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Digestive Health

The Microbiome’s Menu: How to Feed a Healthy Gut

Heather Mileski, RD September 22, 2020

In this post last week we established that you don’t need to take a probiotic to support a diverse microbiome

Should you add a probiotic to your shopping list?

Heather Mileski, RD September 8, 2020

If you’re wondering whether to add a probiotic (for yourself or your children) to your shopping list this fall, you’re

Introducing highly allergenic foods to infants: 2019 Canadian guidelines

Introducing highly allergenic foods to infants: 2019 Canadian guidelines

Rosanne Robinson, RD February 22, 2019

If you’re a new parent, there is a high probability that you’re suffering from information overload on every and

What’s the harm in removing gluten? celiac disease

What’s the harm in removing gluten?

Heather Mileski, RD September 29, 2018

I get asked this question (or some version of it) often when it comes to removing certain foods

Stop blaming gluten

Digestive Woes: Stop blaming all your digestive problem(s) on gluten … PLEASE!

Rosanne Robinson, RD March 26, 2017

The people closest to me know that I can sometimes get on my soapbox and go on a rant. We

Rosanne & Cara

Rosanne and Cara, the owners of Blueprint Nutrition, met at a 6 a.m. Body Pump class in Guelph, Ontario. They had an immediate connection and quickly realized they both had a passion for fitness and nutrition. When they launched Blueprint Nutrition, they enveloped their two passions into the company – athletes and families.

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blueprint.nutrition.kids

Rosanne Robinson RD

I bought 2 boxes of Halloween candy on the weekend

I bought 2 boxes of Halloween candy on the weekend with kid number 2. We don’t get much traffic at our house (maybe 20-30 kids?) but I always want to have enough on hand in case it’s a bumper crop year! 😉

We stood there comparing prices and quantities and eventually chose two boxes of candies that we’ve never bought before. (The red Nestle variety box is getting a bit old!) 😆

We tried a couple pieces on the way home and agreed that the oreo cadbury chocolate was superior to the toffee flavoured one and that we both love a good sour gummy! 🍬

When we got home, I put the boxes in the pantry beside our box of Welch’s gummies, and nothing has been said about them since then.

Boxes of candy in the pantry are a non-event.

No sneaking or stealing; no battles or stress; no wrappers hidden under the bed. If they want candy, they ask, and 9 times out of 10 we’ll say yes to adding it to a snack or meal.

So, you might wonder - is this how my kids are wired or is this a result of our food-parenting approach?!? 🤷🏻‍♀️

I think the answer is BOTH. ⤵️

Since day one, my spouse and I have been intentional (and consistent) around how we food-parent — how we talk about food specifically and how we model the enjoyment of all foods. As the kids have grown up, we’ve adjusted our messaging to be age-appropriate and now enjoy deeper conversations about food, which are super fun for me! 🤓

But I also know that my kids aren’t as ‘food motivated’ as other children naturally are.

We know that kid’s eating behaviours are trait-like and we continue to learn more through research as to what types of food parenting practices are most critical for supporting healthy eating and growth among kids who are genetically predisposed to love eating.

The big takeaway here is that you can do all the “right things” around Halloween “candy management” and it still may not be “working” because food parenting is not a one-size-fits-every-kid thing.

If you’re stressed or worried about Halloween candy, then you might need help with your long term approach and understanding the unique factors that contribute to your child’s eating/food journey.

That’s where we come in! 👋🏼

#feedingkids

Don’t settle for crappy instructions from a $10

Don’t settle for crappy instructions from a $10 kit ... 👿

Trying to put this haunted house kit together was clearly not for me. It had the worst directions I’ve seen in years and I gave up halfway through. 🤦🏻‍♀️

Because who has time for crappy instructions?

You don’t!!!

You’re a busy parent with work to do and mouths to feed and when things feel like they are falling apart at the dinner table because all your kid will eat is grilled cheese and then one day decides he doesn’t like that anymore ... then what do you do? 😫

Relying on little tidbits of information you hear from your friends, neighbours, doctor or posts on social media about picky eating isn’t a plan. It’s a crappy set of instructions that may completely mislead you. 😵‍💫

(And here’s the other thing. Solving picky eating isn’t intuitive for most parents. Oftentimes strategies go against what you naturally are inclined to do!)

