The Reach Your Peak Experience (A Sports Nutrition Podcast)

Did you know?! That there is a difference between weight gain and fat gain? (Technically speaking). It can be a small distinction but this reality is particularly important around Christmas when you are a fat-loss dieter. You need to understand the difference and how to interpret the results so that you can stay level-headed and informed. Trust me, you need to know the reality between weight gain...

One of the common questions I have gotten as a Dietitian over the year come Christmas/Festive time is: “Should I continue trying to lose weight over the holidays?” It is no secret fat loss is harder to achieve among the festivities but should you even try in the first place is the general thought. There is no clear cut answer and there is more nuance to this subject than meets the eye, but I can s...

It is no secret that navigating nutrition during the Christmas season is harder than usual. This means that fat loss efforts become a bit more tricky too. From Christmas foods to more alcohol. From socializing to less time for yourself and prepping. Things are not designed to be fat-loss-friendly during the holidays. So what can you do? In this episode, I share 12 ways or things you can do this fe...

Caloric balance is the fundamental decider when it comes to total body composition change. Both weight loss and muscle building are dictated by your calories. That is why it is important to go back to basics sometimes to understand the basic fundamentals of body composition and how calories are the moving puzzle pieces to this equation.  I like to talk about this in zones: The Calorie Zones.  In t...

Women going through menopause will often find themselves struggling to manage weight in the same way they previously did.  Many will start doubting whether or not fat loss is even possible anymore after a certain age and will question if menopause is the culprit. So what is the truth?  Is menopause a fat-loss inhibitor?  Can you still lose weight during menopause?  This is a very nuanced and compl...

“PO-TAT-OES! Boil em. Mash em. Stick em in a stew.” - Samwise Gamgee Hobbits know their food and they do that food game well…and they love their taters, precious. Despite the information you may have been given in the past or the misconceptions you may unfortunately have about the humble potato. I eat potatoes all the time and I have had my clients freely include them in their diet without issues...

Accountability is the closest thing you will get to the “secret sauce” when discussing nutrition success.  It is a fundamental driving force that should be leveraged to gain an advantage and move you closer to your goal. As a Dietitian and Nutritionist, I saw firsthand the power of accountability which led to me creating the concept of the ‘3 Pillars of Accountability’.  Using this framework, my c...

Plant based nutrition can be a perfectly fine way to go about your diet and can be optimized to be effective and healthy. We are talking vegan nutrition of course but vegetarian eating applies too.  However, it is technically a restricted diet and therefore this creates more chances for poor nutrition, unbalanced eating, and some key nutrition mistakes. Of course, there is the increased risk of ce...

Does calorie counting work? Is a calorie deficit a myth? Should you even bother with reducing calories to lose bodyfat? These are some of the many questions you may be asking yourself if you happened to hear the information on social media claiming that counting calories is essentially a fool’s errand. So is calorie counting an effective tool as part of a working process or is a futile attempt at...

Is it possible to eat takeaway food and still lose weight? Yes, it is. However, it requires a strategic approach so that you ensure that the takeaway options (and the extent to which you eat them) don’t move you out of a calorie deficit. Choosing the right takeaway is largely dependent on the portion amounts you eat but choosing the right types also plays a part and that is the focus here. So what...

When you are trying to lose weight, keeping your calories in check and in a calorie deficit is a fundamental necessity.  So what is one to do when they want some dessert or to have a more indulgent snack? Well, all foods can fit but I understand the desire to have options that don’t break the budget (calorie budget that is) to alternate with so that you are not always eating the super high-calorie...

Alongside fat loss, muscle building is one of the most popular goals in the health and fitness space. Many times dieters will even want to achieve both. So it is no surprise that “how to build muscle” is a very common query I get as a Sports Dietitian. To achieve muscle gain, you need to focus on the right things, done in the right way, and for the right duration of time. It is about strategy and...

