Performance Nutrition Discussion with Sports Dietitian Meghann Featherstun and Dr. Leo Running Expert

Meghann Featherstun, a nutritionist, discusses her recent projects, including a hydration tour with ASICS and her completion of the Abbott World Marathon Majors. She emphasizes the importance of proper hydration, especially for runners, and highlights the dangers of water toxicity. Dr. Leo Running Expert also shares a personal story about the risks of overhydration. They discuss the need to balance water and electrolytes and the importance of individualized hydration strategies. Overall, they stress the significance of understanding one's body and symptoms to ensure proper hydration during physical activity.

1.) So the key messages to get across to people during a marathon are to fuel early and often, not wait till you feel like you need it, and to document the experience on social media to expose the involvement of Abbott Global in marathons. The running community is growing, with almost a million people applying for 50,000 spots in the London Marathon. It's important to understand fueling and hydration dynamics, as well as the role of sodium and carbohydrates in performance. Carb loading can improve performance by up to 7%, and increasing carb intake can help with overtraining syndrome and anxiety caused by under fueling. Rest days should involve true rest to allow the body to recover properly.

2.) Meghann also discusses the importance of recognizing cues and signs of nutrient deficiency in athletes, emphasizing the need for proper nutrition to support high levels of physical activity. They also highlight the importance of adjusting nutritional intake based on training intensity and the body's need for repair and recovery. She also mentions their ability to assess an athlete's physical readiness and peak performance level, offering subtle guidance to help them reach their optimal state. They stress the importance of being mindful of the impact of words and encouragement on athletes' performance, especially at competitive events.

3.) She discusses the importance of subtle communication in performance coaching, particularly in track and field. They also touch on the ability to predict when pregnant women are close to giving birth based on muscle resistance during adjustments. Additionally, they emphasize the significance of carb loading for optimal performance and provide tips on how to calculate and implement a carb loading strategy. The speaker also mentions the role of allergies and intolerances in nutritional guidance and how the availability of products has increased to accommodate various dietary preferences.

4.) They discuss the fad diets now and how everyone has to be in a camp like gluten is bad. Like gluten is not necessarily bad for most people, right? There are some people that do this for right. People with allergies, people with different medical conditions that maybe it helps them. But for the majority of people, like it's okay. She thinks there's just a lot of misinformation out there that makes people think that like dairy is bad for us. And this is the rise of social media. In order for people to get a little bit more popular, they have to sort of pick a niche and sort of hunker down on that. It really just becomes a fad. 

5.) The discussion then emphasizes the importance of re-evaluating our nutritional beliefs and making dietary choices that support both how we want to eat and our performance needs. Key points include:

a.) Adequate Nutrition: Ensuring you’re eating enough to meet your body’s energy demands, especially when training for a race, is crucial. Many people, both men and women, often under-fuel without realizing the energy expenditure of their activities.

b.) Right Nutrients and Timing: It’s not just about eating enough, but eating the right things and at the right times. Proper meal timing around training sessions is vital for better performance and recovery.

c.) Protein Intake: As people age, especially women approaching menopause, protein needs increase. The recommendation is to consume 0.4 to 0.55 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per meal, aiming for about 20-40 grams of protein per meal. This helps maintain muscle mass, which is essential for performance and recovery.

d.) Complete Proteins: Emphasizing complete proteins and possibly supplementing with collagen can make protein intake more effective.

e.) Challenges for Vegans: For those on a plant-based diet, it’s essential to ensure sufficient leucine intake, often through fortified plant-based protein supplements.

f.) Overall Goal: Align nutrition with performance goals and seek guidance if needed to optimize diet for better performance and recovery.