Maddie Alm Is a Dietitian for the Pros—Here’s What She Eats in a Day – runnersworld.com

For Maddie Alm, M.S., R.D., work and play are woven together. The 27-year-old both trains and works as a dietitian with Team Boss, the professional running group founded by Emma Coburn in Boulder, Colorado. A normal (pre-social distancing) day for Alm might include a morning workout followed by an afternoon meeting with one of her teammates—such as Coburn, Aisha Praught-Leer, Cory McGee, Laura Thweatt, or Dominique Scott-Efurd—to discuss body composition and nutrition strategy.

“My goal is to help each individual find the fueling plan that works for them,” Alm told Runner’s World. “In college, I saw my own training and racing change completely once I started paying attention to my diet. I want to help others find what clicks for them, too.”

As a sophomore at the University of Colorado in 2012, Alm joined the cross-country and track teams as a walk-on athlete. Despite her walk-on status, she soon became the number two runner on CU’s cross-country team and an All-American in the 1500 meters, thanks in large part to a team dietician who taught her how to fuel properly.

“I went from a walk-on to an All-American, mainly because I was feeding my body the fuel it needed,” said Alm. “One of the key things I learned was how important protein is for repairing muscles. Instead of going from a track workout to a weight lifting session without eating anything, I started having a protein bar or chocolate milk between the two. That gave me more energy to lift weights and helped my legs recover faster.”

After college, Alm continued to train while studying for a master’s degree in nutritional sciences from San Diego State University and completing a dietetic internship program at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee. She became a registered dietitian in the summer of 2019, then moved to Boulder, Colorado, to join Team Boss. In addition to training and working as the team’s dietitian, she also began creating personalized nutrition plans for athletes through her online service, .

Currently, Alm is running around 60 miles per week in Boulder. The mid-distance specialist was planning to race on the track and roads this spring and summer, but since events were cancelled due to the coronavirus, she and her teammates are now focusing on building base fitness and improving mobility. Alm is also encouraging everyone to take this extra time at home to pay more attention to nutrition.

“When you’re really busy, it’s easy to let nutrition slide,” Alm said. “You might forget to eat after a workout or just not have time to. That’s why it’s important to form good habits now, like eating a snack after working out or taking supplements in the morning, so it becomes part of your everyday routine.”

Here, Alm shares what she typically eats and drinks during a day of training.

Peanut Butter Toast to Start

I typically have a 9 a.m. track workout, so I’ll wake up around 7:30 a.m. to eat a snack beforehand. I’ll have toast with peanut butter and a sliced banana, plus a glass of Nuun —my favorite flavor is strawberry lemonade—and coffee. Coffee is a must to start my day.

After my workout, I usually have about an hour before I lift weights at 11:30 a.m. During this time, I eat or drink something with carbs and protein to refuel my muscles. Some of my favorite snacks are chocolate milk and applesauce, or a smoothie with frozen fruit, Greek yogurt, protein powder, and almond milk.

An Egg Scramble After a Tough Workout

Once I’m finished my morning workout and lift session, I like to stop in a nearby coffee shop to pick up a cappuccino and a pastry. Then I’ll head home and make breakfast, even though it’s in the middle of the day. I like to make an egg scramble with eggs, some combination of vegetables (such as spinach and onions or kale and Brussels sprouts), and cheddar cheese. Then I’ll serve the scramble with the pastry, bacon, and fruit on the side.

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Bagel Pick-Me-Up

I get all of my running done in the morning, so I don’t need to double in the afternoon like some of my teammates. This frees me up have a later-than-usual lunch most days. Around 3 p.m., I’ll have a bagel with cream cheese, Greek yogurt and berries, and hummus with carrots. It’s a hodgepodge meal, but it packs in plenty of carbs, protein, and nutrients.

One-Pot Dishes for Dinner

Before I start making dinner at 6 or 7 p.m., I usually have a snack to tide me over, like a cheese stick and pretzels or apple slices with peanut butter. This way, I’m not tempted to throw my hands up and order take-out because I’m too hungry to cook. My rule for meals is that it must have carbs, protein, and color—the more variety of color, the better, because different colored produce offers different types of nutrients. Dinner is usually something that can be cooked in one pot or pan, like pad Thai with broccoli and red peppers or a stir-fry with snow peas, broccoli, and edamame.

If I’m racing early the next morning, I’ll have a big dinner earlier in the day, around 5 p.m., so I have plenty of time to digest. I try to have something simple, like rice with chicken, and avoid high-fiber foods. I tell my athletes all the time that if they’re worried about stomach issues, it’s best to skip salads and stick with protein and carbs the night before the race—one night without veggies won’t do any harm. Later in the night, I’ll have a pre-bedtime snack like toast and peanut butter.

Chia Pudding to Cure a Sweet Tooth

I have a major sweet tooth, so I usually eat something sweet before bed. Lately I’ve been having vanilla chia seed pudding with berries, a glass of chocolate milk, or ice cream. I don’t ever restrict myself from sweets—if something sounds good, I’ll have it. I know some athletes hold off on eating dessert during competition season, but I’m a strong believer in eating what you want, when you want. My philosophy is that food is fuel—and all foods, even desserts, fit into a nutrition plan.

Digital Editor Hailey first got hooked on running news as an intern with Running Times, and now she reports on elite runners and cyclists, feel-good stories, and training pieces for Runner’s World and Bicycling magazines.