There is no shortage of dietary mistakes being made in the nutrition world. From doing the wrong diets, to believing the wrong things, and to making the most common of mistakes. It is not just about what you should do, but also about what not to do that is very important too. Time to do things the right way! That is why in this episode, I want to share 1 big mistake I see so many dieters make (esp...

In an increasingly busy world, the reliance (or desire) for convenience in our food supply grows too. We are all more busy than ever so it is no surprise alot of people look to easy options when it comes to their nutrition. With this has come the emergence and growing popularity of pre-made meal options. From fresh to frozen varieties, it is no secret that “heat and eat” nutrition is becoming more...

It is no secret that protein is both popular and a fundamental pillar of good nutrition. So it is no surprise that knowing what foods provide protein is an effective way to level up your results. Unfortunately, a lot of people get the protein part of the nutrition equation wrong or simply do not optimize it in the right way. I want to change that by teaching you about 5 categories of protein foods...

You are trying to lose weight. You are dieting. You are exercising. You are taking supplement XYZ. You are trying food ABC. You are still not seeing the results you want…. Sound familiar? You are not alone. Nor should that be any reason you should not try and overcome this. So what could be causing the lack of goal achievement? Well, there are a great number of possible things getting in your way...

For as long as fat loss has been the dominant goal in the nutrition and health space, so too has the question been asked: should I lose weight slowly or quickly? The debate around rapid vs steady fat loss continues and it is one that you need to be aware of and understand better in order to approach your diet more effectively and safely.  So…which one is in fact better to do? Should you try and ra...

Protein is a very important macronutrient.  It helps with fat loss, muscle building, as well as performance goals. Therefore, eating enough of it is a very low hanging fruit you can juice to get better results. So it is important that you are also aware of the signs to look out for in order to know if your protein intake game needs a tune up and some work. Are you eating enough protein? Maybe. May...

A long-standing question around the fat loss space has been: which is more important, nutrition or exercise when it comes to getting results? In order to make it more contextual and practical, let’s phrase this as: is meal prep or going to the gym more important (and impactful) for fat loss success? The answer is more simple than you may think but it is also perhaps more surprising than you expect...

There is so many fat loss diets out there. Countless “dieting tips” that will help you “shred your body to 6 pack abs”.  Different approaches to weight loss that all have some who swear by it and promote it like it’s the be all, end all.  So it is no surprise that many people wonder if time restricted eating is better than classic calorie control dietary approaches. Which is better? Do both lead t...

So many wrongfully assume sandwiches cause weight gain and can’t be consumed on a fat-loss diet. Sandwiches can fit a weight loss plan easily. However, there is one “sandwich” that could be getting in your way though…the BLT. No, I do not mean the Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato sandwich classic. I mean the other BLT: Bites, Lick, Tastes. This thing might be causing your calories to be inaccurate. It may b...

In recent months the World Health Organisation has come out with two seperate statements regarding the consumption of non sugar sweeteners as they relate to health outcomes. One statement was about the use of alternative sweeteners for chronic disease management and weight loss. They suggested that they should not be used for these purposes. The most recent announcement was a major talking point i...

Fat loss is a long term process that requires the right evidence-based strategies to be implemented. However, there is no reason to overcomplicate it or to forget about the power of doing the simple stuff first.  In any goal you pursue, there will be some low hanging fruits you can juice to get you started or simply build some more momentum. Weight loss is no different. There are multiple things y...

“HOW TO GAIN MUSCLE WITHOUT GAINING TOO MUCH BODYFAT?” The nutrition question of the day aye. If you are trying to build muscle then you may know that with a calorie surplus and the building of mass, there will be both muscle and fat being accumulated.  So how do you avoid gaining too much bodyfat while doing a muscle-building bulking phase? As a Sports Dietitian and Nutritionist with plenty of ex...

Milo....but make it protein-esque.  Recently a new product was released: Milo Pro. The new high protein version for health-conscious people/fitness/fat loss goal-ers.  It is hard to look anywhere these days without seeing a protein version of something and Milo followed in these footsteps. The fact is that companies know the hype around protein and know people will buy high-protein versions of foo...