Cheryl Martin (Host): Whether you're an athlete looking to improve your performance or you're simply interested in understanding the role nutrition plays in physical activity, well, on this episode, you'll learn how to enhance your athletic performance and overall health through the power of nutrition.

Our guest is Jessica Callear, the Coordinator of Bariatric Medicine at the Guthrie Weight Loss Center. She's also a certified exercise physiologist and health coach. This is Medical Minds, Conversations with Guthrie Experts, a podcast from the Guthrie Clinic. I'm Cheryl Martin. Jessica, glad you're here to talk about nutrition and athletes.

Jessica Callear: Well, thank you for having me.

Host: So, what is the most important aspect of nutrition for athletes to understand?

Jessica Callear: I think one of the most important pieces to take in mind, is that it doesn't need to be perfect and it doesn't need to be super rigid, but yet the importance of nutrition plays a huge role in the overall picture to be able to be as successful in their sport as they'd like, and to really show that it's not just how hard we work on the field, in the gym, in the pool, but really what we put into our bodies as well, so we can fuel ourselves to be as much of a powerhouse as we can.

Host: So, how does an athlete's nutritional needs vary from that of an average person?

Jessica Callear: So, they'll vary, I don't want to say greatly, but they will vary quite a bit because a lot of times these athletes are putting in a significant amount of time, training practicing, games or meets, whatever the sport is that they're doing. I worked with some young swimmers this year. In particular, they're swimming three hours a day, five to six days a week, and that also includes strength training. So, the volume of what they're putting out in terms of calories is much higher than just your typical average person. So, we have to be able to meet those needs.

Host: So, how important is hydration in an athlete's nutrition plan, and why?

Jessica Callear: It's greatly important. I think it's often overlooked, especially in the younger population. if we're not well hydrated and then hydrated also with electrolytes as well, you don't perform as well. I think a lot of times people try to make up for it later on in the day. So, we didn't drink all day and now we try to play catch up at night and it really does affect performance. And I think it's often overlooked. I think we worry so much about, you know, the macronutrients. We worry about are we getting enough protein. Are we eating enough carbs? Are we actually putting enough time into our training? And I think hydration is greatly overlooked, but it's one of the biggest pieces to actually be able to perform at the best that you can.

Host: Would you say that for non-athletes as well, just drinking a lot of water throughout the day?

Jessica Callear: Yes, I think majority of people actually do not get enough hydration in their regular day to day life. I think you have to be careful. We also have issues with people overhydrating, which is very uncommon. But I think being very consistent throughout the day and not just looking at it as, you know, I need a hundred ounces for the day and not trying to drink all of that between 6:00 and 8:00 PM. I think the importance is being adequately hydrated, whether you're an athlete or not, but being adequately hydrated throughout your day.

Host: Jessica, how does nutrition affect an athlete's recovery post-training or post-competition?

Jessica Callear: So, the importance of adequate good nutrition in the recovery is just as important as the nutrition that we put into and what we want to train because it's often overlooked that, "I need all this energy. I need this proper fuel to be able to perform better." But once we're done performing, how do we recover from what we've asked our bodies to do? And that's where the nutrition is very important because without really good recovery, we risk not getting the gains that we want. We risk an increase in injury. We risk an increase of deconditioning actually, because our bodies now are trying to make up for what we did. So now, we start the next training day already behind the ball. So, that adequate nutrition in the recovery phase is just as important as when we're trying to train.

Host: What do you consider good nutrition?

Jessica Callear: I think a very consistent eating pattern, meaning we're eating really good sources of lean protein: chicken, beef, fish, pork, those kinds of things. Getting a good variety of fruits and vegetables is where we get a lot of our micronutrition, essentially your vitamins and minerals. Getting good sources of carbs and athletes need more carbs than just our average day to day, but getting those carbs from really good sources. So, things like whole grains, potatoes, things like that, that give us really good energy, but really good nutrition on top of that. And then, those healthy fats too, so using avocados, using healthy nuts, nut butters. What we're looking for is how do we give the body what it needs without things that are fast food, fried food, overly packaged. And that all these things have a place, but for really good nutrition for athletes, thinking kind of simple is better.

