Did you know that your performance in the gym, on the court, or in the field could hinge as much on your pre-workout snack as on your training? For students enrolled in Dr. Rachele Pojednic’s HumBio 132, Sports Nutrition, this is just the beginning of what they uncover about the intricate relationship between nutrition practices and physical performance. From mastering the basics of macronutrients to understanding how food fuels muscle recovery, students drill down into the science, moving beyond the buzzwords and fad diets.
A new adjunct lecturer in the Program in Human Biology, Pojednic is a renowned researcher, and thought leader in sports and nutrition science. Pojednic’s expertise spans muscle physiology, sports performance, recovery, healthy aging, and muscle-related chronic diseases. Following her postdoctoral work and early teaching career, where she focused primarily on aging and age-related conditions like sarcopenia, Dr. Pojednic took on a new role at Norwich University, a senior military college. Here, her focus shifted from older adults who were already experiencing the effects of aging to younger adults and the ways they can enhance and maintain their long-term health and performance. This transition, along with her experience across both academia and industry, made her an ideal fit for the Human Biology program’s need to expand offerings in nutrition and human performance.
“One of the hallmarks of this course is that students walk away with knowledge they can use in their own lives,” Pojednic shared. She covers key topics such as energy requirements for different activities, the principles of a balanced diet, and hydration needs, and ensures that the content she teaches is easily digestible, practical, and applicable to her students’ daily lives. HumBio 132 is not your typical lecture-based class either. Students engage in debates, group discussions, and hands-on myth-busting assignments, creating a dynamic learning experience.
Distinguishing science-backed guidance from false or distorted claims can be challenging. "Ten years ago, we didn’t have content coming at us left and right. Today, students are getting peppered with sound bites and clips on social media of what they should and shouldn’t be doing. Take this pill, do this diet, and they don’t know where to turn for expertise,” Pojednic noted. To address this, she encourages students to evaluate popular claims through an evidence-based lens, using social media trends such as greens powder and protein supplements as teaching moments. “It’s fun to model this exercise with students—to step back and say, you know, I’ve heard that claim too or I actually don’t know the answer, but let’s find out together.”
As an athlete herself, Pojednic also recognizes the importance of teaching students that nutrition strategies vary from athlete to athlete. “When it comes to nutrition, there is no one-size-fits-all,” Pojednic explained. “What works for an Olympic sprinter may not be right for a recreational runner. It’s all about understanding individual needs, goals, and how their body processes food.” Using her experiences and the experiences of some of her students, many of whom are Stanford athletes or weekend recreationists, as case studies, they examine how these needs differ, the effects nutrition has on performance versus training, and what products may or may not be more beneficial than others.
Looking ahead, Pojednic is excited about the growing interest in nutrition science and its implications for health outcomes: “We’re seeing more people take an active interest in how nutrition affects their lives, and education is a huge part of that shift”. Her favorite part of teaching the class is the enthusiasm students bring to class each day, ready to learn. While she doesn’t have plans to make any major changes to the curriculum, Pojednic is continuously incorporating the latest research and trends in sports nutrition and nutrition science into her lectures such as emerging studies on female athletes. "Currently, only about 6% of exercise and sports nutrition research has been done in females exclusively," she pointed out. “My lecture on this topic is going to continue to be filled out as more data comes out.” She also plans to increase the number of engaging conversations and interactions wherein students can comfortably ask questions, debate with one another, and reflect on how they can take the knowledge and skills of HumBio 132 and change their behaviors and practices moving forward. Pojednic also hopes her course inspires students to think beyond the traditional boundaries of sports nutrition and nutrition science, encouraging them to explore how nutrition can be integrated into fields like public health, policy, and environmental sustainability.
In a world saturated with conflicting nutrition advice, Pojednic hopes that the foundation students learn in HumBio 132 will serve them well throughout their lives and careers. As Pojednic eloquently states, "It’s important for them to understand the ‘why’ behind their nutrition strategies. Understanding this and being able to pick apart the claims they see, is a lifelong skill that will help them for the rest of their lives."