Sports Nutrition

Welcome to HIDEF Physical Therapy's Sports Nutrition section. We understand the importance of nutrition in achieving your personal health and fitness goals. Good nutrition is critical in fueling the body for optimum performance, facilitating faster recovery, and preventing injuries. For this reason, we offer comprehensive, scientifically grounded nutritional information tailored to individual needs and types of sports. Serving our communities in Seattle, Bellevue, Renton, and Covington, WA, our objective is to provide relevant and effective sports nutrition information. This section is an integral part of our commitment to enhancing overall wellness and improving performance outcomes.

About HIDEF Sports Nutrition

Sports nutrition is a specialized branch of nutritional science that focuses on the dietary needs of athletes and physically active individuals. It involves understanding how nutrients like carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals affect physical performance and recovery. Through personalized sports nutrition strategies, we can help optimize energy levels, enhance athletic performance, improve recovery times, manage weight effectively, and reduce the risk of injury and illness.

The primary areas we can assist with include:

1. Energy optimization: Tailoring your diet to meet the energy demands of your specific sport or physical activity.
2. Performance enhancement: Strategically timing the intake of certain foods and nutrients to improve performance.
3. Recovery facilitation: Providing guidance on post-exercise nutrition to speed up recovery and muscle repair.
4. Weight management: Creating nutrition plans that align with your weight goals, whether it's weight loss, gain, or maintenance.
5. Injury prevention and health maintenance: Ensuring a well-balanced diet that bolsters immune function, promotes bone health, and reduces the risk of injuries.
6. Hydration strategies: Guiding on proper hydration before, during, and after exercise, vital for optimal performance and recovery.

At HIDEF Physical Therapy, our goal is to provide you with the tools and knowledge necessary to make informed decisions about your diet, thereby contributing to your overall athletic success and well-being.

Not Healing? This Could Be The Difference Maker

Our Expert: Dr. Shannon Siert
Doctor of Physical Therapy | Registered Dietician

Shannon is something of a unicorn. She is one of the only dual credentialed doctors of physical therapy, registered dietitians that we at HIDEF have ever met.

Over the past months we have been recruiting hard and were lucky enough to have her join our team.

1 hour 1 on 1 in depth dietary evaluation
Expert recommendations to optimize your nutrition to meet your goals
List of our top restaurant recommendations in Bellevue and the best option at each restaurant
HIDEF guide to grabbing a quick bite
Dr. Shannons grocery list for optimal eating
Recovery faster: The total nutrition guide to speed up recovery
Dr. Shannons recommended supplement list

We want to offer you a nutrition evaluation, which includes:

Supplements For Optimal Nutrition

We have parterned with Thorne, who is the top supplement country in the world with 3rd party tested products for quality and accuracy.

As much as we like to solve dietary needs through foods, there are just some situations where you need to use supplements. Dr. Shannon has created a general list of supplements that she uses herself. They can be found by clicking the Thorne logo below.

*Prior to starting any supplementation it is important to talk with a dietician or your doctor.

What To Expect With Sports Nutrition

Nutrition, at its core, is about fueling the body with the right kinds and amounts of foods and drinks to sustain a healthy lifestyle, growth, and vitality. It involves a balance of different nutrients - carbohydrates for energy, proteins for growth and repair, fats for energy and supporting cellular health, vitamins and minerals for essential bodily functions, and water for hydration and maintaining bodily functions.

In the context of sports, good nutrition is even more critical because it directly influences physical performance, recovery, and resilience against injuries. Different types of sports and physical activities require specific nutritional strategies; for example, endurance sports require a higher intake of carbohydrates, while strength-based sports demand more protein.

Initial Consultation:

This is the first step where a registered dietitian or nutritionist gathers comprehensive information about the individual. It includes the person's medical history, dietary habits, physical activity level, lifestyle, and personal goals. This session helps the nutritionist understand the client's needs and expectations.

Assessment:

The information collected during the initial consultation is then evaluated. The assessment considers the person's current nutritional status, physical activity levels, and their specific sports or performance goals.

Personalized Nutrition Plan Development:

Based on the assessment, a personalized nutrition plan is formulated. This plan aligns with the individual's goals, preferences, and lifestyle. It specifies what foods to eat, how much, and when, considering the demands of the sport or physical activity they engage in.

Implementation:

Once the plan is agreed upon, the individual starts following it. They are provided with tools and resources to help them understand and implement their new eating strategy effectively. This stage may involve learning about portion sizes, meal preparation, reading food labels, and managing eating habits around their training and competition schedules.

Follow-up and Adjustments:

Regular follow-up sessions are held to monitor progress, address challenges, and make any necessary adjustments to the plan. The follow-up frequency depends on the individual's needs but is crucial for ensuring the plan's effectiveness and adapting it as the individual's needs change.

Long-term Support

The final step is providing long-term support to the individual to maintain their new eating habits. This stage may involve periodic check-ins, additional resources, and support for managing special situations like travel or injury.

At HIDEF Physical Therapy, our aim with nutrition counseling is to empower individuals with the knowledge and skills they need to make sustainable, beneficial changes to their eating habits. It's not just about improving performance but also about enhancing overall well-being and quality of life.