Nutritionist visits Hood College

By Amrit Brown//

Refuel and recover was a visiting nutritionist’s message to Hood College athletes in a speech at Hodson Auditorium Thursday Feb. 23.

The nutritionist, Tim Wierman, shared ways for athletes to use nutrition to improve performance in season. Wierman has presented to 385 colleges including many Division I programs.

Wierman’s presentation consisted of 18 points, but he only reached the first few in his 50-minute allotment of time. He emphasized the roles that calories, carbs, proteins, and fats play in an athlete’s diet.

Wierman also highlighted the significance of using nutrition to improve recovery for athletes. He gave the example of a Division I swimmer who attempted dieting during the season but lost weight and ended up encountering more difficulties.

“Refueling the body sets everyone ahead, especially among athletes,” Wierman said.

Additionally, Wierman provided estimates for how many calories student athletes need to consume during a season. His presentation included a chart demonstrating how many calories athletes lose during an hour of practice in a variety of different sports.

Wierman is the founder of Eat to Compete which was founded in 1993. The program provides athletes with access to sports nutrition information and various training programs.

Richard Kershow, an athlete at Hood College, attended the presentation. According to Kershow, “to have success in games, what you eat before matters the most.”

Wierman emphasized that refueling at least five to six days of the week puts athletes ahead of the curve. According to Wierman, it is imperative for all athletes to maintain at least a maintenance number of calories during the season.