My Story With REDs
I grew up in Spain with sport at the centre of everything. Years of hard work led me to a Division I athletics scholarship in the United States—a dream I'd worked towards for years.
But like many athletes, I was never taught how to fuel properly or how much I needed to eat. I believed eating less and staying lean would make me a better runner. Instead, I was unknowingly under-fuelling.
At just 17, I tore my Achilles as a result of REDs. I also struggled with IBS and was told to cut out more and more foods, rather than addressing the real issue: I wasn't giving my body enough energy.
That's why I created RED-SCUE.
Most people haven't heard of REDs
REDs (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport) is the clinical term for what happens when you don't eat enough to support your training, output, stress, recovery, and daily life (i.e., too much output for the input).
What is REDs?
REDs (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport) is the clinical term for what happens when you don't eat enough to support your training, output, stress, recovery, and daily life (i.e., too much output for the input).
Who does it affect?
And it's not just elite athletes—it's people in the gym, doing classes, training for HYROX, running, lifting.
The impact on your body
Research shows low energy availability (LEA) can impact all 11 systems in the body, including hormones, bone health, metabolism, immunity, and recovery.
More training. Less food. Cutting carbs. It's often framed by society as discipline. But over time, the body goes into survival mode.
It shows up as:
- Low energy during sessions
- Poor recovery between workouts
- Frequent injuries or niggles
- Loss of appetite after training
And it's confusing… because you're doing more, not less. This is what under-fuelling looks like.
One of the biggest drivers of under-fuelling?
Not eating enough carbohydrate to match what you're asking your body to do.
Research shows:
Only ~4% of athletes meet recommended carbohydrate intake (Melin et al., BJSM)
Endurance athletes often require 3–12g of carbohydrate per kg of bodyweight per day, depending on training load
During longer sessions, 30–90g of carbs per hour is recommended to maintain performance (Jeukendrup et al.)
RED-Scue's Global REDs Awareness Day
This initiative educates athletes, coaches, and active people about the risks of under-fuelling, including effects on energy, hormones, bones, immunity, and performance.
We focus on:
- Spotting low energy early
- Evidence-based fuelling strategies
- Breaking the stigma around nutrition and recovery
Webinars, events, and practical solutions
