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<\/a><\/p>\nLast year, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation awarded $488,650 to 211 dietetic students. A recent recipient was Utah\u2019s very own Breanne Nalder, who is pursuing her master\u2019s degree at the University of Utah. Breanne, a health and fitness specialist and professional cyclist, received a $550 Annette M. Rachman Memorial Scholarship during the second year of her master\u2019s program. Right now, Breanne is finishing her thesis on proper nutrition for competitive cyclists. Her goal is to bring her work \u201cfull circle\u201d by using her research to write diet plans for men and women who compete year-round. \u201cThe most exciting thing about this work is that I\u2019m becoming well known in the cycling community,\u201d Breanne said, \u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s so cool to be respected in the cycling community because nutrition is so under-recognized, yet such an important component.\u201d<\/p>\n
The schedule of a professional cyclist is very demanding. With a minimum of six hours spent on a bike every day, everything is done from two wheels\u2014even eating. Breanne stresses the importance of consuming adequate calories to perform well, since a common strategy for competitive cyclists is restricting calories to weigh less, and, therefore, move faster. However, such a calorie restriction causes cyclists to lose bone density and could ultimately hurt performance. Simple recommendations that Breanne has made to friends in the cycling community have had others approaching her, asking, \u201cHow can I do this and where can I sign up?\u201d At present, the sign-up question is still unanswered. As Breanne is not yet a registered dietitian (she is waiting on her RD exam), any advice she gives at this point is informal. Soon, though, that will not be the case. Breanne is on her way to a successful career as an RD, with a little help from the Academy Foundation.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n