Real Fuel with SLS

Stevie Lyn Smith MS, RDN, CSSD, CDN
  • 4.8 (34)
  • NUTRITION
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Welcome to Real Fuel with SLS—the podcast where performance meets real life. I’m Stevie Lyn Smith, a sports dietitian, and every week we’re breaking down nutrition for runners, triathletes, and everyday athletes who want to train smarter, recover faster, and feel better doing it. No food guilt. No complicated plans. Just practical fueling strategies, real conversations, and science that actually makes sense. Whether you’re chasing a PR or just trying to get through your next workout feeling strong—this podcast is for you. Let’s get into it.

  1. FEB 10

    Nutrition for Tactical Athletes and High- Performers and How to Spot Nutrition Misinformation with Dr. Brandon Lee

    In this episode I sit down with my colleague to dive into how sports nutrition is growing in the tactical and high-performance field. He also shares practical tips to spot nutrition misinformation, gives his take on the new dietary guidelines, and more! Brandon Lee, DHSc, RD, CSSD, CCRP, FAND, is a human performance practitioner, researcher, and educator dedicated to advancing athlete health, readiness, and resilience. A Registered Dietitian and Board-Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics, he serves as a Dietitian within the U.S. Army’s Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) system, providing performance nutrition support to more than 4,000 Soldiers in the 10th Mountain Division. His work integrates evidence-based practice, interdisciplinary collaboration, and applied research to optimize tactical performance and enhance Soldier lethality and recovery. Brandon’s background spans clinical nutrition, long-term care, collegiate teaching, sports performance, and human nutrition research. He has contributed to high-performance environments, including Minor League Baseball and the Obesity and Metabolism Unit at UC Davis, where he coordinated research on dietary patterns and metabolic health. An active scholar and speaker, Brandon has published peer-reviewed and professional articles on low energy availability, overtraining, and tactical nutrition, and he presents regularly at national and state conferences. He also serves on advisory boards and has held multiple leadership and service roles within professional organizations. Brandon earned his Doctor of Health Science from PennWest University and is recognized as a Fellow of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. In this episode Stevie chats with Brandon about: What is encompassed in the growing field of tactical nutritionCollaboration being key to be a better practitioner and to better support the individual athleteThe three pillars of evidence-based practiceHot takeaways from the new dietary guidelinesAnd so much more!Stay connected: Check out Brandon's professional profile hereFollow along with Brandon's work on LinkedInFollow Stevie on Instagram: @stevielynlynJoin Stevie’s newsletter: Stevie Lyn Nutrition newsletter

    58 min

  2. JAN 27

    Mental Performance, Self-Compassion, and Sports Science Research with Dr. Sasha Gollish

    Dr. Sasha Gollish is a Team Canada middle- and long-distance runner, engineer, coach, and advocate for gender equity in sport. With a PhD in civil engineering and decades of experience in athletics and research, she leads community-engagement efforts at the University of Toronto’s Mental Health and Physical Activity Research Centre.  Passionate about movement and belonging, Sasha co-founded Yellow Running Shoes and works to help young athletes thrive on and off the field. She is also the author of Unstoppable, a mental-performance journal published by Strong Girl Publishing, designed to help athletes show up with confidence, focus, and resilience for every big goal that matters to them. Stevie chats with Sasha about: Her background as high performance athlete and coachHer work as a researcher on mental health and girls in sportHow to be unstoppable through injury and adversityAdapting to the changes in performance technology Sensationalizing the basics when it comes to training and nutritionFood as connectionNew trends in sports nutritionAnd so much more!You can find Sasha on Instagram at @SGollishRuns and @Yellow_Running_Shoes

    58 min

  3. JAN 13

    How to Make the Most of Winter Running: Run Coach Jaci Wilson Shares Her Tips from Her Sub Zero Training

    Do you have big spring race goals but struggle to get outside in the winter? If you want to keep hitting the pavement during the cold, snowy, and windy months, this episode will give you the tools to do just that. Jaci Wilson is a marathon & ultramarathon run coach, winter running enthusiast, and podcaster who helps runners, with many active hobbies, train sustainably through all seasons. She helps athletes excel in running without sacrificing their hobbies by managing their training load and stress bucket. Whether it’s skiing, hunting, dog training, gardening, or scuba diving, Jaci believes avoiding burnout requires more than just running miles. More miles usually is not the answer for her athletes. Her coaching emphasizes rest, nutrition, strength training, mindset, and flexible, non-traditional scheduling that supports real life. Stevie chats with Jaci about: Top 3 tips to keep training through the winter monthsHer experience training in all winter in Minnesota has to offerHow mindset plays a role in winter runningFinding ways to make winter more enjoyable as an athleteBalancing play and training for a well-rounded athleteGear recommendations for outdoor winter runningAnd so much more!You can find Jaci at jaciwilsonruns.com and on social media @jaci.wilson.runs. She also hosts The One More Hour Podcast: An Insider’s Guide to Backyard Ultras, Timed Events, and the Ultrarunning Mindset of “One More,” available on all platforms, YouTube, and Instagram @theonemorehourpodcast. Grab winter running tips, gear, and advice at jaciwilsonruns.com/winter-running

    55 min

  4. 11/11/2025

    EP 53: Applying Sports Nutrition Research to the Individual Athlete

    Jessica is an Assistant Professor in the nutrition department at Syracuse University, where she previously earned her PhD in Exercise Science. She also serves as the consulting sports dietitian for LeMoyne College Athletics and sees clients through her private practice, Major League Wellness. Jessica is a women's health researcher, currently studying the effects of REDs on athletic performance in female athletes. She is a mom to 4 kids and stays active with weight training, hiking, yoga, and Pilates. In this episode we chat about: Her work as a professor and as a dietitianWays to make research more fun for her studentsMaking research a creative processSupplements and how to use them appropriatelyFreedom to pick what she studiesFemale athlete researchHow to apply nutrition as an art and a science in sports nutrition Recent research in REDs with RMR ratioUpcoming research in adolescent female athletesCarbs and V02maxSports nutrition work with college athletesAnd so much more!Stay connected: Jessica on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jlgaray/Jessica on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cusesportsrd/Major League Wellness website: https://majorleaguewellness.com/Stevie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevielynlyn/Stevie Lyn Nutrition website: https://stevielynrd.com/

