Sports Nutrition That Educates, Empowers, &
Endures.

Can your nutrition go the distance?

"Alex is personable, and most importantly, practical in his approach to nutrition. He's been integral in helping me develop systems for managing health, wellness, and performance. Would highly recommend working with him."

- Sam L, Google Review

Training is only half the battle...

Far too often, athletes give it their all in training—only to return home to a pantry in disarray and with no nutrition plan for recovery or tomorrow’s training. Sports nutrition doesn’t stop when the workout ends; the meals, snacks, and hydration we choose outside of training can have as big an impact on our performance as the effort we put in during training. Understanding how to fuel your health and performance is the next step in unlocking your potential.

Alex coaching athlete at MTB national championships

Alex Winnicki
MS,RD,LD,CSSD

Alex is a performance dietitian and board-certified specialist in sports dietetics who helps athletes optimize their health and performance through evidence-based, individualized nutrition strategies. Drawing on his background in professional cycling and his time working in NCAA athletics, he guides clients to strengthen their relationship with food, body, and mind. His approach merges intuitive eating with cutting-edge sports nutrition science, empowering athletes of all levels to thrive in sport and life.

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Our Services: From Science to Practice

1:1 Performance Nutrition

Training hard but unsure if your fueling matches your effort? Get a personalized plan to cut through the guesswork and maximize performance.

1:1 Health & Wellness Nutrition

Want to feel stronger, healthier, lose weight, or be more in tune with your body? We’ll guide you with evidence-informed nutrition support that fits your life.

Group Membership

Looking for reliable sports nutrition advice without the confusion and noise of social media? Join a community of athletes learning, sharing, and growing together.

Team Talks & Consulting

Need expert guidance or a presentation for your organization? We provide nutrition education, strategy, and policy support to your athletes and coaches.

Performing sweat sodium test at Northwestern University

Testimonials

"Alex has a very non judgmental way of helping clients see things in new ways. He has a gentle way of teaching and encouraging new ideas for nutritional goals. He makes it fun"

Elle

"Alex is an awesome provider he is very attentive and un-judgmental and provides personalized care. I would definitely recommend him to anyone wanting to learn better eating habits and ways to eat better on a budget!"

Teanna

"Working with Alex has allowed me to significantly improve as an athlete, both in performance and in the way I generally feel on a day-to-day basis. Before working with Alex, I would have considered myself a healthy eater, but now I feel as though I am "fueling" for a specific purpose. I have more energy, an improved mood, and have all but eliminated past GI issues during strenuous workouts.

Clay

TNGA Fueling Recap - 28,500kcal over 3.5 days. Clean eating zealots drop hate mail below.

Here’s what fueled the ride — repeats tallied up 👇

🍫 Bars & Sweets

Pop-Tarts — 1,505 kcal | 256g carbs ✔✔
Clif Bar — 500 kcal | 90g carbs ✔✔
Bobo’s Oat Bar — 520 kcal | 75g carbs ✔✔
Cinn Toast Crunch — 250 kcal | 50g carbs ✔✔
Nerds Gummy Clusters — 1,098 kcal | 260g carbs ✔✔
Skittles — 946 kcal | 220g carbs ✔✔
Dried Cherries — 260 kcal | 66g carbs ✔✔
Dried Blueberries — 198 kcal | 50g carbs ✔✔
Cashews — 326 kcal | 18g carbs ✔✔
Newton’s Fig — 446 kcal | 100g carbs ✔✔

🥤 Drinks & Mixes
Skratch Drink Mix — 406 kcal | 102g carbs ✔✔
Coke bottle — 384 kcal | 104g carbs ✔✔
Monster Energy — 444 kcal | 108g carbs ✔✔
Gatorade (20 oz x2 + Whey Bar) — 915 kcal | 120g carbs
Powerade (4 bottles) — 323 kcal | 84g carbs
Red Bull — 159 kcal | 39g carbs

🥪 Savory / Meals
Tortillas — 600 kcal | 100g carbs ✔✔
McD Quarter Pounder — 1,100 kcal | 82g carbs ✔✔
McD Fries Large — 365 kcal | 63g carbs
Domino’s Pepperoni Pizza (whole) — 2,880 kcal | 320g carbs
Peanut Stew w/ Sweet Potato — 495 kcal | 80g carbs
Lance PB Crackers — 358 kcal | 56g carbs

🍪 Snacks & Extras
Lays Chips (4 bags total) — 1,534 kcal | 150g carbs
Oreo Cookies — 324 kcal | 51g carbs
Chips Ahoy Cookies — 327 kcal | 51g carbs
M&Ms Peanut — 254 kcal | 31g carbs
Twix Bar — 245 kcal | 33g carbs
Haribo Gummy Bears — 509 kcal | 115g carbs
Sour Patch Kids — 345 kcal | 87g carbs

⚡ Total Tally Highlights
Most repeated: Pop-Tarts, Clif Bars, Nerds, Skittles, Tortillas, McD

Carbs on carbs on carbs baby🍬🥯🍟
Balance? Not so much 😅 but the miles got done.

#bikepacking #TNGA #cycling #pinhotitrail #backpacking #cleaneating #carnivore

3 days, 12 hours, 358 miles, 38k of vert
Final thoughts on TNGA…
I went into this thinking it’d be a fun way to explore Georgia—something like my old rides through Western NC, with a few beers and scenic backroads. What I got instead was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. Not a race (for me), but still a relentless challenge: brutal terrain, tough logistics, and long stretches of silence and self-reflection. I had no clue what I was getting into, and honestly, that naivety helped—if I’d known how hard it would be, I might’ve thought twice.

But I’m glad I didn’t.

