The Tools Nutritionists Can’t Ignore

Get smarter every week with expert opinions, in-depth analysis, and real-world case studies to elevate your practice.

Expert Opinion - Dr. Warren Bradley: From Performance Nutrition to Entrepreneurship

Performance nutrition isn't just about food—it's about innovation.

Dr. Warren Bradley knows this firsthand, transitioning from performance nutritionist at Munster Rugby, England Rugby 7's, and Premier League clubs to founding Hytro, a breakthrough BFR device.

His journey began as a performance nutritionist, observing elite athletes using blood flow restriction (BFR) training for recovery post-injury.

The evidence was compelling, but the problems were clear: existing BFR devices were expensive, complicated, and required supervision—limiting widespread adoption.

Innovation spark: What if BFR could be made safe, simple, and autonomous?

Dr. Bradley filed a patent but continued his performance career until 2019, when market timing and a meeting with Goalmaster executives created the perfect opportunity to launch.

Ikigai concept: Dr. Bradley found his purpose at the intersection of four elements:

• What he loved (sports science)

• What he excelled at (athlete relationships)

• What the market needed (accessible BFR technology)

• What could generate income (commercial performance solution)

Actionable Takeaway:

1. Identify problems in your everyday practice

2. Look for overlaps between passion, skill, market need, and commercial potential

3. Recognise timing when market conditions favour your solution

Are you sitting on an innovation that could transform performance? Your unique perspective as a practitioner could be the foundation for your own entrepreneurial journey.

Market Opportunity - No-Code Web Tools for Performance Nutritionists

Top Pick: AI-powered development platforms like Cursor.ai, Replit, and Lovable.dev

Our Take: The tech barrier for nutritionists is crumbling. New AI-powered tools are enabling coaches to create professional web components—calculators, trackers, recommendation engines—without coding knowledge.

A perfect example emerged when a Performance Nutrition Network member shared their challenge with excessive Nutella consumption at team breakfasts.

Using these tools, within seconds we conceptualised a "Nutella Tracker" dashboard—visualising consumption patterns and helping athletes become aware of their habits. LINK

While the Nutella tracker showcases the technology with a lighthearted example, the implications are serious—you're now equipped to build solutions for challenges your athletes face.

We recently used Lovable.dev combined with Claude to create the calorie calculator and supplement advisor on this website. LINK 

Here's why this matters:

• Interactive tools capture more leads than static content

• Custom calculators keep visitors on your site for longer

• Bespoke nutrition tools demonstrate expertise in ways generic content can't

Would you like a tutorial on the website calorie calculators? Reply to this email!

Resource Roundup - Academy Football Nutrition Research

Evan Bailey, Lead Academy Nutritionist at Birmingham City FC, has created an invaluable database of academy football nutrition research. Here are three standout papers from his collection:

• Body Composition: "Anthropometric and Body Composition Profile of Young Professional Soccer Players" - Bernal-Orozco et al., 2020. LINK

• Acute Fuelling, Recovery: "Nutritional Status and Daytime Pattern of Protein Intake on Match, Post-Match, Rest and Training Days in Senior Professional and Youth Elite Soccer Players" - Bettonviel et al., 2016. LINK

• Vitamin D Status, Supplementation Guidelines: "Prevalence and Treatment of Vitamin D Deficiency in Young Male Russian Soccer Players in Winter" - Bezuglov et al., 2019. LINK

Check out Evan's complete research database and connect with him on LinkedIn for more valuable resources. LINK

From the Community

This Week's Shoutout: A member asked about habit change strategies for athletes. Dr. James Morehen shared what works in practice.

Key Insights:

• Habit Stacking: Attach new behaviors to existing routines

• Environmental Design: Place performance foods at eye level

• Team Involvement: A nutritionist shared success involving captains in managing Nutella consumption

• Behavior Framework: Dr. Morehen recommends James Clear's four laws: Make it obvious, attractive, easy, and satisfying

Join the conversation via the Performance Nutrition Network. Save 25% with code "pnnmember25". LINK

High Impact Job

Part-time Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Nutrition at Bath Spa University – This permanent academic position (0.5 FTE) focuses on teaching applied sport nutrition, anatomy, physiology, and metabolism across the university's nutrition programs, with particular emphasis on their new Sport and Exercise Nutrition program launched in 2023. LINK

Competency Improvement:

• Experience with Association for Nutrition framework and accreditation is highly desirable

• Teaching experience in higher education, especially module leadership

• Balance research activities with teaching responsibilities

Applications close March 9th, with interviews scheduled for March 26th, 2025.

Explore More Job Opportunities: Find more high-impact jobs here.

That’s all for this week!

Speak soon,

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