RDN Performance
Fuel Your Performance.
Evidence-based sports nutrition from Registered Dietitian Nutritionists helping Kentucky athletes perform, recover, and thrive.
- Registered Dietitian Nutritionists
- Evidence-Based Protocols
- Virtual Appointments Statewide
- Lexington, Kentucky
Built for Athletes — and Anyone Ready to Take Nutrition Seriously
Whether you're competing on Friday night under the lights or simply want to feel better and fuel smarter, we're here to help you build habits that last.
Youth & Middle School Athletes
Early adolescence is a critical window for building lifelong fueling habits. We work with young athletes and their families to support healthy growth, development, and sport performance from the ground up.
High School Athletes
Build the nutritional habits that support growth, performance, and injury resilience during the most critical developmental years.
Collegiate Athletes
Navigate demanding practice and competition schedules with personalized fueling strategies designed around your sport and training load.
Endurance Athletes
From marathon training to triathlon prep, dial in your carbohydrate timing, hydration protocol, and race-day fueling plan.
Active Adults
Support your training, manage body composition, and build sustainable eating habits that keep you performing for the long haul.
General Wellness & Weight Management
You don't have to be an athlete to benefit from working with an RDN. We help adults pursuing weight loss, better energy, chronic disease prevention, or simply a healthier relationship with food.
Science You Can Actually Use
We bridge the gap between complex nutrition research and the practical, real-world fueling decisions you make every day.
Evidence First
Every recommendation comes from peer-reviewed research and experience — not trends, not fads, not what someone posted online.
Individualized Always
Your sport, your training load, your body, your goals. Generic meal plans don't work because athletes aren't generic.
We Walk the Walk
Our RDNs aren't just practitioners — they're athletes. We apply these same principles to our own training every day.
Long-Term Thinking
Performance nutrition isn't a quick fix. We build sustainable habits that serve you through seasons, injuries, and career transitions.
Sports Nutrition Services
Whether you need a one-time plan or ongoing support, we offer a range of services tailored to where you are in your athletic journey.
Sports Nutrition Counseling
Comprehensive one-on-one nutrition counseling grounded in current sport science. We assess your current diet, identify gaps, and build a practical plan around your training schedule and performance goals.
Performance Meal Planning
Individualized meal plans built around your actual training schedule — not a template. We account for practice times, competition days, travel, and real-life schedule constraints.
Recovery Nutrition
Learn to optimize the 30–60 minute window after training. The right recovery protocol reduces soreness, rebuilds muscle, and gets you ready for tomorrow's session faster.
Hydration Strategy
Even mild dehydration impairs performance and decision-making. We build personalized hydration protocols based on your sweat rate, sport demands, and regional climate.
Body Composition Guidance
Evidence-based support for athletes navigating body composition changes — whether the goal is gaining muscle, improving power-to-weight ratio, or simply feeling your best in competition.
Virtual Nutrition Counseling
Convenient, flexible appointments available to athletes throughout Kentucky. Same quality of care, accessible from anywhere in the Commonwealth.
RDNs Who Compete Alongside Their Clients
We don't just study performance nutrition — we live it. That perspective shapes every recommendation we make.
Dr. Corey Hawes
DCN, PhD, RDN, FASPEN • FounderI founded RDN Performance because I saw too many athletes leaving performance gains on the table — not from a lack of training, but from a lack of nutritional support that matched the rigor of their athletic effort.
I hold a Doctorate of Clinical Nutrition (DCN) and a PhD in Exercise Physiology, and I serve as a Clinical Assistant Professor teaching nutrition, metabolism, and sports nutrition at the university level. That scientific foundation shapes every client plan I build.
Outside the clinic and classroom, I'm an elite triathlete — a consecutive All World Athlete in IRONMAN and a two-time Ironman 70.3 World Championship Qualifier competing for Team NXT LVL Endurance. I don't just teach performance nutrition. I execute it at the highest level of amateur endurance sport, using the same data-driven hydration and macronutrient protocols I bring to my clients.