What stuck with me wasn’t just the physical grind—it was the people. The shared moments at gas stations, swapping tips, encouraging each other, trading stories. It was watching dots move across the map after I finished and feeling genuinely excited for people I’d never even met, knowing what they were going through out there.

This wasn’t about “fun” in the traditional sense. It was about being stripped down to the core, and finding something solid there. I spent 95% of the ride with no music or distractions—just mindfulness, breathing, climbing, accepting whatever came next. That mindset helped me stay centered, take it one day at a time, and appreciate every smooth stretch, every small joy, every hard-earned moment of rest.

More than anything, this ride reset something in me—my understanding of my own limits, my tolerance for discomfort, and my gratitude for the little things. I have so much respect for anyone who lined up for this thing, whether they finished or not. The challenge is real, and so is the growth that comes from it.

#TNGA #bikepacking #georgia #mindfulness #ultraendurance #TNGA2025 #mtb #bikepacking_inspiration #trek

From Alabama to South Carolina—TNGA week is here! 🚵‍♂️ Friday I roll out from the AL/GA border for 5 days, 400+ miles, and 40,000 ft of climbing across North Georgia’s backcountry, gravel, and singletrack—plus a bonus ride home to Greenville.

Ultra days mean 9–11 hrs of motion and 6,200–7,400 kcal burned—about 4× my basal metabolic rate (BMR). Replacing that much energy on the move is a puzzle: Tour de France riders and elite skiers have been known to hit 4–5× their BMR, but most research says 2.5× is the sustainable ceiling.

For this trip, breakfast is antioxidant-packed berries mixed into Cinnamon Toast Crunch + Grape Nuts with coconut, cashews, dehydrated milk, and protein powder. Lunch is space-saving tortillas with PB\&J (chia jam for the win). Dinners are AlpineAire meals boosted with rice or pasta, mac & cheese powder, and chicken packets for extra carbs and protein. Mid-ride fuel? Gels, gummy bears, and Pop-Tarts—cheap, dense, and effective. Two liters of fluids on board at all times, with streams and gas stations to keep me topped up.

Also using as many Caf Gels as possible thanks to @thefeedme

Not racing—just chasing an epic adventure. Follow my dot on Trackleaders (link in bio) and watch for stories, sights, and snacks along the way. Full nutrition breakdown coming soon on the blog.

#tnga #tnga2025 #ultra #sportsnutrition #mtb #ga #bikepacking #feedambassadormonthly

🍑 Peach Basil Sorbet! 🌿☀️
Hot days call for cool desserts and this refreshing Ninja Creami sorbet hits just right. Made with juicy South Carolina peaches, garden-fresh basil, and a splash of limoncello, it’s the perfect blend of sweet, herbal, and citrusy.

What you’ll need:
🍑 400g ripe peaches (~4 small)
🍋 1 oz limoncello
🍯 50g honey
🌿 4 large basil leaves
💧 2 Tbsp gelatin
🧂 Pinch of salt

How to make it:
Blend all ingredients until smooth, pour into a Ninja Creami pint container, and freeze overnight. The next day, spin on the sorbet setting and enjoy that silky-smooth, summer-fresh scoop. 😋

Perfect for post-ride recovery (add protein separately), backyard chillouts, or just showing off peak peach season. 🍑✨
Tag a friend who needs to try this👇

#NinjaCreami #SummerFuel #PeachSeason #SCGrown #HealthyDessert #SportsRDApproved #PeachSorbet #BasilVibes #EatLocalSC #SecondArrowNutrition #CreamiRecipes

🚨Dietitian side quest🚨 Today’s MTB ride turned into a foraging expedition. Rode through a tunnel of chanterelle mushrooms and couldn’t help myself. I love forgaging, but nothing quite makes me second guess myself harder 😅 I think these babies are destined for tacos or a risotto this weekend.

#foraging #mushrooms #summer #mtb #trailfinds

It’s been amazing to see @micksreallife fall in love with running this year. Usually I’m the one being tended to and cheered on in training and racing, but it’s been a pleasure to return the love and support. Our @thefeedme orders are growing, air miles accumulating, and bib numbers stacking up and I freaking love it. Dare I say now I don’t mind the occasional run myself 😬 then again most of these group runs provide donuts, which always helps.

#Travel #running #donuts #thefeedme #cycling #sportsnutrition

Happy Birthday to Us! We just turned 2 years old 👶
What started as a side project cooking for athletes at local events has grown into what is now Second Arrow Nutrition — a full-time business based in Greenville, SC, dedicated to helping athletes and individuals nationwide optimize their health, wellness, and performance through personalized nutrition.

From humble beginnings in Virginia to coaching, consulting, and collaborating with incredible people across the endurance community — we’re beyond grateful for every athlete, coach, and supporter who’s been part of our journey.

Year three, we’re coming for you. Let’s keep building something meaningful, one plate (and one race) at a time.

To celebrate, we’re offering 10% off your first month of coaching if you apply today and mention this post!
Application on website, link in bio.

#SecondArrowNutrition #FuelYourMission #EnduranceNutrition #TwoYearsStrong #NutritionCoaching #PerformanceFuel

Heat Training…

There are lots of ways to do it, but in short: get HOT (not too hot) and suffer (not too long). After my interval sessions I’ve been hopping on the trainer in three layers of winter gear, no AC or fan, and grinding for 45 minutes. Hitting this 3–5 times a week can help athletes adapt to heat stress in as few as 10 sessions.

Heat adaptation is easy‑come, easy‑go, so once you’re acclimated you need to sprinkle in a couple of sessions each week to keep it. Stay consistent for 5–6 weeks and you’ll see blood‑metric shifts that somewhat mimic altitude—hence why heat training is often called the “poor man’s altitude camp.”

