Inside Sports Nutrition

In this installment of our Under the Microscope series, we break down the meal replacement powder: Ka’Chava. We review its nutrition profile, ingredient features, and cost while asking a simple but important question: does it actually function as a complete meal? If you’ve ever considered relying on an all-in-one shake for convenience, this conversation will help you think more critically about what you’re getting for your money. ------- Drop a question in our free Patreon Community and get access to bonus content with Bob and Dina by upgrading to the Gold Level membership. You'll also be showing your support and helping to keep the podcast free of sponsorship ads. Let's connect on your platform of choice: Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. The show is brought to you by eNRG Performance and The Nutrition Mechanic.

We sit down with Chris Harris from Precision Fuel & Hydration to talk about hydration and sodium needs for athletes before, during, and after exercise. We reference the recent review paper by Dr. McCubbin (linked below) as our discussion guide. This conversation will help you think more clearly about your own hydration strategy and why testing and context matter far more than blanket rules. Links: Review paperKnowledge Hubcase studies More about our guest: Chris holds an MSc in Sport and Exercise Physiology and works as a Sports Scientist at Precision Fuel & Hydration, where he helps endurance athletes develop personalised hydration and fueling strategies informed by scientific research and multiple years working in the field. He previously worked as an Exercise Physiologist for several National Governing Bodies in the UK. Chris spends his 'spare time' being a competitive triathlete who has raced at the IRONMAN World Championships in Kona, ticked off a 2:40 marathon on debut, and generally loves practicing what he preaches! ------- Drop a question in our free Patreon Community and get access to bonus content with Bob and Dina by upgrading to the Gold Level membership. You'll also be showing your support and helping to keep the podcast free of sponsorship ads. Let's connect on your platform of choice: Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. The show is brought to you by eNRG Performance and The Nutrition Mechanic.

One of the most striking changes in the new 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans is the inverted food pyramid. In this episode, we talk through what stood out to us, including updated protein recommendations, how fats and added sugars are positioned, and what the guidelines emphasize about real food. Check it out and see what may pertain to your food plan. ------- Drop a question in our free Patreon Community and get access to bonus content with Bob and Dina by upgrading to the Gold Level membership. You'll also be showing your support and helping to keep the podcast free of sponsorship ads. Let's connect on your platform of choice: Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. The show is brought to you by eNRG Performance and The Nutrition Mechanic.

If you’ve ever stood in front of a wall of plant-based protein bars wondering which one actually to choose, this episode is for you. We break down the crowded protein bar landscape by reviewing a handful of vegan options (NuGo, IQ Bar, TruBar, and Aloha) and talk through what ingredients, macronutrient profiles, and other details to consider when you’re making a choice. For a summary chart of the bars we review, join our Patreon Community to get the breakdown. ------- Drop a question in our free Patreon Community and get access to bonus content with Bob and Dina by upgrading to the Gold Level membership. You'll also be showing your support and helping to keep the podcast free of sponsorship ads. We’d love to connect with you on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. The show is brought to you by eNRG Performance and The Nutrition Mechanic.

If you’re heading into a new season with the same fueling plan, it might be time to pause and ask one important question: "Should I change my sports nutrition?" In this episode, we talk through when it makes sense to change your sports nutrition and how to recognize signs that your current fueling approach may no longer match your training or your body. If you’re an endurance athlete or team sport athlete wondering whether your nutrition plan still fits your goals for this season, this conversation will help you think more clearly about when to adjust and when to stay the course. ------- Drop a question in our free Patreon Community and get access to bonus content with Bob and Dina by upgrading to the Gold Level membership. You'll also be showing your support and helping to keep the podcast free of sponsorship ads. We’d love to connect with you on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. The show is brought to you by eNRG Performance and The Nutrition Mechanic.

