"The RED-S project is a club for sustainable performance. And sustainability to me brings up a few different words, I think about fueling and enjoyment. And no, no process is sustainable unless it's enjoyable. And for me, if I was to get close to a recreational race, and I started to think about race weight, that wouldn't tie in with enjoyment for me."
In this week's episode of the High Performance Human, our guest is Alex Vendittelli, a RED-S Ambassador and a recreational runner. We discuss the prevalence and impact of RED-S Syndrome in athletes, emphasising the need for education and support. We also explore the intricate relationship between health and performance in sports, highlighting the importance of prioritizing overall well-being rather than solely focusing on athletic performance. We chat about the challenges of navigating unrealistic body ideals and performance pressures in sports, and the need for a more balanced approach to fitness and body image. Alex shares his personal experience of feeling pressure to conform to a certain body type after reading one specific book, and how another book rescued him from the mire. Even elite athletes with support services can get it wrong, with some openly admitting to health problems caused by an overemphasis on body image.
Lighter might mean faster but it isn’t always healthier
Sore legs and fatigue are not the norm when training for endurance events
Should we be focussing on a sustainable approach to nutrition rather than a specific race weight?
Coaches need to work on changing the mindset of athletes
Giving yourself permission to enjoy life
Alex doesn't have a social media presence. He is an ambassador for RED-S Project and you can find out more about RED-S project HERE.
Some other links you might be interested in:
Some RED-S articles:
Pro Cyclist Jonas Abrahamsen - Gaining weight to achieve greatness
Cyclist Jackson Long - When the power to weight ratio bottoms out
Two articles related to pre-conceived ideas about how we should behave, look and live our lives to meet these 'elite standards' - examples of how trying to be what we're not, can lead to a slippery slope
Niamh Bridson-Hubbard - A Runner’s Body
Are athletes supposed to look a certain way? The Athletic Aesthetic -
Great LinkedIn Post by Mental Performance Coach Aaron Walsh
The Dark Side of High Performance - can you distinguish between mastery and perfectionism?
Matthew McConaughey video - Don't ask for permission
Research papers:
Carbohydrate fear, skinfold targets and body image issues: Perceptions of the nutrition culture within elite female soccer - McHaffie et al
Includes specific examples of things coaches have been heard saying to players etc. relating to food.
Nutrition for Female Soccer Players—Recommendations (Dobrowolski, Karczemna, Włodarek)
Alex's book recommendations:
Seven Deadly Sins: My pursuit of Lance Armstrong - David Walsh
Steve Jobs - Walter Isaacson - Beautifully written book about Steve Jobs and how his personality was the reason for his success but also his ill health. It highlights how our behaviour and decisions will always have a knock on effect in later life.
To contact Beth regarding Life Coaching, please visit her website at BethanyWardLifeCoaching.uk.
Sports Nutrition questions - if you have a sports nutrition question that you would like answered on the podcast, please email it to me via Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com.
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