In The News
Cold plunge after workout to support recovery and reduce muscle soreness in an endurance athlete.

Should You Take a Cold Plunge After Your Workout?

Cold plunges can reduce soreness and inflammation, but timing matters. Learn when a cold plunge after your workout may help recovery and when it could interfere with muscle and strength gains.

Active older adult performing strength training to help prevent muscle loss with age and maintain strength and independence.

How to Prevent Muscle Loss with Age: A Sports Nutritionist’s Guide

Muscle loss with age is common, but it isn’t inevitable. Learn how protein, strength training, and proper nutrition can help preserve muscle mass and maintain strength throughout life.

woman drinking shake with creatine

Is Creatine Safe for Women?

Creatine is one of the most researched sports supplements and is safe for women when used correctly. Learn its benefits for strength, energy, recovery, and lean body composition.

What Do World Cup Soccer Players Eat Before a Match?

Wondering what World Cup soccer players eat before a match? Learn how elite athletes fuel with carbohydrates, protein, and hydration to maximize performance and endurance.

Is Creatine Right for Me? A Sports Nutritionist Explains

Creatine is one of the most researched sports supplements available, but is it right for you? Learn the benefits, dosing, safety considerations, and who may benefit most from creatine supplementation.

Electrolytes for athletes to improve hydration and recovery

The Best Electrolytes for Athletes: Improve Hydration, Recovery, and Performance

Learn which electrolytes athletes need most for hydration, recovery, endurance, and performance, plus signs you may need more.

How Much Protein Do I Need Each Day?

Protein is one of the most commonly asked nutrition questions, yet individual needs vary based on body size, activity level, age, and goals. Understanding how much protein you need-and how to distribute it throughout the day-can support energy, recovery, and overall health.

Athlete eating a healthy pre-workout meal with chicken, rice, and vegetables in a modern kitchen, with hydration and recovery supplements nearby.

What Should I Eat Before a Workout?

Pre-workout nutrition can significantly impact energy, performance, and digestion. The right approach depends on timing, training intensity, and individual tolerance, with a focus on balanced fueling that supports stable energy and better recovery.

winning cyclist

Power Your Training: The Serious Athlete’s Blueprint to Doubling Daily Energy Without More Caffeine or Hours in the Gym

Struggling with low energy dragging down your serious athlete training? As a board-certified sports nutritionist, I reveal my blueprint to double daily energy-no extra caffeine or gym hours needed. Inside: carb cycling, gut fixes, nutrient timing, and pro supplements for sustained power and PRs.

tired athlete

Why Am I Tired All The Time?

Fatigue can have many possible contributors, including nutrient deficiencies, blood sugar swings, poor sleep, stress, inflammation, thyroid patterns, and gut health. A functional and integrative nutrition approach looks for underlying patterns to better understand what may be driving low energy and poor recovery.

Cyclist drinking coffee

Coffee for Athletes: How Caffeine Can Improve Performance and Energy

Coffee can boost energy, focus, and endurance. Learn how athletes can use caffeine safely to improve performance and training.

girl running in warm weather

Training in the Heat: How Athletes Can Perform and Recover in Hot Weather

Training in the heat affects energy, hydration, and performance. Learn how athletes can fuel, hydrate, and adapt to hot weather training.

How to Improve Leg Strength and Endurance for Running and Cycling

Are your legs holding you back when running or cycling? Learn how to build strength, improve endurance, and fuel properly to reduce fatigue and boost performance.

runners

Legs vs Lungs in Running: How to Tell What’s Limiting Your Performance

Are your legs or lungs holding you back when running? Learn how to identify your true limiter and train the right system to improve performance.

Should My Child Play Sports When Sick? What Parents Need to Know

Should your child play sports when sick? Learn when to rest, when light activity is safe, and how illness impacts recovery and performance.

How Athletes Can Improve Recovery Between Workouts

Recovery is where gains happen. Discover how athletes can improve recovery between workouts with nutrition, sleep, hydration, and active recovery.

tired hockey player

Why Athletes Feel Tired Even When They Train Regularly

Many athletes feel drained despite training, eating well, and sleeping. Discover why this happens and how nutrition, hydration, and labs can help.

