PINES Present & Connect Sessions 2022 Recordings

Throughout the year, PINES members have the opportunity to give a short presentation on a topic of interest.  Each session includes 20-30 minutes for the presentation then time for questions, discussion and general networking.

Growing a Career in Sports Nutrition by Blessing Mushonga

Virtual, August 3, 2022

Establishing a sports nutrition career comes with challenges, especially in Zimbabwe. In the PINES Present & Connect Session on Aug 3, 2022, Blessing Mushonga shared his journey as an aspiring sports nutritionist in a country where sports nutrition was an unknown practice.  Whether you are in Africa or another continent, you will likely relate to Blessing’s challenges and successes.

In 2018, Blessing graduated with a degree in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Zimbabwe. He had a keen passion for sports nutrition, but in his country, sports nutrition wasn’t a big thing. Most of his friends and family thought his attempts to become a sports nutrition professional would lead to financial disaster, so he got little support for his entrepreneurial dreams.

Blessing wisely volunteered to counsel an elite cricketer named Sikandar Raza. He educated Raza about the benefits of proper fueling and developed meal plans for him. Raza told others that Blessing was helping him; this boosted Blessing’s credibility.

To continue gaining more credibility, Blessing proposed a sports nutrition educational program for a high school, but it was rejected. Being persistent, Blessing rewrote the proposal for St. John’s, a private college. The sports director accepted him on a voluntary basis. Blessing offered educational seminars on sports nutrition basics (pre-game snacks, weight management, recovery, etc.) One of the staff lost 5 kg after a staff Biggest Loser Challenge, which was very helpful for spreading the good word.

As his reputation grew, in January of 2020, the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee asked Blessing to meet with them. They introduced Blessing as the sports nutritionist at St. John’s College (not knowing he was “just” a volunteer!)  Blessing’s professionalism impressed them; they asked if he would join their medical team as a volunteer.  (Blessing was working as a hockey coach and later as a clinical nutritionist, to help pay the bills.)

Blessing understood the professional importance of being visible in the media. During Covid, when the sports world shut down, Blessing used his time to write sports nutrition articles. He interviewed nationally and internationally known professional athletes (in particular, hockey players, since he knew the sport well) about what they eat. He hoped these articles might inspire young athletes to eat wisely. By sharing the information on Instagram, he gained name recognition.

Blessing’s articles garnered international attention. Players started to reach out to him, asking if he would work with them. Once such player was CP Rizwan, an elite Emirate cricketer. Blessing helped Rizwan achieve his goal of losing weight. Soon, Blessing needed an office; his sister offered him space for private consultations.

As Blessing’s career continues to grow, he finds himself working with Zimbabwe’s Women’s   Rugby Team and the U21 Women’s Hockey World Cup 2022 squad.  He puts a high focus on hydration, acclimatization, and replacing sweat losses. He recommends local foods, as opposed to the expensive commercial sports foods that most local athletes cannot afford.

In addition to his private practice, Blessing is collaborating with other sports dietitians to create The Sports Nutrition Leap. This is a program designed to bridge the gap between amateur and professional athletes. The goal is to help less-privileged athletes to compete against the best athletes in the world.  Many athletes in Zimbabwe have lost out on being the best in the world simply because they were not educated about how to fuel for top performance.  They just do not appreciate the important connection between sports and optimal fueling.

Blessing wishes the government would budget more money for sports nutrition services. It’s hard to grow a sports nutrition niche with no funding and “old school” coaches. Hence, he supports himself, in part, by offering corporate wellness programs.

Blessing encourages you to email him if you have questions: blessingtfmushonga@ymail.com