In the short term, heat‑adapted athletes start sweating sooner and with greater volume, conserve more sodium, and report a lower RPE at the same effort, among other perks.

Aim to raise core temperature to ~38–38.5 °C. Sessions can last up to an hour at an easy‑to‑endurance pace, but they demand extra recovery time and diligent rehydration. Definitely not something to be careless with, yet a stressor worth exploring for many athletes.

#Summer #endurance #heatttraining #cycling #sportsnutrition

🚴‍♂️✨ See you at WNC Bike Fest! ✨🚴‍♀️

This Saturday, May 10 | 2‑8 PM I’m setting up the Second Arrow Nutrition Consulting booth at Ecusta Brewing in Brevard,NC. Swing by, say hi, and learn how working with a sports dietitian can:
• turn carbs into free speed 🚀
• boost recovery so you’re ready for the next lap 🛠️
• keep you healthy for the long haul 💪

Grab a brew, hop on a guided ride, and check out the silent auction—then come get quick fueling tips or a mini consult on the spot. Let’s chat about watts, snacks, and everything in between.

Tag your riding crew and come level up your nutrition game! 🌲🔥

Also we will be raffling off a month of FREE Nutrition Coaching!

#WNCBikeFest #PisgahAreaSORBA #SecondArrowNutrition #FuelSmartRideStrong #SportsDietitian #MTB #CyclingLife

I…absolutely bonked. As a sports RD, something I pride myself on is my ability to plan and fuel—but man, did I get humbled.

The Cohutta 100 was my first A‑race of the year, an event I put on the calendar back in November because, well, it was scary. I’ve never done a 100‑mile MTB ride, and while I’ve logged several 7–12‑hour rides in the past, I’d never raced over six hours. I’d also never spent a full race season off‑road! This year I wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone, and I’ve been having a blast doing so. Even when I get humbled along the way, each setback is just a chance to learn and better help myself—and others—in the future.

I’d targeted about an 8‑hour race time and figured ~100 g/hr of carbs would do, considering much of the day would be tempo and that usually fuels my big days out. I actually ended up hitting the gas a bit more and took in 117 g/hr for seven hours, with 600 mg of caffeine and 5–6 liters of fluid. I felt awesome through miles 75–80 but had no idea how much of a slog the last hour up Big Frog Road would be. Right around the mile‑84 aid station, I felt a bonk coming on—something I hadn’t experienced in about seven years. I took my last 90 g of carbs and was out of food right before (or after—honestly, I don’t remember) the aid station. With a rolling course and fewer than 10 miles to the final aid station at mile 93, I thought I was okay. Seven hours in is not the time to gamble, and I paid the price—dying a thousand deaths on the long grind to that last stop, where I downed three gels and then fumbled through the final three miles of downhill singletrack to the line.

This year is all about pushing myself in new ways, so I think it’s safe to say I’ve done that thus far!

Final race time: 8:10:56 — 1st in my age group, 9th overall.
With a 3rd overall at 6 Hours on the Ridge and 8th overall at The Whole Enchilada (fighting in a group for 4th), I’m pretty proud of the season so far. 🙂

Up next: Marathon MTB Nationals and a slammed summer and fall MTB schedule!

✈️ Travel smarter, fuel better!
Packing your own snacks = healthier options, fewer $$, and no airport hanger. Some of my go-to travel bites:
🥣 Granola (great with yogurt or solo)
🍫 Protein bars (stable energy + satisfying)
🥜 DIY trail mix for your salt fix
🥭 Dried mango + crunchy edamame
💧Don’t forget a refillable water bottle — plane cabins = long transit + confined space + low cabin humidity and altitude = dehydration risk.

✅ TSA does allow solid snacks and Whole Food items! Just skip creamy spreads over 3.5 oz (yes, even Hummus, Cream Cheese, and PB).
⚠️ Keep cold foods <4 hrs unrefrigerated, and always pack sanitizer!

Fuel well. Move often. Enjoy the ride. 🧳✨ #TravelTips #NutritionOnTheGo #SmartSnacking #sportsnutrition #healthandwellness #travel

Ever wonder how much of your gel stays in the wrapper? You might be throwing away more carbs than you think—personally I’ve seen anywhere from 5–28% left in the package! My average seems to be about 10-15%, and over a few hours, that can really add up and hurt performance. Every percent counts when you’re pushing your limits and it’s crazy to think how athletes will spend an extra $1000 to have a power meter with +/- 1% error vs a +/- 3%, but never consider this nutrition blunder.

It’s also interesting to think that you lose another 25% to inefficiency from ingestion to muscle use, so is it crazy to see such high carb numbers from athletes when 30% may not even make it to the muscle for use?

Swipe through to learn:
- Why it happens
• How much it could be costing you
• Simple tips to make the most of every squeeze

Head over to @thefeedme and find drink gels like @amacxsportsnutrition or @firstendurance or isotonic gels like @never.second to help limit your losses!!

Comment below if you save a few gels and extract the leftovers to see your waste percentage!!

#FuelSmart #EnduranceNutrition #CyclingTips #SportsNutrition #EveryGramCounts #Cycling #thefeed

Welcome to Second Arrow Nutrition, I’m Alex Winnicki, and this is my founders story.

I went from working second and third shift as a welder for John Deere for 6 years, to graduating business school and chasing my pro cycling dreams—only to hit rock bottom with an eating disorder when my pro team folded.

Without cycling, I didn’t know who I was.

Studying nutrition, learning about mindfulness and Zen Buddhism, and finding my wife changed everything. The road was long and I still struggled to find confidence in myself, working on strength training to fight against the side of me that was once so small and frail. Looking better, but still hurting at times in my recovery.

