“We need energy for everything — heart, lungs, kidneys, reproductive health, digestion, immune function, bone health, and mental health. If you don’t eat enough, the energy you do have goes to your sport first, and there may not be enough left to support those other systems. That’s where health problems start to appear.” -Heidi Skolnik
Heidi Skolnik, MS, CDN, FACSM, recently joined the sports nutrition team of the New York Liberty — the WNBA champions of the 2024 season. It’s a well-earned appointment for one of the most respected leaders in the field of performance nutrition.
Skolnik’s resume spans some of the biggest teams in professional sports — the New York Knicks, New York Giants, and New York Mets among them — as well as the NHL, MLS, and WNBA. Through her company, Nutrition Conditioning, she also oversees the Performance Nutrition Program at The Juilliard School and the School of American Ballet, and has consulted for numerous Broadway productions.
For this editor, though, her latest position is especially exciting as the 2025 WNBA playoff season kicks off, given the overwhelming popularity of women’s basketball and the Liberty’s last history-making season. I’ve known Heidi for more than 30 years, and sat down with her to talk about her new role, the culture of the Liberty, and why fueling the body is about so much more than performance.
Claudia Lebenthal: Congratulations on this new role with the Liberty! Tell me how it all came about.
Heidi Skolnik: It happened because of Mary Ellen Kelly, an incredibly talented sports dietician out of Boston who has a company called Fuel Forward. She was with the team for three years and was given the opportunity to work with the Red Sox this year. We know each other and she gave me the chance to work with the Liberty. She still oversees everything. I, in essence, report to her, but I’m boots on the ground. This year’s a learning curve. Why fix something that’s not broken, but for me it’s a full circle moment. I started doing this 40 years ago. Sports nutrition didn’t really even exist yet, and I created the program for the Mets. The whole field has really evolved since then!
CL: So what does the job look like day-to-day?
HS: We start with an intake process, meeting with each athlete one-on-one. We ask: How are they doing? What are their goals? What worked last season, and what do they want to see done differently this year? From there, we design support plans based on lab results, performance goals, and supplement needs. It’s an ongoing process — we launch with a foundation and then adjust along the way.
CL: What are the key nutrition priorities for athletes — games, practices, and recovery days?
HS: My role is to work closely with the culinary team to make sure meals are aligned with performance needs — whether that’s pre-game, post-game, or everyday practice. We also plan meals for road trips and charter flights. Beyond food, we manage supplement protocols, injury recovery nutrition, and hydration strategies. We monitor labs as well —focused on performance and individual health markers.
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CL: You’ve worked with so many professional teams. How does the Liberty’s culture compare?
HS: Every team has its own personality, but what stands out with the Liberty is how inclusive and energetic the environment is. When they huddle, it’s not just the players — everyone joins in. At some organizations, you’d never even walk onto the practice court, but here I’m part of the huddle at the beginning and end of practice. The energy is contagious. I find myself thinking, “Put me in, Coach!” There’s a real camaraderie and enthusiasm that’s unique.
CL: You have authored/co-authored five books, including the New York Times bestseller, The Whole Body Reset (2022); Nutrient Timing for Peak Performance (2010) and The Female Athlete Triad Playbook/REDS, which dives into calories intake and energy availability – or lack thereof – which I find fascinating. Can you explain what REDS is?
HS: REDS stands for Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport. It’s about “low energy availability” — are you taking in enough calories to meet all your body’s needs? You might have enough energy to train, compete, and push through workouts, but if you’re not fueling adequately, your body prioritizes activity over physiology, and essential biological functions are sacrificed.
We need energy for everything — heart, lungs, kidneys, reproductive health, digestion, immune function, bone health, and mental health. If you don’t eat enough, the energy you do have goes to your sport first, and there may not be enough left to support those other systems. That’s where health problems start to appear.
CL: How quickly does under-fueling begin to take a toll?
HS: It depends — we don’t all respond the same way. Skipping meals for a day isn’t catastrophic, but chronic under-fueling is a different story. Depending on the duration and severity, low energy can disrupt multiple systems.
For example, the GI system may keep working but it disrupts the hormonal system. Women may stop menstruating, men may see drops in testosterone, and without estrogen, bone health suffers — leading to stress fractures or bone stress injuries.
It can also affect sleep, mood, and immunity. Metabolism slows. Performance declines: slower recovery, impaired focus, reduced motivation, more injuries. Athletes often respond when they see the performance drop-off, but as a health professional, I’m just as concerned with the long-term health risks.
CL: That really shows how performance nutrition goes far beyond sport.
HS: Exactly. Fueling isn’t just about how you play the game — it’s about how you sustain your health for life.
