Anyone else feel like this isn’t a career-oriented profession, but instead chasing opportunities?? If you’re unable to move around and seek the next best job/opportunity available, you’re stuck. There are so few positions that end up being taken longer than 2-5 years. Those positions are out there, and they are the most coveted because of it. I’ve spent my “career” chasing a job. Looking back, it has only worked out when I knew the right person, had the appropriate experience, and lived in the right city at the right time. Needless to say, I’m exhausted chasing opportunities. I love what I do but being able to get paid what you’re worth AND not get burnt out in your job is a rare find. Tears have been shed. For myself, and for my colleagues.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m so grateful. Truly. For each experience – working as a sports dietitian and searching for a position. In both situations, I have learned so much about myself personally and professionally. We can’t be afraid to show up authentically and boldly. It’s up to us to change it for future generations! I’ve realized the missing piece is communicating WHAT we do to the professions around us. People need to understand every aspect of our job, and it is our duty to explain it.
Our field is new. ATCs and S&C have been grinding a lot longer than we have, so it makes sense those professions are well-established. We can’t expect to be at the same place, because an RD’s time spent in the athletics field is shorter. Yet, people see the benefit of an ATC AND a S&C. I think it’s important to ask – what’s the missing link to get administration or a front office to see the benefit of a sports RD? Why isn’t it the same across the board? When will all organizations see the benefit of a sports dietitian, and pay for the position what it’s worth? And by across the board, I think it’s important for you to know I mean high school, collegiate and professional level organizations.
There are full-time, part-time, consultant, fellows, GAs, and intern sports dietitians. Each organization is only willing to pay so much but expects that role to do what all the other organizations’ sports RDs do. This is a huge generalization, but it’s been harmful to our profession no doubt. I’ve seen places where the expectation is part-time pay for full-time work. Even full-time work of 2+ dietitians. Additionally, how big the budget is directly correlated to tangible effectiveness unfortunately. Food is the quick way in. Behavior change takes time, which is where part of the true value a sports dietitian can bring to the table.
How do we measure behavior change? How do we convince other professions that our worth is not in someone else’s actions or adherence? This is a dangerous slope. Holding our athletes and clients accountable. Just like they miss treatment and workouts, not adhering to a diet shouldn’t fall on the RD (**I say the word “diet” to notate interventions discussed with the athlete/client during a consult). And we shouldn’t have to keep tabs on the athlete or client to ensure they are doing what we agreed on in the consult! The reality is that knowledge does not guarantee application. Dietitians are well aware of this and have been trained in specific strategies to help combat the athlete/client maintaining status quo.
Would it be safe to say that a successful dietitian does not micromanage clients and athletes? I think the answer is yes. And that inherently makes our job harder. We don’t hand the athlete a workout to complete once daily and simply monitor reps, nor do we complete daily treatment that the athlete shows up to and follow direction. There’s the difference! *** We are asking the athlete/client to complete NEW behaviors. And even then, we can ask, but it’s up to the athlete/client to find the internal motivation to implement those new behaviors. Repeated, daily habits that will get them to the outcome they want.
DISCLOSURE*** I admit I oversimplify what ATCs, and S&C do, but I need to emphasize the point that a sports dietitian’s job lies in the athlete/client to maintain autonomous behavior.
The average American spends 67 minutes per day eating. This is definitely a generalization, because it should take ~30 min to eat each meal. If each person did take 30 minutes to eat a meal, three meals per day would bring the total up to 90 minutes. If you decide to eat two snacks, that’s also time needing to be taken into account. Taking the original average, that’s about 8 hours per week spent eating. It is physically impossible to be with a client/athlete every. single. time. they eat! We have to empower them to be able to confidently make food choices that will accomplish their goals. Since food takes so much time out of our week – arguably more than the average human spends working out each week – dietitians are essential to equip everyone with healthy lifestyle strategies involving food.
So how do we make progress? I’m afraid I’m still seeking an answer. I think recently though I learned the power of “no”. Sports dietitians are too eager to do everything, because we want buy-in. The reality is buy-in takes time, and sports RDs are getting burnt out faster than they can get the buy-in. Partially due to administrative expectations, but partially due to our own pressure within the profession. There are quite a few established collegiate programs, and competition ensues within them. I can only comment on this from an outside perspective but saying “yes” to a plethora of sports to fill a 12-hour workday for one person is a recipe for burnout. In college, I wonder how the ATC and S&C workloads are. From what I’ve seen, it’s easier to manage a schedule that isn’t primed for burnout when you only have to manage 1-2 sports teams.
The culture of athletics and sports is to make it your life. Our athletes spend so much time training, completing lifts to get stronger/maintain strength and flexibility, in treatment/rehabilitating, fueling their bodies, as well as studying the sport they are trying to master. This attitude trickles into the staff’s work lives as well. We cater to the athletes and want to be available whenever needed. Does this need to change? I can’t answer the question. I don’t think I’m the right person to answer that question. Because when I commit to something, I throw my whole heart and head in. I get the feeling of all-consuming.
We live in a nation where sports are held on this lofty pedestal. It’s a product of the wealth of our nation. Argue all you want, but we are a wealthy nation. For the majority of people to be able to spend a considerable amount of our paycheck on entertainment – that’s wealth. Our nation is built on the notion of finding a distraction, for anything. We have social media, sports, concerts, comedy shows, etc. – and some more illegal options!
However, in our world of excess, we have provided so many jobs in these respective entertainment fields. And I don’t think that’s a bad thing. But the fallout is that none are truly essential. We’ve learned that through the pandemic. I wrestle with this because I want to help people. And people truly can benefit from improved nutrition habits implemented in their life. Everyone deserves this kind of care. But am I willing to go to the edge, risk burnout, to perpetuate a culture held on a lofty pedestal?
There’s so much pain and harm in the world right now, outside our world of entertainment excess. It’s hard for me not to think our resources would be better served there.
I had to put this out there. My intentions were to note how far our profession has come, but still how far we have to go. I want to fight for sports dietitians. But we have to look within and help ourselves out first. And then I went on a tangent! 🙂 sounds about right. Comment if you have any thoughts or ideas!
Aspire Higher 
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