In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition Podcast, host Lindsey Elizabeth Cortes interviews sports dietitian and endurance athlete Alex Larson. The discussion focuses on nutritional strategies for female endurance athletes, particularly those participating in triathlons and Ironman races. Key topics include the importance of fueling correctly on the bike, managing sodium and electrolyte levels, the challenges faced by female athletes in balancing training with other life demands, and the benefits of working with specialized dieticians. Real-world insights on the logistics of race-day nutrition and hydration from Alex's professional and personal experiences are shared, highlighting practical advice for athletes aiming to optimize performance while maintaining a positive relationship with food.

Episode Highlights:

• 01:22 Meet Alex Larson: Dietician and Endurance Athlete
• 02:25 Triathlon and Ironman Nutrition Strategies
• 03:54 The Bike is the Buffet: Fueling Tactics
• 04:22 Challenges and Logistics of Triathlon Nutrition
• 24:44 Real Food vs. Liquid Fuel: Pros and Cons
• 28:45 Gender Differences in Fueling Needs
• 31:14 Fueling for Performance and Life
• 31:33 The Female Experience with Food and Body
• 32:11 Balancing Life and Nutrition
• 37:58 The Importance of Sodium in Endurance Sports
• 43:07 Electrolyte Needs and Strategies
• 56:59 Fun Rapid-Fire Questions
• 58:47 Conclusion and Resources

Alex Larson is a registered dietitian, endurance athlete, and founder of Alex Larson Nutrition. She specializes in helping runners, cyclists, and triathletes optimize their nutrition for peak performance, leaner body composition, and sustained energy, all while cultivating a positive relationship with food.

As an Ironman finisher and mom of three, Alex blends personal experience with professional expertise to deliver science-backed, approachable strategies that work in the real world. Through her 1-on-1 nutrition coaching, Endurance Eats podcast, and her Instagram, Alex inspires athletes to fuel confidently and reach their goals with joy.

Find Alex on Instagram @alexlarsonnutrition, and her website at alexlarsonnutrition.com

For more information about the show, head to work with Lindsey on improving your nutrition, head to:

http://www.lindseycortes.com/

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition Podcast, host Lindsey Elizabeth Cortes, a sports dietician and lifelong athlete, speaks with returning guest Erica Mulholland, a speed, agility, and strength coach based in Tampa, Florida. The conversation dives into the challenges and misconceptions around nutrition and body expectations for female athletes, with a focus on the impact of growth spurts on young athletes' performance, injury prevention, and training techniques.

Erica shares her expertise and experience to highlight the importance of balanced nutrition, the benefits of consistent strength training, and the necessity of rest and recovery. The episode emphasizes shifting the narrative from focusing on weight and body image to embracing strength, proper nutrition, and the natural development process. It serves as a resourceful guide for athletes, parents, and coaches to support the holistic well-being of female athletes.

Episode Highlights:

• 01:22 Meet Erica Mulholland: Speed, Agility, and Strength Coach
• 03:11 Understanding Growth Spurts in Female Athletes
• 05:18 The Importance of Nutrition During Growth Spurts
• 14:18 Common Overuse Injuries and Prevention
• 20:38 Personal Stories and Experiences
• 25:48 Holistic Training for Young Female Athletes
• 27:49 Importance of Rest and Recovery
• 29:08 Balancing Training with Breaks
• 31:23 Strength Training During Growth Spurts
• 33:52 Embracing Muscle Mass
• 35:55 Avoiding the Scale and Focusing on Performance
• 40:27 Nutrition and Growth for Young Athletes
• 44:29 Fun Questions and Final Thoughts

Erica is a 3x college All-American, Hall of Fame inductee for Johns Hopkins Women’s Soccer, and former US and Brazil semi-professional soccer player. She has a Master’s in Exercise Science in Performance Enhancement and Injury Reduction. She is a Tampa-based Speed, Agility, and Strength Coach who has been working with athletes for 13 years. She is also author of The Strong Female Athlete book, which is a science-based and experience-based text with a fresh, novel approach for youth female athletes to improve speed, reduce injury, and increase strength.

Erica's mission is to help youth female athletes become strong, resilient, and creative through exercise, while inspiring them to love movement and sports – to not see these as obligations, but rather, enjoyable escapes from the stressors of life.

For more about Erica and her work go to www.ericasuter.com or follow @fitsoccerqueen on Instagram.

Also check out Lindsey's interview with Erica about nutrition for teen athletes:

https://youtu.be/s7umlceHpTA?si=cZkMG6HFqGsvZcUS

And read more about Teen Athlete Nutrition:

https://www.lindseycortes.com/post/teen-athlete-nutrition

For more information about the show, head to work with Lindsey on improving your nutrition, head to:

http://www.lindseycortes.com/

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition Podcast, host Lindsey Elizabeth Cortes, a sports dietitian and lifelong athlete, delves into the complexities of nutrition, particularly surrounding dairy and beef, with special guests Tara Vander Dussen and Natalie Kovarik. Lindsey and her guests discuss the nutritional benefits and misconceptions of dairy and beef products, including the debated use of hormones, the differences between grass-fed and grain-fed beef, and the resurgence of beef tallow in diets.

Tara, a fifth-generation dairy farmer and environmental scientist, and Natalie, a fourth-generation cattle rancher, provide insightful perspectives on food production, sustainability, and the reality of farming and ranching in America. Tune in for an enlightening conversation aimed at educating female athletes on making informed dietary choices.

Episode Highlights:

• 02:42 Special Guests: Tara and Natalie
• 04:15 The Benefits of Dairy and Beef
• 16:05 Debunking Myths About Dairy
• 22:29 Understanding Pasteurization and Raw Milk
• 31:26 Choosing Risks in Everyday Life
• 31:47 The Debate on Raw Milk
• 34:11 Understanding Dairy and Beef Cattle
• 38:34 Global Food Marketplace
• 40:49 Grass-Fed vs. Grain-Fed Beef
• 48:05 The Rise of Beef Tallow
• 54:49 Conclusion and Podcast Promotion

Natalie Kovarik and Tara Vander Dussen are the dynamic co-hosts of top ranked podcast Discover Ag. With a combined decade-long dedication to advocating for agriculture across various social media platforms, they have cultivated a devoted community of over 270k individuals. Their presence extends far beyond the digital realm though, as they have graced stages both nationally and internationally, empowering their communities to reconnect with agriculture and the hands that feed us.

Connect with Natalie and Tara:

YouTube and IG @discoveragpodcast

Website: https://discoverag.com/

For more information about the show, head to work with Lindsey on improving your nutrition:

http://www.lindseycortes.com/

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.