Athlete Nutrition Profile - Endurance athlete, scientist, and entrepreneur, Simon Donato
Dec 7, 2023
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Endurance athlete, scientist, and entrepreneur Simon Donato shares his journey from adventure racing to founding Adventure Science. Discusses nutrition evolution, plant-based diet, and hydration for ultra running. Highlights adventure insights merging with scientific expeditions. Explores oatmeal innovation and dietary shifts for endurance performance. Mentions online availability of products and amusing Instagram posts.
Balancing family life and adventure pursuits is essential for endurance athletes like Simon Donato.
Adventure Science combines fitness and scientific exploration in remote locations efficiently.
Simon Donato emphasizes simplicity and a shift towards a mostly plant-based diet in his nutrition choices.
Nutrition's precision in endurance racing is vital for optimal performance, recovery, and overall well-being.
Deep dives
Evolution of Fitness and Adventure Pursuits
Simon describes his journey from a young age where he displayed active tendencies to engaging in team sports and later transitioning to endurance sports like adventure racing and mountain biking. He highlights the importance of balance between fitness pursuits and family life, acknowledging the shift in priorities after becoming a parent.
Founding of Adventure Science
Adventure Science was born from Simon's desire to give purpose to his endurance pursuits. Drawing inspiration from his love for endurance sports and field science, Adventure Science aimed to bring together fitness enthusiasts and scientists to explore remote locations efficiently. Simon shared how Adventure Science tackled search and rescue missions and engaged in field studies using high fitness levels to cover months of work in days.
Balancing Nutrition and Fitness
Simon reflects on the evolution of sports nutrition products over time, starting from power bars to gels and real food like potatoes, cucumbers, and carrots during endurance races. He discusses the importance of simplicity in nutrition choices and highlights the shift towards a mostly plant-based diet in his daily life.
Reviving Adventure Science Post-COVID
Adventure Science paused activities due to COVID restrictions but plans to resume with a focus on search and rescue missions and scientific expeditions. Simon discusses the upcoming projects that blend fitness and scientific exploration, emphasizing the group's balance between local and international endeavors.
Transitioning to Parenthood and Business Focus
Transitioning to parenthood prompted Simon to reevaluate his fitness pursuits and prioritize family life. The founding of Stoked Oats marked a shift towards a focus on personal health and business endeavors. Simon shares his love for simplicity in diet choices and maintaining a balance between family, fitness, and business responsibilities.
Importance of Nutrition in Endurance Racing
Nutrition plays a crucial role in endurance racing, especially in demanding events held in extreme conditions. The speaker highlights the shift towards a more precise approach to nutrition during races, focusing on optimal results and recovery. Emphasis is placed on the significance of fueling the body with high-quality, strategic nutrients to combat inflammation, improve performance, and support overall well-being.
The Origin and Evolution of Stoked Oats
The podcast delves into the origin story of Stoked Oats, a company founded by the speaker. The idea stemmed from a personal need for a healthier breakfast option that led to the creation of nutrient-dense oat blends. This venture blossomed organically, starting from sharing oatmeal with colleagues to establishing a successful business that prioritizes low added sugar and high-quality ingredients. The speaker's commitment to providing a flexible and customizable breakfast experience resonates with customers seeking healthier and tasteful alternatives.
Welcome to Episode 79 of the Eat for Endurance Podcast, featuring Simon Donato, an endurance athlete, scientist, entrepreneur, and life-long adventure seeker.
If you’re not familiar with Simon, he has a really interesting background. He grew up exploring and playing multiple sports, eventually getting into adventure racing while at University. After getting his PhD in Geology, he founded a company called Adventure Science, where he leads teams of Athlete-Explorers on various scientific expeditions in remote parts of the world. He also hosted the TV show Boundless for three seasons, documenting his endurance adventures around the world, and owns Stoked Oats, an oatmeal and granola company.
Simon lives with his family in Canada, and adventures look slightly different now that he has two young kids, but he is still living the adventurer life. I loved hearing all the details of his athletic and nutrition journey, and I hope you do as well.
Links & Resources:
https://www.stokedoats.com/ - use the code STOKEDEFE on their website for 15% off your purchase. FYI this is an affiliate link, but they did not sponsor this episode - sharing because I enjoy their stuff.
Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations