Maybe you’re thinking of changing your focus in nutrition to sports nutrition,
thinking about working towards a CSSD, consulting for a local team, or
investigating opportunities at a fitness club. It’s always helpful to hear about
the experience of colleagues, whether it’s for your own professional development
or just for fun. This piece features movers, shakers, and players in the area of
sports nutrition. It’s informative, fun, and inspiring to hear from your peers!
Click to read about these RDs in Sports Nutrition.
Michele Macedonio,
MS, RD, CSSD, LDSports dietitian to:
- Cincinnati Bengals NFL football team
- Cincinnati Kings USL soccer team
- Collegiate, high school, and recreational athletes
Age group
& specific sports of clients:
- Serious athletes of all ages
Q. Name and
credentials?A. Michele Macedonio, MS, RD, CSSD, LD.
Q. What is
your educational background?A. BS, Nutrition and Dietetics; Internship,
US Public Health Service; MS, Nutrition; MS, Health Sciences
Education.
Q. What is your favorite part about sports
dietetics?A. Knowing that I can make a difference in the lives of all
those I touch and seeing the transformations!
Q. What is your greatest
challenge working with athletes?A. Time. Athletes have very tight
schedules, and the demands on their time are great. Coaching athletes on how
[best to use] nutrition to the greatest advantage within the time constraints
imposed by training and competition presents a real challenge.
Q.
[What’s your greatest challenge] in developing your sports dietetics
practice?A. Once again, time is a challenge. Creating materials and
tools for client education, managing the administrative aspects of a sports
dietetics practice, collaborating with other members of the sports management
team, and scheduling clients all combine to make time management a critical
skill.
Q. If you were talking to an aspiring sports dietitian, what
would you tell them?A. Joining a professional organization is a great
way to connect to the field and to gain insight into sports dietetics practice.
Specifically, becoming involved in the American Dietetic Association practice
group, SCAN (www.scandpg.org), is one of the best ways to plug into a network of
RDs in the field and to gain exposure to the current best practices. I strongly
suggest that RDs have a good knowledge of clinical dietetics and acquire
additional knowledge in exercise science and sports nutrition.
Q. How
could they get started?A. The best way to begin work as a sports
dietitian is by working with a practicing sports dietitian in any capacity that
will expand your knowledge base and exposure to the sports world.
Q.
What is the greatest lesson you’ve learned?A. I've learned there is no
quick and easy road to success. There is something to be learned along the path
— as much in our falls as in our victories. The slow, steady journey allows us
to consider and adjust the road map, and to pursue the little side trips that
life offers. Give each step your very best, and enjoy the journey.
Q.
What education has been most helpful?A. That which I've learned from
others — colleagues and clients — has been invaluable. The time I've spent
volunteering with my professional organization has provided me with countless
opportunities for professional growth and a lifelong support
network.
Q. Are you an athlete yourself?A. Yes, I am a
recreational athlete, and I routinely enjoy trying new physical activities and
sports.
Q. What is the craziest, funniest, or most successful
experience you've had as a sports dietitian?A. One of my funniest
experiences was the time I received a call from a chef [whom I’d] introduced to
a client. Shortly after beginning her employment with a professional football
player, she was asked to cook for a "small party" of 40 at his house. R was just
a bit nervous, only having worked for the player just three days. I asked if she
would like my help, and R immediately said yes.
As soon as I arrived, I
began to prepare the kitchen for cooking, and the first thing I always do is
clean the sink and counters. As I turned on the water in the sink, I noticed
that the disposal was stopped up and nothing would drain. After many attempts at
resetting the disposal with no luck, I asked the player's Uncle Charles for some
help. He, too, was unsuccessful in resetting the disposal, so he proceeded to
put one of his very large hands down the disposal and remove some of the
debris.
