Sara Friedrich, RD

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Sara Friedrich, RD I offer nutrition counselling for sports nutrition, and fostering a healthier relationship with food

This one is going to ruffle some feathers 💦 Look anywhere in the sport space and you are going to see ads and recommenda...
04/05/2026

This one is going to ruffle some feathers 💦

Look anywhere in the sport space and you are going to see ads and recommendations for electrolyte supplements with ever increasing sodium contents but do we actually need them?

The main mistake I see many athletes making is focusing on sodium losses via sweating during training in isolation. Yes we lose sodium but our body is pretty amazing at trying to keep us in balance by reducing the amount we lose via sweat and urine + we need to consider what our fluid intake is. Less fluid consumed during = more concentrated sodium in the blood. More fluid consumed during training over long periods of time = more dilute sodium in the blood (which can be a concern).

We need to switch the script to focusing on optimizing fluid first to support health and performance, and focus on sodium/electrolyte amounts second.

Looking for tailored advice around your fluid and/or electrolyte needs for sport, reach out for 1:1 support!

15/04/2026

Welcome back to our series where we talk about REDs while fueling for sport. Today’s pre-run snack is a bowl of Apple Cinnamon Cheerios 🤩

Today we are going to chat about potential early indicators that there is a mismatch between how much your body needs for health and performance and what you are actually eating - putting you at risk for REDs over time.

The 2023 IOC consensus statement on REDs highlights that the effects of low energy availability sit on a spectrum and can impact performance and physical and mental health including:
- bone stress injuries
- Irregular or missing periods
- Hormone dysfunction
- Lack of normal growth and development in adolescence
- Recurrent injuries
- digestive difficulties
- Impaired sleep and immune system function
- Poor recovery and/or impact on performance (reduced strength/endurance)

These do not mean you necessarily have REDs but could be early signs that there is an imbalance in training, nutrition and/or recovery, or other changes to health requiring investigation for the underlying cause 💛

Working with a sport dietitian can support fine tuning your nutrition to better match changes in your training program, reducing your risk of low energy availability and therefore REDs in the long term 🙋🏻‍♀️

24/03/2026

Who is actually at risk for REDs? Because it’s probably more people than you think.

Welcome to a series where we talk about REDs while prioritizing fueling. Today’s pre-run snack is fruit flavored yogurt + strawberries + homemade granola 👏🏼

REDs develops when your body doesn’t consistently get enough energy over time — not from the occasional missed snack, lighter day, or busy schedule. This can happen intentionally or unintentionally.

Intentional causes can look like:
• Dieting or restricting calories, food groups, or the window of eating (such as the case with intermittent fasting) in order to reduce weight or achieve leanness
• Being on certain mediations that suppress appetite for intentional weight loss
• Trying to eat ‘clean’
• Skipping meals or snacks

It can also be unintentional such as in the case of:
• Increases to training without increasing food
• Not realizing how much fuel your body actually needs
• Training at altitude
• Low appetite or limited time to eat
• Food insecurity
• Eating a low energy density diet, including some vegetarian and vegan diets

A lot of athletes don’t realize they’re under-fueling — which is why REDs can sneak up over time. The goal isn’t fear — it’s awareness. A well-fueled athlete is a protected athlete 💛

Looking for an easy pre-run snack?These peanut butter date cookies are naturally sweet, simple to make and a convenient ...
09/03/2026

Looking for an easy pre-run snack?

These peanut butter date cookies are naturally sweet, simple to make and a convenient way to get some quick carbohydrates before training. The banana, dates and oats provide carbohydrates, while the peanut butter adds flavor and a bit of staying power.

They can work well as a small snack before a run or workout.

Comment FUEL and I’ll DM you the recipe 🍪🏃🏽‍♀️

03/03/2026

Welcome to a new series where we talk all things REDs while prioritizing fuelling 💛 I’m fuelling during my run with Gatorade!

Today we are going to break down what REDs is.

REDs stands for Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport. It’s a condition that occurs when an athlete isn’t taking in enough energy to support both their training and the basic functions that keep them alive and healthy.

When energy intake consistently falls short of energy needs, the body adapts. It starts conserving energy by dialing down processes like hormone production, bone building, immune function, metabolism, and recovery.

Over time, that can impact performance, health, and overall well-being. REDs can affect athletes of any gender, any body size, and at any level — from recreational to elite.

And here’s the key: it’s not always caused by intentional restriction. Sometimes it’s accidental under-fueling, busy schedules, heavy training loads, appetite changes, or misinformation about what athletes “should” eat.

Understanding REDs isn’t about fear — it’s about recognizing that fueling is foundational.

Performance is built on eating enough.