McKayla and I moved to Texas then Chicago as we moved past college and into our careers. Healing took time, but started to really take root, fueled by the athletes I saw needing help.

After 3 years of working in NCAA athletics at Northwestern and Liberty University, our path lead us to Greenvillle, SC.

It took time, but I’m faster, stronger (mentally and physically), and have a better relationship with food and my body. Today, I’m a proud husband, a father to a dog named Beau, a home owner in Greenville, and a board-certified sports dietitian on a mission.

My business is dedicated to helping athletes break free from diet culture and find true balance in health and performance. If my story speaks to you, I’m here to help you fuel your potential—body and mind. Thank you for being here and for the ones that inspired my mission and helped along the way

#foundersstory

😬 sorry fam, few things actually work…

Roses are red, violets are blue, marketing claims are deceiving, and I don’t about you, but I don’t trust most sh#% out there.

Athletes looking to supplement would do well to make sure their products are…
1 - Safe (@nsfcertforsport / @wetestyoutrust)
2 - Effective (ask your sports RD)
3 - Can’t be practically obtained from food (food first but not food only)

#cyclingnutrition #supplement #sportsnutrition #trustissues #thefeed #nsf #informedsport #endurance #tri #ultrarunning

Staying in for Valentine’s Day? Send this as a little hint to your loved one for dinner plans 😉🍕

Ingredients:
• 3 cups (360g) All-Purpose Flour
• 1 1/2 tsp (9g) table salt
• 1 tsp (5g) sugar
• 1 tsp (3g) instant yeast
• 1 1/4 cups (284g) warm water (110°F)
• 1 1/2 Tbsp (18g) olive oil

For topping/pre-bake:
• 2 Tbsp (26g) olive oil, divided
• Flaky sea salt

Directions…
Mix dry ingredients.
Add water + olive oil; mix 1-2 mins. Rest 15 mins; repeat 3x (45 mins total).
Let dough rest in a warm spot 1 hour.
Transfer to a parchment-lined 9x13 pan with olive oil; spread dough, cover, rest another hour.
Drizzle 2 Tbsp olive oil, dimple gently.
Add marinara (about 1/2 jar) + mozzarella.
Bake at 425°F for 24-28 mins until golden, with light scorch marks.

Top with basil & crushed red pepper

#mealprep #valentine #love #pizza #homecooking #treatyourself

Leaving no stone unturned this winter—taking a holistic approach to training with @relivingperformance for flexibility, strength, and mobility, @mergemultisport for training science insights, and working with @kadlo76 to get the angles & Jeff at @velovalets for refining the bike position and understanding differences in pedal efficiency with shorter cranks. Big thanks to @jeffmichenfelder for dialing in my fit—highly recommend Velo Valets in Greenville for anyone looking to optimize their position further. It takes a village, grateful for all the support this winter y’all! #BikeFit #Training #WinterPrep #Velovalets #gvl #greenvillesc #sansouci

How does a sports RD fuel training?

While I still rely on @thefeedme for race-specific gels & bars, I’ve been experimenting with DIY options for my last training cycle. I grabbed fructose & maltodextrin online and made my own gels & mixes—60 bucks made about $300 worth of nutrition! It’s cheap, effective, and is more eco-friendly, but there’s a time cost. A nice in between I found was @formula369, shoutout to them for providing a super simple, budget-friendly alternative that hits all the marks. With a little flavoring, and still checking the carb ratio boxes it’s a game-changer. So hit up the feed for racing, but if you need to save a few bucks DIY and Formula 369 and @carbsfuel are solid choices 💪 #BudgetFuel #DIYNutrition #SportsDietitian #training #cycling #sportsnutrition #cyclingnutrition #fueledbythefeed #thefeed

Your next weekend BAKE!! Recipe ⬇️

Homemade Focaccia
Fluffy, golden, and so simple to make!

Ingredients
• 1¾ cups warm water (105-ish°) *
• 2 tsp cane sugar
• 1 (¼-ounce) package active dry yeast (2¼ tsp)
• 500g (4 cups) all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 6 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (plus extra for hands)
• (Optional) flaky sea salt, honey & fresh rosemary for topping

* If you follow along with my Yogurt reel and have some leftover whey, you can use warm Whey to add to the bread rather than water. Swap whey for water gram for gram.

Instructions

In a stand mixer bowl, stir warm water + sugar. Sprinkle yeast, stir, and let sit 5 minutes (until foamy).
Add flour + salt; mix on low until shaggy. Increase speed to medium and knead 5 minutes, forming a sticky dough.
Brush a large bowl with 2 Tbsp olive oil. Transfer dough with a spatula, coat its surface in any excess oil, cover, and let rise 1–1½ hours (until doubled).
Oil a 9×13” dish with 2 Tbsp olive oil. With oiled hands, fold the dough into a rough ball and place it in the dish. Press dough to edges; cover and let rise ~45 minutes (until doubled).
Preheat oven to 425°F. Drizzle remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil over dough, dimple with your fingers, and top with sea salt/rosemary if desired.
Bake 20–30 minutes, until golden brown.
Tip: If your pan isn’t nonstick, grease with butter first to prevent sticking. Enjoy warm!