Alcohol doesn’t just affect you the night you’re drinking - it influences how you sleep, recover, and perform (cognitively and physically) in the time that follows. If you do consume alcohol, this episode walks through practical ways to reduce its potential impact by paying attention to what happens before, during, and after drinking. Here is the relatively new probiotic supplement we mention towards the end of the episode. Let us know your questions about alcohol over in our free Patreon Community where you can interact with us (@isnpodcast) and opt to show your support for the by joining our low-cost Silver or Gold level membership. ------- Subscribe to our show to get the weekly episodes and also check out our YouTube channel. You can help us remain 100% ad-free and get access to exclusive bonus content and behind-the-scenes conversations with Bob and Dina. Join our Patreon community or find us in the Patreon app by searching ISNPodcast. We’d love to connect with you on Instagram @isnpodcast and on Facebook @insidesportsnutrition And when you’re ready to level up your health and performance even more, check out the services offered by Bob and Dina at their respective businesses.

Your physiology doesn't always follow what the textbooks say. In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Marco Altini (ultra runner, endurance coach, data scientist, and thinker at the intersection of physiology, technology, and performance). Marco opens up about the moment he realized that doing the same high-carb diet he recommended to himself for years wasn’t actually working as well as he thought. He walks us through how shifting to a periodized approach - changing fueling based on training demands rather than sticking to a fixed carb ratio - improved his fat oxidation, gut health, and performance markers in ways he hadn’t seen before. Marco grounds the discussion in real data, including how his substrate oxidation changed after adjusting his diet and why better metabolic flexibility matters for endurance athletes. Along the way, we tackle common misconceptions about high-carb diets, the link between GI distress and fueling strategy, and why testing beats guessing when you want to understand your own response to food and training. What we cover in this episode: Links: Substack@altini_marcoPeriodized Nutrition and Metabolic Flexbility for Endurance PerformanceLearnings from a Year of Periodized Nutrition and Metabolic TestingMetabolic Efficiency Training book More about our guest: Marco holds a PhD cum laude in applied machine learning, a M.Sc. cum laude in computer science engineering, and a M.Sc. cum laude in human movement sciences and high-performance coaching. He has published more than 50 papers and patents at the intersection between physiology, health, technology and human performance. He is the co-founder of HRV4Training, Endurance Coach at Destination Unknown, advisor at Oura, guest lecturer at VU Amsterdam, and editor of the Wearables department of IEEE Pervasive Computing. He loves running. Download the Patreon app to join our free Community (@isnpodcast) and become a supporter of the show by joining our low-cost Silver or Gold level membership. ------- Subscribe to our show to get the weekly episodes and also check out the YouTube channel. You can help us remain 100% ad-free and get access to exclusive bonus content and behind-the-scenes conversations with Bob and Dina. Join our Patreon community or find us in the Patreon app by searching ISNPodcast. We’d love to connect with you on Instagram @isnpodcast and on Facebook @insidesportsnutrition And when you’re ready to level up your health and performance even more, check out the services offered by Bob and Dina at their respective businesses.

In this last episode of 2025, we provide our top 2 recommendations for what to do in 2026. ------- Subscribe to our show to get the weekly episodes and also check out our YouTube channel. You can help us remain 100% ad-free and get access to exclusive bonus content and behind-the-scenes conversations with Bob and Dina. Join our Patreon community or find us in the Patreon app by searching ISNPodcast. We’d love to connect with you on Instagram @isnpodcast and on Facebook @insidesportsnutrition And when you’re ready to level up your health and performance even more, check out the services offered by Bob and Dina at their respective businesses.

Are PRMs just another trendy supplement, or are they doing something fundamentally different? In this episode, we do a quick overview of Pro Resolving Mediator supplements, how they differ from fish oil, and why resolving inflammation is not the same as suppressing it. Tune in to learn more! What are your questions about PRM supplements? Let us know over in our free Patreon Community (@isnpodcast). ------- Subscribe to our show to get the weekly episodes and also check out our YouTube channel. You can help us remain 100% ad-free and get access to exclusive bonus content and behind-the-scenes conversations with Bob and Dina. Join our Patreon community or find us in the Patreon app by searching ISNPodcast. We’d love to connect with you on Instagram @isnpodcast and on Facebook @insidesportsnutrition And when you’re ready to level up your health and performance even more, check out the services offered by Bob and Dina at their respective businesses.

