Fueling Young Runners: Nutrition Tips and Strategies with Sports Dietitian Erin Kesterson

In this episode of Real Fuel with SLS, host Stevie Lyn Smith is joined by sports dietitian, run coach, and mother of five, Erin Kesterson. They dive deep into the world of sports nutrition, the evolution of the field, and how to properly fuel growing youth and high school endurance athletes.  Erin is a mom of five, runner, sports dietitian, and running coach with a MS in Exercise Science. She has been a dietitian for 22 years and running coach for 7 and loves working with runners because they are goal-driven, hard-working, and generally awesome people! She also work for an organization called Run Hard which seeks to teach life skills to children through the sport of running. **They chat more about:** - **Erin’s Dietitian Journey:** How Erin transitioned from clinical settings and dialysis centers to specializing in sports nutrition and run coaching. - **The Evolution of Sports Nutrition:** Reflections on how the profession has grown and why younger dietitians are stepping into sports nutrition right out of college. - **Run Hard Program:** An overview of the 8-week youth running and character-building program for grades 2-8 in South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. - **Building a Healthy Fueling Mindset:** Practical advice for parents on how to talk about bodies, food, and calories around children without promoting diet culture. - **Practical Fueling for Teen Athletes:** How to handle the massive energy demands of high school runners and swimmers who practice multiple times a week. - **Cooler Strategies & Snack Ideas:** Real-world tips for keeping high-energy and nutrient dense accessible snacks on hand for busy adolescent athletes on the go. **Mentioned Resources & Links:** - Connect with Erin Kesterson: Fuel Your Sport - Follow Erin on Instagram - Youth Running Program: Run Hard - Erin's book recommendation for the division of responsibility and tips for feeding your children - Follow Stevie on Instagram