#Focaccia #HomemadeBread #EasyRecipe #BakingLove #cycling #sportsnutrition #weekend #mealprep

Never buy Greek yogurt again 👨🏻‍🍳 Recipe ⬇️

1- Heat 1/2-1 gallon of 2% or whole milk to 180°F, stirring often.
2- Keep it at 180-190°F for 5 mins while preheating the oven to 200°F.
Cool the milk in an ice bath or let sit at room temp until it reaches 110°F
3- Mix in 1/2 cup of quality unflavored Greek yogurt to the milk and stir well.
4- Cover with a lid, placing it in the oven with the light on, turn oven off from its earlier setting.
5- Let it set 10-16 hours (longer = tangier!)
6- Strain the yogurt for 1-2+ hours to get that thick, creamy Greek texture. I use a reusable cheesecloth, a colander, and a catch bowl to strain.
7- Whisk or immersion blend to get smoother texture

Chill & enjoy your homemade goodness! P.S you can Save the strained whey for other recipes! ✨

#GreekYogurt #DIY #HomemadeYogurt #homecookjng #protein #probiotics #guthealth #wellness #cooking #mealprep #diy

Do you NEED to track / measure / count your food to be fast?

Reducing food obsession is a big focus with my junior and masters athletes. Endurance sports attract us Type A folks, but measuring food 4–7 times a day can create strict rules and backfire on our relationship with food.

Instead, if you track (not everyone should) do so for only a short period, and only when there’s a real purpose—gather useful data, then make actual changes alongside sports RD for help. This can help you focus on specific changes and avoid falling into endless restrictions and diet while you build towards more intuitive nutrition. So no you don’t need to track, though there are some times where it might be helpful, take it from Luke Lamperti who is faster than all of us.

#cycling #sportsnutrition #triathlon #cyclingnutrition #intuitiveeating #mtb #health #uci #cycling #endurance #tri

Struggling to find food balance? Here are 3 strategies my clients loved in 2024:

1️⃣ Permission to Eat & Enjoy
Restricting is not sustainable (or enjoyable) and only makes food more tempting. Allow yourself all foods in moderation—no guilt, just balance. Knowing that these foods are not going anywhere, the diet does not have to “start Monday,” and we dont feel the famine driven urge to overeat.

2️⃣ Mid-Meal Check-In
Pause halfway: Am I still hungry? Does this taste good? Stop when satisfied, give yourself permission to take leftovers home or even throw them out—no clean plate club required.

3️⃣ Never Skip Meals
Skipping meals often leads to poor mid-day energy as well as cravings and late-night snacking. Fuel early and consistently to stay in control.

Which tip speaks to you most? Let me know below! ⬇️

#MindfulEating #FoodFreedom #NutritionTips #cycling #fitness #intuitiveeating #triathlon

✨ Long Day Fueling ✨ These delicious Aussie inspired Oat Slice bars (AZNAC slice) are the perfect snack for your next long day out.

Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 cups plain flour
- 1 1/4 cups rolled or quick oats
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 150g butter
- 2 tbsp honey (or date syrup) 🍯
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tbsp boiling water

Steps:
1️⃣ Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 8x8 pan, with some parchment paper down.
2️⃣ Mix flour, oats, sugar, and coconut in a bowl.
3️⃣ Heat butter and syrup until smooth, then stir in bicarbonate soda with boiling water.
4️⃣ Combine all (I mixed with my hands 🙌) and press firmly into pan. Wet the back of a spoon and smooth the top over.
5️⃣ Bake for 25-30 mins until golden. Cool, slice, and enjoy!

Best for long days where the intensity is low, otherwise the fat and fiber content may causes some slowing in digestion.

#Baking #training #marathon #longrun #endurancetraining #Winterbaking #homemade #ridefood

DIY Espresso Carbohydrate Gel ☕⚡

$60 of materials = $250-300 worth of gel or 35, 100g/serv pouches.

Come race day, I’m lining my pockets with @never.second and other @thefeedme products, but big training blocks can strain the pockets so I thought I’d share a lil DIY hack. This helps reduce single-use packets—and gives you a smooth, caffeinated energy blend to fuel your next long run or ride! Perfect for endurance athletes looking for an eco-friendly, performance-boosting option.

Recipe:
50g Maltodextrin (nutricost)
50g Fructose (NOW foods)
½ tsp Pectin (Ball - low sugar)
½ tsp Sodium Alginate (FITlane - for Maurten copycat)
2 shots (75g) Hot Espresso (@methodicalcoffee)
Tiny pinch of Salt

Instructions:
Mix together all dry ingredients (maltodextrin, fructose, pectin, sodium alginate, and salt) in a heatproof bowl.
Add your piping hot espresso and whisk until no clumps remain.
Pour into a reusable baby food pouch (amazon) or a 150ml or 5oz gel soft flask (look in the gear section @thefeedme).
Store in the fridge and use when ready!

Upgrade your workouts with this homemade, eco-friendly, and energizing gel. Tag a friend who needs to try this!

🎯 New Year, New Gains: Join Our Sports Nutrition Membership! 🥇 👉link in Bio 👈

Kickstart 2025 with the tools to fuel your training, optimize performance, and achieve your goals! This New Years focus on the process of better performance and health rather than short term / unsustainable resolutions.

Introducing our Monthly Membership—an exclusive sports nutrition group led by a Registered Dietitian (RD) and CSSD (board-certified specialist in sports dietetics), designed to bring evidence-based advice directly to you at a lower cost.

💡 What’s Included?
✅ Monthly Topics: Deep dives into key nutrition strategies like energy balance, carbs, recovery, race-day fueling, managing busy school and work days & more!
✅ In-Depth Q&A: Get answers to your burning questions in a supportive community setting.
✅ Recordings Available: Can’t make it live? Access session recordings anytime.
✅ Discounts: Save big with exclusive deals (20%-30%) sports nutrition products and supplements.
✅ Resources: Handouts, fueling calculators, race plans & seasonal recipes.
✅ Community Access: Connect via Slack for ongoing support and guidance.
💸 Pricing:
🚀 First 10: $30/month
🏆 After that: $40/month
📅 2025 Topics: Open to change based on group demand!
✨ Jan: Energy Balance & Availability
✨ Feb: Carbs for Performance
✨ March: Recovery Nutrition
✨ April: Race Day Nutrition
Other dates to be announced later in the Spring

📢 Discounted spots are limited, so don’t wait! DM us or fill out the registration form in our bio to claim your spot and fuel your year with confidence. 💪 Let’s make this your strongest season yet! 🚴‍♀️🏃‍♂️🏋️‍♀️ #SportsNutrition #AthleteFuel #SecondArrowNutrition #cycling #basetraining #offseason #2025

Brown Butter & Espresso Chocolate Rice Krispies🤩Using Food Science to make a better training snack 🧪

Rice Krispies are not a new training snack and several athletes and teams have posted their own recipes, but hear me out. Most homemade Rice Krispies are sticky and bulky, 2 things I don’t want in my ride snacks.