If you’ve seen the growing wave of menopause supplements and felt unsure what to make of them, you’re not alone. In this Under the Microscope episode, Dina and Bob review a few products targeted towards menopause and discuss ingredient profiles, quality, safety, and marketing tactics being used in this supplement category. The episode is designed to help you cut through the noise and encourage you to evaluate supplements more carefully so you can decide what’s worth your attention and what is not worth your money. What are your questions menopause supplements? Let us know over in our free Patreon Community (@isnpodcast). ------- Subscribe to our show to get the weekly episodes and also check out our YouTube channel. You can help us remain 100% ad-free and get access to exclusive bonus content and behind-the-scenes conversations with Bob and Dina. Join our Patreon community or find us in the Patreon app by searching ISNPodcast. We’d love to connect with you on Instagram @isnpodcast and on Facebook @insidesportsnutrition And when you’re ready to level up your health and performance even more, check out the services offered by Bob and Dina at their respective businesses.

In this episode, Dina and Bob talk through a recent Triathlete magazine article outlining how some of the top professional athletes fueled at the Ironman World Championships in Nice and Kona this year. We review the carbohydrate intake ranges along with the fluid and sodium data and add context for what may explain the differences among the pros and why these strategies don’t always translate to age-group competition. Links: Article What are your questions about high carb fueling? Let us know over in our free Patreon Community (@isnpodcast). ------- Subscribe to our show to get the weekly episodes and also check out our YouTube channel. You can help us remain 100% ad-free and get access to exclusive bonus content and behind-the-scenes conversations with Bob and Dina. Join our Patreon community or find us in the Patreon app by searching ISNPodcast. We’d love to connect with you on Instagram @isnpodcast and on Facebook @insidesportsnutrition And when you’re ready to level up your health and performance even more, check out the services offered by Bob and Dina at their respective businesses.

We sit down with Selene Yeager, Menopause & Women's Health Expert and Host of the Hit Play Not Pause Podcast, for a grounded conversation about the current pulse of women's specific nutrition and fitness recommendations, along with what’s changing in menopause healthcare. We discuss some of the issues with research, health advice on social media that causes confusion for women, and the importance of acknowledging unique physiology paired with the individual experience. It's an engaging and refreshing conversation with Selene that we hope you'll enjoy as much as we did! Links: Hit Play Not Pausemenopause resourcesNewsletterepisode #93 More about our guest: Selene Yeager is host of the Hit Play Not Pause podcast, Content Manager at Feisty Menopause, and a best-selling professional health and fitness writer, including the co-author of ROAR and Next Level with Dr. Stacy Sims. She lives what she writes as an NASM certified personal trainer, Pn1 certified nutrition coach, off road racer, and former All-American Ironman triathlete. Download the Patreon app to join our free Community (@isnpodcast) and become a supporter of the show by joining our low-cost Silver or Gold level membership. ------- Subscribe to our show to get the weekly episodes and also check out the YouTube channel. You can help us remain 100% ad-free and get access to exclusive bonus content and behind-the-scenes conversations with Bob and Dina. Join our Patreon community or find us in the Patreon app by searching ISNPodcast. We’d love to connect with you on Instagram @isnpodcast and on Facebook @insidesportsnutrition And when you’re ready to level up your health and performance even more, check out the services offered by Bob and Dina at their respective businesses.

We’re kicking off our new Under the Microscope series where we do an analysis and review of various sports nutrition products, supplements, and food products. In this episode, we highlight Frog Fuel—a Navy SEAL–developed recovery protein shot—and UCAN Edge Energy Gel, uncovering some interesting and surprising findings about amino acids, nutrition data provided on labels, and carbohydrate sources that may or may not provide energy. For extra fun, also check out our YouTube video where we do some show-and-tell with the products themselves. Links: FrogFuelUCAN Edge What product would you like us to review? Let us know over in our free Patreon Community (@isnpodcast). ------- Subscribe to our show to get the weekly episodes and also check out our YouTube channel. You can help us remain 100% ad-free and get access to exclusive bonus content and behind-the-scenes conversations with Bob and Dina. Join our Patreon community or find us in the Patreon app by searching ISNPodcast. We’d love to connect with you on Instagram @isnpodcast and on Facebook @insidesportsnutrition And when you’re ready to level up your health and performance even more, check out the services offered by Bob and Dina at their respective businesses.

