Real Talk for Sport Parents Podcast

Hosted by Samantha Livingstone

Ep. 5 - Rebecca McConville - Navigating Nutrition and Performance in Sports

In this illuminating episode, Samantha sits down with Rebecca McConville - sports dietitian, eating disorder specialist, and author of Finding Your Sweet Spot - to unpack the real truth behind performance, energy, and long-term health for youth athletes. They dive into the critical topic of RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport), how under-fueling shows up subtly in young athletes, and why nutrition is about more than just fueling for sport - it's about fueling for life.

Rebecca offers compassionate and practical advice to parents who want to raise resilient, thriving kids in an often performance-obsessed culture. Whether you’re navigating club sports, managing food anxiety, or simply trying to better understand your child’s needs, this episode delivers clarity, heart, and hope.

00:00 - Meet Rebecca McConville + how she got into sports nutrition
06:35 - What RED-S really is and why it’s often misunderstood
10:10 - The difference between discipline and disordered behavior
15:45 - Red flags - What to watch for in your athlete’s eating and mindset
21:08 - Why intention matters more than image when it comes to food
28:50 - How performance culture can feed perfectionism
33:22 - How parents can foster resilience without pressure
39:44 - Creating a family culture around food, rest, and recovery
44:19 - How to support your athlete through injuries and transitions
50:01 - Final thoughts on fueling for health, growth, and joy

Quotes

· “RED-S is not just about food - it’s about life. It's about having enough energy to grow, think, feel, and live.” (06:42)

· “Parents need to know that discipline doesn’t mean deprivation. Restriction doesn’t build resilience.” (12:05)

· “Fueling is not a reward for performance - it’s a requirement for being human.” (33:00)

·

Social Media and Links

· RTSP Instagram

· samanthalivingstone

· @rebeccaeddietitian on IG

· Rebecca on LinkedIn

Resources + Mentions:

• Rebecca’s book: Finding Your Sweet Spot - How to Avoid RED-S and Fuel for Sport Performance
• Learn more: https://rebeccamcconville.com
• RED-S resources: https://www.femaleandmaleathletetriad.org/red-s

Real Talk for Sport Parents Podcast

Hosted by Samantha Livingstone

Ep. 4 - Dr. Andreas Stamatis - Unlocking Mental Toughness

In this thought-provoking episode, Samantha sits down with Dr. Andreas Stamatis - researcher, professor, and mental performance expert - to unpack one of the most misunderstood topics in youth sports: mental toughness. Together, they redefine what it actually means, how it can be developed, and why old-school approaches rooted in pressure and punishment fall short.

Dr. Stamatis introduces a more compassionate, evidence-based framework - centered around eight mental skills and three mindset pillars - that equips parents to help their kids handle adversity and strive with intention. Whether your child is elite or just starting out, this conversation is packed with practical insight to guide their growth and your role in supporting it.

00:00 - Welcome + how Samantha met Dr. Stamatis
08:35 - The Special Forces moment that changed his view on mental strength
13:20 - Defining mental toughness: a mindset, not a personality trait
18:05 - Why yelling doesn’t build mental toughness
22:12 - What are the three pillars? Purpose, efficiency, and flexibility
30:14 - Why overprotecting your child can hurt their growth
39:20 - What does real emotional regulation look like in kids and parents?
46:58 - How parent language impacts a child’s confidence
54:50 - Reframing failure through optimistic thinking
1:09:45 - The “car ride home” framework: 3 powerful questions to ask your athlete

Quotes

· “A mentally tough person is not defined by their goals - but by their mindset.”

· “Uncomfortable doesn't mean bad. Discomfort is the beginning of growth.”

· “Success isn’t winning or losing. It’s showing up with purpose, flexibility, and efficiency.”

Social Media and Links

· RTSP Instagram

· samanthalivingstone

· Andreas Stamatis Instagram

Resources + Mentions:

· Mental Toughness Index (MTI)

· Medium articles by Dr. Stamatis

· PubMed + Google Scholar: Search “Andreas Stamatis”

Real Talk for Sport Parents Podcast

Hosted by Samantha Livingstone

Solo wtih Samantha - More Than An Athlete

In this deeply moving and transparent solo episode, Olympic gold medalist Samantha Arsenault Livingstone shares the full-circle story of how she went from standing atop the Olympic podium to navigating life as a sport parent raising four girls—including a hockey player chasing her own Winter Olympic dream.

Samantha peels back the curtain on her personal story—from her childhood in Peabody, MA, to the toxic club swimming environment that nearly broke her spirit, to the healing that followed her Olympic victory. She opens up about the mental health challenges she faced post-Olympics, the guidance of her mentor Greg Harden, and the life-altering experience of nearly losing her daughter to heart failure.

This episode is a vulnerable invitation into the why behind the podcast: to create a judgment-free space for sport parents to connect, grow, and find real tools for supporting their kids—without shame, perfectionism, or pressure to do it all “right.”

04:55 – How parenting in sport mirrors her Olympic journey

10:30 – Childhood, cultural roots, and dreaming big
18:40 – Why she started swimming (hint: it wasn’t her dream)
29:00 – A mother’s intuition and a life-saving decision
36:50 – Qualifying for Olympic Trials—and the power of support”
46:50 – Mental health crash: the pressure no one saw
59:00 – The medical trauma of her daughter’s heart surgery
1:16:45 – On learning to fall—so they can rise
1:21:40 – What parents really need in the sport ecosystem

Quotes

· “They were having the kids fall on purpose so they could learn how to rise. Why aren’t we doing that with our kids’ inner world?”
[1:17:00]

· “We get in our kids’ way sometimes—not because we’re bad parents, but because we’re human.”
[1:26:05]

· “Who we are and what we do are not the same. That truth saved my life.”
[0:55:45]

Social Media and Links

· RTSP Instagram

· samanthalivingstone

Books Mentioned:
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk

Websites:
SameHere Global Mental Health Movement
5 in 5 Mental Health Campaign