What Pro Athletes Actually Eat (and What You Can Learn From It) with Sports Dietitian Emily Kaley

Greenletes Podcast

Greenletes Podcast
What Pro Athletes Actually Eat (and What You Can Learn From It) with Sports Dietitian Emily Kaley
Apr 28, 2026
Natalie Rizzo, MS, RD

What can everyday athletes learn from Olympians and pro sports teams?

In this episode, I sit down with sports dietitian Emily Kaley, who has worked with organizations like the Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, and Washington Nationals, to break down what fueling actually looks like at the highest level—and how those same principles apply to you.

Emily shares her incredible journey from collegiate athlete to working in Major League Baseball, building nutrition programs from the ground up, and eventually launching her own private practice. Along the way, we dive into the biggest misconceptions in sports nutrition and what athletes (at every level) are getting wrong.

We cover:

  •  The #1 habit that separates high performers from everyone else (hint: it’s not protein) 
  •  What a real day of eating looks like for pro athletes 
  •  Why fuel timing matters more than most people think 
  •  The truth about carbs, supplements, and trendy diets 
  •  How to fuel for evening workouts vs. early morning training 
  •  What Emily learned from culinary school—and how to keep meals simple but effective 
  •  Plant-based fueling for athletes and how to do it right 

Plus, a rapid-fire round where Emily shares her most controversial nutrition takes, underrated habits, and what she wishes more athletes understood.

Apply to work with Natalie for 1-on-1 nutrition coaching! 

Have questions or want to request a show topic? DM us @greenletes

Check out Natalie's book 📕: Planted Performance



Episode Artwork What Pro Athletes Actually Eat (and What You Can Learn From It) with Sports Dietitian Emily Kaley 43:16 Episode Artwork Body Image in Sport: What Athletes Get Wrong About Weight & Performance with Sports Dietitian Adena Neglia 37:10 Episode Artwork Exactly How to Carb Load the Week Before a Marathon 13:21 Episode Artwork What I Eat in a Week as a Plant-Based Runner (Simple Dinners for Busy Athletes) 10:07 Episode Artwork Why You’re Not Recovering From Your Runs (And How to Fix It on a Plant-Based Diet) 12:23 Episode Artwork Protein for Plant-Based Athletes: How Much You Really Need + My Daily Intake Breakdown 19:32 Episode Artwork The 3- Step Fueling Framework To Master Your Running Nutrition 21:31 Episode Artwork Electrolytes for Runners: How Much Sodium You Actually Need for Hydration & Performance 30:47 Episode Artwork How to Fuel on a Plant-Based Diet When You’re Too Busy to Meal Prep or Track: 3 Simple Principles To Follow 10:19 Episode Artwork Postpartum Running & Underfueling: What Most Moms Don’t Realize with Stephanie Darby, RD 48:57 Episode Artwork Ask Me Anything: Fat Intake, Soy Protein, Bone Healing & Post-Workout Headaches 27:07 Episode Artwork Do Plant-Based Runners Really Need Supplements? 20:48 Episode Artwork How to Tell If You’re Underfueling Your Runs (Even If You Eat Healthy) 20:24 Episode Artwork The Plant-Based Athlete Blueprint: The 5 Core Principles I Teach All My Runners 23:08 Episode Artwork From Surviving to Thriving: Lessons From 2025 and a Plant-Based Runner’s Game Plan for 2026 15:33 Episode Artwork Fuel or Fiction: The Biggest Running Nutrition Myths with Marathon Nutritionist Kristy Bauman, RD 39:08 Episode Artwork Philly Half Marathon Recap: The 4 Changes I Made To Run My Fastest Half Marathon In Years 26:30 Episode Artwork Unlocking The Joy In Fueling & Exercise: The Science Behind Happiness with Dawn Jackson Blatner, RDN 41:18 Episode Artwork The Hidden Cost of Under-Fueling: Why Female Athletes Lose Their Periods & How To Get It Back with Reilly Beatty, MS, RD, CSSD 35:10 Episode Artwork How to Lose Weight Without Losing Performance: The Truth About Body Composition for Athletes with Alex Larson, MS, RD 42:18 Episode Artwork Fueling the New York City Marathon: Carb Loading, Race Day Breakfast & Plant-Based Tips 14:26 Episode Artwork How to Be a Faster, Stronger Runner, at Any Age with Claire Bartholic of The Planted Runner 40:38 Episode Artwork My Pulmonary Embolism Story: What I Learned After a Life-Threatening Postpartum Emergency 27:54 Episode Artwork Greenletes Is Back! What We've Been Up To & What’s Ahead for Plant-Based Athletes 7:55 Episode Artwork Should athletes monitor their blood sugar during exercise?-- with Erin Palinski-Wade RD, CDE, LDN, CPT 26:39