The Fueling Forward Podcast

Maddie Alm
  • 4.9 (54)
  • Nutrition
  • Updated Weekly

Hosted by Maddie Alm, sports dietitian and elite runner, The Fueling Forward Podcast is the place to go for all things running and sports nutrition. Learn from other runners as they discuss their own experiences with nutrition and performance and learn from Maddie, a registered dietitian and runner. Through these conversations, we will bust common nutrition myths and misconceptions around fueling for performance, so you can find an approach to fueling that will allow you to feel and perform your best without taking short cuts. Here at Fueling Forward, we believe in fueling your body for the long run!

  1. 5d ago

    Q&A With Alexa - 3

    While Maddie is on maternity leave, Alexa Gusman, the newest dietitian at Fueling Forward, is taking over to answer your questions! This episode is a Q&A episode where Alexa answers questions that have been submitted by listeners. Questions for today’s episode include: How can I catch underfueling before it starts affecting my menstrual cycle? What are other signs of underfueling beyond normal workout fatigue or lack of sleep?I often find myself bingeing at night and initially thought it was from underfueling earlier in the day. However, even after increasing my intake earlier in the day, I’m still overeating at night. How can I prevent these evening binges?When is the best time to take iron, and what can I do to improve my ferritin?How can I respond to friends who share harmful food beliefs? And what’s the difference between a dietitian and a nutritionist?Thanks so much to everyone who has submitted questions so far! If you would like to submit a question for future episodes, you can do so on my website HERE or email me at fuelingforwardpodcast@gmail.com.

    Q&A With Alexa - 3

  2. Aug 7

    38. Christina Aragon

    This episode is an interview with professional runner for Nike, Christina Aragon. Christina is a Montana native where she grew up running and doing gymnastics. She was a 12x state champion between track and cross country, and even competed in the Olympic trials in the 1500 as a high schooler. Christina went on to run at Stanford University, where she was a 9x All-American and the 2016 U20 World Championships bronze medalist in the 1500. After college, Christina signed a professional contract with Nike and moved to Eugene to join the Bowerman Track Club, which has now morphed into the Oregon Track Club. Most recently, she finished 10th in the 1500 at the 2024 US Olympic Trials. In this episode, we talk about: What it was like balancing both gymnastics and running at a high level in high school, and how she ended up making the hard decision to give up gymnastics to focus on runningHow she navigated pressure as a high school runner and why she found national competitions helped take the pressure offHer struggles with body image that impacted her fueling starting her senior year of high school, and how this impacted her transition to collegiate runningHow losing he period for 3 years ended up leading to a 3 year injury cycle, and why it’s so important to fix the root cause of the issue and to allow your body to go through pubertyHow guidance from a teammate and coach helped her pull back her training and eat more to ultimately regain her health and get back to runningWhat her transition from collegiate to professional running was like, and how she has been able to focus on honing in her mental skills for racing

    38. Christina Aragon

  3. Jul 31

    Q&A With Alexa - 2

    While Maddie is on maternity leave, Alexa Gusman, the newest dietitian at Fueling Forward, is taking over to answer your questions! This episode is a Q&A episode where Alexa answers questions that have been submitted by listeners. Questions for today’s episode include: I'm going to be a runner in college next year, and I had a stress fracture this spring and an inconsistent period. My body fat percentage is a little high, and I'd like to lower it for optimal health/fitness. Do you have any tips or suggestions to lower my body fat percentage, regain my cycle, and stay healthy for college athletics? I'm a college runner who is struggling with getting good quality sleep. I've been taking melatonin and magnesium before bed; are there any other nutrition tips to help with sleep quality? I have a hard time knowing when I'm full and tend to have portions that are too big. How do I know when I've eaten enough, and how do I portion meals? I'm a high school cross country coach. What advice would you give to the parents of high school athletes to help their high schooler stay healthy, have fun in the sport, and fuel themselves well? Thanks so much to everyone who has submitted questions so far! If you would like to submit a question for future episodes, you can do so on my website HERE or email me at fuelingforwardpodcast@gmail.com.

    Q&A With Alexa - 2

  4. Jul 24

    37. Maryann Gong

    This episode is an interview with app developer and marathon OTQ hopeful, Maryann Gong. Maryann is an NYC local and California native. She went to MIT where she got her bachelor's degree in computer sciences and her master's degree in AI. While at MIT, she ran on the track and xc team, becoming an All-American and a D3 champion in the indoor 3k. She struggled on and off with fueling and an injury cycle after her junior year, and her experience with this inspired her to create a training app for runners called Toga. She found her way to the marathon and is currently a member of Central Park Track Club chasing an OTQ in the marathon at Chicago this fall. In this episode, we talk about: How Maryann got into the sport of running in high school after transitioning from soccerWhat it was like transitioning from high school to running at an academically rigorous school like MIT, and why D3 was a good fit for herHer struggles with fueling that led to episodes of bulimia and an injury cycle, and how she found her way back from that to focus on fueling for performanceHer new AI powered app for runners, Toga, and why it was important to her to include a feature that helps hold runners back to reduce risk of injury or burnoutHow she discovered high carb fueling during runs, and why she feels like it has changed the game for her to get 120g of carbs per hour during training and marathonsIf you would like to keep up with Maryann, you can find her on Instagram at @maryanngong. If you are interested in Toga, you can follow them on Instagram at @trainwithtoga and you can try it out free for 30 days using the code FUELINGFORWARD. You can find Toga in the app store HERE.

