logo
episode-header-image
Jan 2022
59m 35s

229. Nutrition Science PhD Stephanie How...

Jason Fitzgerald
About this episode

Stephanie Howe is a heavy hitter from the ultra-endurance world who holds a PhD in Nutrition and Exercise Science. As an elite trail and mountain runner, Stephanie has won the Western States 100-mile Endurance Run and holds the course records for the Bandera 100k and Lake Sonoma 50 miler.  

Stephanie's doctoral dissertation focused on the influence of exercise intensity on appetite in endurance-trained women. She is passionate about helping people learn how to fuel for competition and long-term health, and currently coaches runners and provides nutritional counseling.

Stephanie answers a variety of questions from Strength Running listeners on training and race nutrition, along with some of the controversial fad diets and nutrition strategies:

  • The ins and outs of marathon fueling - is it ever too late in the race to fuel?
  • How to use different types of fuels at various stages of longer races
  • A “pyramid” plan for ultra fueling
  • Should you still carb load before races?
  • How to simplify good nutrition for a busy family with mix and match meals
  • The benefits of using a nutritionist
  • Her take on the Keto diet, intermittent fasting, the carnivore diet, and bonk runs

Links & Resources from the Show:

Thank you Elemental Labs!

A big thanks to Elemental Labs for their support of this episode! They make electrolyte drinks for athletes and low-carb folks with no sugar, artificial ingredients, or colors. And you can get a free sampler pack of 4 flavors and 8 individual packets when you pay $5 in shipping.

Elemental Labs' products have some of the highest sodium concentrations that you can find. Anybody who runs a lot knows that sodium, as well as other electrolytes like magnesium and potassium, are essential to our performance and how we feel throughout the day.

The citrus flavor has quickly become my favorite. I’m drinking one a day now to help me get enough fluids in our dry Colorado air. It’s tasty and delicious and I find that I’m not peeing every 45 minutes throughout the day, which might be an indication I wasn’t eating enough sodium.

There’s now mounting evidence that higher sodium intake levels are not unhealthy – and athletes need substantially more than your typical sedentary person. Of course, ask your doctor if you’re worried. But for those athletes running outside in the heat, an electrolyte replacement makes a lot of sense.

They just released their first new flavor of 2021, their most requested flavor, watermelon salt. So check out Elemental Labs to try their new flavor or get a free sampler pack. 

Up next
Jul 3
Lindsey Hein Interviews Jason on Mindset, His 2:39 Marathon, Injuries, & Race Strategy
Podcaster and coach Lindsey Hein recently hosted Jason on her podcast, I'll Have Another with Lindsey Hein. The conversation was wide-ranging and touched on a variety of topics so it had to be shared again! Lindsey asks Jason about: His favorite 5k race strategy of "Letting Jesus ... Show More
1h 32m
Jun 30
Pete Pfitzinger on How to Run Your Best Marathon: Aging, Intensity, Posture, and More
Pete Pfitzinger is a RRCA hall of famer, top American at two Olympic Marathons, and legendary coach and author most known for his book Advanced Marathoning (the 4th edition is now available for preorder!). He's the top American at the 1984 and 1988 Olympic Marathons, a 2-time win ... Show More
1h 4m
Jun 26
Strength vs. Power: How to Lift So You Race Faster with Professor Andy Galpin (repost)
Strength training is such a valuable tool for building speed, power, efficiency, strength, and injury resilience, that this episode needed to be republished! It originally aired in March 2022. Andy Galpin, PhD has been an assistant professor at California State University Fullert ... Show More
53m 37s
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2024
2652: How to Fuel When Running a Marathon - Runner Gel Products & Staying Hydrated When Jogging
Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com.Episode 2652:When training for a half marathon, fueling your body properly is crucial for optimal performance. Dr. Neal discusses th ... Show More
16m 2s
Mar 2023
Endurance Athletes Intakes Will Blow Your Mind
0:25 Endurance nutrition with Alex Harrison 1:27 Alex's athletic background 4:54 En durance Clients vs regular clients 6:26 Nutrition requirements for endurance vs strength 11:47 How do you eat 1200 grams of carbs per day 15:15 Sports drinks vs "homemade" sports drinks 17:41 Alex ... Show More
52m 47s
Jan 2025
208. Is More Protein Better? + Nutrient Balance to Prevent Bad Workouts with Dr. Kyle Pfaffenbach
This episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast is Dr. Kyle Pfaffenbach. Kyle is an Associate Professor of nutrition and exercise science at Eastern Oregon University, and also works as a Performance Nutrition Consultant to Olympians and World Champions, including the Brooks ... Show More
1h 11m
Nov 2022
Q&A 450: Cannabis & Testosterone, The Foods That Fill You Up Fastest, "Non-Responders" To Exercise, Tom Brady's Workout & Much More!
News Flashes – Follow Ben on Twitter for more… Recreational use of cannabis can cause lower levels of testosterone and poorer levels of sperm morphology: Effects of recreational cannabis on testicular function in primary infertile men. …9:11 Recreational cannabis users tend to be ... Show More
1h 12m
Jul 2024
2647: The ABC's of Sports Nutrition by Nancy Clark on Eating Advice for Athletes
Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com.Episode 2647:Nancy Clark simplifies sports nutrition with her ABCs, offering practical tips for athletes to optimize performance thr ... Show More
13m 50s
Mar 2025
Jordan Sullivan: Fueling for Sports Performance & Body Composition
In this episode, my guest is Jordan Sullivan, APD, a registered sports dietitian and the founder of The Fight Dietitian (TFD), whose clients include UFC world champions, Olympians, and ultra-endurance athletes. We discuss performance nutrition, focusing on how to strategically us ... Show More
2h 58m
Jan 2025
2845: Carbohydrates: Yes? No? Friend? Foe? by Nancy Clark on How to Improve Athletic Performance
Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com.Episode 2845:Nancy Clark explores the polarizing views on carbohydrates in sports diets, highlighting how they can be both fuel for ... Show More
12m 38s
Apr 2
Dr. Michael Ormsbee: Food Timing, Nutrition & Supplements for Fat Loss, Muscle Growth & Recovery
My guest is Dr. Michael Ormsbee, Ph.D., a professor of nutrition and integrative physiology and the director of the Institute of Sports Sciences and Medicine at Florida State University. We explore how pre-sleep nutrition affects fat metabolism, muscle growth, performance, and re ... Show More
2h 32m
Jun 2
What Should I Eat This Summer? Simplifying Nutrition for the Busy Season
Summer schedules are chaotic—between travel, hot weather, and shifting routines, it’s easy for nutrition to fall off track. In this episode, Jess shares her go-to summer staples and one major takeaway from her own biofeedback last year: don’t underestimate the power of a solid sn ... Show More
18m 46s
Oct 2024
#539: How Does Carbohydrate Availability Impact Resistance Training? – Cliff Harvey, PhD & Eric Helms, PhD
Some suggest that, since individual lifts or short-duration efforts don’t rely heavily on glycogen, carb intake might not be critical for strength athletes. If glycogen depletion isn’t a pressing issue, could athletes thrive on lower-carb diets without sacrificing performance? Or ... Show More
1h 32m