By: Anita Nall Richesson (Olympian, Nutrition & Wellness Expert)
In my last article, the number one key in achieving an elite mindset with food was linking what you eat with how you feel. Olympic Gold Medalist Dana Vollmer shared that “listening to her body and understanding the signals” has been a real key to her success since working with me on her nutrition years ago. “Learning about nutrition has made a dramatic change to my training and is one of the keys to my success”, says Vollmer.
So, how can you link what you eat with how you feel? What are the possible signals your body might be sending to let you know a particular food might not be working? The following sample assessment is what I use with clients to gauge their health.
| ENERGY | JOINT & MUSCLES | WEIGHT |
| Fatigue ___
Sluggishness ___ Hyperactivity ___ Restlessness ___ Erratic energy ___ |
Pain in joints ___
Arthritis ___ Stiffness ___ Aches in Muscles ___ RLS ___ |
Binge eating ___
Cravings ___ Excessive weight ___ Compulsive eating ___ Water Retention ___ |
| EARS | EYES | SKIN |
| Itchy ears ___
Ear aches ___ Ear infections ___ Ringing in ears ___ Hearing Loss ___ |
Watery eyes ___
Itchy eyes ___ Dark Circles ___ Swollen eyelids ___ |
Acne ___
Hives, rashes ___ Hair loss ___ Hot flashes ___ Excessive sweating ___ |
| EMOTIONS | MOUTH & THROAT | NOSE |
| Mood swings ___
Anxiety, fear ___ Depression ___ Aggressiveness ___ Nervousness ___ Irritability, Anger ___ |
Chronic coughing ___
Gagging ___ Often clear throat ___ Sore throat ___ Canker sores ___ Swollen Tongue ___ |
Stuffy Nose ___
Sinus Problems ___ Hay Fever ___ Sneezing attacks ___ Excessive Mucus ___ |
| DIGESTION | HEAD | OTHER |
| Diarrhea ___
Constipation ___ Bloated ___ Belching ___ Passing Gas ___ Stomach Pains ___ |
Headaches ___
Faintness ___ Dizziness ___ Insomnia ___ Poor concentration ___ Brain Fog __ |
Frequent illness ___
Urgent urination ___ Frequent urination __ Frequent UTI’s ___ Frequent yeast infections __ Period problems___ |
Rate the following symptoms on a scale of 1-10. If you do not experience the symptom, leave it blank.
1——————————————-5————————————————10
Minimal effect/impact Moderate Severely impacts your life
Now, add up ALL of your numbers from the assessment to get your total and compare with the scorecard below.
| Score | Assessment |
| 0-25 | Amazing Health!
On the right track, look to see where you could refine your diet even more. Don’t stop! |
| 26-40 | Good health overall!
Could use some fine-tuning to get to amazing status. |
| 41–55 | Warning Zone!
Turn it around now before your body really lets you know its’ not happy. |
| 56 & up | Yikes!
Consider a major diet overhaul to achieve your goals. |
I’m not saying you HAVE TO feel amazing in order to have a breakthrough performance. Our minds can certainly push past our ‘feelings’ at any given moment and overcome many circumstances. However, we can assert that, the more vibrant and energized you feel day in and day out at practice, the higher your performance capacity will be. If you are chronically plagued with migraine headaches and sinusitis like I was, it will take its toll at some point and decrease your capacity to perform. Energy spent handling ear infections and sore throats is unavailable energy for your training time.
How can you reduce your numbers from above? Reducing foods that encourage symptoms and zap energy is your first step. Here are the top energy zappers & symptom-makers that I regularly see in my work:
- Foods w/ added sugars & chemical sweeteners
- Processed foods Whole Foods
- Toxic Oils (soybean, hydrogenated & other vegetable oils)
Here are some simple switches you can make to get a jump on removing some of the above ingredients from your daily diet.
| INSTEAD OF THIS | TRY THIS |
| Traditional grocery store applesauce | All Natural, unsweetened applesauce |
| Traditional peanut butter | Natural, non-hydrogenated
peanut butter |
| High sugar, dry cereal w/milk, or
Flavored oatmeal in packets |
Warm crock pot mixed
whole-grain porridge or oatmeal w/ berries & honey |
| Nesquick or Carnation
Chocolate Milk |
Unsweetened chocolate almond milk
w/ vanilla stevia (Almond Breeze Brand) |
| Mini bite sized candy bars | Chocolate dipped dates
(homemade w/ low sugar chocolate) |
| Corn syrup or sugar
sweetened jelly/jam |
ALL fruit spread
(no sugar or corn syrup, just fruit) |
| Soda | Sparkling mineral water or seltzer &
a little juice OR Mineral water & flavored stevia. Try Zevia soda or Steaz |
| Pasta | Spaghetti Squash |
| Fruit Roll Up | Real, all fruit leather |
| Salted or sweetened nuts | Raw nuts |
| Traditional Chips | Avocado or Olive Oil Chips |
Stay tuned for my next article, “Ingredient Reading vs. Label Reading”. It will teach you an invaluable skill that will empower you in your elite nutrition journey.
BIOGRAPHY
Setting the swimming world ablaze at the young age of fifteen with 2 world records in one day propelled Anita into the fast lane of success. After swimming for the cycle (gold, silver, and bronze) in the 1992 Olympic Summer Games in Barcelona, many health challenges hampered her attempts at returning to an Olympic level. Challenged by a series of “mystery illnesses” that lasted a decade after the Olympics, Anita rediscovered health through food. Traditional 
medicine’s failed healing attempts drove her towards a personal quest for wellness and a passionate understanding of the healing power of food. Her profound experiences with illness, healing and professional athletics have given her a unique perspective she shares with clients.
After completing her undergraduate degree in Communications and Spanish from Arizona State University she pursued holistic nutrition education at Southwest Institute of Healing Arts in Tempe, Arizona. Anita is a Certified Holistic Nutrition Specialist, Certified Life Coach and accomplished motivational speaker. Anita is also an elite member of the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
Anita coaches clients on how to become the CWO (Chief Wellness Officer) of their own lives through her company Feed Me Anita. She completed 3 NFL seasons as Nutrition Consultant for the Jacksonville Jaguars NFL Football Team. She works with various elite professional athletes including UFC fighters, boxers & world-class swimmers as well as major corporations around the country. She recently began another business called More Than Medals. It is an empowerment program for teenage female athletes that centers around motivation, nutrition & increased self-esteem. www.morethanmedals.us
Read the following articles to learn more about Anita:
How Anita helped guide the NFL team the Jacksonville Jaguars.
By: Anita Nall Richesson (Olympian, Nutrition & Wellness Expert)
Hi Anita!! Great article! Great information!! You’re as beautiful as ever! Xo
Is this the diet to follow if I want to become emaciated during the season?