EP 144: Marisa Michael — Why Losing Weight Won’t Make You Climb Harder, How to Navigate Food, and Intuitive Eating

Marisa Michael is a registered dietitian nutritionist with 20 years of experience who specializes in eating disorders in athletes and climbers. We talked about the characteristics of eating disorders, the line between eating for performance and disordered eating, why losing weight won’t make you climb harder, recommendations for climbers and youth athletes, intuitive eating, Marisa’s sweet tooth, and much more.Eating Disorders Helpline:nationaleatingdisorders.org/help-support/contact-helplineListen to more top nutrition episodes!thenuggetclimbing.com/top-listsCheck out Crimpd!crimpd.comOr download the Crimpd app! (Available for iOS and Android)Check out PhysiVantage!physivantage.com (link includes 15% off coupon)Use code "NUGGET15" at checkout for 15% off your next order!Check out Petzl!petzl.comOr shop for Petzl quickdraws at your local climbing shop!Check out Arc'teryx!arcteryx.comArc'teryx Presents: Free as Can Be We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, and Mark and Julie Calhoun Become a Patron:patreon.com/thenuggetclimbingShow Notes:  thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/marisa-michaelNuggets:0:05:03 – What Marisa had for breakfast0:07:04 – Overview of the conversation to come0:08:37 – The difference between a registered dietitian and a nutritionist0:11:03 – Working with athletes and disordered eating in her practice0:12:32 – Why Marisa chose to specialize in working with athletes who struggle with disordered eating0:15:13 – What Marisa hopes to accomplish in this episode0:17:03 – A bit about my (Steven’s) experience with disordered eating and the biggest question I have for Marisa0:18:44 – What distinguishes an eating disorder or disordered eating?0:23:33 – Discipline and eating for performance vs. disordered eating… Where is the line?0:30:13 – Personifying your eating disorder0:31:57 – How my mindset shifted from self-care to anxiety after losing weight0:35:27 – Discipline doesn’t have to mean ignoring your body cues0:36:25 – What the data says about weight and climbing performance, and why we should all calm down about weight0:38:02 – One thing that might have prevented my eating disorder if I had known them sooner0:39:38 – BMI and finger injuries, and disordered eating in elite climbers0:41:38 – Is weight cycling ever appropriate?0:45:48 – Another thing I wish I had known sooner, and breaking training PRs this summer0:49:03 – Food is fuel, and it’s also more than fuel0:49:58 – “It depends”0:52:03 – Intuitive Eating as a framework0:54:11 – The 10 principles of Intuitive Eating0:56:23 – How to navigate our modern food environment with Intuitive Eating (so you don’t eat Oreos for breakfast)1:01:41 – Marisa’s sweet tooth and she navigates it1:04:52 – Is it ok to celebrate with food after a send?1:06:35 – Marisa’s thoughts on “moderators” and “abstainers”, and the plate of cookies example1:11:57 – How restricting leads to bingeing1:17:04 – Marisa’s general eating recommendations, and recommended macros for climbers1:20:17 – Food timing1:22:03 – Intermittent fasting: yay or nay?1:23:45 – Patron question from Karl: How do you navigate intuitive eating if you don’t get hungry?1:25:15 – How to calculate your daily energy needs1:27:19 – Patron question from Shawn: How do we get enough protein in a healthy way?1:29:10 – Marisa’s thoughts on eating meat1:31:47 – Marisa’s thoughts on eating fat1:32:47 – Patron question from Vicente: Prefered supplements?1:36:47 – Patron question from Jaime: Any tips on how to lose body fat for people who are stuck?1:38:05 – Marisa’s thoughts on the ketogenic diet1:41:57 – Marisa’s thoughts on veganism and vegetarianism1:44:38 – Patron question from Cody: What is a good starting point for someone who is trying to heal an unhealthy relationship with food?1:47:22 – Patron question from Wren: How can all climbers contribute to a healthy environment surrounding food/body image?1:51:13 – How to respond to jokes about food restriction1:53:39 – Are there any foods we should avoid?1:55:43 – Marisa’s master’s thesis, studying eating patterns in youth climbers, and recommendations for parents and coaches2:00:58 – Favorite pre-climbing snack2:02:08 – How important is protein before or during climbing/training?2:03:31 – Studying amenorrhea in female IFSC athletes2:07:47 – “Eat enough.”2:08:53 – Wrap up