Athlete eating a healthy pre-workout meal with chicken, rice, and vegetables in a modern kitchen, with hydration and recovery supplements nearby.

How to Improve Energy Levels as an Athlete

Even fit athletes can struggle with energy. Learn six ways to boost stamina, improve recovery, and fuel your body for peak performance.

Are Young Athletes Fueling Properly for Growth and Performance?

Young athletes train hard while their bodies are still growing. Learn how nutrition, recovery, and rest support energy, performance, and long-term health.

5 Labs Every Athlete Over 40 Should Know

Being fit doesn’t automatically protect athletes over 40 from hidden health risks. Learn the 5 labs that reveal heart, blood sugar, and inflammation issues.

Can Athletes Have Heart Disease? Why Training Alone Isn’t Enough

Can Athletes Have Heart Disease? Why Training Alone Isn’t Enough By Barbara Lewin, RDN, LDN Sports and Functional Nutritionist Many athletes

Endurance Athlete Nutrition Plan: How to Fuel Training, Avoid Bonking, and Actually Feel Strong

Struggling with fatigue or bonking? This endurance athlete nutrition plan explains how to fuel training, recover faster, and improve performance.

sick athlete

Should I Exercise When I’m Sick?

When you’re sick, pushing through workouts often does more harm than good. This article explains how to decide when light movement is okay, when rest is essential, and how to return to training without losing progress.

female athlete

8 Common Myths in Sports Nutrition

Athletes are constantly bombarded with nutrition advice, much of it outdated or misleading. In this article, a sports nutritionist and functional dietitian breaks down eight common sports nutrition myths that can quietly hurt performance, recovery, and energy, and explains what actually works.

athlete eating salad

Gut Health for Athletes

Your gut isn’t just for digestion-it’s a powerhouse that affects energy, recovery, and even performance. Athletes who support their gut with the right foods, timing, and routines can boost endurance, reduce fatigue, and feel stronger day to day. In this article, I share expert tips from my work as a sports nutritionist and functional dietitian to help you fuel your body from the inside out.

pasta

How Should I Adjust My Carbohydrate Intake On Heavy Training Days Versus Taper and Rest Days?

Find out how to match your carbohydrate intake to your training load. Learn when to eat more carbs for hard workouts and when to cut back on rest days to support energy, recovery, and weight management.

How Can a Sports Nutritionist Help Me Achieve My Race Weight Without Losing Power

Achieving race weight without losing power is possible with the right strategy. A sports nutritionist helps you optimize body composition, protect lean muscle, and match your fueling to your training so you stay strong, fast, and fully energized. With targeted adjustments to nutrition, timing, and recovery, you can improve your power to weight ratio safely and get the most out of every workout.

How Much Carbohydrate Do I Need Per Hour During a 3-Hour Bike Race?

Wondering how much carbohydrate you need per hour during a 3-hour cycling race? Discover targeted fueling strategies to maintain energy, optimize performance, and delay fatigue on the bike. Perfect for endurance cyclists aiming for peak results

athlete drinking a smoothie

What Should I Eat Before My 5 a.m. Practice if I Can’t Tolerate Solid Food?

Learn what to eat before a 5 a.m. workout if you can’t tolerate solid food. Expert advice on early morning workout nutrition, liquid fueling, and energy strategies for endurance athletes.

What Is the Optimal Meal and Snack Timing Around Double-Practice Days?

Training twice a day pushes the limits of endurance, strength, and recovery. This guide explains how to time your meals and snacks around double-practice days so you can sustain energy, recover faster, and get the most out of every session.

Nutrition for Beginner Triathletes: An Expert Fueling Guide

Nutrition for Beginner Triathletes: An Expert Fueling Guide As a sports nutritionist working with triathletes of all levels, I’ve seen

Why Athletes Need Electrolytes

Endurance athletes lose more than just water when they sweat. Sodium, potassium, and other electrolytes are critical for muscle function, hydration balance, and recovery. Drinking only water can increase the risk of hyponatremia, fatigue, and performance decline. Learn why electrolytes are essential, how to individualize your strategy, and how to fuel smarter for training and racing.

