Amanda Wagner Nutrition

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Amanda Wagner Nutrition

Dietitian & runner fueling + inspiring athletes🏃‍♀️
Run coaching up to 26.2 💫
Powered by plants 🌱 💪🏻

07/04/2025

Today I ran the 4 on the 4th race in the Chicago suburbs for the 1st time! 🇺🇸

This race was maybe my 4th hard workout of the year (including last month’s half marathon) and it was nearly 80 degree + humid, so I knew it would be rough…😅 I also didn’t even know there were hills until 5 minutes before the race when we ran into my husband’s old XC teammate in the start corral and he warned us. 🤣

While it wasn’t close to a PR, nor did I expect it to be, but I’m glad I ran! And I’m really happy to be running healthy and building my mileage again. ☺️ And now I am ready to add hard workouts back in consistently. I wasn’t avoiding them on purpose, I just needed to get my body used to running again first after a rocky start to 2025 on the running front due to some health stuff the end of 2024/beginning of 2025. 😞

I’m really excited to see what I can do later this year with some quality sessions and more miles under me! I love the training process, including all the warm summer runs along the lakefront. 😍 🌞 🌊

And one final note: if it feels tough to find joy today with everything going on, despite it being a holiday, I see you. ♥️ I hope you can find a small slice of joy, rest, and hope, such as running (or a different form of movement you enjoy), eating tasty food, and/or quality time with family and friends.

07/03/2025

I been talking about performance plates in many 1:1 sessions, so this felt like a great time to reshare my updated plant-based performance plates!

When training for races your body’s preferred fuel source is carbohydrates! Of course the other macronutrients (fat & protein) have their place, but carbs are the star. 💫

Loading up on protein & skimping on carbs may fuel your training for the short term (although not recommended! 🙅‍♀️), but your body will feel best if you focus on carbs. As your training volume increases, so should the amount of carbs you consume at each meal & snack. 📈

Peak weeks of training & race week, if you are fueling the best you can for performance, should be high carb weeks. If you are unsure about how to scale up your carb intake with your training, have no fear! Here are performance plates for the 3 most common types of training scenarios you may find yourself in as a veggie endurance athlete! 🌱 Most of your training cycle should be performance plate 2 & 3 depending on your weekly mileage!

A performance plate is a visual representation of how to divide your plate every time you eat between carbohydrate foods, protein foods, & colorful foods (fruits and vegetables). 🍽️ You should also include a small source of healthy fats, such as cooking vegetables in olive oil, salad dressing, nuts, or seeds.

A note: plant-based protein is not as bioavailable, so vegan athletes need to eat 10% more protein than their meat eating peers. Also, many vegan protein sources contribute to your overall carbohydrate intake as well, which can be especially advantageous during peak training weeks!

What is on your go-to performance plate?!👇🏻You all already know mine has black beans. 😆 🫘 Add in some of my favorite veggies & salsa for color 🥦 🌶️ 🫑 carbs from rice/ potatoes/tortillas 🍚 🍠 , & top with avocado for healthy fats! 🥑 🤌🏻

Comment “plant-based performance plates” below ⬇️ if you want me to send you a link to download a pdf version of the performance plates for free. ☺️
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06/23/2025

It’s been a busy few months here at AWN, but I wanted to finally take a moment to celebrate some client wins! 🥳 All wins are anonymous/ no clients are identified by name & examples were combined to protect privacy. Besides celebrating client wins, I also thought this was a great way to give examples of some of the many things a registered dietitian like me can help with. ☺️

And if any of these wins are something you are working on, but you feel stuck with you may want to consider working with a dietitian! Many times having that extra set of eyes, the increased accountability, the education, and the support can be just what you need to reach your goals! 👏🏻

I am currently fully booked through the 1st week of July, but I should have 1-2 openings by the mid-end of July, so you still inquire! If you have a really flexible schedule I may be able to fit you in sooner. I’m in network with many Blue Cross Blue Shield & United Healthcare insurance plans & have self-pay options. Most of my insurances clients have paid $0 out of pocket to work with me, which has been amazing! 🤩 I also do have immediate run coaching openings! 🏃‍♀️ You can inquire for either dietitian sessions or run coaching by DMing me, emailing me, or filling out the interest forms in my bio. 👆🏻

