• Full name: Kristen Arnold
• Hometown(s): Columbus Ohio
• Alma mater(s): The Ohio State University
• Primary sport/event: Cycling, Criteriums

Area of focus as an RD (i.e., triathletes, endurance athletes, women, OCR athletes)women athletes

Geographic locations served (state, country, etc.) United States

High profile athletes you’ve worked with: Katie McBeath, professional figure skater, Olivia Cummins, U23 Criterium National Champion

Motto/mission/reason for existing: To cultivate your personal best through nutrition.

What events/camps/things do you have coming up for the remainder of 2022 that we should know about and help you promote?  

Watch the pro women’s team I direct/coach, Wolfpack p/b ProBikeKit, race LIVE Sunday August 28 and Sunday September 4 at the American Criterium Cup events. https://americancritcup.com/media/outside-livestream/

What are YOU working on/toward right now (either professionally or personally)? playing as much volleyball as possible, post pro-cycling retirement

Playing in your ear right now (album, artist, or song):Marina, Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land

Favorite healthy recipe No Bake Power Bars, Cinnamon Plum Edition: https://arnoldrdn.com/learn/2020/11/27/no-bake-power-bars-cinnamon-plum-edition-recipe

Favorite “treat” food or recipe:

2+ Ingredient Cookies: https://arnoldrdn.com/learn/2020/11/27/2-ingredient-cookies-recipe

Myth/misperception that athletes have about nutrition, performance

Myth: common plant milk are a healthy alternative to cow’s milk.

Professional Perspective: Oat, almond, rice, flax, hemp, coconut, and other plant milks lack protein and nutritional value compared to nutrient-dense cow’s milk. Most of the vitamins and minerals in these milks are added, or sprayed on as I like to say. An 8oz serving of these plant milks typically contains 0-1g of protein, while cow’s milk contains 8g of protein per 8oz serving. Soy milk contains 6-8g protein per 8oz serving and is one of the only plant milks which could be considered a more direct substitute for cow’s milk. If you’re trying to stay away from dairy, switch to soy milk rather than other types of plan milks.

Tell us about your brand

Want to take the guesswork out of eating for optimal performance and health? Need new recipes and meal ideas that meet your nutrient needs and fit into your lifestyle, training and competition schedule, and eating preferences? Consider the Victory Plan. Get nutrition counseling to learn the concepts and support and the fully custom meal plans to jumpstart your performance-focused eating patterns. Victory Plan clients regularly talk about how many new foods and recipes they have added to their lineup of favorites and their immediate boost in energy levels throughout the day and during training and competition. https://arnoldrdn.com/nutritionservices

How has ABT helped your clients/how do you use it to help you help them?ABT fills a gap in my ability to provide high-quality remote nutrition counseling services. With ABT my assessment process is comprehensive and we can dial in the most effective methods and strategies to enhancing performance and health through nutrition. I always suggest clients complete an ABT panel at the beginning of our time working together.

What you are working toward now: Slaying the crit scene and getting multiple series jerseys in the USACRITS series

Day job (if you have one): sports dietitian, cycling coach

Proudest athletic accomplishment: founding Lady Gnar Shredders, placing 4th in the overalls at Intelligentsia Cup

Funny athletic moment/memory: rolling up the start lines with my shorts/bibs hiked up so I can wait for my PR Lotion to soak in, looking like a 60s bikini model

Favorite non-athletic/sports hobby/activity: swimming in lakes, watering holes, and the ocean

My personal “walk up”/motivational/current theme song is…. Derezzed by Daft Punk on Tron Soundtrack

Best junk food ever created: Dots pretzels

Favorite recipes (please include links to one-or more- if you are a kitchen whiz!): No-Bake Power Bars

Favorite cocktail/drink of choice (if applicable): Anything with Mezcal

Family info: My father is a retired Army Brigadier General

Secret talent: I know the phonetic alphabet by heart 

Professional (non-athletic) superpower: listening

Personal (non-athletic) superpower: making a delicious meal out of whatever I have on hand

Favorite athletic/sports book: Calm the F*ck Down and Rise to the Occasion by Simon Marshall, PhD and Lesley Paterson

Favorite athletic/sports movie: A League of their Own

Quote about how Athlete Blood Test has helped your nutrition, recovery, or performance: ABT has helped me to understand my biomarker values as it relates to me as an athlete. This has shed light on some key questions I’ve had with my doctor that they did not know how to answer as they don’t specialize in sports medicine. The key areas for improvement in my blood values on the ABT panel have helped me identify holes in my performance. Their robust assessment of my panel values and recommendations have helped me fill those holes and now I have been able to train harder and longer than before. Using ABT in my practice has elevated the level of care I provide and allowed me the information I need to enhance the performance of the athletes who work with me. 

Recipe Name: No-Bake Power Bars

Recipe Author: Kristen Arnold MS, RDN, CSSD

Ingredients:

1.5 cups pitted dates
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup chia seeds
1/2 cup coconut, shredded unsweetened
1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks or chips
1/2 cup oats
1 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

1. Blend dates in food processor until they make a ball on their own.

2. Add all other ingredients to the food processor until it makes a mostly uniform glob. You may need to add water to make everything come together (depending on how dry your dates are). 

3. Smoosh glob into a wax paper lined baking dish and the glob is about 3/4 inch thick.

4. Place in freezer for a few hours.

5. Cut into squares to your liking.