Let’s collectively agree to get rid of the crappy instructions and acknowledge that you need (and deserve!) clarity about what to do in order to reclaim peace at the dinner table.

✨If you’re ready for clarity, stepwise instructions and support for the picky eating situation in your home, comment GROUP and I’ll send to you the link with information about our fall 2024 small group coaching cohort called Chaos 2 Calm! ☺️

PS - Early bird pricing ends Thursday October 24th at 10 pm ET so secure your spot ASAP!!

#pickyeaters #pickyeaterproblems #pickyeatingtips #feedingkids #realmotherhood #parentingproblems #kwawesome #dietitianmom #canadianmom

You can’t let their decision at suppertime send

You can’t let their decision at suppertime send you spiralling 🌪️😫.

I know this is easier said than done, but if you are so emotionally attached to whether they eat what you made for dinner or not, then a few things are going to happen.

No. 1 - You will find yourself either in rage-mode or just really angry or really sad most of the time. When your emotions are so wrapped up in what they eat at dinner, it’s really hard to stay regulated to do anything else you need to do. It’s exhausting. 😩

No. 2 - If you are so emotionally invested in what they eat, then you may stop making food you like and enjoy. You rob yourself of food that nourishes you and brings you joy. And if you gravitate towards just feeding them what you know they’ll eat, then they’ll never get exposure to new foods which in turn, makes the problem worse.

🤷🏻‍♀️ So how do we emotionally detach ourselves?

One of the biggest things that helps my clients to emotionally detach is to remember that “success” in feeding kids is not just marked by them “eating” the food. Rather, it’s about enjoying a pleasant mealtime at the table together.

Writing positive affirmations about your strengths as a parent are really helpful too. 🤍

This definitely is a more nuanced conversation - I’d love to hear your thoughts. ⤵️

✨ Don’t forget!! The EXTRA early bird rate for my online group coaching program for parents of picky eaters ends tomorrow morning. Comment ‘GROUP’ and I’ll send you the link!

#pickyeaters #feedingkids #feedingmyfamily #realmotherhood #motherhoodquotes #mealplanning #kwawesome #canadianmom

What’s the temperature at your table? 🔥 Did

What’s the temperature at your table? 🔥

Did you know that pressuring kids to eat doesn’t help their picky eating?! It often makes it worse.

Pressure to eat often leads to power struggles and battles at the table. And if the table is a constant place of conflict, kids will enter supper time with higher levels of anxiety. And anxiety is like a bully at the table - it robs kids of their appetite and makes it even harder to eat. 😞

Oftentimes parents are pressuring kids to eat “healthy” foods and this direct pressure makes kids associate unpleasant feelings with that food well into the future - making them LESS likely to eat it.

We all know what HOT pressure is - e.g. bribes for bites, coaxing for bites, rewarding bites with dessert, emotional blackmailing, force feeding etc. 🥵

But do you know what WARM pressure is? 🤔

Warm pressure are things that you might be saying that you don’t think are negatively impacting your kid but very well could be. It’s saying or doing things like:

☝🏼Talking about nutrients/nutrition non-stop (you won’t make rep hockey this year if you don’t start eating more protein)
😬 Reminders to eat at the table (one parent used to remind their child to eat over 60 times during in a 20 minute meal!)
👀 Starring and hovering (would you feel comfortable eating your meal if someone was constantly looking at you with judgmental eyes?)

So what should you do instead?

Well, that depends on your child, family and goals.

Generally speaking though, we recommend dinner table talk to include any topic other than food, or, to make the comments about food neutral.

Not sure where to start?

🌹 Try the rose/thorn/rosebud game - each family member shares their rose (good part) and thorn (unpleasant part) of their day, as well as their rosebud (what they are looking forward to tomorrow).

Overall, try to make your table a place of warmth from friendly conversation instead of warm from the heat of pressure.

✨Looking for more strategies and support for your picky eater? The doors for my small group coaching program ‘Chaos 2 Calm’ are open! Comment PROGRAM and I’ll send you the details and an extra early bird rate (on until Oct 17)

When was the last time that you went into a meal w

When was the last time that you went into a meal with the opinion that your kids could surprise you? 🤔

There was a 90% chance (based on previous experience) that my kids wouldn’t eat the peppers in the fajitas that I made last night.

But had I not made this dish, then there would be no way for them to learn to like it over time.

