The Eat for Endurance Podcast

• Does Body Weight Affect How You Should Fuel During Exercise?

  Want to get in touch? Send Claire a message!In episode 115 of The Eat for Endurance Podcast, Claire welcomes back Sports Dietitian Stevie Lyn Smith, MS RD CSSD to dive into how body weight impacts fueling needs during exercise.For years, carb recommendations during exercise were based on duration and intensity, without considering body size. New research suggests that larger-bodied athletes may benefit from higher carb intake to optimize performance.Claire and Stevie discuss:Traditional carb guidelines during endurance exercise, and why they have been independent of body sizeHow a 2024 study suggests a potential shift toward considering body-weight when setting carb fueling goalsWhy smaller athletes still need to fuel adequatelyHow training status and workout intensity also play a major roleKey considerations for long-course events like triathlons and ultramarathonsThe importance of fueling, regardless of weight loss goalsKey takeaway: Fueling needs are individual (have I said this one enough?!). Larger-bodied athletes may need more carbs during exercise, but every athlete, no matter their size, deserves and needs proper nutrition to perform and recover well.🎧 Tune in to learn more!Links & Resources:Stevie's websiteJoin my monthly membership service, Fuel for Life Crew, for just $30/month (cancel anytime)Check out my free nutrition downloadsFill out a new client inquiry form if you’re interested in 1:1 nutrition coachingSupport the podcast with my affiliate codes: EATFORENDURANCE20 for Skratch LabsJoin my Patreon community Get in touch at [email protected] – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendationsSupport the showThanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).

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• Fuel for Effort, Not Speed: Why Slower Endurance Athletes Still Need Carbs

  Want to get in touch? Send Claire a message!In episode 114 of The Eat for Endurance Podcast, Sports Dietitian Stevie Smith, MS RD CSSD joins me for the first in a two-part series on how various factors impact how you should fuel during endurance activities.In Part 1, we discuss how exercise intensity affects fueling needs. More specifically, we tackle a question that we often hear from mid and especially back-of-the-pack athletes:“Do I really need to eat that many carbs during exercise if I’m not very fast?”Here’s what we cover to answer this question:Why higher intensity exercise, even at a slower pace, demands more carbsHow to adjust fueling based on YOUR effort level, not just pace or durationThe risks of underfueling, including fatigue, poor performance, increased injury risk, and mental burnoutHigh carb fueling and who may (and may not) benefitPractical guidelines for pre-, during-, and post-workout fueling and for a variety of sports (e.g. road running, trail/ultra, triathlon)How to adjust your fueling strategy when unexpected challenges occur and throw you off paceIt doesn't matter if you're chasing a PR or just trying to finish strong. Whether you're an elite or back-of-the-pack athlete, your body needs fuel that matches your effort.🎧 Tune in to learn more!Links & Resources:Stevie's websiteJoin my monthly membership service, Fuel for Life Crew, for just $30/month (cancel anytime)Check out my free nutrition downloadsFill out a new client inquiry form if you’re interested in 1:1 nutrition coachingSupport the podcast with my affiliate codes: EATFORENDURANCE20 for Skratch LabsJoin my Patreon community Get in touch at [email protected] – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendationsSupport the showThanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).

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• Fueling an FKT: How Tara Dower's Crew Helped Her Conquer the Appalachian Trail

  Want to get in touch? Send Claire a message!Last week in Episode 112, I sat down with Tara Dower to hear about how she fuels trail running, thru-hiking, and FKTs, including her record-breaking FKT on the Appalachian Trail. But what does it take to SUPPORT an athlete through such a grueling feat? In this bonus episode, we’re diving behind the scenes with Amy Good, an endurance athlete and crucial member of Tara’s support crew. Amy is not a nutrition expert, but she did a fantastic job of keeping Tara well-fueled on the AT.Amy played a key role in supporting Tara throughout her journey, preparing nutrient-dense meals and snacks for the majority of Tara's effort. But this experience wasn’t just about Tara’s success. Amy found a deep sense of purpose and fulfillment in being part of something bigger than herself.In this episode, we discuss:How Amy ensured Tara had high-carb, high-calorie meals to sustain her daily mileageThe importance of meal timing, hydration, and electrolyte balanceWhy the support crew plays a crucial role in endurance effortsHow this experience changed Amy’s perspective and personal life goalsTune in to hear Amy’s insights, behind-the-scenes stories (including a big reveal that even Tara doesn't know about), and other incredible moments from Tara’s Appalachian Trail FKT.If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe and leave a review to help more athletes fuel smarter!Links & Announcements:Listen to Tara's interview from last weekJoin my membership, Fuel for Life Crew, for $30/month (cancel anytime)Check out my free nutrition downloadsFill out a new client inquiry form if you’re interested in 1:1 nutrition coachingSupport the podcast with my Skratch affiliate code EATFORENDURANCE20 Join my Patreon community Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendationsSupport the showThanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).