Version 1 - Normal Rice Krispie recipe with marshmallows

Version 2 - Same recipe, but swapped the marshmallow for marshmallow fluff, which is made with corn syrup instead of gelatin. The gelatin is what gives the bar the gooey sticky ribbons when you pull them apart

Version 3 - Half the Rice Krispies were blended to increase surface area and I used marshmallow fluff. These came out less sticky, more compact, and easier to take a bit of.

Recipe coming soon 🤘

Thanksgiving countdown 🔟🗓️days… I’m working with a lot of athletes on Intuitive Eating this winter and wanted to share some tools to help you have a better holiday season. Every day until Thanksgiving I’m sharing a principal of #intuitiveeating 👇

Principle 1: REJECT THE DIET MENTALITY

The diet and weight loss industry is projected to reach a $300 billion global market by 2027. Despite promises of quick fixes and permanent weight loss, progress often feels fleeting. Long-term studies show that 80% of weight lost is regained within five years, leaving many feeling defeated.

Consider this:
BMI, developed in the 1830s to measure the “average” man, is often misused in clinical practice, oversimplifying obesity assessment and ignoring individual and population-specific factors.

While most people cannot sustain diets long-term, when diets fail, we are blamed—not the diet.

As long as there’s profit to be made, there will always be a new diet.

Rejecting diet mentality is the first step toward intuitive eating. Instead of following arbitrary food rules, counting every calorie, or buying expensive supplements and meal plans, we need to start listening to ourselves.

Trusting ourselves can feel challenging. Leaving dieting behind may feel uncertain, but given what we know, dieting was never stable ground to begin with.

Reject Diet Mentality this Holiday season…

1. Recognize and Challenge Diet Culture: Identify messages that glorify restrictive eating and question societal norms and media that promote unrealistic body standards.
2.Reframe Food as Nourishment: Focus on how foods make you feel rather than labeling them as “good” or “bad.”
3.Stop Counting - Tune into Your Body: Pay attention to hunger, satiety, and cravings without judgment.
4.Address Food Guilt and Shame: Allow yourself to enjoy all foods without feeling guilty. Avoid compensating (e.g., overexercising or skipping meals) for eating certain foods.
5.Seek Professional Guidance: Work with a dietitian or therapist who aligns with anti-diet or intuitive eating principles

#nodiet #holidays #health #cycling #offseason

First time back in AVL since Helene. Happy to support some local artists, restaurants, and breweries at the art festival. Managed to walk away some original artwork for once, if there ever was a time to pay for the real deal it’s now 🙂

Not having breakfast can lead to a nightmare of a performance, either in class, at work, or on the field. With 60-80% of liver glycogen being depleted overnight, breakfast plays an important part in early morning exercise performance. The issue is many athletes aren’t hungry or “don’t have the time” to eat… get some easy recipes to start your day right by clicking the link in my bio
#breakfast #morningroutine #sportsnutrition #halloween #trickortreat

🚴‍♂️🚴‍♀️New partner announcement 🥦🍝
Beyond excited to announce that Second Arrow Nutrition and @waiteendurance have partnered together as affiliates. The development and education of young men and women as not just athletes but as people is where my hearts at, and working with coaches that feel the same way is a dream. Second Arrow is beyond excited to help educate and consult with WE athletes as they build towards an amazing 2025! Glad to be in this journey together!
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#mtb #cycling #nutrition #ucimtbworldcup

🚴‍♀️ Ever Fight Over What’s the Best Ride Fuel? 🌟
➡️Swipe to see a breakdown of pros/cons ➡️

Choosing the right fuel for your ride can be overwhelming with so many options out there on website like @thefeedme! I like to consider this a good problem though 😉 Whether it’s whole foods, bars, chews, gels, or drink mixes, they all provide energy but in different ways. Here’s a quick breakdown to help you decide:

👉 Whole Foods: Great for variety and taste, but harder to unwrap and digest mid-ride. Best for early in your ride before the pace picks up. Examples: rice cakes, bananas.

👉 Bars: Convenient and shelf-stable, but vary in digestibility. Combine with fluids for optimal fueling.

👉 Chews, Gels, Drink Mixes: Easier to eat, digest, and absorb. Perfect for higher-intensity or longer rides when you need quick fuel.

Key Takeaways:

- Use a mix of whole foods and sport-specific snacks to avoid flavor fatigue.

- Carb ratios matter—especially for rides 90+ minutes. Aim for a 2:1 or 1:0.8 ratio of glucose to fructose.

- Prioritize convenience and ease on harder or longer rides.

Fuel up right and ride strong! 💪🚴‍♂️ #RideFuel #CyclingNutrition #PerformanceFuel #thefeed #thefeedambassador #fueledbythefeed

Check out part one of my latest blog post and stay tune for part 2 where I dive into some research on this often debated topic. Link in bio

Say it with me, 👏Food restriction leads to food fixation. 👏

Let’s end the diet culture BS this New Years and work towards sustainable health, performance, and body positive changes. Book now to find out how we can have an enjoyable holiday season without guilt. More below 👇

While social media abounds with influencers, touting, diet protocols, and restriction that lies somewhere between religion and obsession, those truly performing at an elite level and reaching the pinnacle of health and performance find the middle path.