So, I still made the meal, even though it’s not their favourite, and I plunked the cast iron pan on the table with the mix of chicken, peppers and onions.

There were wraps, grated cheese, lettuce, sour cream and guacamole there too for topping selection. There was something that everyone likes.

One kid picked the chicken pieces out for a “chicken-only” fajita while the other one took chicken and a few cooked peppers but then pulled some of the peppers out as the fajita was eaten.

That was new!

Sure, it wasn’t a “yeah - cooked peppers are now a favourite” win of sorts, but a “hey - there is some willingness to try”.

These types of mini wins are what you can get overtime by taking the shot - making the meal - time and time again. 🏀

But if you don’t take the shot … well, you know what happens. 😉

So, when was the last time you took the shot?

*Don’t forget that tips for feeding kids on IG are not always applicable for every child, family or situation. Kids with significant feeding difference may need a different approach.*

#feedingkids #familymealideas #familymeals #pickyeaters #canadianmom #dietitianmom #realmotherhood #kwawesome

“Yes! You need to keep offering ... AND … !!!!

“Yes! You need to keep offering ... AND … !!!! 👇🏼

AND #1 - AND You need to ask yourself if you’ve done the work to truly uncover all the root causes for the picky eating. “Keep offering” is fine but if your child is actually struggling with chronic constipation or has undiagnosed iron deficiency or sensory processing concerns then “keeping offering” only goes so far. (PS - Don’t do this on your own! This is our job as dietitians who specialize in helping families with selective eaters!)

AND #2 - AND You need to be offering these exposures without pressure or expectation. Pressure and expectation weigh heavily on a child and oftentimes increase anxiety at the table. Anxiety is an appetite-thief and so this will not be helpful!

AND #3 - AND You want to spark their curiosity in these ‘learning-to-like’ foods because when you can spark their curiosity, you can spark true learning!

Here are a few ways to spark curiosity using apples as an example:

🧪 Science-minded kids - do a science experiment together to see which medium (lemon juice, salt-water, sugar-water, cinnamon or nothing) helps to keep sliced apples from browning.

🌳 Outdoorsy-kids - go apple-picking together and then compare the sizes and qualities of different apples together

🎨 Crafty-kids - make apple stamps for painting; build a structure using only apples (cut into various shapes/sizes) and toothpicks; draw an apple together using a step-by-step video

👩🏻‍🍳 Kitchen-kids - make something with apples together - e.g. apple muffins, apple crisp, homemade apple juice, or an apple fruit kabob with 5+ different varieties of apples

📺Video-inclined kids - watch a video together on how apple trees grow, how apples are harvested, how applesauce or apple chips are made etc.

What questions do you have about sparking your child’s curiosity around food?

#feedingkids #pickyeaters #pickyeater #realparenthood #feedingtoddlers #canadianmom #feedinglittles #kwawesome

Which ones will you try this fall with your kiddo?

Which ones will you try this fall with your kiddo?! 🍎🍏

Exploring foods with your child at the mealtime table is great but there is a lot more you can do away from mealtimes!

The fall is a perfect time to explore locally grown foods and make some connections for your learning eaters.

But REMEMBER! It’s not about them eating it in the moment you’re exploring it! 🙅🏻‍♀️

It’s about giving them positive experiences around the food to help increase their interest and curiosity in it and decrease any fear. 👍🏼

In our work with clients, we often provide lists of activities to help families explore specific foods. We even have a full 60-page guide book to explore every veggie from A to Z!

✨Are you ready to get some support for your learning eater (picky eater?) Send us a DM or click link in bio to book your free call with one of our dietitians!

#pickyeaters #pickyeater #exploringfood #ontariofruit #goodthingsgrowinontario #dietitianmom #canadianmom #toddlermommy #feedingkids #kwawesome

3 reasons why (*most) kids shouldn’t choose what

3 reasons why (*most) kids shouldn’t choose what’s for dinner every night ….. ⤵️

*see note below about the exception …

1️⃣ If they choose (aka you always ask them “what do you want for dinner?”) then you may eventually feel resentful towards them for limiting your dinner repertoire because chances are they’ll keep requesting the same stuff over and over again. Kids often prioritize comfort and familiarity around food and eating. (TBH, many adults do too.) It’s not a bad thing. It’s just hard to help kids learn to like new foods if we’re never making them. 🤷🏻‍♀️

2️⃣ Assuming you make the same handful of things that they request, then you’re limiting their variety of foods eaten and subsequently limiting their intake of nutrients their body gets as well.