06/10/2025

One thing about me is that I won’t ever turn down (almond-free) vegan ice cream in the summer! 🍨 I’m so spoiled to live close to . 😍 Well it’s not officially summer yet, but close enough. 🤣

This is an Affogato and a M & Not Handshake. 😋 I’m not at all a food photographer 🙈, but I can assure you both were incredible. Vaca’s always is! 👌🏻

Who wants to go?! 🙋🏼‍♀️
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06/09/2025

🏃‍♀️ 🏃‍♂️ 🌆🌊☀️🫘 ☕️ 🐈‍⬛

06/01/2025

Surprise! I ran my 1st race of 2025 today at the Chicago 13.1! 🏃‍♀️

I didn’t really tell anyone I was running because truthfully I wasn’t sure I was going to make it to the start line after all that has happened this year. 😢 I’m glad things worked out enough for me to run today! I didn’t have the training block I envisioned when I signed up a long time ago, nor was it feasible for me to go for a PR, but it was still fun! 😌

While today’s time was not PR, it was a solid effort considering I only did a few short workouts (the rest were easy runs) & my mileage was low. Plus, I was battling some health stuff earlier this year (primarily a gastritis flare & a rough recovery from the lingering effects of the 🦠 ), which resulted in very little running until the beginning of April.

I’m excited to see what my legs can do later this year in workouts & races after I build my mileage, reintroduce weekly hard workouts, & consistently strength train. While I love racing, I also love training! 🤩 Nothing compares to the lessons learned in the process of chipping away towards a big goal! And I have pretty big goal(s) on the horizon! 🤫

I’m so excited to spend my favorite season (summer 😍) getting stronger in the sport I love (both solo & with others), while also helping other people do the same through my work as a sports dietitian & running coach! 🥰

Who else raced today?! ⬇️

05/28/2025

This is something I tell my clients, nutrition and running alike all the time!

I can be easy to get stuck in the trap of all-or-nothing thinking, but this type of thinking hinders progress. It sometimes even prevents people from starting because they feel too far from their goals. 😢

For example:

🔹Instead of making it a goal to eat breakfast every day after skipping it for years, can you start with drinking a smoothie one day a week or preparing overnight oats after dinner for breakfast just for tomorrow? Once you accomplish this, you can increase the frequency you eat breakfast! 🥣

🔹Instead of quitting soda cold turkey, can you drink one less bottle or can this week overall or one less can per day replaced with a different beverage?🥤

🔹Instead of starting a run streak to get back into training regularly, can you make it a goal to go for a 10 minute walk or a run twice this week and increase it from there? 🏃‍♀️

🔹Instead of going vegan overnight can you make it a goal to eat one vegan meal a week or have one vegan day a week and increase it from there? 🌱

🔹 Instead of eating a salad daily can you make it a goal to have at least one vegetable at lunch or dinner as many days as possible this week? 🥗

The more realistic your goal is and the sooner you meet the goal, the more motivated you will be. 🤩 I just about guarantee it!

And once the momentum is there you will have the habits and the confidence to meet the bigger overall goals. But the magic is in the smaller every day goals. 👌🏻 I often ask my clients how they envision themselves becoming 1% better the next week toward the end of our sessions. Just 1%. It helps them set smaller goals and when they meet with me again they often have met the goal(s) or exceeded them!

And if you’re struggling with making changes with your nutrition, your training, or both you might benefit from working with me! I am operating on a waitlist still as a dietitian, but I should have openings by mid-June, so still inquire. I currently have run coaching openings! You can inquire by DMing me, emailing me, or filling out the interest forms in my bio. 👆🏻

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Chicago, IL

Website

https://amandawagnernutrition.com/, https://linktr.ee/fueling.veggie.athletes

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