when you think you have to completely avoid what you love. This instills a mindset of restriction, which leads to frustration, which leads to a lack of consistency. Instead of avoiding that one dessert you have been craving, enjoy it today!

The no-dessert approach could be the one mistake that creates a bad relationship with food. Thinking certain foods or desserts are "off limits" is where it all starts. It’s time to break that dangerous mindset. No one food will make you fat, and no one food will make you thin. While there is different qualities, of food, it is just as important to consider the quantity. You create a terrible relationship with food when you think you have to completely avoid what you love. This instills a mindset of restriction, which leads to frustration, which leads to a lack of consistency. Instead of avoiding that one dessert you have been craving, enjoy it today!

Creatine is a naturally-occurring amino acid within the body that is primarily stored within muscle. It is produced in the liver, pancreas and kidneys that is used as a fuel source for quick bursts of high intensity activity and during muscle contraction. It can commonly be found in meat products such as meat products (beef, salmon, pork) and also nutritional supplements.

Creatine is a very popular supplement for strength and power athletes, where events that generally last less than 30 seconds. It has been found to extremely beneficial in increasing muscle mass and strength as well as increasing performance in sports such as 100m and 200m sprints, weightlifting and powerlifting and even swimming.

Creatine supplementation is one of the most extensively studied nutrition supplements with over 100 years of research. The majority of the research on creatine supplementation has focused on creatine monohydrate’s safety and effectiveness.

Dehydration and loss of electrolytes through sweating can numerous negative effects. The main effect we often hear about is causing muscle cramps. Because electrolytes are required for proper muscle function, including contracting and relaxing, electrolyte depletion (both in the blood and the muscle) could result in disrupted and uncontrolled muscle contraction (i.e. cramping).

This idea originated from studies in the 1920s and ‘30s involving heavy industry workers showed that cramping was associated with loss of electrolytes through sweat, though dehydration was not always implicated as the workers drank a ton of plan water. More recent evidence has looked at cramping specifically in athletes. Although many of the studies have been small, it has been shown that athletes who experience cramps are those who has been experienced larger losses in sodium during exercise.

In conclusion, it is beneficial to replenish electrolytes for the purpose of preventing dehydration and other side effects. If you are athlete or someone who works out over an hour, consider sipping on a carb-solution throughout your workout.

It is a common belief that raising your metabolism helps you burn more calories and increase weight loss. Unfortunately, there are many myths about boosting metabolism. There is little scientific evidence that eating small, frequent meals boosts metabolism.

While spreading your meals throughout the day might help with your hunger, it will not help you “burn” fat. For athlete, it may be more beneficial to eat more often in smaller amounts. But if you are someone who has a hard time stopping once you start eating, 3 meals a day may make it easier may be the better option.

As an athlete, dehydration can impair both your physical and mental performance, especially in hot environments or long-lasting exercise. This is why it is crucial to begin exercise well hydrated and should drink during exercise to limit water and salt losses. Losing more than 2% of body mass through sweat is a sign of significant dehydration.

Prior to exercise, it can be beneficial to sip gradually on 16-24 oz of water 2 hours to prevent dehydration and avoid over hydration. As you approach competition or exercise, drinking a 8-16 oz of a carbohydrate/electrolyte drink (gatorade, Powerade, etc.) is sufficient. The amount could be more depending on the environment. For example, if you know you are going to be working out outside, it would be more beneficial to drink a bit more fluids.  

While a pre-planned hydration strategy may be more effective for those engaging in very high intensity and medium duration activities, it important to must yourself in the most optimal hydration state prior to competition.

It is often been promoted that sea salt or pink Himalayan salt are healthier options than table salt. But really, sea salt and table salt have the same basic nutritional value. Whichever type of salt you prefer, do so in moderation. The recommended limit of sodium is less than 2,300 mg a day which roughly 1 teaspoon of table salt. If you are an athlete, make sure to increase your sodium intake during high-intensity workouts/practices to replenish the sodium you lose via sweat!