The Dr. Shannon Show

Why do we sweat in our workotus? And are sweaty workouts superior for fitness results? Dr. Shannon explains why sweating isn't necessarily related to fitness results. 0:00: Introduction 1:02: Why do we sweat and what causes us to sweat?  3:25: Does sweating burn more calories? 5:58: More sweat doesn't equal more effective 7:59: Summary 14-day free Evlo trial Follow Dr. Shannon on Instagr...

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. 1:45: Introduction 2:45: Upward spiral 4:17: What is metabolic flexibility? 5:05: How to know if you’re metab...

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: Wh...

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 Bo...

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 effec...

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 recompositio...

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...

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 Pi...

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...

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 f...

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 Wh...

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...

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 resistanc...

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:...

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 reduci...

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 so...

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: Ut...

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: Sh...

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 zon...

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...

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 he...

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...

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 t...

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...

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...