PSA to Coaches from an RD & Female Athlete
A public service announcement and request from a registered dietitian to coaches of athletes of all ages and levels:
There is no easy way to say this, but when I listen to the nutrition advice I hear being provided by coaches, I am actually quite discouraged and disappointed in the way nutrition is being discussed in athletic communities. Many of the recommendations are not entirely correct, and in fact, they often contribute to more underfueling among athletes and active individuals. Nutrition is a very nuanced, complicated field, and there is so much confusion about what is actually healthy for us, especially since the way nutrition is presented in the media and on social media makes us believe food will either kill us or heal us.
What I have found as a seasoned athlete and registered dietitian is that social determinants of health impact our health so much more than the food we eat, & underfueling will cause so much more damage to our health than the kinds of foods we eat.
Many of the clients I have worked with who have found me through various athletic communities are so confused about nutrition, avoiding so many foods, including those that can actually make them stronger athletes and prevent injuries. Many of them are underfueling throughout the day, not eating enough calories overall, not fueling their efforts, training fasted, not recovering properly from efforts, and generally feel lost when it comes to what is healthy because of the food rules and fears that are ingrained into their heads.
As a coach, you do so much for your athletes and community, and you are a fantastic leader and source of encouragement. But I believe a better way you can serve those you are coaching when they ask about nutrition is to include a disclaimer before any advice to let them know you are not a nutrition professional and if they need tailored sports nutrition advice and nutrition therapy to treat medical conditions, they should seek out a registered dietitian who is trained in sports nutrition application and medical nutrition therapy to treat chronic conditions.
One way you can help your athletes even more is to recognize the scope of being a coach.
Coaches can serve athletes (at all levels) so much better when they do not make comments about their athletes' bodies and food choices and by referring to trained professionals for topics that are beyond their expertise. Coaches' personal philosophies about nutrition are not the same thing as evidence-based sports nutrition recommendations, and it's very important for all coaches to recognize this.
I've talked about Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport - also known as REDs - many times with my clients and on my social media platforms, but I think it's very important for everyone to recognize that REDs doesn't just impact high level athletes. It happens to recreational athletes as well, even those who do not consider themselves athletes who engage in regular physical activities such as running, climbing, cycling, skiing, etc. Recently, the International Olympic Committee released an updated position paper for more information about REDs and Low Energy Availability, and I strongly recommend that every coach and health care provider read this consensus statement.
Please know I recognize your intention isn’t to harm your athletes when it comes to how to fuel their bodies, but something I've voiced to my mother many times throughout my own recovery from an eating disorder as a former collegiate athlete, "Just because we don't mean harm doesn't mean we don't cause harm."
As a registered dietitian who experienced the very real, lasting effects of REDs including permanent bone damage throughout my lower body, I want to work with more teams and coaches to prevent REDs and Low Energy Availability in athletes of all ages, levels, across a wide variety of sports. Because no one is immune to diet culture, and when athletes believe its lies…
they will damage their bodies in ways they can’t even imagine.
When coaches work closely with registered dietitians and respect the expertise of those who have formal training in sports nutrition application, we can help athletes fuel their bodies without creating more food fears and restrictive rules around food as they express their bodies through movement.
Here's to dismantling diet culture in the name of health,
Eden Morris
Registered Dietitian, Intuitive Eating Counselor, Former Collegiate Softball Player, Leisure Skier and Mountain Biker, and lifelong female athlete in recovery from Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport.