Doesn’t mean that you can eat anything you want whatever you want without any consequences no one saying that. choosing the right foods at the right time makes a difference in your health and in your performance, but food is more than just fuel and while each person is different, there are some underlying truths that pertain to us all.

If we can’t, we must
If we restrict we overcompensate
When you try too hard, it’s unlikely that you’ll succeed in your goals, or at least sustain them
… the pendulum always swings back the other way

Buddhist called this the middle path. In between extreme aestheticism and sensual indulgences lies the middle path. It allows athletes to flow through life, being more focused in some moments and more relaxed than others, while avoiding the internal and extrinsic conflict food zealots so often find themselves in

This is part of my practice and other sports dietitians and coaches alike. If this is a new concept to you, It might be time to find someone who will help you down that middle path.

#diet #cycling #Tdf #buddha #nutrition #sportsnutrition

Never underestimate the power of fruit with dessert 🤤I’m obsessed with this apple cake lately. Cake recipe is found below based on Southern Livings recipe from 2022.

🍏 Honeycrisp Apple Cake 🍏 perfect for fall! 🍂🍰

Ingredients:
- Baking spray with flour
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup almond flour
- ¾ tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
- ¼ tsp. ground ginger
- ½ tsp almond extract
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 medium Honeycrisp apples, 2 Granny Smiths
- Powdered sugar (for garnish)

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease an 8-inch cake pan. Line with parchment paper.
- Whisk together flours, baking powder, salt, and ginger.
- In another bowl, whisk eggs until frothy, then mix in sugar, butter, and vanilla.
- Gradually fold in the flour mixture and half of the apple slices.
- Pour batter into the pan and top with remaining apple slices.
- Bake for 50-55 mins, until golden. Cool for 10 minutes and garnish with powdered sugar.
- Enjoy this cozy treat warm or at room temp! 😋✨

#FallBaking #AppleCake #EasyRecipe #DessertIdeas

Super stoked to be working with @thefeedme for a few reasons…
1. I want to try all the things, to ensure I can make the best recommendations to clients
2. They make shopping for sports nutrition easy
3. You can select single servings of products rather than committing to a whole box.

Will be sure some thoughts and products reviews!
#fueledbythefeed #thefeed ##sportsnutrition

We eat with our eyes first, so had to pull out all the stops for @inkpropertiesgvl 😍
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#cooking #fall #mealprep #gvl #sportsnutrition

Have you heard, we got a monthly spot writing for @pezcyclingnews!

We dove back into bone health this month. While we covered a good bit in nutrition for bone health, ensuring you’ve got your bases cover physically is equally as important. Check out @relivingperformance if you want to know more about keeping those bones 🦴 strong!

Here’s some of the takeaways from the article…

Resistance training can help cyclists maintain bone mass and may also aid in cycling performance if periodization and planning are done right.

Plyometrics done 1-3 times a day for 5 minutes could offer a meaningful and positive stimulus for bone health.

Spread calcium intake throughout the day (500 mg at a time) for best absorption.

Timing: Consuming a high-calcium meal or supplement (e.g., 1000 mg) 90 minutes pre-exercise might help prevent an increase in PTH and acute bone loss during exercise.

Although higher doses have been used pre-exercise, it’s unclear what the calcium dose response is for this effect pre-exercise to aid in bone health.

Don’t restrict dairy if you’re not allergic or sensitive to lactose. Opt for lactose-free options like Fairlife milk or fortified non-dairy milks if sensitive to lactose.

Augment dairy intake with other calcium-fortified or rich foods like fruit juices and drinks, tofu, ready-to-eat cereal, broccoli, kale, and cabbage.

Vitamin D, although not mentioned in this article, is crucial for calcium absorption and bone health. Talk with your doctor and sports dietitian to see if you should have your blood levels tested.

#lifting #swolepatrol #bonehealth #cycling

You can’t run (or bike away from the importance of nutrition..
Whether you’re prepping for collegiate mtb, or transitioning into the off-season now is a great time to start dialing in your nutrition, goals. Click the link in the bio to find out more and book a free consultation today. #Mtb #Cycling #Endurance #CyclingNutrition #Ultra #Triathlon.

🚴‍♂️🏋️‍♂️ Is Calcium the Secret Weapon for Athletes? 🦴💥

We know that athletes with lower calcium and vitamin D intake are at a higher risk of fractures. But what about supplementing with calcium? Does it boost bone health if you’re already meeting your calcium needs? Well not really, calcium alone won’t help increase bone mass, although the timing of calcium might be a different story.

Turns out, during the start of endurance exercise, blood calcium levels drop. This drop triggers the release of parathyroid hormone (PTH), which pulls calcium from your bones to normalize blood levels—a process that’s crucial for nerve and muscle function.

Recent research has shown that consuming a meal or supplement with at least 1000 mg of calcium before non-weight-bearing exercises like cycling or rowing can help stabilize blood calcium, reduce PTH spikes, and protect against bone loss during exercise.

Step 1 - Dairy isn’t the only source of Calcium! Plenty of other foods are fortified or contain calcium like cereals, OJ, almonds, and leafy greens.

Step 2 - You can use cereals, lactose free milk, and fortified juices to hit a high calcium (1000mg), high carb (2g/kg), low fiber targets.

Step 3 - Time this meal 90-120 min pre-training so the calcium has time to reach where it’s get absorbed in your GI.

