Ask a Sports Dietitian: Real Athlete Questions Answered
- Claire Shorenstein, MS RD CSSD CDN
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
Episode 127 of The Eat for Endurance Podcast is the final show of the year, and I'm dedicating it to all of you, my listeners, clients, and Fuel for Life Crew members. You all sent me so many amazing nutrition questions and stories over the past few months, and I spend this episode answering and reading all of them.
I cover a wide range of athlete nutrition topics, from fueling basics and gut training, to how to calculate calorie needs, navigate mindset struggles, and more. Whether you're an active person training for a race or for everyday life, there’s something here for you.
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Top Questions for a Sports Dietitian… Answered
In this “Ask a Dietitian” episode, I answer real questions submitted by my listeners and clients.
Here’s a sneak peek at some of the top questions asked:
How to stop feeling overwhelmed by nutrition advice
What “gut training” really means and how to start
Tips for becoming a Board-certified sports RD (CSSD)
How to estimate calorie and macronutrient needs
How to navigate hunger cues vs. performance fueling
Travel nutrition tips for busy working athletes
Instead of deep-diving into each topic and question (you can listen to the full episode for that!), I wanted to use this blog post to highlight the main themes and key takeaways from our conversation.
How to Simplify Nutrition When It Feels Overwhelming
Many athletes struggle with nutrition overwhelm and trying to balance carbs, protein, fat, micronutrients, and timing, all at the same time.
My advice? Start small.
If you glance down at your plate and see a source of protein, carbohydrates, fat, and color (fruits or veggies), you’re off to a great start. From there, focus on consistency, variety, and adding where you can rather than restricting.
When overwhelm starts to set in, focus your attention on one thing to improve. It’s always about progress over perfection.
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Listen on Spotify
Why Gut Training is Key for Performance
Gut issues are one of the most common problems endurance athletes face, so I wasn’t surprised when gut-related questions came in for this episode.
Learning how to “train your gut” means teaching your stomach and intestines to tolerate more food and fluids before and during exercise.
My advice as a sports dietitian is to start small, go slow, and practice regularly. Don’t wait until the week before a race to practice your race day fueling strategy. Start implementing and testing it out as soon as you begin training.
Gut training can’t be rushed, and it works best when paired with adequate everyday fueling and hydration. If you want to learn more about gut training, tune into the episode and check out my Gut Health Masterclass.
Underfueling, Calorie Needs & Energy Balance
Several listener questions touched on underfueling, tracking calories, and knowing how much to eat. Since everyone is different, there’s no single magic number, but understanding your baseline energy needs can be helfpul.
I use tools like the Harris-Benedict and Mifflin St. Jeor equations with clients to estimate caloric ranges, but equally important are the qualitative signs of eating enough:
Energy levels
Recovery between workouts
Sleep and mood
Menstrual or hormonal health
And so much more
For many endurance athletes, adding carbs is the simplest and most effective way to feel and perform better. That's mostly because most of the clients I work with are not eating enough of them relative to the amount of activity they're doing.
If you’re unsure where to start, read my post on How Much Do I Need to Eat as an Endurance Athlete.
Off-Season & Body Image Challenges
As training seasons end, many athletes struggle with how to adjust their nutrition when activity levels drop and how to handle changes in body composition that come with it.
My advice is to:
Match fueling to activity, not emotion
Give your body time to recover and adapt
Remember that temporary fluctuations are normal and healthy
If you’re feeling uncomfortable in your body during this phase, please know you’re not alone. I dive deeper into this in my Body Image Workshop: Fueling with Compassion, which explores practical ways to respect your body while fueling it well.
Ask a Sports Dietitian, Anytime!
Episodes like this one remind me why I love this work. Nutrition is deeply personal, and having the opportunity to answer your questions, hear your wins, and share your challenges is what keeps this podcast going.
If you submitted a question or message for this “ask a dietitian” episode, thank you! And if you didn’t, don’t worry, I’ll be doing more Q&A-style episodes in 2026! Please feel free to send in your questions, wins, and messages at any time. I read every single one and love getting to connect with you.
Ready to Fine-Tune Your Fueling?
If you’re tired of piecing together your fueling strategy or solving your nutrition challenges from random online advice, I can help! I’ve worked with hundreds of athletes to fine-tune their fueling, improve their energy, and recover better so they can perform their best and live their best.
Here’s what one client had to say about our time working together:
"I started working with Claire because I had low energy during workouts and wasn't seeing much progress. With her help, I learned how to fuel myself properly so that I could get faster and feel better in daily life. Claire was amazing at working with me, where I was at, to increase my carbs slowly and at helping me find different ways of doing so. With Claire's help, I learned different strategies I can use to check in with my nutrition to make sure that I am getting enough fuel to achieve my goals! I feel a lot stronger and healthier after working together for three months." - DH
Here are a few ways to work with me:
Join my low-cost, low-commitment membership service, Fuel for Life Crew, for $30/month (cancel anytime)
Check out my free nutrition downloads
Browse my library of nutrition masterclasses (all are included inside the Fuel for Life Crew membership)
Fill out a new client inquiry form if you’re interested in 1:1 nutrition coaching (new clients starting in 2026)
Support the Podcast
Want to have a little fun while staying fueled? Check out my Ultimate Fueling Sticker Pack, a collection of 6 high-quality stickers to help you celebrate how you fuel your active lifestyle. It’s perfect for athletes, carb lovers, and anyone who loves a little fun along the way!
Stick them on your water bottle, laptop, or race gear to make fueling fun, no matter where you are. They’re also perfect to gift a friend or loved one.
Every sticker pack order directly helps fund this free podcast content, so I’d be so appreciative if you checked them out.
Here are a few other easy ways to support the podcast:
Leave a 5-star rating and write a review wherever you get your shows
Subscribe/Follow The Eat for Endurance Podcast so you don't miss an episode
Use my Skratch Labs affiliate code to get 20% off: 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 recommendations.