This episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast is an elite runner for Team Boss and sports dietitian Maddie Alm. Maddie shares her story from high school soccer player to college walk-on to professional athlete, and how nutrition has fueled this progression. We discuss some of the common fueling pitfalls faced by college and high school athletes, and tips for improving performance: post-workout snacks for avoiding within-day energy deficits, electrolytes and hydration, and lots of carbs! Maddie and I debate whether or not to supplement, avoiding nutrition deficiencies, and underfueling. Maddie debunks the myth that lighter is faster, the link between weight and performance, and how your strongest and best-fueled self is actually faster, even at a higher bodyweight! Maddie’s business “Fueling Forward” helps athletes address these issues, including RED-S, fuel their performance better, and gain a healthy perspective on nutrition for sport and life. We finish off with a topic we’ve not discussed before: alcohol and athletic performance, sharing some of the negative impacts on sleep and recovery.

TOPIC TIMESTAMPS:

8:00 Maddie’s athletic story: from soccer player to elite runner

11:40 Understanding the link between nutrition, health, and performance

14:30 Challenges for college athletes: underfuelling, lack of nutrition support

18:25 Fueling tips for better performance

23:40 Maddie’s non-traditional path to pro running for Team Boss and the Olympic Trials

33:15 Sports nutrition and training tips as a pro athlete: carbs, electrolytes, and workout fueling

42:50 Supplements and nutrient deficiencies

51:00 Alcohol for athletes: impacts on sleep and recovery

58:10 RED-S awareness; weight, performance, and over/under fueling

1:07:10 Maddie’s business “Fueling Forward”

1:11:00 Retiring from elite athletics

1:13:50 End of the podcast questions

Check out Maddie’s business “Fueling Forward”

Follow Maddie on Instagram @madsalm12 Fueling Forward @fueling_forward and me, your host Lindsey Cortes, @female.athlete.nutrition

If you find value in this podcast and would like to support the show, join our patreon community! Become part of our Fiercely Fit and Fueled community today, and receive bonus episodes, merch, monthly recipes, access to an exclusive community message board, and have the chance to ask Lindsey your questions and get a podcast shoutout, and more! Head to patreon today patreon.com/femaleathletenutrition Your support means a lot!

Need help with your fueling? Want to get in touch with Lindsey? Interested in the Female Athlete System of Transformation?

Head to www.RiseUpNutritionRUN.com to learn more & book a call!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

Practice Better Click the link below to view plans and get a 14-day free trial. Then use the code RISEUP20 for 20% off your first 4 months: https://practicebetter.grsm.io/runp

Previnex: https://www.previnex.com/ use code RISEUP for 15% off at checkout

InsideTracker: www.insidetracker.com use code LINDSEYCPRO25 for 25% off the entire store

THIS PODCAST IS ALSO SUPPORTED BY:

Orgain, head to www.orgain.com and use the code RISEUP30 for 30% off your first order. Repeat customers can use the code OA2203 for 25% off future orders.

Practice Better Click the link below to view plans and get a 14-day free trial. Then use the code RISEUP20 for 20% off your first 4 months: https://practicebetter.grsm.io/runp

Jen & Keri: https://jenandkeri.com/ use code RISEUP10 for $10 off your order

This episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast is with elite trail and ultra runner and wildlife biologist Becca Windell. Becca has a remarkable story from professional cycling in her early 20s, to retiring from sport due to an eating disorder, then returning to competitive sport as an elite ultra runner in her 30s, and recently earning a Golden Ticket into the Western States 100 mile race. We discuss the disordered nutrition culture Becca experienced as a professional cyclist, and how the pressure to be lighter was the catalyst for a severe eating disorder and falling out of love with sports. Becca shares about stepping away from sports to fully recover, which allowed her to find her passion for wildlife biology and animals. We talk about Becca’s journey back into elite racing as a fully fueled trail and ultra runner, and how she developed a happy and healthy relationship with sports as part of David and Megan Roche’s Team SWAP. Becca gives the listeners plenty of fueling tips for before, during, and after workout nutrition, emphasizing the power of high-carb fueling for optimal performance: more fueling equals better training and racing!

TOPIC TIMESTAMPS:

7:45 Becca’s PhD in wildlife biology

11:20 Becca’s former pro cycling career

19:10 Disordered eating culture in pro cycling; Becca’s nutrition journey

21:20 The harm of commenting on bodies

27:55 Healthy vs harmful nutrition education

29:30 Eating disorder struggles as a pro athlete

33:20 Becca’s ED recovery and changing relationship with sport

35:25 Identity and life changes outside of athletics

39:30 Meat vs vegan diets in athletics and ED recovery

42:10 Returning to competitive sports in a healthy and happy way: becoming an elite ultra runner

47:10 Workout fueling tips; pre/post training snack ideas

54:20 High carb fueling for better performance; training and race day nutrition

1:01:30 End of the podcast questions

We mentioned Dr. Megan and David Roche (Becca’s coach) and Team SWAP. Tune into episode 35: Run like a Puppy, Fuel with Taco Tuesday to hear them on the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast.

Find more about Becca on her website: www.beccawindell.com

Follow Becca on Instagram @beccawindell and me, your host Lindsey Cortes, @female.athlete.nutrition

If you find value in this podcast and would like to support the show, join our patreon community! Become part of our Fiercely Fit and Fueled community today, and receive bonus episodes, merch, monthly recipes, access to an exclusive community message board, and have the chance to ask Lindsey your questions and get a podcast shoutout, and more! Head to patreon today patreon.com/femaleathletenutrition Your support means a lot!

Need help with your fueling? Want to get in touch with Lindsey? Interested in the Female Athlete System of Transformation?

Head to www.RiseUpNutritionRUN.com to learn more & book a call!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

Previnex: https://www.previnex.com/ use code RISEUP for 15% off at checkout

InsideTracker: www.insidetracker.com use code LINDSEYCPRO25 for 25% off the entire store

THIS PODCAST IS ALSO SUPPORTED BY:

Orgain, head to www.orgain.com and use the code RISEUP30 for 30% off your first order. Repeat customers can use the code OA2203 for 25% off future orders.

Practice Better Click the link below to view plans and get a 14-day free trial. Then use the code RISEUP20 for 20% off your first 4 months: https://practicebetter.grsm.io/runp

Jen & Keri: https://jenandkeri.com/ use code RISEUP10 for $10 off your order