Nutrition Coaching
Coach Peter Nastasi
-we include 3 "Zoom Nutrition Discussions" with Pete throughout the season.
-There is also a group rate for 1 on 1 coaching with Coach Pete. You may contact him for services beyond what is offered through PVAA @ nastasi-nutrition.com
PVAA Swimming Nutrition Consultant (on Staff as of 4/05/21)
- Peter Nastasi
- Certified Nutrition Coach through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) and has a Plant-Based Diets Certification as well.
- Fully USA Swimming certified and background checked with PVAA
- 3 years of USA Coaching experience (Adirondack - AD LSC) iv. 4 years of USMS Coaching (US Masters Swimming) in New York
v. Swam 4 years in High School + 4 years at the NCAA DIII Level (SUNY New Paltz)
- Please take a moment to enjoy his story in finding his passion for swimming, coaching, and nutrition:
My name is Pete Nastasi and I am extremely excited to become a part of the PVAA family and work with the team. I want to introduce myself by telling a story about my introduction to the sport of swimming, which ultimately led me to SUNY New Paltz, where I met one of my best friends Coach Corey.
My story starts later than most other swimmers, in fact, I didn’t start “swimming” until my freshman year of high school. And to say that I was actually swimming, is probably giving me a bit too much credit. I came to my first day of practice with a bathing suit and goggles from Walmart. It actually took until my first high school meet to get an actual jammer, although it didn’t get used that day because I was too slow to actually get put into the meet. The first, second, and third meet came and went, and I sat there hoping that I would eventually be fast enough to see some competition. As I began to understand the structure of the meets and the sport as a whole, I noticed that there was one race it seemed like everyone absolutely hated, the 500 freestyle. In most meets this race always seemed to have an open lane, and before the 4th meet, I asked my coach if he would put me the 500. I could tell he was shocked; in all honesty I don’t believe he even thought I would finish, but he said yes. It took me over 8 minutes to finish and I was a whole 2 minutes behind the guy who came in 5th. Looking back on that race now I shouldn’t have been so embarrassed, but I truly didn’t know any better. I ran up to my dad in the stands, who can’t swim himself, and he was so proud of me because he didn’t know any better either. I do remember one of the other parents, he had a thick Texas accent, and in a southern drawl he said that “at the next meet they were going to time me with a Sundial”. Regardless of my poor performance, that decision would essentially define the rest of my swimming career, especially since at that time I literally couldn’t swim anything besides freestyle.
With a little coaching and a lot of effort and dedication I went from an 8 minute plus 500 freestyle, unable to even qualify for our sectional swim meet (qualifying time was 6:10), to a sub 5 minute 500 free and a New York state qualifier by my senior year. I tell this story for 2 reasons, # 1 is that sometimes you need to have a little faith in yourself, try something new, if you’re a sprinter try some long distance, if you swim freestyle tryout the IM. # 2 is that you will be surprised how much a little dedication and heart can push you in a sport like swimming. Just because you haven’t been swimming the longest or can’t hit a certain qualifying time doesn’t mean you should get discouraged. Look at me, I became a collegiate swimmer legitimately only knowing how to swim freestyle. I am here today to tell you that along with your hard work, swim practice, and dry land; proper nutrition can be another weapon in your arsenal to help you achieve your goals.
I am a certified Nutrition Coach through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) and have a Plant-Based Diets Certification as well.
My collegiate swim times were 16:38 in the 1650, 4:42 in the 500 Free, 1:44 in the 200 Free, 2:10 in the 200 Breast, and 1:00:35 in the 100 breast. A lot of you might be thinking that I did pretty decent despite starting so late, but I think if I had the knowledge I know now about Nutrition, I would have performed light years better. Along with my nutrition certifications I was an age group swim coach for 3 years with the New Paltz Hawks and a masters swim coach for 4 years.
Thanks for allowing me to tell my story, I hope to get to know you all better, and help you all learn a bit more about Nutrition and how it can help you in the pool!
