Kara Winger: Hello and welcome to the TrueSport Expert Series 2022. This episode is, “Fueling the Female Body.” I’m Kara Winger. I throw the javelin, I’m a 4-time Olympian, and that is all I will be, I’ll compete for one more season this year in 2022. Former American record holder and one of my favorite things about my career is that I was voted closing ceremony flag bearer in Tokyo 2020. With me today is Dr. Laura Lewis, Director of Science for the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. Hi Laura, thanks for being here.
Dr. Laura Lewis: Hi Kara, how are you going?
Kara: I’m great. Excited to talk to you about fueling the female body. There are many differences between men and women, and this maybe isn’t my personal experience, is that, at altitude, men burn more carbohydrates and women burn more fat. But I’ve lived in Colorado Springs at almost 7000 feet of elevation for nine years, and I might be carrying more fat than I was when I got here, so individual differences are also important. But can you speak to that a little bit? What is one of your most interesting facts about men versus women in the athletic realm?
Laura: There’s big physiological differences between men and women, and this all comes down to the different sex hormones that men and women have. And they affect four key areas, particularly when we’re talking about sport. So first, there’s body composition. So, what our bodies look like. Men generally have more muscle mass and less fat than women. We can also talk about substrate utilization, so that’s the different fuels that we burn when we’re doing different types of exercise. Thermoregulation, so how we respond to heat and cold, and how we regulate our body temperatures. And then also fatigue resistance, so how the muscles respond to different stimuli, and how hard and how long they can work before they get tired. I guess the problem is, that most of the research that has been done has really just been based on males. It’s actually a four to one ratio, the research projects that have involved males only versus those that women in them. So, we’re trying to draw all these conclusions based on male-only research when we know that the physiology of men and women is so different, it’s really dangerous and can get ourselves in a bit of trouble if we think that women are going to respond exactly as men, in terms of training and also their different nutritional strategies. If we think about the course of our life as well, things are pretty similar to men until we get to puberty, but then once we hit puberty and then we go through menstruation, potential pregnancy, and then also through the menopause, our needs as females are just going to change and evolve. But then it’s taking it to that next level and really thinking about the individual. What are the demands of your sport? What are your performance goals? At what stage of your life are you at? And tailoring those strategies to fit that.
Kara: I love that you said that about individual needs, too, because it’s so true that we don’t have the research, the data, the support for some of the things that we might try to apply from the men’s side of sport. But what are some optimization strategies that work better for the female body?
Laura: Energy availability, if we don’t have enough of that, then we can have quite dire consequences for our bone health, our reproductive health, immune function, not to mention performance. I’d also say for young athletes, this is probably the most important thing, it’s so important to look after your bones early in your life. In those early years is when we are really laying down the foundations of our bones and making really strong healthy bones for later in our life. If you pay the price early, you can’t really catch up, unfortunately. There’s no shop we can go and buy good bones from. So, taking really good care of your bones by meeting your energy requirements and also calcium intake and vitamin D. I guess I’m the biggest dairy fan that there is. I probably should have been a dairy farmer if I wasn’t a scientist. But milk is obviously a fantastic source of calcium and you can do so much with milk, milk shakes, milky coffees, oats cooked with milk, cereals with your milk. And don’t be scared of the whole fat milk. That’s actually a really good source of fat and an excellent source of calcium.
Kara: Are there things women should be avoiding when it comes to trendy fueling practices?
Laura: Definitely think about the whole picture and be really wary if you’ve got some type of fad or trend that’s really focused on removing a whole food group. There are a number of different food groups for a reason, because they do serve different purposes. And if you remove a whole food group, that’s obviously going to have a consequence. So, while the promoters of that particular diet or strategy might tell you the good consequence, think about how there’s always going to be a bad consequence for that, as well. And if you’re feeling overwhelmed, go and see a dietitian or a sports nutritionist, because they can really give you that overall picture and their job is to make this not overwhelming and make it simple. They can tweak just a few little things that give you the power to make big changes and really help your performance from food.
Kara: I love how you said that, “Give you the power,” because that’s absolutely true. You should be making decisions in your best interest and your performance’s best interest as an athlete.
