Meet Simona Hradil of FXP Athlete

Today we’d like to introduce you to Simona Hradil

Hi Simona, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I am a Registered Dietitian specializing in sports and performance and the owner of a private practice called FXP Athlete which stands for Fueling Xtreme Performance. I love working with athletes of all levels, ages and performance backgrounds!

I was an elite athlete in Taekwondo for several decades chasing the Olympic Dream so dedicating my work to athletes and their nutrition came naturally post retirement from competing. My quest to become one of the best in the world took me to over 45 different countries and gave me the perspective and knowledge to connect with numerous cultures. It also let me experience nutrition on a global level. I served as an 11x time USA National Team Member, an Olympic alternate for the Sydney Games in 2000 and a 5x Czech Republic National Team Member, and an alternate for the 2012 London Games for the Czech Republic.

As an elite athlete in a weight class combat sport, I realized the important role nutrition played in my athletic career. After pursuing higher education in nutrition and dietetics, I was given the opportunity to follow my passion and pay it forward.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Life is anything but a smooth road, but I am thankful for the character I’ve built through all of the twists and turns!

My parents and I escaped Czechoslovakia in 1985 to the USA for a chance at the American Dream. They risked literally everything for the hope of larger opportunities, especially for my future academic opportunities. I am grateful for all of the experiences provided through years of training and competing and all of the introspection that came along with them. I had the privilege of living at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs and being Team Captain for three years. I also had the privilege of moving to Los Angeles and training with the best coach and best team. Training for 4-6 hours a day for years is all consuming, as is chasing the Olympic Dream.

Balance always meant being driven, determined and disciplined. I went back to school to get a second degree and a Master’s at 33 years of age as I was nearing the end of my athletic career, so that also meant balancing school, work and still traveling the world to compete. I achieved my Masters from California State University Northridge (CSUN) and went through my dietetic internship there as well. After three Olympic cycles, I retired at age 37 and started my journey as a registered dietitian and a performance dietitian. I continued my Masters thesis work at CSUN by developing the first ever Sports Nutrition Program for their D-1 Athletics as well as the Matador Fueling Station. The long and windy road led me to want to give back to athletes like myself coming up through the pipeline. That’s how FXP Athlete was crafted.

My own parents have both passed and I’m grateful for everything they have done for me to get where I am at. Having children of my own has taught me to slow down and be more present. I get to build upon the wonderful things I loved about my childhood and my parents and combine them with the things I feel are important. I love that I get to continuously work on FXP Athlete with amazing athletes who embody all of these important characteristics that I want to instill upon my children. I love that they get to see their Mom create amazing things and be around amazing individuals.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
My coach and mentor, Scott Fujii and I co-founded FXP Athlete with the mission to help give back to athletes in weight class sports by helping to direct them towards a healthier way to fuel for their weight descents and ultimately fuel for performance. Sports nutrition is the application of nutrition science and its impact on the body as it relates to training, performance and overall health and is absolutely critical for athletes! Making sure that each athlete is healthy, hydrated, energized, and able to perform at an elite level means that they need to be fueled appropriately and adequately, all at the right time. This involves supporting their fueling and hydration needs from pre-training, intra-training, and post-training to competition day, plus the recovery phase. Strengthening their knowledge regarding how to approach their nutrition needs at home and internationally is also a top priority. Coming from a wide array of cultures, each athlete is also unique in terms of their dietary preferences, so determining recommendations and education around the individual and their specific needs and goals is fundamental.

I believe FXP Athlete is making a positive impact by teaching athletes, and especially our young female athletes to have a better relationship with food and how to strategically fuel themselves for not only performance but for life, academics and for their overall health. I take pride in watching an athlete make positive progress with their body image and learn how to be more mindful and intuitive with their eating. It’s such a prominent piece of the puzzle for a healthier relationship with food during an athlete’s career and more importantly post competitive life.

Specializing in weight class sports and changing the landscape of appropriate fueling for weight descents is riveting and rewarding. Hearing an athlete share how much easier their weight descent was and how they were able to dedicate more of their time and mental space to prepare for their competition or how they were more energized during their performance is forever rewarding.

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
I am fortunate to believe anything is achievable, the challenge is figuring out the path or the formula to get there. Sport teaches you to persevere in so many ways, but also to build upon the lessons learned from losses. Pushing yourself to be the very best version of yourself is the purest form of introspection. You have the opportunity to adapt from your losses and create paths where there were none before. It’s the best!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lab.fxpathlete.com
• Instagram: @fxpathlete
• Facebook: FXP Athlete

Image Credits
Bohuslav Hybrant
Lisa Van Hecke