3️⃣ Your kids only know that “x” (aka a small number) of foods/meals exist in the world. You know SO much more than they do about food!! This is why it’s our job to come up with the menu (feel free to offer some choice too tho) and trust them to explore at their own rate and pace.

When was the last time that you truly cooked a recipe that you wanted and you enjoyed for supper?!
———

*I say most because there are certain circumstances when working with a child with ARFID or other feeding differences when it might be helpful to use a different approach. Remember feeding kids is nuanced and not every post or reel you see about raising adventurous eaters will apply to you or your situation.

#realmom #realmomlife #pickyeater #pickyeaters #pickyeating #canadianmom #kwawesome #suppertime

blueprintnutritionsport

Cara Kasdorf, Dietitian

🏃‍♀️ Training for a marathon or triathlon

🏃‍♀️ Training for a marathon or triathlon can be a tricky beast when you’re prone to over-exercising. It can have you doing mental gymnastics 🤸🏽‍♂️ justifying why you should exercise every day.

❌ No training plan should have you training 7 days per week. And if you’re asking if a rest day means you can still do strength training or mobility or yoga or cross training, then I would ask you what the purpose behind it is.

Sure, there are times when active recovery is part of the rest day.

But if the thought of a full rest day with no exercise scares the sh*t out of you and you’re already thinking about how you’d cut back on food, or do more mileage the next day, or any other compensatory behaviours, it might be time to get support. 💙

Training is supposed to fun and life-enhancing. If it’s stressing you out, or making you anxious, or feels like a burden 👉🏼 these are huge red flags that something needs to change.

And guess what? By improving your relationship to exercise and fuelling (so that a rest day eventually doesn’t stress you out!) 👉🏼 you’ll feel better, have more energy, recover faster and hit those PBs! 🔥

✨ If you want support to balance your training with your fuelling plan and improve your relationship with food and exercise, reach out for more info about our 1:1 nutrition programs. We have limited spots available to start in September with Cara or Alexis! Click link in bio to book a free call or simply send a DM! ✨

#disorderedeatingrecovery #endurancetraining #enduranceathlete #marathontraining #triathlete

🏃‍♀️ When your body gives you feedback, y

🏃‍♀️ When your body gives you feedback, you want to listen.

So if you’re finding that…

Your resting heart rate is sky high for days after a tough workout

You’re skipping periods or they’re all over the place, and the week before your period feels awful

You’re exhausted but also wired and can’t get a good night’s sleep

And wondering what is going on?!

It always requires looking at ALL the components of your life: including rest, stress (ALL mental and physical stress), and gaps in nutrient intake.

(This doesn’t get fixed with a quick tip on the ‘gram 😉😘)

But my top 3 nutrient related tips to get started👇🏼

✅ Don’t go long periods of time without eating (ie fasting is a big no-no)

✅ ALWAYS wrap your workouts in good nutrition

✅ Eat full-fat nutrient dense foods (skip the fat free dairy, it tastes disgusting anyway! 🙃)

✨ And if you’re ready to do the deeper work of tackling how you feel, repairing your body’s physiological functioning, improving your relationship with food and exercise, and performing and feeling your BEST - send us a DM or click link in bio to book a free clarity call and let’s chat! ✨

#trilife #marathoner #femalerunner #womenwhorun #motherrunner #disorderedeatingrecovery #fuelyourbody

👑 Carbs are QUEEN when it comes to making you f

👑 Carbs are QUEEN when it comes to making you faster, recovering quicker, and hitting those shiny new PBs!

But once runners are up to speed on increasing their carb intake, this is the number 1️⃣ mistake I see runners make 👇🏼

No strategy behind it!

Here’s what I mean 👇🏼

Meals and snacks should contain enough carbs for sure. But we also want to feel good with balanced energy levels and blood sugars throughout the day. Protein and fat help us do this. The fondation of our diet should still be balanced with the things that will make us feel good. It’s about prioritizing different nutrients at different points in training but still finding that balance.

Next, we layer on the extra carbs as we need them: naked” carbs (I.e. straight carbs with not a lot of protein or fat) right before and during runs.

