ABOUT US
Meet Sarah
Sarah Lawson-Tilley is a Performance Nutritionist working within elite sport, supporting athletes and high-performing individuals to optimise their health, recovery, and performance through evidence-based nutrition strategies.
With experience across professional football, rugby union, rugby league, motorsport, and alpine skiing, Sarah works within high-performance environments where marginal gains matter. Her approach combines scientific research with practical, athlete-focused strategies that support performance both on and off the field.
Drawing from her own background as a British alpine ski racer, Sarah understands first-hand the physical, psychological, and logistical demands placed on athletes competing at the highest level.
Her work centres on helping athletes fuel intelligently, recover effectively, and perform consistently across training, competition, and travel environments.
Professional Roles
As Lead Academy Nutritionist at Crystal Palace F.C. and Performance Nutritionist at Harlequins Women, she operates inside multidisciplinary performance environments where outcomes matter.
She has provided performance nutrition support for:
Crystal Palace FC
Queens Park Rangers (QPR) – Men’s Academy & Women’s First Team
Harlequins Women’s First Team
Harlequins Women’s Performance Pathway
Within these roles she delivers individual consultations, nutrition periodisation strategies, body composition monitoring, and player education programmes designed to support both performance and long-term athlete development.
Experience Across Elite Sport
Sarah has developed extensive experience supporting athletes across a range of high-performance sports including:
Professional Football
Rugby Union
Rugby League
Alpine Ski Racing
Motorsport
Her work spans individual athlete support, team nutrition strategy, body composition monitoring, and education programmes, often working closely with coaches, medical teams, strength & conditioning staff, and sport scientists.
Career Timeline
Athlete Foundations
(2009 – 2014)
Sarah’s journey into performance nutrition began through her career as an International British Alpine Ski Racer, competing across Europe during her junior and senior racing career.
Experiencing the demands of international competition at a young age developed her interest in the science behind athletic performance, recovery, and long-term health. This athlete perspective remains central to the way she now works with athletes and teams.
Academic Excellence in Sport Nutrition
Sarah holds a First Class Honours degree in Nutrition (BSc) and a Master’s degree in Applied Sports Nutrition (MSc), graduating with Distinction and receiving the Outstanding Achievement Award for her MSc.
Her academic work focused on translating sport science research into practical strategies that athletes can realistically apply within demanding training and competition environments.
Professional Registration & Accreditation
Sarah is a Registered Nutritionist with the Association for Nutrition (AfN) and is also registered with the Sport and Exercise Nutrition Register (SENr), demonstrating recognised professional competence in performance nutrition.
Her professional certifications include:
UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) Clean Sport Certification
ISAK Level 1 Anthropometry
Food Safety Level 2
These qualifications support her ability to deliver evidence-based and anti-doping compliant nutrition strategies within elite sport environments.
International Athlete Support
Alongside team environments, Sarah works with individual elite athletes competing internationally, including:
Europa Cup Alpine Ski Racing
Professional motorsport drivers competing across European circuits
Her work includes competition travel nutrition planning, laboratory data interpretation, body composition analysis, and personalised fuelling strategies aligned with training and race demands.
Performance Nutrition Philosophy
Sarah’s approach to performance nutrition focuses on practical, sustainable strategies grounded in scientific evidence.
Rather than restrictive or generic approaches, she works collaboratively with athletes to develop individualised fuelling systems that integrate with training, travel, competition schedules, and lifestyle demands.
Her philosophy centres on three principles:
Evidence-Based Practice
All strategies are grounded in current sport science research and best practice within elite sport.
Athlete-Centred Support
Every athlete is unique. Nutrition strategies are tailored to the individual, their sport, and their performance goals.
Long-Term Performance & Health
Sustainable performance comes from supporting both short-term competition goals and long-term athlete wellbeing.
Continuing Professional Development
Sarah remains actively engaged in professional development to stay at the forefront of sport science and performance nutrition.
She regularly attends industry-leading conferences and education programmes including:
ISAK World Conference
Carnegie Applied Sport Nutrition Symposium
BDA Performance Ready in Major Events
Elite Football Nutrition Conferences
City Football Leadership Institute