    37. Maryann Gong

  5. Jul 17

    Q&A with Alexa -1

    While Maddie is on maternity leave, Alexa Gusman, the newest dietitian at Fueling Forward, is taking over to answer your questions! This episode is a Q&A episode where Alexa answers questions that have been submitted by listeners. Questions for today’s episode include: I'm a high school track and cross-country athlete and definitely have a sweet tooth. My training load is relatively light compared to many other distance runners, and as the postseason approaches, my family has been encouraging me to cut back on sweets. What are your thoughts on this?I'm recovering from an eating disorder and working to get my period back. Since gaining weight, I've been struggling to hit my usual times on the track and have lost some of my motivation and enjoyment for running. Is this more of a mindset shift I need to work through, or could I still be experiencing physical effects from my past restriction?What tips would you give a high school athlete who wants to start fueling during long runs? How do you navigate the belief that "thinner equals faster," especially when that message is coming from your coach?Thanks so much to everyone who has submitted questions so far! If you would like to submit a question for future episodes, you can do so on my website HERE or email me at fuelingforwardpodcast@gmail.com.

    Q&A with Alexa -1

  6. Jul 10

    36. Rachel Cliff

    This episode is an interview with former elite Canadian runner, Rachel Cliff. Rachel is the former Canadian record holder in the marathon and half marathon, and she also represented Team Canada at the 2017 and 2019 World Championships in the 10k and 5k respectively, the 2018 Commonwealth Games in the 10k, the 2018 NACAC Championships (she was the bronze medalist in the 10k), and the Pan Am Games (she was the bronze medalist in the 10k). She is currently the elite athlete advisor for Hettas and mom of 2. In this episode, we talk about: How she discovered running as a kid growing up in Canada, and how the Canadian high school running scene differs from the USWhat it was like growing up with a mom who was a dietitian, and how her mom stepping in when she lost her period in high school played a big role in her long term health in the sportHer transition from high school to collegiate running, how she struggled for a bit running slower than she did in high school while her body shifted, and how trusting the process allowed her to come back strongerWhy periodization and prioritizing weight gain in the off season has been key for her, and how she found herself struggling in the years she didn’t do thatHer transition to elite running, and how getting left off the Olympic team led to her going all in on trainingHow pushing herself too hard towards her Olympic dream led to a mysterious career ending injury, and how she had to advocate for herself to get to the bottom of itIf you would like to keep up with Rachel, you can find her on Instagram at @raecliff

    36. Rachel Cliff

  7. Jul 3

    Q&A With Maddie - 33

    This episode is a Q&A episode where I answer questions that have been submitted by listeners. Questions for today’s episode include: How do you know if you’re eating enough when you’re recovering from RED-S? Is getting your period back the only way to know, or will there be other signs?I’m a marathoner and have a family history of Type 2 diabetes. My A1C has been increasing, and I’m not sure how to balance managing my A1C and weight with fueling for performance. Do you have any advice?I just finished my high school senior track season and am getting ready for cross country in the fall, but I have a break between seasons. Should I fuel differently during this time or should I keep my intake up?I’ve been struggling with chronic IT band issues. Do you have thoughts on some nutrition changes I could make to better address this issue?Thanks so much to everyone who has submitted questions so far! If you would like to submit a question for future episodes, you can do so on my website HERE or email me at fuelingforwardpodcast@gmail.com.

    Q&A With Maddie - 33

  8. Jun 26

    35. Vanessa Fraser

    This episode is an interview with professional runner for Saucony, Vanessa Fraser. Vanessa grew up in Northern California where she discovered and fell in love with running through Girls on the Run. She went on to run at Stanford University where she became a 10x All-American and the PAC-12 champion in the 10k. While at Stanford, she received her bachelor's degree in symbolic systems and her master’s degree management science and engineering. After college, she went on to run professionally, signing a contract with Nike and joining Bowerman Track Club right out of college. Vanessa has competed in multiple US championships in the 5k and 10k, and has a 5k time of 14:48. In addition to running professionally, she also works full time as a partnerships manager at a health care tech company. In this episode, we talk about: How she found the sport of running through Girls on the Run and what her progression looked likeHow an assignment to track calories from a middle school health teacher led to hospitalization, and what she learned from the experienceWhat it was like going through periods of weight restoration and why she’s thankful her coaches, parents and doctors put her health firstHow she ended up running for Stanford, her dream school, despite not earning a scholarship right awayHer transition to becoming a pro runner and advice for being patient during periods of lack of progress and injuriesHow increasing her carb intake has been instrumental to her success, and why fueling on long runs has been a big part of thatWhy working in addition to being a pro runner has helped her mindset around the sport and finding life balanceYou can keep up with Vanessa on Instagram or TikTok @nessafraser.

    35. Vanessa Fraser
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4.9
out of 5
54 Ratings

About

Hosted by Maddie Alm, sports dietitian and elite runner, The Fueling Forward Podcast is the place to go for all things running and sports nutrition. Learn from other runners as they discuss their own experiences with nutrition and performance and learn from Maddie, a registered dietitian and runner. Through these conversations, we will bust common nutrition myths and misconceptions around fueling for performance, so you can find an approach to fueling that will allow you to feel and perform your best without taking short cuts. Here at Fueling Forward, we believe in fueling your body for the long run!

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