Post-run: guess what? Carbs are just as important as protein. So after long runs and high intensity runs, most people need 1g carb per kg body weight (in addition to a good dose of 25-35+ grams of protein depending on your size)

✨ If you need support with developing your carb strategy during training so you can feel great, balance blood sugars, and keep your hormones happy - simply send a DM or click the link in bio to book a free call - we have 1:1 programs and an upcoming group to get you race day ready! ✨

#marathontraining #triathlontraining #endurancetraining #enduranceathlete #fuelyourbody

🏃‍♀️ Imagine a life where you’re not co

🏃‍♀️ Imagine a life where you’re not constantly spending energy, brain space, and time trying to be as small as possible.

✨Your body deserves to be respected, nourished & fuelled (yes, even on rest days and yes, regardless of your body weight, shape or size)

As a runner myself, I know it can feel super stressful to worry about both under-fuelling and over-fuelling at the same time.

It’s hard to know how much you *actually* should be eating… and you spend all your time trying to figure it out but then it turns eating and food into a something that causes a lot of stress and anxiety (making everything worse!)

✨ Do you want support to learn exactly what your body needs to fuel your biggest goals without stress, anxiety, counting and tracking every last bite?! Simply send a DM or click the link in bio to book a free clarity call and let’s chat! We currently have limited spots in our 1:1 nutrition coaching.✨

#marathontraining #marathonmom #triathlontraining #triathlete #fuelyourbody

🏃 Oh, comparison can be such a trap. Whether y

🏃 Oh, comparison can be such a trap.

Whether you’re comparing to your own high mileage weeks of 100+ km or comparing to runners on social media posting their high mileage weeks. It can feel like you’re not doing enough to justify eating more carbs, or fuelling your runs.

I’m here to tell you that’s a lie. If you’re running several days per week, your carb needs are higher than the general population. Full stop.

Remember that population health guidelines are developed for mostly sedentary people. Not for athletes.

Think of yourself as an athlete and start fuelling like one.

Unless you want your 60km weeks to feel hard. Then go ahead and keep cutting carbs and not fuelling runs 😏

✨ If you want support to fuel the heck out of your body so that you can PERFORM and THRIVE, we’re your people! We’re currently accepting clients in our 1:1 nutrition programs so send a DM or click the link in bio to book a free clarity call and let’s get rolling! ✨

#marathontraining #endurancetraining #enduranceathlete #triathlontraining #fuelyourbody #disorderedeatingrecovery

🏃‍♀️ Do you ask yourself this question wh

🏃‍♀️ Do you ask yourself this question when signing up for your next big race?

Chances are you may not. But it may be the biggest determining factor in your success. 🥇

When planning your next race, consider:
👉🏼Do you have time to meal plan and prep extra food?
👉🏼Are you prepared to eat more to keep up with energy demands?

If you don’t have time, energy, or capacity to make sure you’re giving your body what it needs - then you shouldn’t be signing up for that race.🤷🏻‍♀️

Training is stress on the body. Under-fuelling also puts stress on the body. Stress + stress does not equal success. If you want to dig yourself into a hormonal mess of a hole, then go ahead and train without considering the nutrition implications.

But if you’re ready to make sure you’re giving your body what it needs for performance, hormone health, energy, health, and more - then let’s chat! ☺️

✨ We work with performance-minded endurance athletes who want to fuel their bodies to crush their badass goals, while keeping hormones healthy and energy levels up! We have spots for new 1:1 clients - simply send us a DM or click link in bio to book a free call! ✨

#endurancetraining #marathoner #marathontraining #triathlon #triathlete #fuelyourbody

🏃‍♀️💩 Running can be hard on the body

🏃‍♀️💩 Running can be hard on the body (especially when we run for a long time and /or high intensity) so all sorts of physiological changes can lead to your sprint to the nearest port-a-potty 😩

When we’re doing hard things, we need to make sure our body is supported properly and that we’re giving it what it needs to perform and function!

There are many reasons for exercise-induced GI symptoms but dehydration can be a big one.

Havjng a hydration plan for baseline daily hydration, pre and post run hydration and intra run hydration can be THE thing that changes your gut function during long runs.

