The 5 pillars of sports nutrition
(From a functional perspective)
Something I’ve always felt at odds with…
is the dichotomy of sports nutrition and “wellness” nutrition. I realize there is certainly a spectrum (I’m not exclusively putting everyone in only those two camps), but I do see a huge gap between the philosophies and beliefs on both sides. Pure sports nutritionists will tout gummy worms and gatorade before and during training sessions, and wellness nutritionists will argue that cane sugar will be the demise of all civilization. For a while, I struggled with feeling like I had to choose between the two camps. I wanted to educate and support my athletes on both nutrition for sport and wellness principles. So what is one to do? Well, I created my own philosophy! One that aligns with my values as a practitioner, and that meets my client’s needs to be both thriving athletes, as well as healthy human beings.
My commencement into the world of nutrition was originally rooted in the desire to feel better: like many, I was originally drawn to this field because I wanted to heal myself. For years I struggled with digestive issues, acne, and large fluctuations in weight that led me down a holistic path of education and practices. I am extremely passionate about using natural treatment modalities, ingredients, food quality, and living a low-tox life. On the less “crunchy” side, my formal education is in the hard sciences: my bachelor’s degree is in chemistry, and I am half-way through a rigorous, biochemically based master’s program in clinical nutrition. I have a deep understanding of how our body works, how nutrients are absorbed and metabolized, and how we can leverage our food intake to ensure our bodies perform like well-oiled machines during activity.
My approach to nutrition is essentially a love child of these two worlds: yes, gummy worms and electrolytes when timed accordingly can absolutely be used to our advantage. But instead of trolli gummies, why not choose a natural gummy worm once in a while, that’s free of harmful food dyes and artificial additives/ thickeners (of course, having a trolli gummy worm once in a blue moon won’t kill you, either). Swap out the gatorade that contains more sugar than salt, modified food starch, and artificial food dyes with a carefully formulated electrolyte solution that includes high quality mineral compounds, and no unnecessary ingredients. You can fuel to excel as an athlete, while still consuming foods that will foster good health for years to come.
Thus, the 5 pillars were born…
I designed the 5 pillars of Sports Nutrition to encompass this. These 5 pillars are vital to becoming a thriving, nourished, well-rounded athlete that not only excels in sport, but who also feels their absolute best. Depending on where you are on your journey, you may need to put your attention on one (or more) pillars over the others:
What they mean:
Foundational Health: in order to perform your best as an athlete now (and for years to come), your gut, hormones, and liver/ detox system need to be functioning optimally. Bottom line- you can’t show up 100%, if you aren’t feeling 100%. Working to improve these areas of your health is a crucial foundational step to be able to perform and train at your max.
Baseline Nutrition: mastering your “day-to-day” nutrition strategy is crucial for ensuring nutrient and caloric adequacy. Blood sugar balance, balanced meals, and optimal macro & micronutrient levels are all areas that once mastered, will make a huge impact on your overall goals.
Nutrient Timing: dialing in specific sports nutrition strategy is an absolute game changer for energy and power availability during your sessions. Nutrient timing can be adjusted based on the type, length, and even intensity of session, and is extremely personalized to you as an individual athlete.
Recovery: reducing inflammation, stress, and improving sleep are essential pieces to the puzzle that will promote longevity and sustainability in your sport.
Relationship with food & your body: you can implement all the nutrition strategies in the world, but without a positive relationship with food, you can basically throw all that strategy out the window. Learning to listen to your body and intuitively give it what it needs (or take out what it doesn’t), is essential for both your mental and physical health.
More often than not, clients come my way needing support with at least one or more of these pillars. Giving athletes the tools, resources, and support they need to fill their pillars is one of the most rewarding parts of my job!
Coming soon
If you need support with any of these pillars, stay tuned! I will be writing a blog post on each one, detailing actionable tips and steps you can take to work towards a more complete pillar.
xx,
Amanda
