The Best Types Of Foods For Workout Fuel & Recovery, From A Sports Dietitian
Collegiate athletes have distinct nutrition needs specific to their sport, physical makeup, and whether they are in-season. So, how do they navigate all of that? Enter: sports dietitians.
In addition to addressing the performance nutrition needs of the athletes during their university career, sports nutritionist Maria Williams, M.S., R.D., L.D. takes a long-term approach, too—equipping athletes with nutrition insights for long after college.
Williams is a sports nutritionist at the University of Georgia (UGA) in Athens, GA, where she delivers personalized nutrition to support athletes’ training, performance, and long-term health. She has over a decade of experience with the UGA Athletic Association creating individualized and team menus and meal plans, as well as providing one-on-one and team nutrition education for hundreds of UGA student-athletes across a variety of sports.
Williams currently works with the women’s volleyball, equestrian, track and field, baseball, and men’s tennis programs. Her master’s thesis research explored the influence of key hormones, including insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), on pediatric bone accrual and health. Along with her R.D. credential, Williams has also earned the distinction of CSSD (certification as a specialist in sports dietetics).
Williams and I recently caught up to talk about National Nutrition Month’s personalized nutrition focus and her signature approach to healthy, sustainable eating—for herself and athletes.
