Marathon Sports Nutrition Services

Why a separate page for the half marathon and marathon?

Because marathon training demands highly specialized and specific nutrition protocols as this racing distance presents unique fueling and hydration challenges in both training and on race day.  Monique has worked with marathon athletes for over 30 years and is herself an endurance athlete, as both a cyclist and more recently an eight-time Ironman 70.3 finisher.

She has worked with hundreds of marathoners and was on the medical board for the Chicago Area Runner’s Association for several seasons. Monique has presented at The Chicago Marathon Expo educational programming on behalf of the Gatorade Sports Science Institute for over a decade.

She is the author of Sports Nutrition for Endurance Athletes, 4th edition (Agate Surrey).

Integrative Nutrition for the Marathoner

As an integrative and functional dietitian nutritionist, Monique also utilizes tools and protocols from her integrative and functional nutritionist background These strategies provide more comprehensive nutrition services  and a higher level of support for an marathoner’s optimal performance and recovery, and health.

Marathon Sports Nutrition programs 

Monique can provide very comprehensive services for marathoners  beginning with off-season to early season nutrition plans focused on body composition changes. Full season training nutrition plans that support you through build and recovery cycles are also offered, as are plans for your race taper and race day.  These programs cover:

• Training Nutrition Plans that outline the optimal balance of macronutrients for various types of training days, nutrient timing, and optimal recovery.
  • Meal planning support
  • Sample menus
  • Interchangeable food lists
• Guidelines for developing a training fuel, hydration, and electrolyte replacement plan.
• Sweat checks and sweat/electrolyte testing to develop rehydration guidelines for various weather conditions.
• Optimal application of sports nutrition products.
• A carbo-loading plan for your race taper.
• Pre-race meal and on-run nutrition guidelines.
• Supplement advice based on training and health history

Marathon nutrition programs can be provided via one-on-one consultation at Monique’s office  in Evanston, IL or via teleconsulting.  Package programs designed to match your current training cycle and goals are provided to triathletes in North America and worldwide via her E Programs.

 GI Disorders/Inflammation/ Autoimmune Disorder

Nutrition protocols for health conditions that affect training and performance

Marathoners with certain health conditions and symptoms should consider the Mediator Release Test  (MRT ), a highly specialized food sensitivity test and the accompanying LEAP protocol. LEAP stands for Lifestyle, Eating and Performance. This is a specialized nutrition program that aims to reduce or eliminate symptoms related to your body’s immune responses that may be triggered by food sensitivities.

The Mediator Release Test (MRT)

The MRT test identifies foods, chemicals, and food colorings that may be contributing to your body’s inflammatory process leading to symptoms such as gastro-intestinal distress, contributing to Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), muscle/ bone/ joint pain, migraines, fatigue,  insomnia,  and other inflammatory conditions.

These symptoms and conditions can often get in the way of optimal well-being, training, and recovery. This blood test can determine the optimal foods that should be a regular part of your training diet, while taking out foods that cause inflammation.

Food sensitivities

Food sensitivities produce delayed reactions, from a few hours to several days, and commonly affect the gastrointestinal tract, often also producing symptoms in other body systems which is why standard elimination diets often ineffective. Have you ever tried going paleo, gluten free or eliminated suspect foods only to end it with poor or limited answers as to problematic foods?

MRT eliminates the guesswork and provides the foundation for developing a personalized anti-inflammatory diet tailored to each individual marathoner. You eventually determine the foods for your long-term training diet that don’t promote inflammation and won’t hamper your training efforts. Monique has been a Certified Leap Therapist (CLT) for over 10 years.

The marathoner’s solution to issues related to food sensitivities:

• Determine foods that are producing negative symptoms or affecting health conditions
• Follow a personalized elimination /anti-inflammatory diet plan, preferably in the off-season or early season.
• Adapt the final anti-inflammatory food plan for your full marathon training program and meal plans.

The MRT/Leap Program can be provided in office, via teleconsulting, and prior to development of the E Programs, or nutritional consultation for marathon fueling for training and the event.

Micronutrient Testing

Another test in Monique’s Marathon nutrition toolbox is micronutrient testing from SpectraCell.

• This test panel  measures the amount of 35 nutritional components including vitamins, antioxidants, minerals and amino acids within your white blood cells.
• Scientific evidence shows that analyzing the levels in white blood cells provides a more accurate analysis of a body’s deficiencies than standard blood levels and indicates how well these nutrients can function in your body.
• Results from the SpectraCell micronutrient test allows Monique to conduct a more comprehensive assessment of your nutritional status and provide personalized supplement recommendations for boosting energy production, strengthening your immune system, and even treating symptoms of muscle soreness, as well as addressing fatigue, and gastrointestinal symptoms.

Micronutrient testing can be conducted at anytime during the season, or you can receive a testing kit at the initial marathon nutrition plan consultation.

The SpectraCell micronutrient test can be provided in office, via teleconsulting, and prior to development of the E Programs and nutrition consultation for the marathon season.

Getting Started

Contact Monique at 847-864-8689 to discuss your marathon goals and determine the best program of action for your training,  or contact Monique via email.