141: How to Coach Young Athletes: Busting Myths – Fueling, Recovery, and Building Self Trust

In this Episode

In the final episode of our series on coaching young athletes, Sara Gross and co-host Jill Colangelo are joined by MD student, scientist, coach, and pro-runner Keely Henninger (@runwidkeel) to debunk myths about body weight, nutrition, and the often-overlooked role of mental health in sports—especially during the late-teen and early collegiate years.

Through a true-or-false format, Jill and Keely tackle key questions:

• Does a lighter body weight lead to better performance?
• Is it okay to skip breakfast before a tough training session?
• Do I really need rest days?
• Is missing a period a badge of honor?

Sara, Jill, and Keely also share personal experiences with underfueling, overtraining, and moments when they ignored their intuition—decisions they now look back on with regret.

This conversation encourages young athletes to recognize warning signs, make informed choices, and build a healthy relationship with their sport—one that supports both performance and long-term well-being.

Sign up to Receive The Feisty 40+ Newsletter:

https://www.feistymenopause.com/blog/Feisty-40-plus

Sign up to Receive The Feist Newsletter:

https://www.womensperformance.com/the-feist

Follow us on Instagram:

@feisty_womens_performance

Feisty Media Website:

https://livefeisty.com/

https://www.womensperformance.com/

Support our Partners:

Previnex: Get 15% off your first order with the code PERFORMANCE at https://www.previnex.com/