Time was ticking and guests would arrive shortly, and we were no
closer to a solution. The next thing I know, Uncle Charles is asking for a
plunger. Visions of where plungers are normally used and what would happen when
Uncle Charles began to plunge made me sweat and fret. Nothing I could say would
deter Uncle Charles from this solution, and he finally found a plunger
(fortunately, the plunger appeared to be brand new). Uncle Charles was a tall,
strong man, and as he began to plunge, the stainless-steel sink undulated and
gurgled. I [was] watching and worrying that [we’d] have water and disposal
debris everywhere, as the contents of the sink [erupted and splattered] over the
counter. After about ten good plunges, the disposal began to slowly drain, and
soon, nothing was left in the sink. The disposal never worked that night, but at
least we could use the sink, and I [cleaned] up and begin cooking. We finished
cooking only slightly behind schedule, and the feast was served to a hungry and
happy crowd.
Jennifer O’Donnell-Giles, MS, RDSouthbury
CT
Age group & specific sports of clients:
- Age-grouper triathletes, marathoners and runners
- High school athletes
- Young athletes
- General wellness athletes
Q. Name and credentials?A.
Jennifer O'Donnell-Giles MS, RD.
Q. What is your educational
background?A. MS Nutrition; MS Applied Physiology, Columbia University;
RD, Columbia University. (BS in psychology and business comes in handy, as
well.)
Q. What is your favourite part about sports
dietetics?A. Triathlon, running, and eating healthy are my own personal
passions, so I feel that I can help to motivate, educate, and influence others
to be the best they can be.
Q. If you were talking to an aspiring
sports dietitian, what would you tell them? How could they get
started?A. Just get out there and do it — clients will
come.
Q. What is the greatest lesson you’ve learned?A. Word of
mouth is the greatest marketing tool you have.
Q. What education has
been most helpful?A. A Master’s degree has certainly been my greatest
selling point. People really take you seriously. On the same note, I [also have]
been taken more seriously since completing an Ironman, so personal
accomplishment can also be an asset.
Q. What is the craziest,
funniest, or most successful experience you've had as a sports
dietitian?A. I recently met an online client face-to-face, and he
introduced me to his nine year-old son as “the person who changed his daddy’s
life.” You can never underestimate the effects you can have on
someone.
Q. [Is there a] personal anecdote that you share with
clients?A. “There’s an athlete in everyone, no matter what your
capabilities are.”
Stay tuned each month for more of your colleagues’
stories and advice on PowerBar.com!
Disclaimer:
The scientific information found on the powerbar.com website is derived from the following sources unless otherwise stated:
American College of Sports Medicine, Sawka MN, Burke LM, Eichner ER, Maughan RJ, Montain SJ, Stachenfeld NS. American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Exercise and fluid replacement. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2007;39:377–390.
American College of Sports Medicine; American Dietetic Association; Dietitians of Canada. Joint Position Statement: nutrition and athletic performance. American College of Sports Medicine, American Dietetic Association, and Dietitians of Canada. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2000;32:2130–2145.
Burke L, Dean V, eds. Clinical sports nutrition. McGraw-Hill Companies, Australia, 2006; 415–453.
Currell K, Jeukendrup A. Superior endurance performance with ingestion of multiple transportable carbohydrates. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2008;40:275-281.
Jeukendrup AE, Moseley L, Mainwaring GI, Samuels S, Perry S, Mann. CH. Exogenous carbohydrate oxidation during ultraendurance exercise. J Appl Physiol 2006;100:1134-1141.
Asker Jeukendrup, Michael Gleeson: Sport Nutrition, An Introduction to Energy Production and Performance, Human Kinetics 2004
Expert Panel:
Trent Stellingwerff PhD, BSc, Senior Research Scientist – Performance Nutrition, Nestlé Research Center
Christopher D. Jensen PhD, MPH, RD Nutrition & Epidemiology Researcher
Tricia L. Griffin RD, CSSD, POWERBAR Sports Nutritionist
Topics:
General, Research
Rights of Usage Policy