Sports Nutritionist

Sports Nutritionist in the St. Louis Area, Missouri, and Illinois

Get Nutrition Therapy and Coaching for Athletes from Missouri and Illinois to Achieve Optimal Performance in Sports

What is a sports nutritionist?

A sports nutritionist or dietitian is a healthcare worker who specializes in providing nutrition guidance and support to professional athletes, school athletes, competition athletes, sports models, fitness enthusiasts, and more.

 

At Branz Nutrition Counseling, we provide online and in-person sports nutrition therapy in our offices in the St. Louis Area. We can work with athletes, coaches, and teams to help them improve their nutrition status.

 

By working with a dietitian on our team, one who specializes in sports, athletes can:

  • ​Optimize Performance
  • Improve recovery
  • Get Evidence-Based Diet Plans, Snack Plans, and Practices
  • Understand hydration needs
  • Improve their relationship with food and body
  • Challenge sport-specific body stereotypes
  • Provide nutrition therapy to achieve recovery for disordered eating and eating disorders in athletes
  • Get help with medical needs

What is the role of nutrition in sports?

A sports RD can help optimize nutrition to enhance athletic performance, support training adaptations, and promote recovery while preventing injury. Nutrition in sports is key for the following reasons:

Energy Supply: Nutrition fuels athletic performance with adequate calories from carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.

Muscle Repair and Growth: Nutrition supports muscle recovery and development, especially through protein intake.

Hydration: Nutrition includes maintaining optimal hydration for endurance, strength, and overall performance.

Endurance and Stamina: An individualized sport-specific diet plan prolongs energy levels during physical activity.

Immune Function: Nutrition is key to strengthening the immune system, and reducing the risk of illness and injury.

Recovery: A dietitian can help athletes implement a nutrition plan to accelerate recovery post-exercise, minimizing muscle soreness.

Mental Focus: Nutrition is fundamental for concentration, focus, and decision-making during competition.

Injury Prevention: Nutrition plans, developed by a sports dietitian, will support joint and bone health, reducing the risk of sports-related injuries.

Performance Optimization: The ultimate goal of a diet plan with a sports nutritionist is to tailor dietary interventions to the specific demands of different sports for peak performance. This includes nutrition counseling to prepare for a competition and/or tournament.

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Work with a sports nutritionist and learn how and what to eat for training, sporting events, and recovery. Improve your nutrition status and athletic performance with a diet plan tailored to your specific sport and nutrition needs.

We look forward to working with you!

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What is the difference between sports nutrition and general nutrition?

Athletes are considered a different population therefore, they have different needs than the general public. Sports nutrition focuses on an athlete’s unique health needs due to the extra physical demands they face and their performance.

 

Sports Registered Dietitians can provide individual nutrition counseling and personalized meal plans. They offer practical strategies to help athletes remain competitive while maintaining optimal health.

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General dietitians provide nutritional counseling to individuals across a broad range of populations, ages, and health conditions by providing personalized meal plans and offering practical strategies to help individuals maintain optimal health.

How much does a sports nutritionist cost?

We accept most major insurance companies and the majority of our clients pay little to nothing outside of copays or deductibles to meet with a member of our team. We also offer military discounts as we are not in network with Tricare. We always recommend checking your insurance benefits regarding nutrition coverage as coverage depends on the patient’s individual insurance plan.

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Our Team of Dietitian Nutritionists in the Greater St. Louis Area

Branz Nutrition Counseling is a team of certified eating disorder dietitians who provide compassionate care to those struggling with their relationship to food. Our approach is weight-inclusive, LGBTQIA+, and social justice-oriented, which means that we believe that everyone deserves access to quality care.

 

We can’t wait to meet you!

With locations in Illinois and Missouri, we offer both virtual and in-person counseling sessions. And, we are licensed to provide Telehealth nutrition therapy to  patients around the country.

​Arizona | Arkansas | California | Colorado | Delaware | Florida | Georgia | Illinois | Missouri | New York | Texas | Virginia | Iowa

We see clients in person in the St. Louis area, Missouri, Illinois, and from around the country via Telehealth. Learn more here.

We help individuals and families heal their relationships with food and body through compassionate, weight-inclusive care—supporting eating disorder recovery and managing chronic conditions like PCOS, diabetes, and heart disease using Intuitive Eating and Health at Every Size principles.

Scroll to see the whole team.

How It Works – An Easy Three-Step Process to Get You on the Road to Recovery

Make An Appointment

What service do you need? We offer a range of appointments of different durations to best fit your needs (including online support groups and more!)

Meet with your Personal Dietitian

Be paired with the dietitian nutritionist on our team and get continued support with one of our online groups. One-on-one counseling, in-person, or virtual. WE TAKE INSURANCE!

Take Control of Your Life

Heal your relationship with food and your body. Choose the best foods for your unique needs. Get the tools you need to live a healthy life. Receive continued support.

Note: In order to secure a spot on a dietitian’s schedule, we need a valid payment method on file.

Our Testimonials

Thank you for choosing us as the Best Dietitian Practice in STL (2023)

by H, Illinois

Talking about food and eating behaviors can be very vulnerable—much like discussing any other mental health concern—and it makes a huge difference to work with people who meet you with kindness and zero judgment. The team at Branz truly makes people feel supported. They’re not there to lecture or shame; they’re there to help.

by T, Saint Louis, MO

Wasn’t expecting that response, you are the first dietitian that looked at the good and not my one bad day.

by E, Saint Louis, MO

Thanks for helping me think about food differently and providing guidance regarding how to select carbs. Also, thanks for helping me recognize that the evolution would take several months to come to a ‘new normal’.

by C, Saint Louis, MO

I truly appreciate the encouragement and hearfelt, genuine concern you have for me. Your counsel and empathy have meant a great deal and helped keep me going during difficult times.

“For most of my life, I have correlated the size of my body to being loved and accepted. The smaller I am, the more lovable and acceptable I am. Giving up the dieting, the rules, and the noise has given me the freedom to trust, appreciate and accept love from others as well as myself”.

by Mother of a Patient, Saint Louis, MO

I am truly grateful we found you to be he nutritionist. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

by Mother of a Patient, Saint Louis, MO

Thank you for the caring devoted service and gentle compassion you have shown “S” over the years.

by Mother of a Patient

I can’t thank you enough for all you have done for us. I know we will continue to deal with food issues but at least I see hope. I honestly don’t know how L(or myself) could have got through the past year without you. You literally are a lifesaver!! You are an amazing dietitian!!.

by Mother of a Patient, Saint Louis, MO

Also, again, thank you for being so kind to “A”. She usually does not like seeing “doctor like people”, but she actually enjoys coming to see you, so that says a lot.

We Accept Insurance

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Branz Nutrition in the Media

Nutrition Blog & Latest News

Our team of Dietitians offers online support as well as in-person appointments in MO and IL.