Canadian Dietitians 'Dish Up' Gold Medal Advice And Menus For Olympic Athletes

Main Category: Nutrition / Diet
Also Included In: Sports Medicine / Fitness
Article Date: 09 Feb 2010 - 3:00 PDT

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Dietitians are key members of the Olympic team - advising elite athletes on what to eat and ensuring they get the right foods to fuel them during their competitive events.

"In addition to the rigorous coaching, training and commitment, Olympic athletes need the right foods every day for success. Dietitians of Canada is profiling five key dietitians involved in the Olympics," says Lynda Corby MSc, MEd, RD, Director of Public Affairs for Dietitians of Canada.

Mélanie Olivier PDt, MSc from Montreal is the 'official dietitian' of the Canadian Olympic Committee. In the months leading up to the games she has been making sure the foods the athletes need will be available to them. Once the games begin, she will be involved in all aspects of the athletes' nutrition. She will liaise with the teams' dietitians, chefs, coaches, trainers, physiotherapists and doctors to ensure that athletes optimize the timing, quantity and quality of food eaten. Says Melanie, "By purchasing last minute items, ensuring delivery of lunch boxes and visiting the different venues and Athletes' Village, I will make sure all Canadian athletes have the fuel they need to perform at their best. This will be my third Olympics and I couldn't be more thrilled to represent dietitians across the country and work in collaboration with the best sport dietitians of Canada."

Nanci S. Guest MSc, RD, CSCS from Vancouver is the Director of Sport Nutrition for VANOC and supervising dietitian in the Athletes' Village for the 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympics. Her responsibilities include menu review for the Athletes' Village cafeteria, supervising /scheduling on-call dietitians during the games and providing counseling services to Canadian and foreign athletes in the Polyclinic (Athletes' Village Medical Clinic) during both games. She also co-authored the latest "Nutrition Guide for Athletes" as part of the IOC nutrition working group which will come in the athletes' welcome package at the games. Susan Barr PHD, RD, FDC, FACSM from Vancouver is one of the on-call dietitians working with Nanci to provide nutrition advice as a 'special service' available to athletes on an as-needed basis.

Jennifer Gibson MSc(c), RD, IOC Diploma in Sport Nutrition from Victoria, is the sport dietitian for the Canadian Snowboard Federation and the Canadian Para Alpine Ski Team. Jennifer is responsible for working with athletes on their fuelling strategies for eating within the Athletes' Village, and developing gold medal menus for athletes that are staying outside of the Village. She can't wait to share a part of history with these dedicated Canadians, who will make our country proud. This is what one of "her athletes" - Maëlle Ricker, 2010 Olympic Team Canada Snowboarder, has to say about the influence Jenn has made on her performance… "I never realized the magnitude of how my diet affected my training. After making a good plan with Jenn I have had more energy and have been able to sustain a high intensity level through out my workouts and competitions days. I feel light, quick, and nimble. At the end of the day, it has only helped me be a better rider."

Angela Dufour MEd, PDt. IOC Grad Dip Sports Nutr, CFE from Bedford, NS will manage the food service for Hockey Canada's largest free-standing pavilion for athletes and VIP guests - Molson Canada Hockey House. Angela works with Compass Group Canada, the official food service provider for the Pavilion. Approximately 500 of Hockey Canada's team athletes and their families will occupy 15,000 sq feet of this pavilion. As the food service sports nutrition manager, Angela is responsible for ensuring nutrition adequacy of the athletes' menus, designed by famous Wolfgang Puck. As a resource to Wolfgang Puck and the rest of the Compass management team, Angela is responsible for any allergy/sensitivities and preferences with our athletes and guests. In the athletes' dining facility, complete nutrition information will be made available at point of choice, so that athletes can make informed food choices. At Compass and Hockey House, Angela and her team are focused on doing everything so that Canada wins GOLD!

Source
Dietitians of Canada

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