It’s Not Talent — It’s What You’re Eating: Kelsey Poulter on Performance Nutrition That Works

What happens when you combine deep science with real-world results—and package it all in a way that actually makes sense to young athletes? You get Kelsey Poulter. In today’s episode, we’re joined by the founder of Next Level Athletes, a sports nutrition expert who has quickly become one of the most trusted voices in the performance space. With a background in Exercise Physiology and a skyrocketing online presence that’s grown from 2,000 to over 450,000 followers in just over a year, Kelsey is proof that authenticity, clarity, and results still win. Kelsey is on a mission to help athletes—from high school hopefuls to pros in the MLB—turn food into a performanceweapon. She believes nutrition is wildly underutilized in sports and calls it the “separator” that most athletes are missing. Kelsey likes to talk about how elite outcomes require elite actions—often the boring, consistent ones no one wants to talk about. In this episode she dives into the real difference between eating for general health and eating for performance, why sugar and carbs are absolutely essential for athletes, and how to rethink popular nutrition trends like skipping breakfast, cutting out food groups, or obsessing over seed oils. Whether you’re a coach, a parent, or an athlete chasing your potential, this episode is packed with perspective-shifting advice that can help you level up—without losing your mind. Tap into the Kelsey Poulter Special. If you enjoy the podcast, please consider following us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and giving us a five-star review! I would also appreciate it if you share it with your friend who you think will benefit from it. Comment the word “PODCAST” below and I’ll DM you a link to listen. If this episode blesses you, please share it with a friend! S H O W N O T E S -The Run Down By The Running Effect (our new newsletter!): https://tinyurl.com/mr36s9rs -BUY MERCH BEFORE IT’S GONE: https://shop.therunningeffect.run -Our Website: https://therunningeffect.run -THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClLcLIDAqmJBTHeyWJx_wFQ -My Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -Take our podcast survey: https://tinyurl.com/3ua62ffz