It is an illusion that more fatiguing workouts lead to better results. In fact, less fatiguing workouts can improve the quality of your workouts and, therefore, your results. Dr. Shannon breaks down why this happens and provides tangible takeaways to identify fatigue and what to focus on instead.  0:00: Introduction  1:04: Defining “fitness results”  3:11: How to train smarter, not harder 5:20: What drives muscle growth? 7:25: What does NOT drive muscle growth?  14:20: How fatigue can...

Registered Dietitian Hope Brandt discusses how to eat before and after exercise. 0:00: Introduction 0:40: How to eat to build muscle  2:05: How to eat for body recomposition  4:14: How to eat before your lifting routine  11:16: Post-workout nutrition  13:36: Can you only digest 20g of protein at a time?  19:56: Final thoughts  Try Evlo 14 days for free Follow Dr. Shannon on Instagram Follow Fit Body, Happy Joints on Instagram 

Have you ever met someone who seems to just LOOK at a weight and see results? Or someone who seemingly does everything right and doesn't see much change? We discuss some potential reasons for the variation in response to exercise and how to adjust your routine to fit your body. 0:00: Introduction 3:11: Framework for building muscle using the REPS framework 7:08: Super-responders and the effect of satellite cells 14:14: Average/low-responders vs. super-responders 16:19: Summary Try Evlo...

In this episode, Dr. Shannon, Dr. Payton, and Dr. Jill discuss several Evlo stories, explaining why they may have experienced the results they saw and how you can too.  0:00: Introduction 0:35: “The gentle, low-impact feel of Pilates, with the results of strength training” 5:03: How you can improve pelvic health without doing kegels 10:50: Less work, better fitness results 15:41: Body recomposition Try Evlo 14 days for free Follow Dr. Shannon on Instagram Follow Fit Body, Happy Joints...

Are you in a season where maintenance is a goal? Maybe you're training for a race or don't have the time to commit to much resistance training. Listen to this episode to learn about maintenance, when it's appropriate, and how to maintain muscle. 0:00: Evlo member story 2:34: Maintenance mindset vs. muscle building mindset 6:38: The importance of stimulating type 2 muscle fibers 9:12: Recommended volume for muscle building 10:00: Recommendations for maintaining muscle 12:18:...

The messaging around a certain form of exercise "snatching" you, which is the internet's newest word for "toning" or "tightening," is simply another marketing ploy from the fitness industry. Listen to this episode to learn why. 0:00: Why Pilates isn’t “snatching” you 4:09: How to determine if you’re workout is building muscle using the REPS framework 5:58: Why Pilates may make you feel “snatched” 10:55: Conclusion Try Evlo 14 days for free Follow Dr. Shannon on Instagram Follow Fit Body,...

Modeling a healthy relationship to food and exercise is important to me as a new parent. In this episode, Registered Dietitian Hope Brandt and I discuss our strategies for modeling healthy behaviors around food and fitness for our daughters. 0:00: Introduction 3:02: Separating food from exercise 7:17: Diminishing the importance of outward appearance 10:09: How you show up for your workouts matters 13:56: Modeling Gentle Consistency™️ 23:44: “Neutralizing” food 29:40: Avoiding food as a...

How you exercise in your 30s can not only impact how you feel and look now but also will set you on a path to age well and avoid disease. 0:00: Introduction 0:58: How your body changes in your 30s and why building muscle matters 2:34: The anti-aging effect of satellite cells 4:45: What type of training stimulates satellite cells? 6:17: Why you shouldn’t wait to build muscle  8:55: REPS framework for building muscle 10:30: Conclusion Try Evlo 14 days for free Follow Dr. Shannon on...

Many fitness methods claim to "tone your arms" or "slim your thighs." This is false advertising, with the assumption that you can "spot treat fat." Shannon breaks down the science of spot-treating fat and the efficacy of using exercise to improve/reduce cellulite in this episode. Podcasts Referenced: Exercise and leanness Nutrition and leanness with Hope Brandt, RD Where is your calorie burn plateau? 0:00: Introduction 1:30: What is body recomposition?  3:42: Does HIIT reduce belly...

Squats have been deemed the gold standard for building muscle in the legs while improving functional strength. But what if squats don't feel good on your body or aren't enjoyable? Do you have to do them to be functional in your day-to-day life? Shannon breaks it down in this episode. Studies referenced: #1 #2 #3 0:00: Evlo member story 3:37: Introduction to why you don’t have to squat to be functional 4:36: Benefits of squatting 8:11: Reasons why you may choose squats over another...

What is PCOS, what are the symptoms, and how can you exercise to improve symptoms? You'll learn all these things in this interview with Dr. Payton Busker. Tools to measure recovery blog post referenced 0:00: Introduction  0:58: Payton’s personal story with PCOS  4:33: Defining PCOS 8:43: Symptoms of PCOS 14:34: Influence of diet in treating PCOS  17:30: Link between PCOS and insulin resistance 19:40: Long term risks of PCOS 24:08: Exercising with PCOS 28:30: Indications that you’re not...

You may have heard that the more muscle mass you have, the more calories you burn at rest. Is this true? If so, what is the extent of this effect? How does muscle influence metabolism? Study on metabolism throughout lifespan 0:00: Evlo member story  2:58: Introduction to the relationship between muscle and metabolism  4:02: Defining metabolism 9:33: Which body systems require the most energy?  12:40: How adding muscle mass improves your metabolism in more ways than one 19:38:...

