TriVeggies

Next week, as I do once a month or so, I’ll fire up Zoom roundabout 10 a.m. one morning and check in with Rebecca, my nutritionist. In what’s now a years-long relationship, we’ll probably talk about how March Madness ended up, what’s new in the vegetarian-food landscape, how I’m feeling overall and – oh yeah – my fueling plan for Rock n Roll Nashville.

I started seeing Rebecca back in 2022 at some point, when I was purely looking to slim down a bit. But what I realized after working with her is that it’s not just a number on the scale I’m after; it’s how I feel, as well.

This is where I need to say quite clearly: I am not a fast weight-loser. I have hypothyroidism, which slows my metabolism down a lot, and I’m north of 40 nowadays, which means I’m acquainting myself with all the excitement of perimenopause. These aren’t excuses; they’re just facts. And as Rebecca says, the fact that I haven’t gained during the past couple of years is a testament to my hard work. It’s taken awhile, but I’m finally coming around to that way of thinking.

But over the months – and now years – since I started seeing Rebecca, I’ve also come to realize something that I suppose I knew in my heart all along: The number on the scale is only part of the puzzle. When it comes to triathlon and running, the nutrition choices I make on a daily basis are far more important to my performance than whether I’ve dropped a pound or two.

As a vegetarian, protein is always something I’m focused on, but it was Rebecca who helped me see that I could really benefit from more than 100 grams a day in order to keep my muscles repairing themselves and growing. As I take in more protein, I naturally take in fewer carbs, as well, which helps with my blood sugar. I’m definitely drinking more water than I did before we started working together, and also drinking far less alcohol, even on our beloved college football gamedays (she’s just as big of a fan as I am – yet another way we’ve bonded!). 

And on race days? Oh man. It was Rebecca who informed me that no, I was certainly not taking in enough fuel during my long races – come to find out, a single gel every 45 minutes isn’t the way to victory! Instead, now I’m taking in fuel every half hour, and surprise! My performance has vastly improved, and I rarely bonk anymore. So file that way for your own race plan!

In a lot of ways, our appointments have now become therapy sessions – me bouncing thoughts and ideas off of her, her listening thoughtfully and guiding me to make constructive choices. And with each session, I get a bit healthier, become a bit more mindful. That doesn’t mean I’m always walking the straight and narrow, but knowing I have Rebecca in my corner keeps me in check. Like a training plan, she offers a level of accountability that’s invaluable!

So should you explore working with a nutritionist? From my vantage point, it’s definitely worth at least exploring the idea. Nutritionists aren’t focused on just weight loss; there are a multitude of benefits to working with someone trained in keeping you healthy through food. I’ve lost a bit of weight along the way, but to me, the main benefit of working with Rebecca is her vast wealth of knowledge about all things nutrition, wellness and health. With her help, my triathlon performance continues to improve – and I feel better along the way, which is probably the best part of the whole thing!

Do you work with a nutritionist? If you don’t: Have you considered it? Sound off in the comments!