So that you can enjoy long runs again instead of feeling anxious, avoiding running with a group, and mapping out routes based on where the bathrooms are 😳

✨ If you want my tried and true hydration strategies mapped out for you so you know exactly what to do, comment HYDRATE and I’ll send you the link! ✨

#marathonrunner #marathontraining #triathlon #hydration #electrolytes

🏃‍♀️ Unintentional under-fuelling is a bi

🏃‍♀️ Unintentional under-fuelling is a biggie. And intra-day under-fuelling is one of the biggest challenges. Here’s what I mean 👇🏼

You may have a long run or brick on the weekend or even two big days of training, but weekends are also often a time where routines are not as regimented and you may skip a meal or snack.

Or you may be doing your big grocery shopping or meal prep on Sunday so there’s not much in the fridge on Saturday (when you actually need to eat more!)

Or you could be doing your workout over a mealtime so you end up skipping that meal and never really compensate for it.

Or you don’t feel hungry after your long run so you end up not eating until a few hours later.

It’s impossible to always perfectly match up your food intake to your training output so there will sometimes be a deficit.

However, if there’s a deficit every weekend, we’ve got a problem. Your training, energy, and recovery will start to be impacted (hello sitting on the couch all day because you’re exhausted!)

The first step is to look at if and why you’re under-fuelling and then implement practical solutions to fix it (for example, if you’re missing a mealtime, start adding more to pre/intra/post workout fuel; or maybe you need to do some mid-week groceries and meal prep so your fridge is well stocked).

These may seem like simple things but these habits and details matter over the course of a training cycle.

✨If you need support to create a high performance fuelling plan to make sure you’re eating the right amount for your training goals, simply send a DM or click link in bio to book a call! We currently have limited spots for new 1:1 clients in August. ✨

#marathontraining #triathlontraining #ironman #marathoner #enduranceathlete #fuelyourbody

Fuelling.youth.athletes

Youth Sport Dietitians

➡️ One of the best hacks for adding MORE nutri

➡️ One of the best hacks for adding MORE nutrition to your teen athlete’s diet?

✅ Switch to full fat dairy!🥛

This is one of the easiest swaps to get more energy and nutrients into them ➡️ boost the nutrients in things they’re already eating/drinking!

For some reason (thanks low fat diets of our youth! 🤦🏻‍♀️), we’ve been programmed to buy lower nutrient foods like almond milk, skim milk, and don’t even get me started on fat free yogurt (who actually LIKES watery yogurt?!)

Fats (like the fat in dairy products) are super important for hormone health, a great source of energy and nutrients and they help our body absorb fat soluble nutrients!

😋 Not to mention they make things taste better and stabilize hunger and energy levels throughout the day.

I know it may feel really weird buying higher fat dairy products for your family (especially if you grew up in the low-fat era of the 90s 🙋🏻‍♀️),but trust me, it’s a great swap! 💪🏼

✨If you need help making sure your teen athlete is getting all the nutrients they need, send us a DM or book a free clarity call (link in bio). ✨

#teenathlete #youthsports #youthathlete #fuelyourbody

Here’s the deal with Halloween for athletes: ⤵

Here’s the deal with Halloween for athletes: ⤵️

Just because you’re an athlete doesn’t mean that you should miss out on the fun. 🎃 (Send us your trick or treat photos!)

Just promise us that you won’t skip meals or snacks!

Your body still needs its regular fuel - the candy should be a fun extra, not a replacement for other food!

And don’t throw out any gummies! ‼️

Those real fruit gummies, Swedish fish/berries, fuzzy peaches and sour patch kids make for great “quick carbs” ⛽️ during long practices or just prior to a practice or game!

Worried that your tween or teen is eating too much candy or avoiding candy or anything “unhealthy” at all costs?

🪧This is a good sign to reach out for more support!

Click our link to book your free clarity call with Kristen. We offer a variety of sessions to support you and your athlete!

#teenathlete #youthathlete #sportnutrition #youthathletes #teenathletes #hockeynutrition #crosscountryrunning #figureskaters #gymnasticstraining #kwawesome

🤪 Are the non-stop evening snacks driving you c

🤪 Are the non-stop evening snacks driving you crazy?

Evening snacks are actually an important part of a high performance fuelling plan.

BUT if your athlete is constantly ravenous in the evenings - and maybe even waking up hungry in the middle of the night - these are big red flags 🚩 that they may be under-fuelling during the day.

What’s the best approach?

