Stephanie Hnatiuk Performance Nutrition

Stephanie Hnatiuk Performance Nutrition Science-backed, data-driven nutrition and run coaching for runners who want to unlock their full performance potential!

05/15/2026

Would you try a carb stick on your next long run?

These Carb Sticks are a brilliant alternative to individually packaged gels, chews, or sport drink mixes

(And you can get them right here locally at Big Sky Run co!)

With 30g carbs per stick and 200mg sodium, they can be dissolved in just enough water to give them a gel-like consistency, or mixed with more water to make them into a sports drink.

These carb sticks are a great way to fuel your long workouts and races while reducing your waste and single use packaging. Plus, you're not going to spill your drink mix powder all over the place while trying to pour it into your bottle!

What do you think? Will you be trying these carb sticks as you prep for your next event?

Let us know in the comments and be sure to follow .the.runners.dietitian and for more Fuel Smarter Fridays!

05/12/2026

"I really don't want to wake up even earlier in the morning to eat before I run"

Not fueling up before you run hurts your stamina and endurance and make it harder for you to get in the quality workouts you need to actually become a faster stronger runner.

But, if the idea of eating ANYTHING before a run makes you feel a little queasy, I got you👇🏼

First, remember that your pre run meal doesn't need to be massive.

Sure, if you have no problem eating a bagel, banana, and glass of juice before a run go right ahead, but the idea behind your pre run meal isn't to try and eat all the calories you'll be burning during that run.

It's just to get a little gas in your tank that will prevent your blood sugar from bottoming out mid run, leaving you feeling weak, dizzy, and crashing.

Start small and go slow. A Graham cracker, half a banana, or handful of cereal is plenty to start training your gut to tolerate food before you run. Even a small glass of fruit juice is perfect!

Over time gradually build up that amount to what works for you (and will work on race day!)

Optimizing your fueling strategy for stronger faster running and better body composition doesn't need to be complicated- the first step is assessing your current eating habits and finding out where your nutrition gaps are.

To do this, check out my free fueling audit for runners. In 5 minutes you'll know exactly where you're at with your nutrition, and how to fix your fueling for good!

Get the audit at the link in my profile, or comment FUEL and I'll send it to your DMs.

Then, be sure to hit follow and check out the other parts in this series where I'm breaking down these common fueling mistakes!

How it started.....And how it's going.These chaos coordinators get bigger everyday but still want to snuggle together on...
05/10/2026

How it started.....

And how it's going.

These chaos coordinators get bigger everyday but still want to snuggle together on mommy's lap❤️

05/08/2026

It's Friday night.

Your 15 mile long run is tomorrow morning.

You ate protein and vegetables for dinner and are proud of how clean you managed to eat all week.

You wake up on Saturday morning, drink a cup of coffee, and head out.

You keep hearing that fasted runs, especially fasted long runs are ideal for fat loss, and that eating before a run will stop you from losing weight.

You're feeling pretty good at first, but as the miles go on you start to notice the same feeling creeping in.

Your legs start feeling heavy, your pace starts to slow, and your heart rate and effort are climbing even though this is supposed to be an easy run.

You get through the run on sheer grit and determination, but you don't feel strong, and you definitely don't feel confident that you'll reach your goal pace for a full 26.2 on race day.

You get back from your run and crash, hard. When you finally have the energy to move you’re ready to eat the entire kitchen and spend the rest of the afternoon and evening eating absolutely everything in sight.

You add it all into your calorie tracker just to see, and are relieved that it wasn't 'that bad', and you're still in a deficit for the week overall.

But you also can't help but wonder why if you're being so careful all week, and running so much, why the scale keeps going up?

The problem is your fueling timing strategy. Instead of trying to burn all the calories during your long run to create a deficit that you eat back later, you need to start proactively fueling up BEFORE you train for better workout quality, less ravenous hunger and cravings post-run, and improved results and body composition.

Helping runners break free of this 'eat less move more' weight loss rollercoaster to nowhere is exactly what I do.

Inside my Fueled Runner Program, you'll learn exactly what to eat when to run stronger, get more energy and endurance, and finally see the improvements in your body composition that match the hard work you're putting in.

Comment READY to get the program details sent to your DMs, or find it at the link in my profile!

05/07/2026

If you've ever Googled "how to carb load", or "what gels are best for runners" 2 days before your half or full marathon, I'm begging you to stop scrolling and read this👇🏼

(And, if you’re seeing this post the algorithm has sent you here for a reason so be sure to hit follow!)

As a Sport Dietitian and Running Coach, I see too many runners making this huge mistake with their fueling, that's leaving them anxious, underfueled, and flat on race day:

Letting their fueling be a total afterthought. Something that they start wondering about during race week when there's no training runs left, no time to practice, and no time for gut training.

Since we never want to try new things on race day, especially things that can mess with our tummies, carb loading or taking gels for the first time during a big race is a recipe for disaster.

Instead, remember that your fueling and hydration training starts the same day your race training starts. Having 12-20 weeks to practice, learn, and prepare means you'll show up to your race knowing exactly what works for you and feel confident and prepared.

It'll completely transform how you run and how you race.

Want to find out if your current fueling habits are helping your running or holding you back from the runs you deserve? Find out with my 5- minute fueling audit for runners! Comment FUEL to get the link sent to your DMs, or grab it at the link in my profile.

05/01/2026

How to take your carb loading from so-so to actually being your running super power!

Contrary to popular belief, carb loading is no longer just one big pasta dinner the night before a race!

Instead, it's an intentional increase in total daily carbs with the goal of maximizing muscle glycogen stores for races longer than about 2 hours.

Done correctly and carb loading can help you race up to 5% faster!

But if we don't practice and train our gut to tolerate the additional fuel, or we try to carb load with foods that have too much fibre, protein, and fat and we can wind up worse off on race day with GI issues and extra bathroom stops.

Aim for 8-12g carbohydrates per kg of your body weight, focusing on low fibre (often liquid) calories to meet your goal.

Follow and .the.runners.dietitian for more in our Fuel Smarter Friday series!

04/28/2026

"60g carbs per hour is WAY more than anyone needs to train with"...

Can you get through your long run with little to no fuel?

Probably, yes.

But if you’re planning on fueling during your race (which if you're running a half or full marathon you definitely should), you can't just show up on race day with some gels in your pocket and hope for the best.

I see too many runners swear that fueling doesn't work for them, that they don't tolerate gels, or that they perform far better with zero fuel.

When the reality is they haven't done any training for their gut to be able to tolerate fuel and fluids during a race.

Teaching your digestive system to take in fuel during a run takes practice, consistency, and gradually increasing the amount of carbs you consume over time.

So, while you can get through your training runs without extra fuel, if you want to show up on race day ready to crush it and feel strong right to the finish line, remember that fuel is your friend!

As you're building up to your next half or full marathon, don't let your nutrition be an afterthought- grab your copy of my Fuel Smarter Run Stronger ebook at the link in my profile, or comment the word EBOOK and I'll send the link to your DMs!

Address

Winnipeg, MB

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Stephanie Hnatiuk Performance Nutrition posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Stephanie Hnatiuk Performance Nutrition:

Shortcuts

Share

Category