My strength and conditioning coach is Eric Snowden, who was the strength coach for the Utah Jazz. When I approached Eric to be my coach, his first two questions to me were:

• How are you eating?
• What are your sleeping habits like?

Eric's coaching philosophy is built on the foundation that each athlete dedicates 33.3% to training, 33.3% to nutrition & 33.3% to rest.

Eat right, but adjust to your body

My in-season diet is comprised of a high protein moderate carbohydrate intake. I found I was losing too much weight with a low carbohydrate diet. We spend so much time in the cold wearing nothing but a skin suit I found I was burning too many calories, so I increased my complex carbohydrate intake. It is critical in a gravity sport for me to maintain my weight throughout the entire skeleton season.

Prepare your body in advance, not just on competition days

It is important to eat food that is easy to digest the day prior to competition. Red meat is harder on your digestive system than other sources of protein. It is also important to drink more water than normal to prevent dehydration on race day. My normal water intake is at least eight glasses per day. Day of competition it is important to find foods that work for you. Our competitions usually last three hours. I need to sustain my energy without eating so much I become sluggish. Complex sugars are what work for me best.

Have a plan, and stick with it

Here is a sample of how I would eat the day prior to competition and the day of competition.

Day prior to competition

• Breakfast: 3 eggs (only one egg yolk), juice and banana
• Training: Juice or XL - 1 drink, water, yogurt
• Lunch: Turkey sandwich, cottage cheese, juice and water
• Dinner: Boiled chicken breast, salad, green beans, mashed potatoes, water and a cookie (I am human, too!)

Day of competition (mid-morning race)

• Breakfast: 3 eggs (only one egg yolk), juice and banana
• At the race: Yogurt, apple juice, apple or banana and water.