Today we’d like to introduce you to Alex Winnicki.
Hi Alex, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Alex Winnicki. I’m 34 years old and originally from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. I spent much of my life in the Carolinas. After high school, I was an average student who landed a job at John Deere–Hitachi as a welder. Over time, I worked my way up through the company into the robotics department, eventually becoming a robot programmer. I spent about six years with John Deere.
Along the way, I discovered the sport of cycling—initially road cycling—and started doing events like Bike MS and other local charity rides. I’ve always had a bit of an addictive personality and tend to get hyper-fixated on things. As my love for cycling grew and I continued to progress in the sport, I started winning races and catching the attention of local teams.
Around 2017, I was offered a contract with a local cycling team that had aspirations of turning professional. They offered me housing, race support, bikes, and a monthly grocery stipend. I figured, if not now, when?—so I took the leap. I didn’t have major obligations, debt, or kids, so I decided to take my shot at becoming a pro cyclist.
For the next two years, I raced full-time for what was known as Cyclus Sports powered by Starlight Apparel. While I had success in local races, I became increasingly obsessed with my weight, appearance, and performance. That fixation spiraled into an eating disorder, which only worsened when the team folded in July 2019. Around that same time, I was feeling burned out and decided to go back to school to study nutrition—to figure out my own challenges and, hopefully, help others.
I chose Appalachian State University because it had one of the best cycling scenes in the Carolinas and was close to home. It was there that I met my now-wife, Mckayla. As I healed from my eating disorder, my passion for weightlifting, cooking, and nutrition deepened. Mckayla and I graduated together and were incredibly fortunate to match into the same dietetic internship and graduate program—which, with only ten spots at the program and about a 50% match rate overall for all dietetic interns, felt like a one-in-a-million shot.
We moved to Beaumont, Texas, to attend Lamar University. It wasn’t my favorite place I’ve ever lived, but our program director was an absolute angel and provided an excellent education and mentorship. During my internship, I chose every sports-related rotation I could—stocking fridges, making smoothies, and working with both football teams (a rite of passage for aspiring sports dietitians). Interns rotate through community nutrition, food service, and clinical hospital settings—things I did somewhat begrudgingly—but they ultimately made me a more well-rounded dietitian. Deep down, though, I always knew I wanted to be in sports nutrition.
In my final semester of grad school, I applied to the Sports Nutrition Immersion Program (SNIP), a fellowship sponsored by Gatorade that places ten early-career sports dietitians at professional or collegiate sites around the country. I interviewed with five different programs, but after speaking with the team at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, I was sold. Mckayla had family connections in Chicago, and I’d always loved the city—so off we went.
I was fortunate to be selected and matched with Northwestern, where I spent eight months assisting the football dietitian, Peter Ritz, and overseeing both men’s and women’s soccer. It was an incredible experience—I worked my absolute butt off and learned so much from Katie, Lindsay, Petra, and everyone in that organization.
Fellowships are temporary, though, and as much as we loved Chicago, the tight quarters, distance from family, and long winters eventually led us back to the Southeast—closer to nature and more moderate temps. I then accepted a position as Assistant Sports Dietitian at Liberty University, working with Olympic sports. Over two years, I was promoted to Director of Olympic Sports Nutrition and also served as Assistant Cycling Coach, helping revive the university’s long-dormant mountain bike program.
Liberty and Lynchburg were great, but Mckayla’s job options were limited, and a long-term future there wasn’t guaranteed. On a trip to Greenville, South Carolina, to visit friends, Mckayla fell in love with the town. She found a local job posting that seemed perfect—and as it turned out, I knew the hiring manager through cycling. One thing led to another, and soon we were packing up and moving to Greenville.
At the time, there was an opening at Clemson that looked like a great fit for me, but I kept coming back to why I became a sports dietitian in the first place: to help endurance athletes and to be the resource I never had when I was chasing a pro career. That realization pushed me to take a leap and open my own full-time private practice.
I had already started Second Arrow Nutrition Consulting as a side gig—coaching and counseling athletes one-on-one, and occasionally working as a private chef for health and wellness retreats geared toward cyclists. Now it was time to make it my full-time passion.
A year and a half later, that’s exactly what it has become. Today I see a mix of athletes and individuals looking to improve their overall nutrition and quality of life. I absolutely love my work and the diverse range of people I get to help. It’s been an unpredictable road to get here, but I truly feel like I’m living my dream job. I’m grateful every day for the opportunities, support, and mentorship that have made it possible.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Some parts of this journey have been smoother than others. Out of high school working 3rd shift as a welder was a wake up call. I had to spend the next 6 years working and putting myself through college to get to a place were I wasnt bound to manufacturing. The next chapter, cycling had its own challenges. Eating disorders are more common than people may think and while my struggle with body image and food in sport hampering my social and family relationships and cut my athletic career short, it helped me become who I am today. I’m glad for all the bumps along the way I’ve experience because I think I’ve learn from everyone of them and hope to help others navigate and avoid those challenges. Outside of sport, I cant complain much. I have a wonderful wife and live in an amazing community in Greenville, the business doing well is just a cherry on top.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
My business is a virtual nutrition private practice specializing in endurance sports. As a Registered Dietitian and Board-Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD), I help athletes navigate the complex world of nutrition so they can perform at their best and build long-term health. I work via telehealth with all sorts of folks and help them understand how to adjust their environment, attitudes to food and body, and of course how to build their plate. There’s no one size fits all here, everyone has a different palate and set of constraints so I really work hard to listen and help people find actionable items that are manageable but still push them a little bit towards their goal.
My Mission
Educate & Empower – Provide athletes with enduring, evidence-based nutrition knowledge they can carry through sport and life.
Simplify Nutrition – Translate current research into practical, everyday habits that enhance performance and well-being.
Foster Balance – Promote a positive, sustainable relationship with food, body, and mind.
Our Vision
To create a world where athletes fuel with confidence, move with joy, and are free from diet culture.
While my primary focus is on endurance athletes, I also work with individuals who don’t identify as athletes but want to improve their health—whether that means losing weight, managing a chronic condition, or simply developing better eating habits.
What Sets Me Apart
What makes my practice unique is my dual background—both as an athlete and a professional. I know firsthand what it means to train hard, chase goals, and juggle the physical and mental demands of performance. Over the years, I’ve supported thousands of athletes across dozens of sports, age groups, and skill levels.
There are very few CSSD dietitians in this region—and even fewer with deep experience in both endurance sport and eating disorder recovery. I’ve carved out a niche serving cyclists, triathletes, and runners, but I remain committed to supporting the broader community as well. My goal is simple: help people fuel better, feel better, and find joy in the process.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
My this is a surprise maybe not, but I’m a pretty good cook! Not all dietitians cook, but its how I feel in love with nutrition to start. After hard days of training on the bike I’d own head to the kitchen and read through recipes and teach myself a new skills or try a new baked good. I worked in all facets of foodservice at this point from unloading produce trucks at whole foods, to working in bakeries, to serving as a line cook, prepping for university catering, to even being hired as a private chef a few times a year. I hope that love for cooking helps clients find new and exciting dishes, it makes their goals easier when the food tastes good.
Pricing:
- Monthly Session – $215
- Bi-Weekly Session -$285
- Weekly Session – $365
- 1 off consults – $100/hour
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.secondarrownutrition.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/secondarrow_nutrition/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555244312436
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-winnicki-203894104/