0:00: Introduction 1:15: Working out less for better results 2:54: What is a hard set? 6:34: Optimal volume for muscle growth 11:05: Adding more volume does not have proportionate benefits on muscle growth 13:58: The importance of exercise selection on central nervous system fatigue 18:16: Study comparing low vs high volume workout 22:47: Why you may see better results doing Evlo 24:15: Can reducing volume produce higher quality workouts? 26:27: How to choose a track as an Evlo member...

Your menstrual cycle has been considered a vital sign by some and can be an indication of your overall health. Shannon is joined by Dr. Payton, who shares the current research on exercising to improve menstrual health. They also discuss fertility, pregnancy loss, and more. Cycle syncing episode referenced  0:00: Introduction 1:20: Your menstrual cycle as a vital sign  3:20: Signs/symptoms that something might be off with your cycle 7:37: Can you still track your cycle while on hormonal...

How does high-intensity cardio affect longevity? Is HIIT the only way to receive longevity benefits? How does strength training compare to HIIT at improving VO2 max? All these topics and more are discussed today. 0:00: Brief summary of episodes 148 and 149 2:50: Hypertrophy training 5:30: The bottom line when it comes to HIIT 11:30: VO2 max as an indicator of overall health and longevity 16:13: Utilizing HIIT to improve VO2 max and metabolic flexibility 19:22: Downsides of Zone 4/Zone 5...

We recommend a cornerstone routine of walking and strength training. But is walking "enough" cardio? Shannon discusses that question in this episode. 0:00: Zones of cardio 2:18: Recap of benefits of Zone 2 cardio 4:27: Recap of benefits of strength training 6:45: Energy expenditure 9:45: Benefits of a walking + hypertrophy routine 10:20: Does walking “count” as zone 2 training? 11:48: Should you do zone 3 cardio? 15:27: How to add zone 2 training to your routine Try the new Evlo Follow...

Zone two cardio has received a lot of attention lately. Doctors and researchers tout the benefits associated with mitochondrial efficiency and longevity. But zone two cardio is time-consuming and may be difficult to realistically keep up with. At the same time, others are claiming that women naturally have a better ability to use fat as fuel and a higher composition of type 1 muscle fibers, so zone two cardio is unnecessary. Where is the "truth?" What SHOULD we be doing for our health and...

If you consume any wellness content, you may have noticed increased attention on insulin and blood sugar. What does it mean to be "insulin resistant," and what are the symptoms to look for? How can insulin resistance affect fitness results? How can we improve our insulin sensitivity with diet, lifestyle, and exercise? Katherine Andrew, Registered Dietitian, and I discuss these topics and more. 0:00: Introduction 1:44: What is blood sugar and insulin? 4:42: When does the body tap into the...

Have you ever started a fitness challenge just to find yourself back at square one shortly after it ended? In this episode, we discuss why I'm not a fan of time-based, extreme fitness challenges and the metabolic adaptations that occur with extreme diets and exercise routines. 0:00: Introduction 3:00: Building muscle and time-bound challenges  5:00: Metabolic adaption  11:40: Do challenges help start new habits? 13:20: The benefits of following a gentle, strength-based program  16:06: How...

You can find anecdotes everywhere that heavy weights "bulk" and Pilates-type movements provide a long, lean, toned body. Is there any truth behind these anecdotes? And further, do you HAVE to lift heavy weights to build muscle? Does Pilates build muscle? These are all questions that Shannon discusses in today's episode. 0:00: Introduction 4:00: What research says about exercise and body composition 7:40: Does the “burn” cause muscle growth? 10:10: Challenge to the muscle 11:54: Does Pilates...

In this episode, Dr. Shannon interviews Becca Romero about all things nutrition and fertility. They touch on women's and men's fertility, micronutrients, exercise, and more. 0:00: Introduction 2:30: Importance of eating enough when trying to conceive 7:00: Blood sugar balancing and fertility 15:56: Other nutrition considerations for conceiving 17:17: Vegan/Vegetarian considerations and the effect on fertility 19:10: Importance of micronutrients 25:26: Fitness adaptations when trying to...

Deload weeks, or as we call them, "Reset Weeks," can help manage fatigue, avoid plateaus, and improve recovery. Dr. Shannon discusses some updates to her protocols around Reset Weeks based on current literature. 0:00: Introduction  5:00: How to “deload” 11:00: What happens after a Reset Week? 12:30: How often should you take these weeks? 17:25: FAQ: “Will I lose muscle if I take time off?” 20:32: FAQ: “How should I eat during Reset Weeks?” 22:30: The new Evlo membership Studies referenced:...

Do you HAVE to squat and deadlift to maintain your functional strength throughout your life?  Dr. Payton and Dr. Shannon discuss misconceptions about choosing "functional" exercises. Study referenced 0:00: Introduction 1:10: What is “functional fitness”? 4:33: Are other exercises not helping with function? 9:50: How muscles are loaded 10:45: Sport-specific training 15:44: Summary 14-day free trial Follow Dr. Shannon on Instagram Follow Fit Body, Happy Joints on Instagram

Every year, Shannon releases a "Thanksgiving" episode centered around exercise and food. This year, she's speaking to something that is common around this time of year - using exercise as a tool to "burn off" your food. She discusses why this isn't possible and how to re-wire your relationship to exercise and food. She also discusses how to add gentle movement to manage a glucose spike and feel better after a large meal.  0:00: Introduction  6:00: Why we can’t “earn” our food  13:12: How can...