Nutrition and sports
Lea Stening has motivated some of New Zealand’s top cricketers, rowers, Para Olympians and many more. Georgia Summerton caught up with her, ahead of her latest book launch.
Dietician, columnist, author and motivator, Lea Stening is a house-hold name in many sporting homes, having worked with dozens of adults and children. Her latest literary offering focuses on children, and her own concerns about the lack of nutritional education in schools and sports.
As a result of this, she believes that too many children are dropping out of sport and no longer having fun, many with injuries and health problems.
“Working with growing children and their families, I see many getting tired, their food intake out of sync with their needs for growth, development and activity,” she explains.
“There is a real need for parents, coaches and teachers to work together, to have a better understanding of children’s daily nutrition needs and how to vary food intake to match their goals for training and performance.
Lea hopes to fill some of those gaps with How to Grow an Athlete. If nothing else, she hopes they will learn how to fill the nutrient and energy gap when growing children exercise, and learn how nutrients protect the brain, improve mental health, cognition, sleep and self-regulation.
“Kids loving sport helps them to enjoy life,” she says. “By nourishing them well on that journey we all contribute to enabling them to live their best lives long into adulthood.”
She is passionate about health promotion as a result of seeing the way people’s lives are transformed when they stop dieting and learn about the power of food to fuel, adapt and repair their bodies.
Her advice: “Appreciate your body more. It’s deserving of your love and respect. It’s very easy to put on weight even eating ‘healthy food’. Find out what you need. See a dietitian for a nutritional assessment, your GP to get blood tests done and find out what you may be missing in nutrients and understanding.”
Children need to eat similar food to their parents, but the serving sizes and consistency will vary with their age and development, says Lea. “Physiological differences between adults and children affect their nutritional needs, hydration and performance.
“Our bodies are constantly regenerating cells, and it is never too late to make healthier decisions to build healthier lives. Nutrition education can give you the knowledge and freedom to enjoy a wider range of foods and improve your personal power, mental and physical performance.”
“By nourishing them well on that journey we all contribute to enabling them to live their best lives long into adulthood.”
Lea Stening was born in Auckland, grew up in a state house in Palmerston North with her supportive solo mother and older brother. Her mother taught her to work hard and never give up.
She completed a Dip Home Science Otago, married and moved to Christchurch in 1975 for Dietetic training (PG Dip Diet) then worked for four years in Melbourne and London, specialising in paediatrics.
Timeline
1980 Dietitian in Charge, Burwood Hospital.
1985, with two children to take care of, Lea started a Commerce Degree majoring in Education and Marketing.
1991 Lea co-founded Healthworks with pharmacist Peter Fear.
1997 Lea undertook sports nutrition study at AIS in Canberra.
Worked with the Black Caps and developing cricketers for eight years and five years with NZ Rowing.
Contracted to NZ Paralympian working with the NZ Wheel Blacks for 12 years, including when they won gold at Athens Olympics in 2004.
2013 moved her work online, working with families and developing athletes.
2020 helped set up dietary services at the Charitable Hospital and 298 Youth Hub.