Laura: And food is supposed to be fun, too. So, if you can meet these needs with a food-first approach, that’s so much better than having some fake thing that’s supposed to represent something else, but you don’t get any enjoyment from eating.
Kara: Well, I’ve learned a lot and have been able to reflect on some of the things in my career that I maybe didn’t fully understand before. I really appreciate your insight today, Dr. Laura Lewis. And this has been Expert Series 2022 with TrueSport, “Fueling the Female Body.”
Dr. Laura Lewis addresses the differences between male and female physiology and how female athletes can properly fuel for their specific needs.
Learn more about Dr. Laura Lewis.
Hi. I’m Trevon, Trey, Jennifer. Team USA wheelchair basketball player, paralympian, and true sport athlete. Today, I want to talk to you about goal setting. And there are three things that I would like you to know. First, successful athletes set goals and a planned roadmap. Second, goals should be written down, assessed over time, and changed if necessary. And third, goals need to be challenging in order to be worthwhile. As a freshmen at Edinboro University, I was a part of a team that made the national championship game. And at that time I recognized I was the low man on the totem pole, but I felt in my heart that I knew my dreams were so much bigger than winning a national title. I wanted to make Team USA. I knew what achieving my lofty goal was not going to be easy and that I would need to work hard every day.
So, as a reminder, I created a pyramid of goals that I kept right above my bed. This pyramid reminded me of the accomplishments that I was working towards and visually represented my need to create a solid foundation underneath me before reaching the top. In the bottom roll of my pyramid of goals I listed goals such as obtaining my bachelor’s degree, becoming a scholar athlete award recipient, and becoming an All-American. The middle row listed winning a national title and playing for a professional team. And at the top row, the most challenging of them all, I listed becoming a gold medalist for Team USA.
By understanding that there are smaller stepping stones to achieving my ultimate goal of being on Team USA, I was able to stay motivated and to stay focused on completing the smaller stepping stones fully before moving onto the next one. Now I’ll be the first to admit that not every goal that I listed on my pyramid was accomplished, but seeing my goals every day when I went to bed, I was able to push through the days that I felt like doing nothing in hopes of achieving the bigger picture. Remember, create a clear goal roadmap, assess your goals often, and continue to challenge yourself. I hope that you never stopped dreaming big or reaching for the stars. And I look forward to seeing where your roadmap takes you.
Hi, I’m Kara Winger, Olympic javelin thrower, and true sport athlete. Today I want to talk to you about body image and I have three things I’d like you to know. First, healthy thoughts often lead to healthier bodies. Second, there are varying body types and no one’s body is exactly like another. And third, true beauty goes deeper than the skin. As a multi-time Olympian, I’ve experienced a lot of variation and progression in my training. My coaches and I adapt to my training frequently, all with the goal of supporting my long-term success and health in the sport of javelin. I’m talking to you about body image today because sometimes even with the best of intentions and a common goal in mind, the changes you make to your training habits can prove to be detrimental if made for the wrong reasons. In the lead up to the 2012 Olympic trials, I was told in order to improve my performance on the field, I should try to become a leaner, skinnier version of myself.
So I changed my diet. I went along with what I was being told to do, even though I’d had great success at a slightly heavier weight and higher body fat percentage, and became much leaner than ever before. It seemed like a successful change at first, but I didn’t have nearly the results I’d had before. And I believe becoming leaner than my body naturally wanted to be was what caused my ACL to tear. In the end, it cost me heavily going into the 2012 London games. The takeaway for me, and hopefully for you, is that it’s important to know what works for you and your body and to not compare yourself to others. You should do your research and experiment with your diet to find what makes you feel the best, rather than focusing on what you look like. Today, if I feel like having a chocolate chip cookie, I have one, just not every day.
I’ve learned what a properly balanced meal for my body looks like and I recognize food as the fuel that keeps me throwing. I hydrate and allow myself time to recover. And I listen to and communicate with my body so that I can be the best version of myself. In the end, you are in control of how you see, treat, and respond to your body. We only get one and it’s amazing to discover how many things our bodies can do. Be a true sport athlete. Love who you are in this moment and get excited for all the places your body will take you.