Host: Should all sugar be eliminated?

Jessica Callear: I would say no. I don't think anything when you think long term should be eliminated. And I think now depending on where we're talking about sugar, I don't tell our athletes to go and drink soda because they're not going to feel good. But actually, some sugar, depending on where it's coming from and in what amounts, does help with some energy stores. So, I've had patients who've run marathons, bariatric patients who've run marathons who have very different needs and what they can tolerate as well, that you still need some of those sugar stores, especially when you're trying to do longer endurance events. But it's how we pair it and where it's coming from so that we can get a better effect from it. So, we're not just trying to eat a candy bar. But, you know, can we have some fruit that has sugar in it? Can we have some of these electrolyte drinks that do have a little bit of sugar in them? And that's absolutely appropriate.

Host: The cakes, pies, and ice cream?

Jessica Callear: Now, can they still have a place? You know, you've had a really hard game and stuff and you want a dish of ice cream afterwards. Absolutely. But obviously, it can't be our main source of nutrition.

Host: Now, how does the type of sport or activity influence an athlete's dietary needs?

Jessica Callear: So, the sport or activity definitely greatly affects how we want to look at their nutrition because we look at how long does the activity last. Is it something like a marathon where, you know, you're running for several hours at a time? Is it something very stop and go? And then also too, does the sport dictate body composition? Meaning our wrestlers, they need to maintain a certain weight. Even swimmers, gymnastics, a bunch of them rely on a certain weight. So, we have to make sure that we're feeding them appropriately for what their outcomes need to be.

Host: So, what are then some practical tips for athletes struggling to meet their caloric needs?

Jessica Callear: Have a plan. I think where we fall short in a given day is because we didn't have a great plan of what we're going to eat and then we're at the mercy of whatever might be available and then we're going to fall short realistically across the board. I tell them it doesn't have to be a rigid plan, but making sure you have meals ready or food readily available that fits what you're trying to accomplish.

In some cases, depending on the calorie output that's happening, and depending on sports and what time of training, there's a bunch of factors that go into it, but sometimes I'll just increase their daily fat intake just a little bit because fat intake, it's a very small amount to give you a decent amount of calories. It's very calorie-dense is what we call it. And that's a great way to build some calories in people without them having to eat this absurd amount of food. So, it's kind of playing around with it and looking at where are they struggling when they're saying they're not getting enough to eat. Is it are we skipping breakfast? Because I've had this with some of these young female athletes, is we don't feel like eating breakfast. Okay, well, if you're skipping a whole meal, you're going to fall short. Are we not eating adequately throughout the day? Are our snacks too small? So, it's really looking at the big picture and seeing where the holes are and then how do we improve those holes so that the whole picture now is put together.

Host: Jessica, that's great advice for a non-athlete, isn't it? To have a plan for what you plan to eat.

Jessica Callear: So Cheryl, I am the most planned person you'll ever meet, food including. I love a plan for everything.

Host: But it works for you.

Jessica Callear: It does because it keeps you consistent and no matter what you're doing, whether it's sports, whether it's just improving overall health, it's having a plan, having an idea of what you need to do to accomplish those goals. Because, you know, we all want certain things. But if you don't have a plan to get there, it's more of a wish essentially. Like, I'm just hoping to get there. So, it's just putting those factors in your day of, "Okay, what's my rough game plan for the day?" And that's how we end up more successful with whatever we're trying to do.

Host: Thank you, Jessica. Anything else you'd like to add on nutrition and athletes?

Jessica Callear: I think the biggest thing is if you know you need a little extra help, sometimes it always helps to have an outside opinion, an outside look, just to see where we could do better, what we're doing well already. I think the biggest thing is just staying consistent and just eating good food.

Host: Jessica Callear, thanks for sharing such valuable information on nutrition news we can use. Thank you.

Jessica Callear: Thank you for having me.

Host: To learn more, just go online to guthrieweightlosscenter.org. That's guthrieweightlosscenter.org. And if you found this podcast helpful, please share it on your social media. This is Medical Minds, conversations with Guthrie Experts, a podcast from the Guthrie Clinic. Thanks for listening.