Today Wetall brings you an exceptional interview with Julien Rebeyrol, a registered dietitian-nutritionist working with some of the biggest names in professional team sports. We’ll let the interview do the rest of the talking!
1/ Could you introduce yourself in a few words?
Hi, I’m Julien Rebeyrol, a registered dietitian-nutritionist with over 10 years of experience, specializing in sports nutrition. I’m based in Lyon, France, where I’ve been handling nutritional planning for LOU Rugby for 7 seasons. I also work with both the men’s and women’s basketball teams at ASVEL, where I’ve had the incredible opportunity to work with players including Victor Wembanyama, Nando de Colo, and Héléna Ciak. I also consult at the Paul Santy paramedical center in Lyon. (1)
I hold a degree in biological engineering with a specialization in dietetics, as well as a postgraduate diploma in sports nutrition. Before that, I completed a bachelor’s degree in sports science and a master’s in athletic performance training.
I also teach sports nutrition at a university level and speak at conferences hosted by sports clubs and the SFNS, or the French Society of Sports Nutrition. (2)
2/ What’s the difference between a dietitian and a nutritionist?
You’re either a registered dietitian-nutritionist or a medical nutritionist, a physician who specializes in nutrition. Outside of those two titles, you’re practicing without a proper credential.
Someone calling themselves simply a “nutritionist” or a “nutrition coach” has no recognized qualification to back it up. It is important to be extremely cautious.
The internet, especially social media, is absolutely overflowing with nutritional nonsense. It’s critical for your health not to believe everything you read. Anyone looking for real nutritional guidance should see a registered dietitian. Everything else is not science-based.
3/ Do you often work with tall or large-framed athletes in your practice?
Absolutely. Through my work with LOU Rugby, a professional rugby club, I regularly see very large builds. Some players even top 6 ft 8 in (2 m), like Romain Taofifenua who stands 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) and weighs 298 lbs (135 kg). Same goes for Victor Wembanyama, who stands over 7 ft 3 in (2.22 m).
At my own 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m), I practically feel like the short guy at ASVEL and LOU!
4/ What are the nutritional specifics for tall athletes?
Honestly? There aren’t any. Height doesn’t directly impact an athlete’s nutrition. What matters is the weight that comes with that height.
At equal energy expenditure, whether an athlete is 6 ft 11 in (2.10 m) or 6 ft 5 in (1.95 m), if both weigh around 231 lbs (105 kg), their energy needs won’t be all that different. In short, weight drives nutritional needs far more than height does.
That said, you do see some unique situations with extremely tall athletes like with Victor when he was playing at ASVEL.
5/ What should a tall athlete pay attention to?
Nothing more than an athlete of any other height. The focus should be on getting the right balance of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates, not fixating on calorie counts. And if you have serious goals, working with a registered dietitian is a must.
6/ What general nutritional advice would you give to tall people?
Same advice as for anyone else, regardless of height. As I said, it’s primarily body weight and not height that determines what a person should be eating.
7/ What advice would you give to tall people who want to lose weight?
I’ll say it again; it’s the exact same advice as for shorter people.
Stop cutting out fat. Stop cutting out carbs at night. These are myths. Fat is not the enemy, far from it.
What really matters above all else is learning to listen to your body’s hunger and fullness signals. That’s the foundation. (3)
I also strongly recommend working with a qualified registered dietitian.
Keep this in mind: no single food makes you gain or lose weight. Everything depends on context, hunger cues, and reaching satiety.
8/ What about tall people who want to build muscle mass?
Same approach as for any other height. First, dial in your macronutrient intake based on your body weight. Then adjust your diet around your training schedule (whether that’s practice or competition). Finally, figure out the right number of meals throughout the day for your specific situation. (4)
9/ Any final day-to-day nutritional tips for tall people? (apps? impedance scales?)
Absolutely no apps. They’re a gateway to disordered eating because they spit out a caloric target based on a flawed algorithm that’s completely disconnected from how your body actually feels. Same goes for the scale, it’s pointless. You wouldn’t judge how cold you are based on what clothes someone else is wearing. You need to trust your instincts, rooted in your body’s own signals.
If you’re following a program, go see a registered dietitian. A lot of athletes who use nutrition apps end up drifting toward disordered eating. (5, 6)
Some athletes were doing Instagram challenges and ended up in genuinely bad health situations. It seriously hurt their careers.
As for impedance scales, they’re pretty much bullshit, for several reasons. First, most consumer models don’t have handles, which means the electrical current can’t travel through the body properly for a meaningful reading. Second, they’re just not that accurate. And third, results can be thrown off by the body’s hydration levels at any given moment. Bottom line: skip them. Stick to medically validated tools, which these are not.
10/ What do you think of WeTall?
It’s a great resource as tall people often feel set apart and overlooked, like their specific needs aren’t being taken seriously. Wetall helps with that. It makes tall people feel less isolated.
We tend to be more understanding of someone dealing with obesity, while a naturally thin person might experience just as much hardship, and it’s the same for tall people. The challenges that come with being very tall aren’t always visible to others, and that’s exactly where Wetall makes a real difference.
See you soon!
References:
- https://cpsanty.fr/index.php/lequipe/dieteticien/
- https://www.nutritiondusport.fr/
- Karine Gravel & Tribole E. and Resch E. Intuitive Eating, 4th Edition: A Revolutionary Anti-Diet Approach. St. Martin’s Essentials, 2020
- American Dietetic Association; Dietitians of Canada; American College of Sports Medicine; Rodriguez NR, Di Marco NM, Langley S. American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Nutrition and athletic performance.Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009 Mar;41(3):709-31.
- Mountjoy M, et al. RED-S CAT. Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) Clinical Assessment Tool (CAT). Br J Sports Med. 2015 Apr;49(7):421-3.
- UEFA expert group statement on nutrition in elite football. Collins J, et al. Br J Sports Med 2020;0:1–27.
A big thank you to Julien for this eye-opening conversation!