Hi, I’m Izy Isaksen, Team USA, Modern Pentathlon, Olympian, US Army Sergeant, and True Sport Ambassador. Today, I want to talk to you about being a good sport. There are three things I’d like you to know. First, real winners act the same toward their opponent, whether they win or lose. Second, follow the rules and be a gracious winner and respectful loser. And third, sportsmanship reveals your true character.
I started competing in Modern Pentathlon eight years after my older sister and three-time Olympian, Margaux Isaksen, began competing. I soon realized that people often compared the two of us. I would overhear spectators and teammates asking, “Who’s the better athlete,” and “Who’s going to beat the other.” Instead of letting outside pressures create a negative experience for us, I chose to practice winning and losing with grace and respect. I know that it would have been easy to let our hyper competitive mindset affect our relationship, but instead we decided to support and cheer for each other, regardless of our own performance. My experience of competing against and being compared to my older sister, taught me to focus on how to perform at my best, rather than putting wasted energy into wishing for others to fail.
I believe that sportsmanship reveals true character. So, no matter what situation I encounter during competition, I know it’s important to always treat people with respect and be a good sport. Remember, be a fierce competitor, find grace in all your victories and losses. And I hope to see you out there.
Edwin Moses: You’re a coach. Maybe what you want is very simple, for everyone to just run in the right direction, score for their own team, to try and try again and again. Maybe you want your athletes to become all stars. You want them to earn trophies, medals, win titles. You want them to reach the highest height their sport allows. And wanting all of that, of course, that’s good. But as every great coach discovers, developing a great athlete means nurturing, nurturing the even greater person within. Truth is, you have even more influence than you know.
You have the ability to affect even deeper change, to take what’s in your hands and do something even more extraordinary. You can be both the coach who provides the skills needed to win the game and the coach who helps them learn and succeed beyond the sport, to become all stars wherever they land in the future, and to enjoy their lives more now, because the confidence and courage they find working with you will stay with them when they need it the most. There are games to be won, lives to change. Coaches have the power to do both.
I’m Edwin Moses, and the lessons I’ve learned through sport have challenged me, guided me, and shaped my life forever. What kind of coach do you want to be?
At first glance, dietary supplements look the same. They seem safe and healthy, but just because the label says a product is a dietary supplement, that doesn’t mean it’s safe. Unfortunately, you can’t tell whether a product is safe or not just by looking at the label. Most vitamins, minerals, fish oil, and other supplements containing nutrients are probably just fine, but supplements are not evaluated or approved by FDA before they are sold. Although it is rare for vitamins or minerals to be contaminated with drugs, there has been at least one case of a vitamin containing an anabolic steroid.
At the other extreme are products that contain drugs, stimulants, anabolic steroids, or other hormones. Even though these are not technically dietary supplements, many of them are labeled as supplements. For example, body-building products sometimes contain anabolic steroids or Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators, known as SARMs, or other hormones. Some pre-workout or energy products contain illegal stimulants like DMAA, ephedra, or other amphetamine-like stimulants. Weight loss products might contain prescription drugs like sibutramine, or hormones, like human chorionic gonadotropin, also known as hCG. All natural or herbal sexual enhancement products might contain hormones or Viagra-like drugs. Products like these can harm your health and career, but they’re for sale online, in some nutrition stores, and they’re labeled as dietary supplements.
When you pick up a supplement, especially one that promises performance enhancement, you don’t know if it belongs in the “Mostly O.K.” pile or in the “Dangerous” pile. After all, two products might look the same, but one might contain just amino acids and other legitimate ingredients, while the other also contains anabolic steroids. Because of this, FDA has issued a warning about certain categories of supplements: body building products, weight loss products, and sexual enhancement products. Be extremely careful when considering a supplement in one of these categories. We strongly recommend that you avoid products in these categories.
Even when FDA tests supplements and finds dangerous ingredients, companies sometimes refuse to recall them. Sometimes, they simply repackage their product and continue selling it under a new name. Just because a product is on a store shelf doesn’t mean it is safe. You need to do your research and be an informed consumer. The dietary supplement industry is enormous. Supplements that appear to be safe could actually be dangerous products in disguise. If you use dietary supplements without doing your research, you may be taking serious risks with your health and your career. Please visit USADA’s Supplement 411 for more information about dietary supplements.
