It's no secret I'm not a big fan of fitness watches, but I think newer wearables show promise and can be helpful. In this episode, I break down what I recommend (and what I don't recommend), tracking and measuring with fitness wearables. 0:00: Introduction 3:24: Where fitness watches get it wrong 8:40: How to judge effectiveness of a workout 10:50: Other factors that contribute to results 12:45: Difficulty in tracking muscle strain 14:27: Lack of adjustment to current needs 15:55: The balance be...
Aug 10, 2023•33 min
Soreness may not be related to muscle damage or an effective workout. It may be related to an entirely different tissue and explain why soreness is not a reliable indicator of an effective workout. 0:00: Introduction 1:01: Factors for muscle growth 1:22: Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) 3:15: Unaccustomed movement and soreness 4:00: What is happening on a mechanical/cellular level to cause DOMS? 8:25: What it might mean if you’re not always sore 9:18: Why constant soreness is not the goal 11...
Aug 03, 2023•17 min
Genetics are a reality that we all work with. But how much of your response to exercise is genetically predisposed? And how much do exercise and lifestyle influence your results? Shannon discusses how to train given your genetic predisposition. 0:00: Introduction 2:25: Figuring out what you value 5:23: Genetic predisposition for muscle fiber composition 10:00: How to assess which fiber type you might have more of 16:00: If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it 17:15: Mechanical load to the muscles 21...
Jul 27, 2023•40 min
Dr. Julie Fratantoni educates us about how to keep our brains healthy as we age. We talk about neurochemicals that affect our brains, how to improve working memory, and how to keep your brain young as you age. 0:00: Introduction 2:35: The different chemicals released with exercise 7:55: Effects of these different neurotransmitters 8:40: Over-exercise and cognitive health 12:44: Brain fog and working memory 21:12: Why does neurodegeneration happen 26:00: 10 tips for brain health 33:00: “Health op...
Jul 20, 2023•43 min
Can you cycle sync while still building muscle? The answer is YES, but not in the way social media is recommending. In this episode, Shannon talks about why to consider cycle syncing, how hormones fluctuate throughout your body and how that affects recovery, social media myths, and how to cycle sync whether or not you are on hormonal birth control. 0:00: Introduction 1:08: Why should we cycle sync? 3:55: Importance of building lean mass 5:18: The five basics 10:55: How can we cycle sync while st...
Jul 13, 2023•39 min
Metabolic flexibility may be a term you've heard before. But what does it mean, and why is it important for overall health? Shannon breaks down the connection between metabolic flexibility and mitochondrial health and gives exercise recommendations for improving metabolic flexibility. 0:00: Introduction 1:00: Upward spiral 2:32: What is metabolic flexibility? 3:20: How to know if you’re metabolically flexible/inflexible 6:00: How to train to be more metabolically flexible 9:50: Types of fuel sou...
Jul 06, 2023•41 min
In this episode, Evlo instructor, Dr. Payton, discusses her recent diagnosis with Hashimoto's, which is one of the most common autoimmune disorders in women. She talks about what she's doing to improve hormone balance and how she has improved her thyroid and hormone levels within a few months. 0:00: Introduction 2:22: What started the process to Payton getting diagnosed 4:43: Cycle tracking 7:30: Diving deeper into Payton's symptoms with testing 11:15: Hashimoto's and hypothyroidism 16:50: How P...
Jun 29, 2023•27 min
The "interference effect," otherwise known as the concurrent training effect, is controversial in the academic literature. Shannon discusses the AMPK pathway that is hypothesized to interfere with strength/muscle gains. 0:00: Introduction 3:30: Interference effect 5:08: AMPK pathway 10:35: Chronic effects of too much cardio 14:20: Keep your HIIT sessions short 16:55: Periodize your HIIT 18:20: Complete HIIT at the end of your week 19:20: Focus on strength training first 21:30: When should you ad...
Jun 22, 2023•25 min
We think about working HARDER to see better results. But what if managing fatigue better could have a bigger payoff than just doing MORE? In this episode, I teach you why managing fatigue can improve results and give tangible takeaways to start managing fatigue in your workouts right away. 0:00: Introduction 1:41: Stimulus-to-fatigue ratio 5:14: Important elements of managing fatigue 5:54: Reset weeks 7:38: Emotional stress 10:55: Sleep 12:38: Genetics 14:00: How do you know if your programming ...
Jun 15, 2023•27 min
Chronic inflammation is common in the fitness industry and can affect fitness results. Dr. Shannon discusses what inflammation is, how your body is affected by inflammation in your workouts, how to assess your chronic inflammation, and steps to take to resolve it. 0:00: Introduction 3:36: what is inflammation? 5:38: how does inflammation work during and after a workout? 15:24: importance of recovery for muscle growth 16:51: Symptoms of chronic muscle inflammation 20:10: recommendations for getti...
