Nutrition: The first step toward the podium

Dr. Jim Weinstein joins us in the first episode of the Watts Up Podcast. He is a board-certified sports dietitian and a Lieutenant Colonel with the United States Air Force. He has an impressive resume of cycling accolades, including his three times competing in the Race Across America.

Basic nutritional guidelines for the endurance athlete are some of the most common requests that Chuck sees on Facebook. There are a few basic aspects that Dr. Weinstein says are the most important for athletes: hydration, eating healthy, and getting good sleep/recovery. Chuck shares what he is working with some of his athletes on and asks for Dr. Weinstein’s opinion on how they should hydrate.

Prompted by a question about training on an empty stomach, Dr. Weinstein explains why short activities do not require the consumption of any calories. However, he brings up why this can be a grey area sometimes because of the differences between athletes. Dr. Weinstein then shares some tips on consuming carbs during longer events.

Thinking about recovery starts the minute you begin exercising. We learn about data that suggests consuming protein while exercising is important before Dr. Weinstein goes through the ideal post-exercise meal. After, he addresses how to avoid overeating post-exercise.Dr. Weinstein reinforces that it’s important to work with your coach to make sure you’re getting the right information to build a healthy diet. He shares a great resource to learn about sports nutrition and promotes being careful of what you can read on the internet.

Position Paper on Nutrition and Athletic Performance