A new client (an avid exerciser) came into my office reporting her parents “highly encouraged” her to come see me. She wasted no time telling me, “I already know all about nutrition. I know what to eat and I eat very healthfully. I’m just not sure what you can teach me.”
Her thoughts are common; many active people are already healthy eaters. They have no idea how a sports nutritionist can help them. (More correctly, how a sports dietitian who is both a registered dietitian (RD) and a board certified specialist in sports dietetics (CSSD) can help them.) You may have had the same thoughts?
Unfortunately, you don’t know what you don’t know. Athletes who have never met with an RD CSSD just don’t know how valuable a personalized consult can be to help take them to the next level. Performance, after all, actually starts with fueling—and not with training.
If you are putting hours of effort into training, you might want to learn how to overcome the food and weight barriers that hinder you from getting the most from your workouts. Overly-compulsively exercisers can also learn how to find a better balance of food and exercise. They can then find peace both with food and with their bodies--and enjoy better quality of life.
After we’d talked for 90 minutes, my “reluctant client” reported, much to her surprise, the meeting had actually been very helpful. She left my office with a plan that could enhance her daily eating, diminish her food obsessions, and start to resolve her weight issues. She felt happier.
To find a local sports dietitian (RD, CSSD), please check out the referral network at www.SCANdpg.org.You just might be glad you did!
Best wishes
Nancy Clark MS RD CSSD
For a sports nutrition resource:
Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook NEW 5thEdition (October 2013)