    45 min

  5. 10/28/2025

    EP 52: Reaching Your Max Potential As An Everyday Athlete

    Michaela is a run coach, co-founder of Strides for Strength, and a multi passionate nurse by degree. She believes in the power of movement — not just for performance, but for life. Her work lives at the intersection of being a human, moving well, and feeling good while doing it . Whether that’s on the run, chasing life’s next adventure, or the moments in between. Michaela helps others find strength, energy, and joy in the way they move through both training and everyday life. In this episode we chat about: How she blends her passions for nursing and running into her purposeHer love for working with a variety of individuals first time marathoners to parents looking to be strong and healthy to hike mountains with their kidsHer creative sideThe less glamorous side of social media as a business ownerThe importance of having a coach on your teamTraining for the season that you're inAnd so much more!Stay connected: Strides for Strength: stridesforstrength.com, https://www.instagram.com/sfsrunners/ Michaela's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaela_robertson_/ Stevie's website: https://stevielynrd.com/ Stevie's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevielynlyn/

    46 min

  6. 10/14/2025

    EP 51: Capturing the Journey of Running on Film

    From grinding rails to grinding miles — Jim Cielencki was a former pro BMX rider and entrepreneur, co-founding Sunday Bikes. In 2016, he ran every street in Buffalo. Today, he captures the world of running around him, highly influenced by his experiences in BMX and skateboarding. In this episode we yap about: How he got into photographyHis time spent as pro BMX riderHow injuries helped him shape his craftWhat inspired the start of mile by mile photoRunning every street in BuffaloA behind the scenes look of running photographySupporting small biz and Jim's workAnd so much more!Stay connected: Mile by Mile Photo on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/milebymilephoto/Jim's portfolio: https://jimcielencki.myportfolio.com/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAadYyr8D5-NRhQr09haeKiheoyaeEdQipqf-_moKbpusQASkbn1Y7y3wiLrvoQ_aem_NBzQKh1pFV8XQBbNj_YvxwJim's Ted Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUWWRyuggKMStevie's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevielynlyn/Stevie's website: https://stevielynrd.com/

    47 min

  7. 09/23/2025

    EP 50: Navigating Stress, Injuries, and Burnout in Marathon Training

    Sara Manderscheid is the founder + head coach of Elevate Your Running Coaching, a podcaster, and an endurance masters athlete in Boulder, Colorado. Sara partners with athletes to chase big dreams, break through plateaus, and find joy and flexibility in running and training. She enjoys working with athletes who love running and want to improve the sport. You can find Elevate Your Running online at elevateyourrunning.com, and on social media at @sayrahrunshappy and @elevateyourrunning (Instagram, Threads). The Elevate Your Running Podcast is available every Thursday on your favorite listing platform. Listen to learn more about: How to navigate injury as an athleteWarning signs of burnoutHow stress impacts us as runnersCoaching and supporting other athletes through injuryTools and mindset growth during injuriesAnd so much more!If you're loving the podcast please rate and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts!

    51 min

  8. 09/09/2025

    EP 49: Getting Support in the Messy Middle of Eating Disorder Recovery

    Caitlin Butler is an anorexia survivor turned eating disorder recovery coach and the founder of Bold Bites HQ. After struggling without the tools she needed in her eating disorder recovery, she began creating her own. Now she designs care packages, cheeky mugs, stickers, and coloring pages that support women through the messy, real moments of recovery. Her mission is simple: make eating doable again and help women break free from restriction, food obsession, and over-exercising so they can actually enjoy life. Listen to learn more about: Tangible tools while pursuing eating disorder recoveryThe why behind care packagesHer journey with an eating disorder and how it inspires her workHow restriction and over-exercising get mistaken for “strength,” when they actually disconnect us from life and people we love.How can we promote a better environment for athletes with words and actionsDisconnection from our bodies with over-exercising and restrictionThe underfed brain and quality of lifeFeast or famine mindset in eating disordersMessy moments of recovery and how she helps individuals get through them How you can help as support system for someone in recoveryWhy practical, day-to-day tools can make recovery feel doable instead of impossibleAnd so much more!Stay connected: Use code REALFUEL10 for 10% off on her etsy shop! •Bold Bites HQ on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boldbiteshq/ •Bold Bites HQ on etsy:  https://www.etsy.com/shop/BOLDBITESHQ •Caitlin's  website: https://www.simplifyyourhealth.net/ •Stevie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevielynlyn/ •Stevie's website: https://stevielynrd.com/

    46 min
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4.8
out of 5
34 Ratings

About

Welcome to Real Fuel with SLS—the podcast where performance meets real life. I’m Stevie Lyn Smith, a sports dietitian, and every week we’re breaking down nutrition for runners, triathletes, and everyday athletes who want to train smarter, recover faster, and feel better doing it. No food guilt. No complicated plans. Just practical fueling strategies, real conversations, and science that actually makes sense. Whether you’re chasing a PR or just trying to get through your next workout feeling strong—this podcast is for you. Let’s get into it.

Information

  • Creator
    Stevie Lyn Smith MS, RDN, CSSD, CDN
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    57
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Real Fuel with SLS
  • Show Website
    Real Fuel with SLS

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