Safety, Stigma & Speaking Up in Sport with Rebecca McConville

Rebecca McConville on breaking down stereotypes and stigma in sport.

 

In this episode, Rebecca shares her experience from college athlete to sport dietitian and gives us a comprehensive insight into Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) to include how it came to be, the current gaps and room for improvements, an introduction into assessing and screening for RED-S, and the main myths surround the condition. She also shares how we can overcome hesitations from coaches and athletes when it comes to bringing a dietitian onboard and the importance of sports clinicians coming together to create a safer environment for athletes. 

Here Fi and Rebecca speak about:

• • First meeting each other within the sport dietetic sector and what Becca has currently been up to
  • Becca’s experience as a college athlete, to landing her first job as a dietitian and then finding the IE / HAES / non-diet movement.
  • Relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S);
    • What RED-S is?
    • How RED-S came to be and how it has evolved – whilst paying homage to the important work of those who have come before us!
    • Where there are gaps, room for improvements and the need for further research. 
    • An intro to assessing and screening; what to look out for and how people are presenting.
    • The main myths, stigma and stereotypes surrounding RED-S.
  • What the main hesitations are of bringing dietitians into sporting cultures and ways we can help overcome concerns and get involved.  

• The problematic behaviour of not speaking about and overlooking disordered eating and eating disorders in sports and how we must work towards creating safer environments for athletes.

• How you can learn to support and impower your athletes by joining Becca’s clinician training program – find out more here!

As mentioned in the podcast:

RED-S:

• The Female Athlete Triad, Roberta Trattner Sherman PhD, Ron A. Thompson, PhD https://doi.org/10.1177/10598405040200040301

• Roberta Sherman, PhD, FAED, CEDS, Consulting Psychologist and Co-Founder of The Victory Program
• Kathryn Ackerman, MD, MPH, Physician, Sports Medicine Division; Director, Female Athlete Program
• Ron A. Thompson, PhD, FAED, CEDS, Consulting Psychologist and Co-Founder of The Victory Program
• The Mindful Dietitian Podcast Episode 43 with Nicola Rinaldi
• Dr Claire-Marie Roberts
• InPower Masterclass on RED-S by Becca McConville
• Finding your Sweet Spot by Rebecca McConville

More about Rebecca: 

Becca McConville MS, RD, LDN, CSSD, CEDRD-S is a board certified sports specialist and eating disorder dietitian.  In addition to Becca’s private practice, she has served as a consultant to the University of Missouri Kansas City Athletics, Kansas City Ballet, local colleges and previously worked with the Kansas City Chiefs. Becca is also the author of Finding your Sweet Spot: How to Avoid RED-S (Relative Energy Deficit in Sport) by Optimizing Your Energy Balance and the InPower masterclass on RED-S. She is a co-host of a podcast called PHIT for a Queen devoted to female athletes. Co-author with sports psychologist Dr. Mel Streno on a workbook devoted to transition out of sport soon to be released-Spring 2021.

Connect with Rebecca:

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