Whether you're chasing a personal best, stepping up in distance, or dialing in your daily recovery, I'll help you build the nutritional framework to unlock your potential.
Kayla Dudick
MS, RDN • RDN PerformanceI became a dietitian because I experienced firsthand how nutrition changes what's possible. During my freshman year of college, I joined the Georgetown College Cross Country and Track & Field teams. After two years competing collegiately, I transferred to the University of Kentucky to pursue Dietetics — and never looked back.
Since then, I've run multiple 5Ks, 10Ks, half marathons, marathons, and ultra-marathons. What allows me to keep challenging my limits isn't just training — it's intentional fueling. I understand the difference good nutrition makes because I've felt it on race day.
I believe adequate nutrition is crucial when recovering from hard workouts and injuries, improving performance, and maintaining an active lifestyle. I look forward to helping you achieve your goals.
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London triathlon -
Race day -
Training -
Berlin Marathon -
Open water -
Kentucky 10k -
London triathlon -
Ironman 70.3
Proudly Serving the Commonwealth of Kentucky
Based in Lexington, we work with athletes from every corner of the state — from the Bluegrass to the mountains to the river towns.
- Lexington
- Georgetown
- Richmond
- Nicholasville
- Frankfort
- Winchester
- Louisville
- Bowling Green
- Northern Kentucky
Credentialed RDNs on staff
Kentucky counties served virtually
Sports represented
Evidence-based recommendations
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you offer virtual appointments?
Yes. Clients throughout Kentucky can meet remotely via video call or phone at a time that works with your schedule. Virtual appointments make it easy to access quality sports nutrition support whether you're in Lexington or anywhere else in the Commonwealth.
Who do you work with?
We work with a wide range of athletes: high school and collegiate athletes, endurance competitors (runners, triathletes, cyclists), strength athletes, team sport athletes, and active adults. We also work with parents of student athletes who want to support their child's performance and development.
Do you provide individualized meal planning?
Yes. Every nutrition plan is tailored specifically to your training schedule, sport demands, body composition goals, and personal food preferences. We don't hand you a generic template — we build something that actually works for your life.
What is the difference between a dietitian and a nutritionist?
A Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) is a credentialed healthcare professional who has completed an accredited degree program, supervised practice hours, and passed a national board exam. RDNs are qualified to provide medical nutrition therapy and individualized counseling. The title "nutritionist" is unprotected in many states and may not require the same training or licensure.
Do you work with high school athletes?
Absolutely. Getting the nutritional fundamentals right early can make a significant difference in performance, growth, and long-term health. We love working with high school athletes and their families to build habits that support them now and well into their athletic careers.
Can you work with a whole team?
Yes. We're happy to discuss team or group programming for high school or collegiate programs. Reach out through the contact form and let us know what you have in mind.
How much do your services cost?
We bill at a flat hourly rate. For services that include a custom meal plan, expect the total to reflect more than just your appointment time — the planning, research, and personalization that goes into a quality meal plan takes significant work behind the scenes. Reach out through the contact form for current rates.
Do you accept HSA or FSA payments?
Yes. We accept Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Account (FSA) payments. If you have funds set aside in either account, you can use them toward your nutrition services.
Do you accept insurance?
We do not accept insurance at this time, though it is something we are actively working toward. In the meantime, it's worth knowing that even when sports nutrition services are submitted through insurance, they are frequently denied and billed back to the patient — so the out-of-pocket experience is often similar either way. We do accept HSA and FSA payments, which can help offset the cost.
Do you work with middle school and younger athletes?
Yes. We work with youth athletes at the middle school level and up. Early adolescence is a critical window for building healthy fueling habits that support growth, development, and long-term athletic performance. We also work closely with parents to make sure the whole household is set up to support their athlete.
Ready to Fuel Your Best Performance?
Whether you have questions about our services or you're ready to get started, we'd love to hear from you. Fill out the form and we'll be in touch within one business day.