And that’s why, in this series, we’re learning about REDs while actively prioritizing eating enough to support our bodies and our sport 💛 If you are confused about REDs, the signs and symptoms, how we can prevent it and/or support management, leave a comment or question and I’d be happy to chat about it in future weeks 🏃🏽‍♀️

24/02/2026

Enjoying candy pre-workout not only is a fast digesting carb source that can support performance, but it may also improve your relationship with food.

For many people, candy has lived in the “off-limits,” “bad,” or “I shouldn’t” category.

However, choosing it intentionally — in this case in a way that supports training — can:

• Reduce all-or-nothing thinking
• Increase flexibility with food
• Provide exposure to foods that may feel stressful
• Decrease guilt, anxiety, or shame
• Reinforce that all foods fit and can benefit us (physically, emotionally or both!!)

When we only allow “perfect” fueling foods, we often reinforce rigidity. When we give ourselves permission to enjoy a wider range of foods — including the fun ones — we build trust and flexibility.

Performance nutrition and food freedom are not opposites. In many cases, they strengthen each other.

Sometimes healing your relationship with food starts with jelly beans 🍬 💛

My 2025 Wrapped 🎧A year of quieter running routes, better fueling, fewer injuries, and a lot of myth-busting along the w...
31/12/2025

My 2025 Wrapped 🎧
A year of quieter running routes, better fueling, fewer injuries, and a lot of myth-busting along the way.

This year reinforced what I see every day in practice and experience as an athlete:

Performance improves when food is supportive, fueling is intentional, and success isn’t measured by body size.

Looking forward to a year of more carbs. More energy. More curiosity. And flexibility in fuelling, training and life 💛

Respecting your body doesn’t mean you suddenly love how it looks.It means noticing when body criticism shows up — and ge...
13/12/2025

Respecting your body doesn’t mean you suddenly love how it looks.

It means noticing when body criticism shows up — and getting curious about what’s really underneath it.

For many athletes, body judgment flares during moments of stress: after a hard race, during injury, when performance doesn’t match expectations, or when comparison creeps in. In those moments, blaming the body can feel easier than sitting with disappointment, grief, or uncertainty.

But body respect isn’t about fixing, shrinking, or controlling your body.

It’s about building the capacity to stay present with discomfort, acknowledge that it’s real, and respond with care instead of criticism.

When you pause, name what you’re feeling, and meet it with the same compassion you’d offer a teammate or friend, you create space — space to fuel adequately, recover fully, and move forward without turning against yourself.

Curiosity softens judgment. And from that place, true respect can begin 💛

✨ If you want support building body respect, body tolerance, and fueling from a place of compassion — I’m currently booking 2026 clients. Link in bio to work together.

Athletes are often told fueling is only about the numbers — grams, timing, ratios. But your body also craves pleasure an...
11/11/2025

Athletes are often told fueling is only about the numbers — grams, timing, ratios. But your body also craves pleasure and satisfaction.

When food feels repetitive, forced, or straight up boring, it’s harder to eat enough and recover fully. Honouring satisfaction helps you fuel consistently — and perform your best 💪🏻

If you’re ready to find a fueling plan that leaves you both fueled and satisfied, book a session through the link in bio 🙋🏻‍♀️

Halloween is a great time to notice where food rules still linger. Here are some principles to consider to support you t...
28/10/2025

Halloween is a great time to notice where food rules still linger. Here are some principles to consider to support you this Friday so this day is less spooky and more joy filled 👻💛

1. Challenge the Food Police - different thoughts, feelings and beliefs may come up surrounding sweet treats. In a non-judgemental way, reflect on the emotions attached. Are they negative, positive or neutral? If we are feeling ready, consider challenging negative thoughts/beliefs to one’s that are more neutral or positive.

2. Honor your Hunger - “saving your appetite” for sweets is likely to backfire and is actually a form of food restriction + further creates a hierarchy with food. Aim to eat a regular meal pattern (3 meals + snacks) to avoid getting “hangry”.

3. Discover Satisfaction - everyone has different preferences when it comes to food based on their sensory characteristics. And this is not different when it comes to candy! To fully enjoy the eating experience, try slowing down and picking up the tastes, textures, aromas and visual appearance of different candy you try. Was the candy pleasant? Unpleasant? Or Neutral?

4. Make Peace with Food - if you find this time of year especially difficult (feeling out of control around candy, over-consumed about thoughts of candy, or a lot of guilt, stress and anxiety bubbling up), reflect on whether you allow yourself to have candy and/or keep it regularly in your home. The more candy is restricted, the more fixated and complicated our relationship with it becomes. A step you can consider is making candy a more regular thing by keeping it in your house year round. Research shows us that when we allow unlimited access to foods without restrictions, over time, these previously “off limit” foods become neutral.

You don’t have to do this work alone — reach out to my link in bio to work with me 💛

It’s spooky season 👻 be careful out there!!
24/10/2025

It’s spooky season 👻 be careful out there!!

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