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• From DNF to Dominance: How Tara Dower Fuels Thru-Hikes, FKTs, and Ultramarathons

  Want to get in touch? Send Claire a message!In Episode 112 of The Eat for Endurance Podcast, I chat with ultrarunner and thru-hiker Tara Dower, aka Candy Mama. If you don’t already know Tara, she’s an incredible endurance athlete with multiple FKTs, podium finishes, and race wins under her belt. Most notably, she set the overall Fastest Known Time (FKT) on the Appalachian Trail (AT) in September, breaking the previous record by 13 hours! She also recently secured her golden ticket to the Western States 100 with a second-place finish at the Black Canyon 100K.Tara has gone through a huge transformation in how she fuels for endurance sports in recent years, and it has taken her performance to the next level.Here's what we cover in this episode:How she grew up as a selective eater, and what types of foods she currently enjoys How she uses dramatically different fueling approaches for thru-hiking compared to ultras and FKTsWhy she relies on whole foods for FKTs but sticks to gels and liquid calories for racesHow her crew supported her with nutrition on the AT  (bonus episode coming out next week on this!)How she overcame throwing up during ultras by training her gut to handle higher carb intakes and personalizing her hydration strategyTara’s recovery strategies after huge endurance efforts, including what she eats post-race and how she balances rest and trainingHow she manages anxiety and mental challenges during long efforts and in everyday life, including the grounding techniques that help keep her presentTune in now to hear Tara’s full story and learn how she’s gearing up for Western States! Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe and leave a review to help more athletes fuel smarter!Links & Announcements:Follow Tara on Instagram and check out her new podcast, DNF DiariesJoin my membership, Fuel for Life Crew, for $30/month (cancel anytime)Check out my free nutrition downloadsFill out a new client inquiry form if you’re interested in 1:1 nutrition coachingSupport the podcast with my Skratch affiliate code EATFORENDURANCE20 Join my Patreon community Get in touch at [email protected] – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendationsSupport the showThanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).

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• Nutrition Myths Debunked: The Truth About Food Dyes, Seed Oils, Raw Milk, and Supplements

  Want to get in touch? Send Claire a message!Confused by all the nutrition noise online? You’re not alone! In Episode 111 of The Eat for Endurance Podcast, Sports Dietitian Lauren Link, MS RD CSSD, joins me to break down some of the most debated nutrition topics from this past year.We separate fear-driven fads from real science, explore why myths about food dyes, seed oils, raw milk, and supplements have taken off, and give you practical strategies to make safe, informed choices for your health and athletic performance.We cover:Why nutrition misinformation is louder than ever (and how to tune it out)The truth about supplements - do athletes really need them?Artificial food dyes (especially Red 3 & 40) - should you be concerned?Are seed oils actually inflammatory? What does the science say?Why raw milk isn’t worth the riskSimple, science-backed ways to fuel your body - no fads requiredHit play now to get the facts you need to fuel smarter and safely! Resources from this episode:Read my full blog post that goes even deeper into these topicsThe 2023 study on supplements we discussed The FDA resource discussing the ban of Red 3A great article by Jessica Knurick, RD PhD on why MAHA is problematicMAHA hates seed oils, while decades of research shows unsaturated fats like seed oils are actually cardioprotective, esp when replacing saturated fatsThis review study explains why pasteurization is necessary and that science does not support raw milk as being nutritionally superior Heavily researched, in-depth episode on MAHA and RFK Jr by Your Diet Sucks: "Make America Healthy, Actually"Lauren's Instagram and her book, Nutrient TimingAdditional Announcements:Join my monthly membership service, Fuel for Life Crew, for just $30/month Check out my free nutrition downloadsFill out a new client inquiry form if you’re interested in 1:1 nutrition coachingSupport the podcast with my Skratch affiliate code EATFORENDURANCE20Join my Patreon communityDisclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Support the showThanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@eatforendurance).

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