Using Nutrition to Your Advantage with Performance Coach Heather Masterson

06/04/24 • 54 min

In today's episode, Lou speaks to Heather Masterson, a performance nutritionist who shares her insights on nutrition for athletes, particularly focusing on the importance of fueling correctly for training and performance. Heather discusses her journey into nutrition, emphasizing the significance of understanding individual nutrition needs and developing personalized strategies. Lou and Heather consider topics such as carb loading, training the gut, and considerations for female athletes, including managing nutrition around the menstrual cycle.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Nutrition plays a crucial role in supporting training, recovery, and overall performance in athletes.
It is essential to develop personalized nutrition strategies based on individual needs, goals, and training demands rather than following generic guidelines.
Carbohydrate loading before endurance events like marathons can help maximize energy stores and improve performance. It involves increasing carbohydrate intake in the days leading up to the event.
Gradually introducing fueling strategies during training sessions can help train the gut to tolerate and utilize carbohydrates effectively, especially during long runs or races.
Understanding the impact of the menstrual cycle on training and performance can help female athletes manage symptoms and optimize nutrition and training strategies accordingly.

BEST MOMENTS

"Sydney is just so busy with running and sport. Everybody's doing something every day. You are included in that. You do not sit down."

"When we're training, any kind of training that's moderate to higher intensity, carbohydrates will be our main fuel source. And we're pulling on carbohydrates that are stored, say, in our muscles and our liver when we're going over that hour, 90 minute mark."

"How good is your energy? Is your performance improving? Is your sleep improving? Are you picking up niggles, aches, pains? Are you constantly thinking about food, training?"

VALUABLE RESOURCES

https://linktr.ee/theexerciseengineer
[email protected]

HOST BIO

Lou's personal journey with body confidence and food struggles began at the age of 15, where overeating and guilt around food consumed her. But everything changed during the lockdown in March 2020. Determined to regain control, Lou immersed herself in research, found joy in working out in her garden, and started tracking her nutrition and steps. Surprisingly, she lost a stone in less than three months and discovered a newfound love for fitness.

Fueling her passion, Lou pursued personal training qualifications and launched her Instagram page in September 2020. After months of building a solid foundation, branding, and gaining relevant expertise, she started helping others achieve what once felt impossible—losing fat, feeling empowered, and loving the journey without restrictions. With numerous success stories, digital products, and a thriving membership program called Train with Lou, Lou now coaches, teaches, and learns about food, exercise, and mindset.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Nutrition plays a crucial role in supporting training, recovery, and overall performance in athletes.
It is essential to develop personalized nutrition strategies based on individual needs, goals, and training demands rather than following generic guidelines.
Carbohydrate loading before endurance events like marathons can help maximize energy stores and improve performance. It involves increasing carbohydrate intake in the days leading up to the event.
Gradually introducing fueling strategies during training sessions can help train the gut to tolerate and utilize carbohydrates effectively, especially during long runs or races.
Understanding the impact of the menstrual cycle on training and performance can help female athletes manage symptoms and optimize nutrition and training strategies accordingly.

BEST MOMENTS

"Sydney is just so busy with running and sport. Everybody's doing something every day. You are included in that. You do not sit down."

"How good is your energy? Is your performance improving? Is your sleep improving? Are you picking up niggles, aches, pains? Are you constantly thinking about food, training?"

VALUABLE RESOURCES

https://linktr.ee/theexerciseengineer
[email protected]

HOST BIO

Previous Episode

Increase Your 10K Pace, Avoid Burnout, Remove the 3pm Sweet Cravings & My Best Exercises to Remove the Bingo Wings!

The latest episode of The Exercise Engineer podcast features a Q&A session where the host answers various questions from listeners and clients. The episode begins with a reflection on personal growth over the past year, highlighting achievements and areas for improvement. Lou delves into topics such as preventing burnout, the benefits of commitment, and tips for beginner runners. Practical advice is shared on topics like pacing, building endurance, and proper nutrition for fitness goals. Listeners are encouraged to set goals, push past mental barriers, and focus on sustainable progress. The episode wraps up with a call to action for listeners to share the podcast with others and stay tuned for future episodes.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Q&A sessions are beneficial for reflecting on personal growth and achievements over time.
Commitment to long-term goals is essential for success and sustainability in any endeavour.
Proper rest, nutrition, and recovery are crucial for preventing burnout and achieving fitness goals.
Building pace as a beginner runner involves starting slower, practising different paces, and ignoring the brain's urge to stop.
Consistent practice and pushing past mental barriers are key to building resilience and improving performance in running.

BEST MOMENTS

"I just think this one is, it's an interesting one to ask yourself on a, I think a regular basis this should be asked, but"

"I'm proud that I can personally help people and change people's lives for the better."

"Yes, you can eat over your calorie goal every day and still lose fat."

"So really important that we know these different paces but as a beginner runner you don't need to know this."

"I say a lot of the time, like when your body tells you, when your brain is telling you to stop, you're only at 40%."

VALUABLE RESOURCES

https://linktr.ee/theexerciseengineer
[email protected]

HOST BIO

Next Episode

Belly Fat, Hunger Levels & Mind-Muscle Activation

Today, Lou dives into another Q&A session, addressing various questions from clients and Instagram followers. The episode covers topics such as the challenges of losing belly fat, strategies for staying motivated to exercise in cold weather, tips for improving mind-to-muscle connection during workouts, and the importance of habits in achieving fitness goals. Lou provides practical advice on managing calorie deficits, optimizing workout performance, and balancing weight loss goals with maintaining muscle mass.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Losing belly fat is not achieved through spot reduction, but rather through a calorie deficit and overall fat loss.
Mind-to-muscle activation can enhance muscle engagement during workouts, leading to better results.
Building habits and discipline are crucial for achieving fitness goals, especially when working from home.
Walking and increasing movement throughout the day can help reach step goals even when working remotely.
Balancing heavier weights with proper form and range of motion is essential for muscle growth and injury prevention during workouts.

BEST MOMENTS

"You cannot spot reduce fat. So wherever you likely want to remove fat from you generally can't straight away like you can't remove it from that area by trying to work out that area."

"The fact that you're not hungry is amazing and it's down to the fact that you are fueling your body extremely well with whole foods, protein, vegetables."

"Change happens when the pain of staying the same becomes greater than the pain of doing the thing that makes the change."

"You can easily rack up 7,000 steps just from doing three 20-30 minute walks a day easily."

"If you do go for a full range of motion you have potential for an injury if your form is not correct."

VALUABLE RESOURCES

https://linktr.ee/theexerciseengineer
[email protected]

HOST BIO