➡️➡️ Honour your hunger - when you’re hungry, eat! No matter the time of day

But if you suspect under-fuelling is the issue, try to:

✅ Eat every 2-3 hours throughout the day
✅ Make sure meals include all food groups and snacks include at least 2-3 food groups
✅ Have a pre and post training snack
✅ Take easy to digest carbs during training for all sessions lasting longer than 60 minutes
✅ and still include an evening snack - including a dairy protein (like Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, or milk) plus some carbs like fruit or grains - can help with muscle recovery while you sleep💤

✨ And if you or your teen is still feeling like they might not be eating enough to keep up with training demands, growth, and life in general - click the link in bio to set up a free clarity call to learn more about how we can support you! ✨

#teenathlete #youthathlete #fuelyourbody #hockeynutrition

Big answer = YES! 👍 Realistic answer = 🔹Wh

Big answer = YES! 👍
Realistic answer =
🔹What can we start with if currently eating very little? 🔹How can we take steps towards a higher energy intake for when they need it the most?
🔹What are some options they tolerate the best?

We know early practices are no joke! Often your young athlete is still sleepy 😴 (and let’s be honest- you’re still sleepy too 😆). It can be pure survival mode just to get everyone where they need to be on time and whatever happens to fall into their hands to sip on or eat is a success. 🍽️

Things to keep in mind:
🔹What are the essentials when we have 30-45 minutes or less before practice?
- Carbohydrates (and easily digested ones). This will be their primary fuel source and if not eating in the morning, they are trying to run off of yesterday’s energy stores which have been already been used towards repair and restoration while they sleep. 🚙

🔹Without adequate carbohydrates - performance will suffer, without a doubt.

🔹What can we start with?
-applesauce pouch
-banana 🍌
-100% juice box or electrolyte beverage (containing carbs!) 🧃
-fig bar
-graham crackers
-handful of pretzels 🥨

🔹Start small and build from there. Remember - our stomachs are muscles that we can often train gradually over time to accept more fuel at the desired times of day. 💪

And even better news- we can help you! Reach out to get started on mapping out an individual fuelling plan for your athlete and their specific nutrition needs.

Book a free clarity call through the link in bio or send a DM for more info at any time. Happy fuelling!

#fuelyourbody #teenathlete #youthathlete #sportsnutrition #basketballtraining

The body comments in the figure skating world have

The body comments in the figure skating world have to stop!

As a former figure skating coach and skater myself, I (Rosanne) am well aware of the comments that fly around the figure skating world - whether it’s in the rink or even on a sports broadcast covering competitions.

⛸️ “Look at their long, lean lines”
⛸️ “She’s so petite”
⛸️ “He’s leaned out this year”
⛸️ “She has the perfect dancer’s body”

Though I absolutely LOVE this sport and the beautiful mix of strength, athleticism and artistry that it brings together, it can be an absolute cesspool of body comments and lead so many skaters to adopt disordered eating to “save” their pre-pubescent body. 😭

We all need to make massive changes, but as you are closest to your skaters’, coaches, I implore you to evaluate what sort of comments you’re making and be the change that this sport needs!

I know this doesn’t come easy as you likely grew up in the skating world and heard body-related comments all the time as a skater yourself before you became a coach.

But it’s this generational transmission of diet culture in the skating community that you can end! You can be the cycle breaker! 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼

Need help for where/how to start? ⤵️

Our team has been supporting figure skating clubs (and their coaches and parents) for years and we’d love to help you/your club as well.

❄️ Comment “SKATER NUTRITION” below and we’ll send you some details and schedule an online meeting together to hear more about your club.

#sportnutrition #youthathletes #figureskater #figureskatingcoach #figureskatingkids #skatecanada #sportsdietitian #fuelingathletessafely

I met them ‘where they were at” and listened t

I met them ‘where they were at” and listened to their specific concerns👂
⭐️You don’t learn to dive by starting on the 25 m diving board or learn to drive by starting on an 8-lane highway. 🚙 You start slow and gradually build from there and see how far you get based on individual goals or needs. 👍

Hot Tip: Eating and enjoying everything offered and being able to eat with everyone is surprisingly not the end goal with this client. 🍽️

🔹They were most interested in fuelling their resistance training and activities at the gym so we worked to highlight these times of day and the right balance of macronutrients (Carbs, Protein and Fat) to provide energy for when she needed it most, as well as set her up for a good recovery. 👟

🔹They had great incite to know that eating at school would be the most difficult due to the overall environment (ie. the amount of people, the noise level, the lack of time available for eating, etc) so we looked to balance and boost their intake pre and post the school day to help provide more energy for their physical and mental energy output across this timeframe. ☑️

🔹We picked one macronutrient to focus on based on their personal goals (it was Protein) and found ways to use their current protein choices to meet their daily requirements for sport and also considered 1 or 2 new options for protein to try before our next follow up.

