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The Medalist Club - Gymtide.com
The Booster Organization for the University of Alabama Gymnastics Program
- Q: A nutritionist, huh -- kind of high tech or sophisticated for a gymnastics program, or does everyone have one these days?
A: I actually work with the entire Athletic Department; however, the gymnastics team was the first group I worked with. And the one I work the most with currently.
Yes, a dietitian is fairly sophisticated, but so are athletes--they are sophisticated bodies of machinery and have specialized needs and problems that makes nutrition so important to their performance.
More and more dietitians are moving into the field of sports nutrition, athletes and coaches are beginning to see how integral nutrition is to performance and training. It is right up there in my book with their actual scheduled practices.
- Q: What do you do with their diets, how involved are you?
A: Each gymnast has their own individual diet regime just like most everyone else does. What works for you may not work for me. I teach them the basic stuff, but also some more technical stuff. For instance, we talk about basic nutrition--how many servings you need from the different food groups, what counts as a serving--portion control, how to eat healthfully when you are traveling, etc. I think you get it. Then we go a step further with some of the more technical stuff--hydration--how much they need, carbohydrate loading, carbohydrate replacement to help with performance, etc.
- Q: Do the girls get individual attention, or do you just give them a blanket program?
A: I do meet with the team as a group often, but athletes have specific needs and each athlete is different; therefore, I meet with many of the gymnasts on an individual basis.
- Q: Does diet composition change during off season vs. during season?
A: I don't think the girls think they have an off season because they train so hard to prepare for the season. Certainly their nutrient needs vary. Certainly a high carbohydrate diet is important to help enhance performance, and proper hydration is also important to help performance not be impaired--this same regimen is encouraged pre, during, and post season to decrease fatigue.
- Q: Do you monitor weight and/or body fat percentage? How often, and are there penalties?
A: Yes, I do monitor weight and body fat percentage. I check their weights and body fat percentages by skinfold caliper measurement once a month. I also do hydrostatic weighing usually twice during off season and 1-2 times during season.
I use these percentages and weight numbers to make sure the girls are staying healthy and in the best shape they can be for season--not to penalize. There are ideal ranges for women and athletes for body composition, but I like to look at body composition over time. There are healthy weight ranges too, but I also like to use weight histories to make sure our weight goals are realistic for the athlete. Back to body composition, you see I have numbers on the gymnasts that date back to Fall of 1995 and I have been very consistent of when to test them (first of each month). I can use these numbers to see where the gymnasts are, and have been. This year it was very interesting because the numbers are usually very similar month to month--year to year; however, this year in the fall 1997 they underwent an extensive strength training workout. I had so many of the girls worrying about weight gain because their weights are usually always fairly stabilized. It was very difficult for them to understand that because of their strength work the weight gain was normal. They had to trust that this would be extremely beneficial later because their weights would eventually stabilize and go back down as their strength training decreased, but they would be so much more leaner and stronger. When I began to look at their body fat percentages in January 1998 and compared these back to January 1997 and January 1996 (championship year) the team as a whole was leaner and stronger than they had ever been at the beginning of season.
Sarah is the one who decides if there are decisions to be made if goals are not met. It generally is based on safety issues.
- Q: Hmm... Sounds like you would frown on my invitation to lunch at the local taco stand?
A: I really enjoy working with the gymnastics team and I wouldn't frown on your lunch because I try not to do that. I am the type of dietitian that really encourages everyone to abide by the moderation principle because if you told yourself that you could never have the taco at your favorite taco stand again it would work for a little while but after that you would probably kill the guy at the taco stand to give you a taco and it probably wouldn't be just one either.
- Q: So how about you? The personal stuff(where you went to school, how did you get here? where have you worked?
A: I received both my undergraduate and graduate degrees in nutrition here from The University of Alabama. I am also from Tuscaloosa, I'm one of those born and raised and ain't going anywhere.
While I was a graduate student at U of A I taught a class at the Student Recreation Center for U of A employees on nutrition. Because of the relationship that I made with Cheree Causey, manager of fitness/wellness services at the student recreation center she offered me a graduate assistantship my final year of graduate school. No one had ever worked strictly with nutrition. So I definitely saw this as a huge opportunity. It was only a couple of months after I started working at the recreation center that I got a call from Sarah Patterson to come and do some work with the gymnastics team. I finished my assistantship and grad school that following May and was interviewed for a full time, temporary position due to the obvious need for a dietitian on campus to work with students, faculty, staff and the athletic department. I now work for the student health center on campus and my job has become a full time permanent position. I work with three different areas: student recreation center, student health center, and the athletic department.
I went straight into graduate school after I finished my undergraduate degree; however, to become a Registered Dietitian you have to pass an exam and complete approximately 900 hours of supervised practice through one of the American Dietetic Assoc. accredited or approved pathways. I have worked as a student at various hospitals here and in Birmingham, a nursing home, the health department, etc. When I was in my first year of graduate school I worked as a graduate teaching assistant for a very intelligent clinical dietitian whom I learned so much from. But since I have been out of school and am one of those continuous learners--I attend conferences and read to keep up with the ever changing field of nutrition. I just recently attended a Sports nutrition conference conducted by some of the most prominent sport nutritionists in the field.
- Q: Any hobbies?
A: I enjoy being an athlete too. I did my first triathlon last summer and ran in my first marathon this past December (December 13, 1997). I enjoy running and cycling. I truly feel that I have learned more about athletics in this last year than I could ever read in a textbook or hear in a seminar because I became an athlete and began to see and feel like an athlete. It has helped me relate to and understand the difficulties that athletes face. I also enjoy reading and singing. I am married and have been for 4 1/2 years to a wonderful fellow named David who is a pharmacist and is currently in the EMBA program here at U of A. I enjoy spending time with my family--both of my parents, and my sister are a very important part of my life. My sister has 1 child--Jacob who is 2 1/2 years old and calls me "Pep." I really enjoy spending time with him. He loves to go to the gymnastics meets and see the girls and Big Al of course!!
- Q: Stephanie, I really appreciate your time and effort. I believe this will be quite enlightening to our audience.
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