How many calories does someone actually consume over a 240-mile foot race, and what’s happening in the body during the days it takes to feel human again? And what do Oatmeal Creme Pies and Nutter Butters have to do with it? Sports Dietitian Becca Rick returns to walk us through her second Moab 240, sharing what shifted in her training, nutrition, and race prep that helped her cut eight hours off her stop time from last year. We dig into her fluid and calorie intake during the race, how her gut handled the highs and lows, and what her early “energy burn” data revealed in the four days after finishing. It’s a rare look at the demands of a 240-mile effort and the repair work the body launches into as soon as the race is over. Follow Becca on Instagram @becs_slc and find her at The Nutrition Mechanic or University of Utah. Links: Instagram VideoTotal Energy Expenditure and Intake During a 161-km Mountain UltramarathonUltra-endurance athletes and the metabolic ceilingTotal Energy Expenditure and Nutritional Intake in Continuous Multiday Ultramarathon Events Download the Patreon app to join our free Community (@isnpodcast) and become a supporter of the show by joining our low-cost Silver or Gold level membership. ------- Subscribe to our show to get the weekly episodes and also check out the YouTube channel. You can help us remain 100% ad-free and get access to exclusive bonus content and behind-the-scenes conversations with Bob and Dina. Join our Patreon community or find us in the Patreon app by searching ISNPodcast. We’d love to connect with you on Instagram @isnpodcast and on Facebook And when you’re ready to level up your health and performance even more, check out the services offered by Bob and Dina at their respective businesses.

What’s missing from the "Carbs are King" narrative that could be a disservice to your health? In this episode, Bob and Dina explore the often overlooked layers of nutrition message, including the roles of hormonal control, gut health, and food quality. It’s a fresh, nuanced take that goes beyond macros and brings context, clarity, and the need for personalization back into the conversation. Let us know your questions and concerns about carbohydrates over in our free Patreon Community (@isnpodcast). We’d love to hear from you! ------- Subscribe to our show to get the weekly episodes and also check out the YouTube channel. You can help us remain 100% ad-free and get access to exclusive bonus content and behind-the-scenes conversations with Bob and Dina. Join our Patreon community or find us in the Patreon app by searching ISNPodcast. We’d love to connect with you on Instagram @isnpodcast and on Facebook @insidesportsnutrition And when you’re ready to level up your health and performance even more, check out the services offered by Bob and Dina at their respective businesses.

Creatine continues to gain attention for good reason. In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Scott Forbes to hear about some of the latest research on creatine and its role in muscle health, team sports, endurance, cognition, and aging. Dr. Forbes also clears up some lingering myths around safety, water retention, and timing. Whether you train hard or simply want to stay strong as you age, this conversation offers practical insight into how creatine supports both performance and long-term vitality. Tune in to learn: More about our guest: Dr. Scott Forbes is a professor and Chair in the department of Physical Education Studies at Brandon University in Canada. Dr. Forbes is a certified sport nutritionist and fellow with the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN), and a clinical exercise physiologist and high-performance specialist through the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP). Dr. Forbes has published over 150 peer-reviewed manuscripts and 5 book chapters. His research examines various nutritional (e.g., creatine) and exercise interventions to enhance muscle, bone, and brain function in a variety of populations, including athletes and aging adults. Find him on Instagram @scott_forbes_phd or at https://people.brandonu.ca/forbess/ Download the Patreon app to join our free Community (@isnpodcast) and become a supporter of the show by joining our low-cost Silver or Gold level membership. ------- Subscribe to our show to get the weekly episodes and also check out the YouTube channel. You can help us remain 100% ad-free and get access to exclusive bonus content and behind-the-scenes conversations with Bob and Dina. Join our Patreon community or find us in the Patreon app by searching ISNPodcast. We’d love to connect with you on Instagram @isnpodcast and on Facebook @insidesportsnutrition And when you’re ready to level up your health and performance even more, check out the services offered by Bob and Dina at their respective businesses.