🔹Taste and texture were factors with food selection so we looked at where we might try adjusting the flavour with herbs, spices, temperature or adjust the texture based on things like prep method (ie. Baked, grilled, boiled, etc), or grated, chopped, minced, or even temperature changes like frozen, raw or cooked (using food safety guidelines as well). 😄

It’s safe to say I have no interest in increasing stress or anxiety at mealtimes for the athlete or the caregiver(s) but we do have want to find ways to optimize someone’s food choices in a setting that they feel the most comfortable and you’re in luck none of us give up easily 😄

Happy Eating and Happy Monday everyone! 😍

#teenathlete #youthsports #fuelyourbody
#hockeyplayer #sportsnutrition

➡️ Like many using athletes we work with, I th

➡️ Like many using athletes we work with, I thought less food would mean I’d be thinner and faster. I thought that’s what “healthy eating” meant.

When in reality….

❌ Depriving your body of much needed nutrients (especially carbs) will only make you slower, weaker and more obsessed and anxious about food than ever before.

✅ A healthy, high-performance mind and body needs MORE nutrients, more carbs, and more energy than your friends or peers who may not be as active. That’s healthy eating for YOU as an athlete.

Instead of trying to eat as little as possible, be curious about how to eat the best amount for you as an athlete. You might be surprised at the results 💪🏼

✨If you’re looking to build a fuelling plan for you or your teen athlete while also developing a healthy relationship with food + body, click link on bio to book a free clarity call to learn more! ✨

#teenathlete #youthathlete #fuelyourbody #disorderedeatingrecovery #sportnutrition

➡️ As we’re heading into a 🇨🇦 holiday

➡️ As we’re heading into a 🇨🇦 holiday weekend, sometimes these food issues come to the front with holiday meals and more time together eating as a family.

🧡 Remember: if your parent sense is going off that something isn’t right in your child’s relationship with food, listen to it.

🧡 It’s never too early to seek help.

🧡 Athletes are at higher risk of eating disorders and disordered eating. And our society and media tell our kids that disordered eating and the thin ideal is normal.

🧡 If you’re concerned, starting a conversation with your teen from a place of curiosity and support can be a great first step. For example: “I noticed that you seemed upset when I offered you a slice of pie. Can you tell me more about that?”

✨If you want support for your teen athlete to build a healthy relationship with food as an athlete, click the link in bio to book a free clarity call. ✨

#teenathlete #youthathlete #disorderedeatingrecovery #eatingdisorderrecovery #sportnutrition

Sport parents - it’s not 1995 anymore. ➡️

Sport parents - it’s not 1995 anymore.

➡️ what you ate when you were an athlete ...
➡️ (or what you didn’t eat when you were an athlete) ...
➡️ what you were told about your body ...
➡️ what you did for the sake of sport ...

... just because you did it or it was your experience, doesn’t mean it’s right or safe or healthy for your child to do now that they are in sport.

We know more now than we did back then and your child can have a MUCH healthier experience.

It’s time for you as sports parents (and coaches) to learn about evidence-based sport nutrition from dietitians who work in youth sport and who practice from a lens of eating disorder prevention. (Hi! 👋🏼 That’s our team! We’re happy to help!)

Because it’s 2024 now!!

❌ It’s not cool to encourage/praise athletes who are losing weight to “get faster”.
❌ It’s not cool to shame athletes for eating candy.
❌ It’s not cool to do weigh-ins.
❌ It’s not cool to tell them to eat salad and chicken before a game.

It’s time to do better because we know better.

Who’s with us?!

#teenathlete #youthathlete #sportnutrition #sportsdietitian #youthathletes #gymnasticslife #synchronisedswimming #figureskatingkids #dancemom
#tenniscoach #swimmerslife #kwawesome

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