I talk to Laura Tilt, Dietitian & health writer, about nutrition and cycling.

Could you tell us a little about yourself and how you became an expert in nutrition?

Of course – and thank you for the invite to chat to you. I’m a registered dietitian and health writer with specialist interests in sports nutrition, weight management and digestive health. I do a mixture of work from advising patients and clients on a 121 basis to writing for magazines.

I started studying nutrition around 10 years ago after my home economics teacher sparked my interest in the subject! I had always been interested in food and cooking, so it was a natural progression. After my bachelors degree in nutrition I moved to London and studied a masters in public heath nutrition, and I spent some years working as a health editor and nutritionist for the health coach fitbug (fitbug.com).

I later decided I wanted to work on a more 1-2-1 basis with individuals so I returned to study dietetics, becoming a registered dietitian in early 2012. Like many fields of interest – you never stop learning about nutrition; it’s an ever-evolving science.

How does that expertise extend to sport and cycling?

I became more interested in sports nutrition a few years ago, and started writing for cycling weekly shortly after. I’m currently studying for the International Olympic Committee diploma in sports nutrition with a view to working more in this area.

I think it’s fascinating how much diet and nutrition can affect sports performance…

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