A Dash of Dana

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A Dash of Dana

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) and Dietitian Nutrition Coach

Let's amplify your athletic performance with sustainable, whole food nutrition.

Follow my private FB group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/adashofdananutritioncoaching

27/11/2025

Happy Thanksgiving 🦃🍁

I hope you are able to share this day with those you love! Feeling so grateful for my hubby, my family (blood and chosen) and health.

21/11/2025

Dear younger self, today is Relative Energy Deficiency is Sport (REDs) awareness day and I am thinking of you!!

🚩Red flags:
• missing menstrual cycles or prolonged cycles (greater than 21-35 days) in females
• hair thinning / loss
• poor recovery
• decreased performance/ exercise tolerance
• chronic injury cycles and/ or illness
• unexplained weight loss/ difficulty maintaining body weight
• low to no libido
• slow heart rate and low blood pressure

Let’s raise awareness for prevention 🫶

15/11/2025

Intuitive eating was developed by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch to help individuals learn to trust their bodies internal cues. These cues are often turned down or silenced over our lifespan diet culture ‘rules’, restrictions, and idolizing a thin physique.

The goal of intuitive eating is to learn to work with your body by improving your relationship with food, body image, health and longevity.

I have been practicing IE for ~5 years and if you know me well enough you have heard me say that IE saved my life 💗 because honestly, I don’t know where I would be if I did not do the work to get here.

03/11/2025

Happy Birthday Hubby 🥰

I am so glad God gave me you. Cheers to 35!! I love you!

02/11/2025

Top 4 mistakes I see athletes make in the off season:
1️⃣ No structure to your training — a week or two of fun is GREAT! I recommend this. But, going out day to day for a month or 4 to do only what sounds fun will set you back as you approach your season. If you have your eye on an early spring race, this is especially important!

2️⃣Training too much in the winter months — this can be both volume and/or intensity. You do not want to peak in February only to find yourself burnt out and fatigue as your season comes around! Working with a coach can help you find that sweet spot of building fitness, but avoiding burnout and/or injury.

3️⃣Continuing to eat as they are in peak training. If you have been in this space long enough, you know I am an advocate for giving yourself unconditional permission to eat ALL foods and enjoyment of exercise vs “punishment”. I have seen athletes come to me 3 months out from their A race wanting to drop the 15lbs they gained in the off season. If body composition is a goal for you, the off season is your time to dial in the basics so when season comes around you are ready to rock! Dropping weight in peak season is not recommended. In the same vein, weight IS NOT tied to performance. You perform your best when you are healthy.

4️⃣ Disregarding feeling “off” and not advocating for getting labs drawn. For my long course athletes, I recommend getting labs drawn 1-2 times per year if feasible (off season and peak season).

20/10/2025

I became a sports dietitian for her.
For the girl that feared her body changing through puberty.
For the girl that was told losing my menstrual cycle was normal as a female athlete.
For the girl that got lost in the noise of diet culture.

When I was working hard to get my menstrual cycle back, I still had this deep rooted fear of losing my “athletic body”. Diet then became a need of ‘control’ as I went away to college. But I was losing every aspect of health that I know and I needed help!

The changes I saw did not happen over night. My recovery was up and down for 12 years. Those last 3, I was tired of feeling prisoner in my body and my work around recover became very intentional to:
* Get my cycle back without birth control
* Restore weight in a way my body could actually gain muscle
* Improve gastric function — so long IBS
* Get rid of cystic acne and dull skin
* See performance markers move positively
* Sleep through the night
* Have stable energy ALL day long without excessive caffeine
* Feel at peace with food and my body

I share my story to show you that recovery is possible.
That you can come out on the other side a stronger, more resilient, less anxious, and a happier individual.
I get to see this in my practice regularly.
I saw this with myself.
I want this for you, too!

My question to you is: if you needed to put weight on in order for your body to function at its full potential …would you not want to do everything in your power to get you there?

I know this can feel REALLY SCARY. I have been there. I was in a limbo of fully committing to this process for almost a decade.
You may be confused about where to start. You may be afraid to change where you are at + what you are currently doing.
I see you. I hear you.

It’s important to build yourself a team (mental health provider, coach, dietitian, physician) that understands REDs, listens to you, and practices with evidence-based research to support you in your recovery.

13/10/2025

My heart is overflowing after a week spent with so many of my best friends in Colorado 💗
Witnessing one of my longest besties 👯 marry her dream man!
Running, biking, and sauna-ing with my Zeal family!
Deep belly laughs and meaningful conversation.
Exploring some of my favorite routes.

I always miss the opportunity to get all the pics but so grateful for the time spent together! You all make life so much sweeter. XO 😘

04/10/2025

Weight is just a number.
The only person that knows that value is you (& maybe your doctor).
It does not dictate health, performance, or value.

22/09/2025

Celebrating Kate’s FIRST IM finish at IMWI 🥳✨

Kate came to Zeal Endurance Coaching in July of 2024 saying she wanted to complete an IM having never doing a triathlon. She said, “I am a 100% kinda person”. And the beautiful thing about Kate is that she is curious and optimistic!

Kate was a collegiate swimmer so the swim came around quickly— even getting back to some of her collegiate times 🧜🏼‍♀️

The bike and run were all very new and being new at anything as an adult can feel intimidating. Several conversations of ours started with, “maybe I am just naive…” & there is the excitement to everything being new. However, Kate was also curious to go the distance, get stronger, and learn to embrace the discomfort.

Kate says, “Ironman training helped me see how strong I am and how connecting with other people to accomplish big goals has helped me feel more in tune with myself and how I want to live my life”!

Kate showed up to group sessions ready to work, asked questions when she needed more guidance from the whole Zeal squad, and enjoyed the mental and physical challenge!

It has been a gift to see you grow into a stronger, more resilient woman!! You have taught me so much along the way and I cannot wait to see what is next for you 💗

15/09/2025

My first medal 🎖️ Monday of 2025 AND I got to share this one with my best friends 🥰💗

I went into this race with no expectations other than to have fun!
It was a HEAVY week emotionally which wears on the body more than we recognize
✨Your reminder that STRESS IS STRESS. Naming this and understanding this for you makes a difference in how your body is able to process these feelings.

My warm up for this felt like 🗑️ but this has never been a gauge for racing for me so I didn’t let it get to me.
I made a loose goal to aim for 6:40 pace.
As I hit the first mile that pace was feeling too comfortable, so I picked it up a notch and hung out until mile 4.
At mile 4 I got dizzy. This has been common since getting EBV. I took some deeper belly breaths, took in my emergency gel & some extra fluid and settled back in.
My legs felt great so I made a goal to bring it up a half notch each mile to the finish.

I like to set my eyes on the cadence of a person about 10 people ahead and make a goal to catch them. I set my eyes on this girl with hot pink shoes + socks & met her at mile 8.
Tried to get her to come with me as she said “great job” on the pass.

This race was for my heart ❤️
& it was so special being out there with my sisters!
Thanks for sticking with me as I navigate this rebuild.

13/09/2025

Toeing the line of my first race of 2025 tomorrow AM 🤩

I had an entirely different season planned for this year.
And that is ok.
Racing where I am at right now as I rebuild fitness.

I do not feel ‘ready’ to race.
I am going in scared.
& I am so excited to get out there.

This one is a race for my heart! ♥️

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