The Fueling Forward Podcast

This episode is an interview with sports psychologist and former professional runner, Lennie Waite.
Lennie grew up abroad, where she primarily played soccer. She was recruited to play D1 soccer at Rice University, but after her sophomore year ended up switching to running and became a 2x All-American. She went on to run post-collegiately and represented Great Britain at 3 Commonwealth Games, the World Championships in 2017, and the 2016 Olympic Games in the steeplechase.
Lennie did all of this while completing her PhD in Industrial-Organizational Psychology and becoming a Certified Mental Performance Consultant. She currently works with athletes and is also the chief science officer at Hite EQ, while being a mom to her 2 daughters.
In this episode, we talk about:
What it was like growing up abroad and how different the rhetoric is around food and sport
How being good at a sport from a young age automatically creates pressure and expectations, and how she dealt with this
Why she decided to pursue soccer instead of running initially in college and what led her to make that shift
Her tips for helping athletes navigate pressure and comparison when it comes to racing
What she sees athletes struggle with when it comes to fueling as a sports psych and some tips to work through those emotions
If you would like to learn more about Lennie's and her services as a sports psychologist, you can go to her website HERE.

This episode is a Q&A episode where I answer questions that have been submitted by listeners.
Questions for today’s episode include:
In college I experienced a stress fracture, and since then I’ve been stuck in an injury cycle. Can you talk more about the science behind fueling to help heal injuries?
What are your go to meals and snacks for track meets? I don’t have many resources at the meets and I’m someone who often runs 3 distance events.
Is there a connection between motivation and energy levels, especially in a race? I notice lower motivation on days I don’t fuel as well, could these be related?
You mentioned in a previous podcast that high cholesterol can be a sign of RED-S. What would you recommend for an athlete who tests high in cholesterol?
Thanks so much to everyone who has submitted questions so far! If you would like to submit a question for future episodes, you can do so on my website HERE or email me at [email protected].

Today's episode is an interview with Ali Feller of Ali on the Run. Ali discovered running when she was living in NYC as a way to be social, and ultimately fell in love with the sport. She created her blog, Ali on the Run, that eventually evolved into podcast and ultimately led her to become a race announcer and broadcaster. Ali completed the 2023 Eugene Marathon, after which she discovered a lump in her breast that led to a breast cancer diagnosis. Ali has been navigating life with stage 4 cancer while continuing to be a force in the sport, and has so many inspiring things to share.
In this episode, we talk about:
What it was like when she discovered running, and how she found herself falling in love with the sport
Her relationship with food growing up as a dancer in the 90's, and how a diagnosis of Crohn's disease at the age of 7 impacted that
What it has been like dealing with an inflammatory bowel condition that impacts running, and how she has navigated that over the years
How she created Ali on the Run and what it's like being at the finish line of major marathons
How her cancer diagnosis has impacted her ability to run, and how the running community has rallied behind her with support
You can find Ali's podcast, The Ali on the Run Show, on all major platforms and you can find Ali on Instagram @aliontherun1.

This episode is a Q&A episode where I answer questions that have been submitted by listeners.
Questions for today’s episode include:
I’ve been struggling to get through an entire year healthy. I always make it through the fall and winter, then struggle with soft tissue injuries in the spring. Do you think this might be nutrition related or are these just things that come with running?
What is your take on bicarb? Does it really make a difference and do you recommend it for high school athletes?
I’m a high school swimmer and I’ve been struggling with GI issues immediately after races. This never happens during training. Can you think of anything that might be causing this and is there anything that might help from a nutrition standpoint?
What advice would you give to an athlete that is struggling with fatigue, soreness that doesn’t go away, and is struggling in races? As her coach, how can I help an athlete recover from LEA/RED-S mid season?
Thanks so much to everyone who has submitted questions so far! If you would like to submit a question for future episodes, you can do so on my website HERE or email me at [email protected].
You can find the links to the waitlists for the Fueling Forward programs below:
High School Summer Boot Camp Series
Fall Marathon Group Nutrition Coaching Program
Healing Your Relationship With Food

This episode is an interview with NYC based RD, Natalie Rizzo. Natalie is the owner of Greenletes, a plant-based sports nutrition company, and she works primarily with plant-based athletes to help them learn how to fuel for health and performance on a plant-based diet. She has her Master's in Nutrition and Exercise Physiology from Columbia University and is the author of the cookbook Planted Performance. Natalie has been a vegetarian herself for over 15 years, and has completed 2 marathons and over 20 half marathons. She's also a mom to 2 boys.
In this episode, we talk about:
How Natalie found running later in life and caught the bug after finishing her first race
Natalie's winding path to finding nutrition as a career after originally going into sales
Her decision to become vegetarian and how she learned about plant-based sports nutrition through her own experiences
Myths around plant-based eating for athletes
How to navigate fiber intake as a plant-based athletes, and ideas for lunches for runners training in the afternoon/evening
Top nutrition recommendations for plant-based runners and tips for anyone who is interested in becoming plant-based
If you're interested in working with Natalie, you can learn more on her website https://greenletes.com/ and you can find her on Instagram @greenletes