Step 4 - Bone responds quickly to force, but beneficial cell signaling turns off after 5-10min. Short bouts of plyos pre-exercise can be repeated 2-3 times a day to aid in bone building.

Step 5 - Go train, stay fueled, and recover well after!

Remember, before making any changes to your diet or supplementation, consult with your doctor and dietitian.

Don’t have a Dietitian, 🛝DM or click my website link in the bio to learn more.
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#SportsNutrition #EnduranceTraining #BoneHealth #Calcium #AthleteLife #FuelYourPerformance #greenville #cycling #cyclingnutrition

What happens when you let AI help depict your nutrition education images? Idk what an FPOOTS is but I think I’m low in it…

Anyways, ahletes have higher bone mineral density (BMD) and lower fracture risks than non-athletes. However, endurance sports like running, biking, and swimming might not offer the same bone benefits. Some endurance athletes may have lower BMD, increasing their risk of stress fractures and bone fragility. Why is this, and how can endurance athletes protect their bones?

While genetics, race, age, and sex are non-modifiable, the stress we place on our bones through exercise is and our daily nutrition is…

Mechanical stress: Bones adapt to the load placed on them. Higher impact sports lead to higher BMD, while leaner sports with less load-bearing often have lower BMD. Sports like football or MMA offer more intense resistance training and varied impacts when compared with cycling, swimming, and even running.

Nutrition: Endurance training demands a lot of energy, which can compete with resources for bone growth. Low energy availability (LEA) is a term for limited nutrition for biological function after the cost of exercise. This lack of resources is not uncommon in endurance athletes, and it impacts bone health and increases stress fracture risks, among other things.

Adequate nutrition is crucial for bone health….
Actionable Tips:
- Maintain energy balance
- Consistent loading ideally structured through someone like @relivingperformance
- Meet protein needs daily
- Adequate calcium: 1000-1500mg daily
- Possibly incorporating high Calcium 90min pre-exercise in some cases
- Adequate vitamin D: 1000-2000 IU daily + sunlight with testing in the winter months
- Limit caffeine: <400mg daily
- Avoid NSAID use before exercise

While we lay down most of our bones at a young age, it’s never too late to make an impact. 🦴💪 #BoneHealth #EnduranceAthletes #Nutrition #StrongBones #PT #cycling #health #triathlete

SILCA Tire Pressure Calculator, but for nutrition. Helping athletes understand what they can bring with them on the ride, run, or race to hit their nutrition targets. Link in bio. Best for Desktop (for now). Not sure what your race or competition nutrition should look like? DM for a free consult. Planning on giving this to my @hexis.live athletes, talk about simple but detailed, we’re gonna make race day planning a breeze

#sportsscience #cycling #nutrition #triathlon #mealprep #endurance #ultrarunning

Next 👨🏻‍🍳 gig looks like it’s the Greenville Hincapie Fondo. These recipes are about to hit some @rocketrevolutionathletes inboxes in the meantime 👀 Who’s coming out in October!?!

@unboundgravel camp was a blast as always! Cooking for 30 people is a grind to say the least, but we got everyone fueled 🙌 see y’all next year. Head to the website link 🔗 in my bio this week to find a recap and recipes! #unbound #kansas #cycling #gravel

We Just Bought a freaking house!!! Officially Greenville (San Souci) residents 🏠👩‍❤️‍�👨 Project #1 fix our fencing for Beau Beau 🐶 Thanks at @inkpropertiesgvl for helping us find this gem.

More backpacking and swimming please ✋

Throwback to @micksreallife and I’s 3 days, 2 nights on the foothills trail. Amazing trail system, ample campsite, one to many hills, and primo swimming. A Must visit for the summer months!

#sc #nc #upstate #greenville #camping #backpacking #nature #mountains #summer

5 days, 34 hours in the saddle, 338 miles, 36k of vert. No better way to see the home state 🙌 Thanks @bikepackingcom for putting together the TransWNC bikepacking route. The reverse course was awesome with only a few tweaks needing to be made. This was my first bikepacking trip and definitely has me eyeballing some more routes in the next year #bikepacking #ultra #cycling #endurance #wnc #avl #northcarolina #mountains #828isgreat

6th place overall at Greenwood. Recap 👇

Coming off the back of a pretty bad training week I thought a top 10 would be a success today. With zero gravel rides under my belt in the past 6 months and no chance to preview the course, I had my work cut out for me. The day was a story of poor positioning and limited visibility, but as the race went on I managed to get back in the gravel groove. I was able to make the final group of 9 guys and hung in throughout the final KMs but on one of the final hills I got gapped off the back and the wrong moment and didn’t have the legs to close it. I had to chase solo for a several K not knowing exactly how much of the race was left but determined not to get caught and to catch anyone who slipped off the front. After picking off one other person that fell off the lead group I eventually got back to the front group, but again poor positioning ended my race in 6th. Still a big success considering the state of my bike and my lack of preparation 😅

Thanks @southeastgravel @rocketrevolutionathletes for putting on such a great race and event. The rain made the course even wilder and more adventurous and I can recommend these races enough to people either novice or advanced on the sport.

33 and officially in my cake era.
#cake #cleaneating #keto #sugarisahormonedisruptor #seedoils #iseedemoils

💥LIFE HACK for lengthy recipe blogs!!!💥 Cut the fluff out with “ cooked.wiki/ “ before the url and you’ve just simplified the recipe in <20 sec

#lifehacks #foodblog #cooking #foodie #mealprep #sportsnutrition

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Sports Nutrition That Educates, Empowers, & Endures.

"Alex is personable, and most importantly, practical in his approach to nutrition. He's been integral in helping me develop systems for managing health, wellness, and performance. Would highly recommend working with him." - Sam L, Google Review