The Fueling Forward Podcast

Maddie and Alexa Gusman, the newest dietitian at Fueling Forward, are switching on and off for the Q&A episodes! This episode is a Q&A episode where Alexa answers questions that have been submitted by listeners.
Questions for today’s episode include:
Can you explain how accurate the "calories burned" metric is on smartwatches? And what are some better ways to ensure I'm fueling properly?
My family has a history of high cholesterol, and mine came back elevated as well. As someone healthy and active, what are some reasons why I would have high cholesterol, and how does my diet contribute to my high cholesterol?
I have a navicular bone stress injury and a history of an eating disorder. How should I approach my fueling during my recovery to be a healthy and well-performing athlete and come back stronger from this setback?
How do you get through a workout/race when the pace is feeling hard? I feel like sometimes my mind just tells me I can't go any faster!
Thanks so much to everyone who has submitted questions so far! If you would like to submit a question for future episodes, you can do so on my website HERE or email me at fuelingforwardpodcast@gmail.com.

This episode is an interview with sports dietitian and endurance runner, Claire Shorenstein. Claire grew up not considering herself athletic, mostly focusing on music where she was a high level oboe player. When she decided to join her friend at xc practice one day, she fell in love with running. Claire got her Master's of Music in Oboe Performance at Yale, and after that decided she didn't want to become a professional musician. Her self-described identity crisis led her to do to a year long solo trip in South America, after which she moved to London and rediscovered her passion for running.
While getting into running and training for her first marathon, Claire became interested in sports nutrition. She ended up going back to school to get her Master's in Nutrition from NYU and became a sports dietitian. She opened up her private practice, Eat for Endurance, and became a RED-S informed provider to work with endurance athletes like herself who struggle to meet the demands of training with their fueling.
In this episode, we talk about:
What it was like growing up involved in music and not considering herself an athlete, then finding cross country and sparking a love for running
How an identity crisis after getting her Master’s of Music in Oboe Performance and deciding to stop playing the oboe led to a year of solo traveling in South America
How traveling in a new country helped heal her relationship with food and body image after struggling with an eating disorder
Why her experience with rediscovering running and getting into marathons inspired her to go back to school to become a dietitian
How pivoting from road racing to trails and ultras helped her let go of expectations and find joy again in running after burning out from the road scene
Her experience learning how to navigate fueling and GI issues for longer races
What types of athletes she works with in her private practice and the most common nutrition challenges she sees endurance athletes face
You can learn more about working with Claire on her website at www.eatforendurance.com, and you can also find her on Instagram @eatforendurance or listen to her podcast, Eat for Endurance, wherever you get your podcasts!

I'm back from maternity leave! This episode is a Q&A episode where I answer questions that have been submitted by listeners.
Questions for today’s episode include:
My ferritin and iron haven't changed much after supplementing all summer despite taking a supplement. What else can I do to raise my iron levels?
Is it normal to lose your sweet tooth during eating disorder and RED-S recovery?
What advice do you have for young runners in middle school who are hoping to pursue a career in running?
I’m a D3 xc runner and just started my freshman year. I've been struggling with a missing and irregular period and really want to get it back. I feel like I'm doing everything right but something isn't clicking. Do you have any advice on how to successfully recover my period despite the crazy season of life that I'm in right now?
Thanks so much to everyone who has submitted questions so far! If you would like to submit a question for future episodes, you can do so on my website HERE or email me at fuelingforwardpodcast@gmail.com.

This episode is an interview with professional runner, Ella Donaghu. Ella grew up in Portland where she was introduced to running through a family of runners. She played soccer as well but ultimately chose to focus on running and ended up becoming a 6x state champion and NXN runner up. She went on to run at Stanford, and struggled initially with her transition after dealing with a stubborn injury, under fueling, and her mental health. After focusing on getting herself to a better place mentally and physically, she was finally able to break her high school PR's and went on to become a 7x All-American. She signed a pro contract with Nike right out of college, and has since become a sub 15 minute 5k runner and 2x US Olympic Trials qualifier.
In this episode, we talk about:
What it was like growing up in Portland surrounded by track, and how she ultimately chose to pursue running
Her struggles with body image and fueling as she transitioned into her freshman year of college
How mental health played a role in her struggles with fueling and why seeking help was instrumental to getting back on track
Her journey from not running a PR since high school to finally having a break through her junior year of college, and what shifts in mindset and fueling allowed her to get back on track and have an incredible collegiate career
What it was like signing a pro contract with Nike right out of college and why she initially found that transition challenging
Why it’s important to her to have things outside of running and how that has helped take the pressure off of her pro career
How fueling during workouts has helped reinforce the idea that food is fuel and essential to performance

While Maddie is on maternity leave, Alexa Gusman, the newest dietitian at Fueling Forward, is taking over to answer your questions! This episode is a Q&A episode where Alexa answers questions that have been submitted by listeners.
Questions for today’s episode include:
I’m a high school track athlete, and I’ve found myself struggling with disordered eating. I know I need to fuel my body to support harder training, but anxiety around food, body checking, and nausea/throwing up during workouts have made it really difficult to eat consistently. What advice do you have for getting out of this cycle?
When trying to establish my typical energy and carbohydrate intake, should I include the calories and carbohydrates from alcohol?
I’m marathon training and know I need plenty of carbohydrates, but I often feel sleepy after heavier carb-based lunches like pasta and then struggle with my energy in the afternoon. What should a balanced lunch look like to support training while also helping me maintain steady energy throughout the workday?
Are some protein powders or brands better than others for runners, and what should we look for when choosing one? Is there any meaningful recovery benefit to making your own shake versus chocolate milk or a protein smoothie?
To Alexa: When in your professional career did you realize it was time to move on from running? And did you always recognize that you might struggle with your relationship with food, or did that become more apparent once you were in school to become a dietitian?
Thanks so much to everyone who has submitted questions so far! If you would like to submit a question for future episodes, you can do so on my website HERE or email me at fuelingforwardpodcast@gmail.com.