Nicotine isn’t just a topic for public health debates — it’s showing up in the performance world, from pouches to vapes. But can it really boost focus or endurance? And at what cost? In this episode, we explore what’s known (and not yet known) about nicotine’s effects on athletic performance. We unpack how it influences reaction time, mood, and cognitive function, compare it to caffeine as a stimulant, and discuss why its addictive potential and cardiovascular effects deserve serious consideration. Whether you’ve seen athletes using nicotine pouches or you’re curious about the science behind its short-term performance claims, this conversation breaks down the evidence and raises important questions about health trade-offs and risk versus reward. Do you have experience using nicotine for athletic performance? We'd love to hear from you in our free Patreon Community (@isnpodcast). Further reading: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-017-0764-5https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/2/1009https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12970-021-00413-9https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5684328/https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/2/1009 ------- Subscribe to our show to get the weekly episodes and also check out our YouTube channel. You can help us remain 100% ad-free and get access to exclusive bonus content and behind-the-scenes conversations with Bob and Dina. Join our Patreon community or find us in the Patreon app by searching ISNPodcast. We’d love to connect with you on Instagram @isnpodcast and on Facebook @insidesportsnutrition And when you’re ready to level up your health and performance even more, check out the services offered by Bob and Dina at their respective businesses.

We sit down with Endurance Coach, Podcaster, Ultramarathoner and 100-mile Record Holder Zach Bitter to talk about his recent dietary pattern shift from Low Carb High Fat to higher carbohydrate fueling, along with his how his run fueling is changing to support his upcoming races. Hear about why he’s making the change, what he’s doing differently, supplements he takes, and so much more! Learn more about Zach, his coaching, and his podcast on his website. Download the Patreon app to join our free Community (@isnpodcast) and become a supporter of the show by joining our low-cost Silver or Gold level membership. ------- Subscribe to our show to get the weekly episodes and also check out the YouTube channel. You can help us remain 100% ad-free and get access to exclusive bonus content and behind-the-scenes conversations with Bob and Dina. Join our Patreon community or find us in the Patreon app by searching ISNPodcast. We’d love to connect with you on Instagram @isnpodcast and on Facebook @insidesportsnutrition And when you’re ready to level up your health and performance even more, check out the services offered by Bob and Dina at their respective businesses.

Is muscle loss inevitable with age? In this episode, Bob and Dina explore sarcopenia, a “silent muscle thief” linked to aging, and how maintaining muscle, strength, and mobility supports your healthspan and longevity. We discuss the key factors that influence muscle health and what it takes to stay resilient through every decade. Let us know your questions about sarcopenia and what you are doing to minimize it over in our free Patreon Community (@isnpodcast). We’d love to hear from you! ------- to our show to get the weekly episodes and also check out the YouTube channel. You can help us remain 100% ad-free and get access to exclusive bonus content and behind-the-scenes conversations with Bob and Dina. Join our Patreon community or find us in the Patreon app by searching ISNPodcast. We’d love to connect with you on Instagram @isnpodcast and on Facebook @insidesportsnutrition And when you’re ready to level up your health and performance even more, check out the services offered by Bob and Dina at their respective businesses.

Is this Fall the time to explore foods that do more than just taste good? In this episode, we dive into how seasonal favorites like apples, pomegranates, and squashes deliver bioactive compounds that support inflammation control, immune function, and overall health. We also share some easy ways to use these seasonal fruits, vegetables, and spices to add more color, flavor, and function to your meals. Share one of your favorite ways to incorporate one or more of the foods we mention in the episode in our free Patreon Community (@isnpodcast). We’d love to hear your ideas! ------- Subscribe to our show to get the weekly episodes and also check out the YouTube channel. You can help us remain 100% ad-free and get access to exclusive bonus content and behind-the-scenes conversations with Bob and Dina. Join our Patreon community or find us in the Patreon app by searching ISNPodcast. We’d love to connect with you on Instagram @isnpodcast and on Facebook @insidesportsnutrition And when you’re ready to level up your health and performance even more, check out the services offered by Bob and Dina at their respective businesses.