Jun 08, 2023•26 min
If your body is feeling broken down from a lot of intense exercise but you're afraid that doing less will cause weight gain, this episode is for you. 0:00: Introduction 0:50: Shannon’s experience with overexercise 7:15: Energy expenditure 11:15: Fitness watches 12:30: Why trackers are not an accurate representation of energy expended 17:30: Example of this energy expenditure 20:35: Bottom line 22:30: Burnout Bootcamp Study referenced Subscribe for Burnout Bootcamp details Free Evlo Workshop Free...
Jun 01, 2023•25 min
Better software makes for better functioning hardware. In this episode, we're discussing how to improve your body's software (inputs via your visual system) to improve the hardware (your muscular system). Improving our visual and vestibular system can make it easier for us to see results from our workouts and will allow us more freedom of movement along the way. 4:00 Nervous system input 8:10 The cause of muscle tightness 10:33 Visual and vestibular input 14:05 Proprioceptive system 18:42 How th...
May 25, 2023•30 min
Do women HAVE to lift heavy to see muscle growth and stay strong as we age? The answer in Shannon's perspective: no. Current literature suggests that you can use a wide variety of loading ranges, and still see muscle growth and results. Shannon explores why this is being recommended and challenges the idea that you have to lift heavy to improve body composition, improve muscle mass, and stay healthy as you age. 0:00: Introduction 2:07: Do you have to lift heavy to see results? 4:24: Should perim...
May 18, 2023•32 min
Reproductive health is a sign of overall health. Lifestyle, environmental, and dietary changes can improve endocrine health, fertility and have long-term health benefits. Dr. Audrey Gaskins talks about lifestyle, dietary, and exercise modifications to improve reproductive health. 0:00: Introduction 3:30: Dr. Gaskins’s research focus 4:58: Fertility endpoints and time windows 6:12: “Lowest hanging fruit” for improving fertility 10:00: Environmental factors that can affect fertility 16:09: Symptom...
May 11, 2023•27 min
Are you someone who uses exercise as "therapy"? Exercise can improve stress resilience, but it can also add to your stress. Chronic stress can contribute to body composition changes, metabolic disease, and more. In this episode, Shannon discusses how chronic stress affects your hormones, how to know if you are chronically stressed, and how to identify if your workouts are adding or subtracting to your stress levels. 0:00: Introduction 1:12: How does stress affect your hormones and nervous system...
May 04, 2023•31 min
Semaglutide is a drug that you may have heard of under the brand names Ozempic or Wegovy. This drug is used to treat diabetes but is also used for weight loss. In today's episode, endocrinologist Dr. Arti Thangudu breaks down who this drug is indicated for, who it is NOT indicated for, the side effects, and more. 0:00: Introduction 2:24: What is Semaglutide and how does it work? 5:15: How do these medications impact weight and appetite? 7:14: Are there any effects on mental health? 8:17: Who is ...
Apr 27, 2023•27 min
The somatic nervous system is responsible for sending your brain information via your five senses. You can use tools such as mobility and touch to stimulate your somatic nervous system, improving your brain's "map" to your muscles and therefore improving activation in your workouts. 0:00: Introduction 3:38: What is the somatic nervous system? 6:53: Inputs and outputs 9:45: Stimulating mechanoreceptors to improve your results 14:30: Tools for improving the motor map of the body 21:13: Jammed join...
Apr 20, 2023•31 min
We train our muscles and our cardiovascular system. We can also train the network that we don't see: our nervous system. In this episode, Shannon focused on the autonomic nervous system. She talks about sympathetic and parasympathetic activation and how each influences your fitness results. She provides tangible tools and takeaways to start training your nervous system more effectively. 0:00: Intro 3:16 Breaking down the different parts of the nervous system 6:27 How your nervous system heals yo...
Apr 13, 2023•43 min
If getting leaner is your goal, nutrition should be your main focus. In this episode, I talk to Registered Dietitian Hope Fitzgerald Brandt. We talk about her own journey with weight loss, what to change if you have a lot of weight to lose, and what to tweak if you have the last 10 lbs or so to lose. 0:00: Introduction 3:58: How Hope approaches weight loss and aesthetic goals 5:35: Hope’s personal journey with weight loss 9:30: Going beyond “eating clean” 11:50: What does it mean to be in a slig...
Apr 06, 2023•37 min
"Eat less, move more," if weight loss is your goal. Right? Not necessarily. In this episode, Shannon breaks down how exercise affects leanness. 0:00: Introduction 1:43: Low Energy Availability (LEA) 7:22: Systematic Review of exercise alone for weight loss 9:20: Fitness trackers and weight loss 14:42: How exercise CAN affect weight loss 17:15: How does exercise use fat as fuel? 23:00: Should you increase your step count to accelerate weight loss? 24:15: How much exercise should you be doing if l...