Table with dietary supplements, protein powders, and a pink sports drink

Bryan Johnson’s Blueprint: What Athletes Should Know About Supplements vs. Whole Foods

Tech entrepreneur Bryan Johnson’s Blueprint suggests whole foods are “insufficient” without targeted supplementation. As a functional sports nutritionist, I take a different view. Athletes can benefit from supplements in certain cases, but whole foods provide a powerful synergy of nutrients, phytochemicals, and performance benefits that no pill can match.

Bean salad loaded with antioxidants

Eat Like a Pro: A High-Fiber, Antioxidant Salad to Maximize Athletic Performance

This tri-bean antioxidant salad is a nutrient-dense dish combining three beans, fresh vegetables, and a zesty dressing. High in fiber, rich in antioxidants, and customizable with optional feta, it’s a smart choice for athletes and anyone looking to boost their nutrition.

Prevent Energy Crashes and Optimize Performance Using a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM)

Continuous glucose monitors can improve performance in athletes by taking the guesswork out of fueling, recovery, and training. With real-time glucose tracking, athletes can prevent energy crashes, manage reactive hypoglycemia, fine-tune carbohydrate timing, and accelerate recovery. Whether you’re a triathlete, cyclist, runner, or team sport competitor, CGMs provide the insights you need to fuel smarter and train stronger.

fast food-burger, fries and a soda

Hard to Eat Right? And What You Can Do About It

We all know what to eat -but actually making it happen is another story. From convenience and cost to taste and advertising, hidden barriers make healthy eating harder than it should be. In this article, I reveal 10 common obstacles to eating right – and practical ways athletes and busy professionals can break through them.

Essential Hydration and Nutrition Tips to Beat the Heat

Essential Hydration and Nutrition Tips to Beat the Heat When the temperatures rise, your body works overtime to stay cool.

close-up of roasted coffee beans - nutrition and performance benefits for athletes

Does Coffee Help You Live Longer? What Every Athlete Should Know

Does Coffee Help You Live Longer? What Every Athlete Should Know As a functional dietitian and sports nutritionist, I’m often asked

How to Get Enough Protein From a Plant-Based Diet

Plant-Powered Performance: How Athletes Can Get Enough Protein on a Plant-Based Diet
Worried a meat-free diet can’t support strength, endurance, or recovery? Think again. With smart choices and a focus on variety, athletes can meet — and exceed — their protein needs using plant-based foods alone. From high-protein staples like lentils, tofu, and quinoa to convenient plant-based powders, it’s easier than ever to fuel performance without animal products.

Protein Facts and Fallacies for athletes

Most athletes are told to aim for the RDA of protein-but that’s only the minimum to prevent deficiency, not to perform, recover, or thrive. As a functional sports nutritionist, I explain why athletes need between 1.2 and 2.0 g/kg of protein per day, tailored to their goals, with support from Dr. Peter Attia’s insight.

FOOD FACTS

Many athletes focus on training but overlook the impact of nutrition on performance, endurance, recovery, and muscle growth. This article breaks down common sports nutrition myths and food facts about protein, carbohydrates, fat, supplements, and vitamins to help athletes make smarter nutrition choices.

14 ways

14 Ways to Eat Like a Cyclist at the Tour de France

Cyclists in the Tour de France rely on highly strategic nutrition to fuel up to 7,000 calories per day. This article explores how pro riders eat before, during, and after each stage to maximize endurance, performance, and recovery.

dine

Dining Hall Dilemmas

College athletes often struggle to balance performance nutrition with the realities of dining hall eating. This article explores how endurance athletes can manage fueling, maintain healthy body weight, and make smarter food choices to support training, recovery, and long-term success.

8 Foods Athletes Must Avoid

8 Foods Athletes Must Avoid for Peak Performance Even the most disciplined training program can fall short if your nutrition

Ironman athlete

What to Eat Before a Run

What to Eat Before a Run How to Fuel for Energy, Endurance, and Recovery What you eat before a run