In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast, I talk with former professional runner and NCAA D1 head coach, author and mom of two, Sara Slattery. This is a wide ranging conversation about cultivating lifelong athletes and the importance of optimizing health for performance at all ages. We discuss youth sports specialization and collegiate athletics, sharing tips for athletes and parents on how to create healthy habits and environments, as well as the importance of avoiding pitfalls like underfueling and RED-S. Sara and I talk about her own running career, from a successful junior athlete to NCAA champion, succeeding as a professional athlete and her postpartum comeback, and the challenges she faced along the way. We discuss the incredible book Sara wrote with fellow professional runner Molly Huddle, “How She Did It”, and hear how we can all learn and benefit from the experiences of successful female athletes and experts. Sara and I emphasize the importance of creating healthy habits early on for peak performance and longevity in sports, the power of role models and a strong support system. Follow Sara on Instagram @saraslattery and me, your host Lindsey Cortes, @female.athlete.nutrition  Find more about Sara’s book “How She Did It” at https://howshediditbook.com/  Need help with your fueling? Want to get in touch with Lindsey? Interested in the Female Athlete System of Transformation?  Head to www.RiseUpNutritionRUN.com to learn more & book a call! THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: InsideTracker: www.insidetracker.com/riseup for 20% off the entire store for a limited time only! THIS PODCAST IS ALSO SUPPORTED BY: Orgain, head to www.orgain.com and use the code RISEUP30 for 30% off your first order. Repeat customers can use the code OA2203 for 25% off future orders. Practice Better Click the link below to view plans and get a 14-day free trial. Then use the code RISEUP20 for 20% off your first 4 months: https://practicebetter.grsm.io/runp  In this episode we talk about: 6:30 Sara's sporting childhood, starting with competitive swimming before falling in love with running 10:00 Early sport specialization and the importance of doing different activities 15:10 Learning how to fuel enough in high school, and different nutrition strategies as a swimmer and runner 17:35 Underfueling, amenorrhea and the birth control pill 22:20 Adjusting to college  24:40 Athletes come in different shapes and sizes, and there is more to peak performance than how you look 29:45 Men struggle with RED-S and underfueling too! Differences between the challenges male and female athletes face 30:30 Coaching male and female runners at the NCAA D1 level 35:15 Balancing family with athletics, pregnant and postpartum running, and Sara's comeback to professional running as a mom 41:25 Longevity in female runners and how motherhood changes your perspective 46:55 "How She Did It" book by Sara Slattery and Molly Huddle: sharing stories of female athletes and experts to help others succeed. 53:15 End of the podcast questions