Mar 30, 2023•31 min
Pilates is very popular right now. But is it "enough" for the modern woman? 0:00: Introduction 3:20: Why is Pilates so popular right now? Moving from high to low intensity 7:42: Pilates marketing 9:40: Pilates background 11:10: Pros of Pilates 15:37: Cons of Pilates 22:36: Complex moves and how they affect hypertrophy 27:33: Myth busting: “Pilates will make you long and lean” 30:35: Myth busting: “Pilates will tone your body” 32:15: Myth busting: “Pilates is hard/burns so it must be effective” 3...
Mar 23, 2023•46 min
What is "mom butt," and how can you address it? Does core stability work actually "shrink" your waist? Are crunches safe for postpartum women? Dr. Amelia Ponchur, pelvic floor and women's health physical therapist, discusses all these topics and more. 0:00: Introduction 3:30: What is “mom butt”? 10:04: What is the best way to hold a baby? 11:33: How do your feet affect your pelvic floor? 19:07: How should you work your glutes if you think you have mom butt? 23:35: Core stability: Can it “make yo...
Mar 16, 2023•48 min
"Listen to your body" has become a cliche in the wellness world. What does it even mean, and how can you do it? Shannon and Payton break down what listening to your body means from a neurology standpoint, how it can improve your body image AND your results, and they break down a step-by-step process for being a better listener of your own body. 0:00: Introduction 1:14: What “listening to your body” means from a nervous system standpoint 5:45: The power of listening to your outputs 9:20: Age is n...
Mar 09, 2023•54 min
We don't do a lot of stretching. I know that's a big shift for many, and in this episode, I want to explain why. 0:00: Introduction 5:20: Tightness is a symptom, not a cause 7:48: “Security system” of the body 14:05: Why might tightness happen? 15:35: Reasons for chronic tightness 18:18: Should we be stretching to solve tightness? 19:29: Are there benefits to stretching? 20:22: What does stretching do to the tissues of your body? 23:55: So what CAN improve mobility? 28:10: Importance of addressi...
Mar 02, 2023•36 min
In this episode, Shannon breaks down what "toning" really means, how to body recomposition, the five basics for results, and how much volume to add for muscle growth. 0:00: Introduction 5:30: “Toning” and “tightening” ( Episode 70 ) 8:35: High rep, low load workouts 12:10: What is good for fat loss? 16:38: Sustainable body recomposition ( Episode 77 ) 18:52: Nutrition + body recomposition 27:27: Training + body recomposition 34:23: Recovery + body recomposition 39:37: Volume needed for muscle gr...
Feb 23, 2023•50 min
In this episode, Shannon summarizes the highlights from three past episodes about cardio. She talks about why cardio isn't the best tool for fat loss, how to incorporate HIIT, and the differences between light intensity and moderate intensity steady state cardio. 0:00: Introduction 2:10: Cardio should not be a tool to expedite fat loss ( Episode 95 ) 4:03: Moderate-intensity cardio and group classes 6:12: Why tracking calories burned might work against you 12:10: The downward spiral 14:17: How m...
Feb 16, 2023•40 min
In celebration of the 100th podcast episode, Shannon is summarizing some of the "best of" episodes on various topics! First up: how to improve workout efficiency and feel better. Shannon summarizes 6 episodes: #7, #9, #48, #51, #74, and #97. 0:00: Introduction 3:28: How to know if your workouts are productive or just hard ( Episode 7 ) 8:13: Specifics of productive vs. hard workouts 9:15: How to cut your workout time in half ( Episode 9 ) 11:01: Recommendations for better results in shorter work...
Feb 09, 2023•47 min
If you want better glute gains, listen to this episode! Shannon discusses the most common mistakes and her suggestions on what to do instead. 0:00: Introduction 0:58: Overuse 3:42: “Booty banded” exercises 5:23: Not getting close enough to muscle failure 6:21: Lack of glute engagement 10:18: Summary Step-up demo Free Evlo 101 class 14 day free trial Follow Dr. Shannon on Instagram To take our free 35-minute Upper Body Build class taught by Dr. Shannon, visit portal.evlofitness.com ....
Feb 02, 2023•13 min
How many sets/week is best for muscle growth? Shannon aggregates the research and her experience to give you guidelines for the best, most sustainable results. 0:00: Introduction 3:35: Recommended volume for muscle growth 9:08: What does this information mean for us practically? 14:11: “Optimal” vs. practical/sustainable 17:35: Variability in programming 20:34: Recommendations for adjusting volume dosage 25:53: Conclusion Meta analysis referenced 14 day Evlo trial Follow Dr. Shannon on IG To tak...
Jan 26, 2023•27 min
What do you do when life happens, and you just can't commit much time to exercise? In this episode, I discuss the minimum amount of exercise I recommend to either maintain or progress. 0:00: Introduction 3:13: Does exercise affect fat loss? 4:38: Dosage for muscle gain for newbies and trained individuals 9:28: Example of mini class schedule you could take for a week 11:00: What about cardio? 13:25: Summary Classes referenced: Full Body 1 Full body 2 Core mini Follow Dr. Shannon on IG 14 day Evlo...
Jan 19, 2023•16 min
