amazing experience

Hello!!  The SCAN conference at the Olympic Training Center was such a wonderful and eye-opening experience for me. 

It was so neat to get to meet all the wonderful dietitians and sport dietitians there and see what everyone is doing to advance the profession.  I actually felt pretty inadequate in the experience department to tell you the truth, but it was so wonderful talking with different people and also very motivating.  I can tell you that dietitians are very motivated, driven and amazing individuals that have a true passion for their specialties!!   

The weather and scenery was just beautiful.  I wish I would have had time to go to Garden of the Gods while I was there.

 

 

Every session was very interesting and didn’t really focus on the basics which was perfect.  A lot of times in my classes I wish for more advanced concepts and practical applications, but they fall short of my expectations.  I feel like that is what I really need right now to advance and get better.  I learn and retain information best with hands-on and practical experiences, not just sitting in a classroom.  I believe that is my next goal . . . finding some way to get more hands-on experience in the field.  This too will increase my confidence.

Here are some of the sessions that were presented:

• Energy Systems and Energy Metabolism
• Fluid Balance, Body Comp, RMR, Blood Glucose
• Endurance, Weight class/combative/aesthetic, Winter Sports
• Collegiate Athletes
• Professional Team Sports
• Marketing Yourself in Sports Dietetics
• Environmental Challenges, Recovery Nutrition, Travel
• Developmental (Youth)
• Female Athlete Triad
• Ergogenic Aids
• Tips for the Workplace from Coaches, RDs, Athletes

I would have liked to see a session on athletes with special needs, like diabetes, crohn's, allergies, physical disabilities, etc.  Let me know if you have interest in any one of these in particular and I’ll go over some of the main points in the future.  I need to go over them all again myself to make sure I retain the information.

Another great thing about this trip was staying in the USOC training center dorms and getting to eat in the dining hall there.  The food was definitely not your typical cafeteria food, it was really good! 

I hated our college DC food and lived off salads, frozen yogurt and whatever I could fit in my mini fridge.  I didn’t take pictures of all my food there because I didn’t know how others would take it, or think I was strange.  Each menu item also had detailed nutrition facts which I thought was awesome :)

This was some kind of sun-dried tomato chicken with spinach and tomato pasta, and of course all the salad you could ever want! 

    

Here are some other pictures of the OTC:

There is a man in the picture jumping across the floor like a giselle!  He had giant quads :)

 

This was the power-lifting training room 

This is the Sports Medicine and recovery room where athletes go to unwind after a good training session.  Our tour guide said this isn’t open to the public. 

Boy I sure wanted one of these!!!!! 

I wish I was going to FNCE as well, it would have been so neat to meet many of the fellow RD bloggers.  My friend and I are planning on going next year if we can swing it. 

Last night we went to a HS friend’s wedding reception and it was so beautiful!!!  It was actually like a little mini reunion because I saw so many people that I had known.  I was so happy for them and of course I had to have some of the cake!  It wasn’t spectacular, but still pretty good.  I wish I would have gotten the strawberry one, but grabbed the lemon thinking that was the only flavor.  Sure is pretty . . .

 

At the moment I’m scrambling to get the guest room ready for my mom on Tuesday!  We’ve got it painted and put the bookshelf in there so I could get rid of the many boxes I’ve been avoiding for so long.  I just have too much crap I think, especially all my school work, which isn’t crap but I just can’t seem to get rid of it. 

I’m also getting behind on my school work since being out of town.  I have to get a lit review done for one project and also a research proposal for my research methods class.  Lots to do!  But, I’m looking forward to the winter break fast approaching.  I saw Christmas decorations already being put on display.  How is it the holiday season already?!   

There were inspirational quotes all over the OTC.  I’ll leave you with this one from Lance Armstrong . . . 

 

Hope you all had a good weekend!  Get out there and show ‘em what you got!