Why Every Athlete Needs a Sports Dietitian
- rdcdietitian
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Welcome to my little corner of the internet! I'm Rebekah and I am a Registered Dietitian specializing in sport nutrition in Ottawa, Ontario and the surrounding areas. I help athletes of all ages, abilities and competitive levels optimize their fueling strategies to achieve healthier, stronger bodies that are ready to train, grow, develop and compete!
Whether you’re a weekend warrior, a rising high school athlete, or competing at the elite level - one thing is true: what you eat directly affects how you train, perform, and recover.
You wouldn't show up to the gym without your shoes - so why show up to training without a fueling plan?
What Does a Sports Dietitian Actually Do?
Think of me as your nutrition coach - someone who helps you build a personalized game plan based on:
Your sport
Your schedule
Your goals
And your real life (yes, even the part where you’re juggling school, work, family or travel)
As a regulated health professional, I provide evidence-based guidance to help athletes:
Increase energy levels and reduce fatigue
Maintain health and support a strong immune system
Build and maintain lean muscle
Enhance recovery and reduce injury risk
Improve focus and mental performance
Navigate supplement use safely
And the best part? I don’t hand out one-size-fits-all meal plans. I work with you to create a sustainable, flexible routine that works in the real world — not just on paper.
The Science Backs It Up
Research consistently shows that sports nutrition strategies improve athletic performance. For example:
Proper fueling before and during training improves time to exhaustion and skill execution.
Athletes who meet post-exercise protein and carbohydrate needs recover faster and perform better in subsequent sessions.
Even minor nutrient deficiencies (like iron or vitamin D) can impair endurance, immune health, and injury recovery.
It’s Not Just for the Pros
You don’t have to be an Olympian to benefit from sport nutrition. In fact, I think this is where we are greatly lacking in Canada. The elites and pros have access to sport nutrition services, but the young developing athletes or those competing recreationally are often provided very little, if any professional nutrition support.
For young athletes, learning how to fuel their bodies early is a huge advantage to them. The habits they build now impact:
Growth and developmenthttp://talk.Book
Academic and athletic performance
Confidence around food
Improved health and immune function
And for adult recreational athletes, the right nutrition can make the difference between dragging through your workouts or feeling energized, strong, and ready to crush your goals.
Let’s Build a Plan That Works for You
Nutrition isn’t just fuel — it’s your secret weapon. Whether you’re training for your first 10K, managing back-to-back games, or chasing a national title, a sports dietitian can help you unlock your full potential.
Want to feel stronger, perform better, and recover faster? Let’s talk. Book a free discovery call or send me a DM over on Instagram @tri.and.swim.dietitian— I’d love to help you build a plan that performs as hard as you do.
Looking for services specific for teams, clubs or sport organizations? This is why we started our new business, Built to Perform! From team nutrtition workshops, training camp support, or competition day services, we have your team covered for all things sport nutrition and fueling!
Contact us to learn more about how we can best support your team.
Talk soon!
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