Feeding the Rhythm: Meal Timing and the Shift-Working Athlete
More and more gyms today offer 24-hour access, catering to members with non-traditional work schedules. For individuals passionate about maintaining rigorous training, pairing irregular schedules with the demands of workouts and performance often feels like a constant struggle. In this article, we explore the challenges shift-working athletes face, including the timing of nutrient intake, workouts, […]
Vanity Is Not Profanity: Why Looking Better May Be the Gateway to Better Health
The Quiet Confession Over the years, I have noticed an interesting pattern during initial consultations with new clients. Almost regardless of age, experience, or fitness level, there eventually comes a point when someone lowers her voice just a little and says, “I know this probably sounds vain, but . . .” What follows is usually […]
Back to Basics: Simple Strategies for Better Recovery and Progress
In today’s complex and ever-changing fitness world, the concept of recovery has taken a quantum leap towards “rock star” status, leveraging itself as one of the biggest trends in modern wellness. For recreational and elite athletes alike, recovery has undergone a positive shift, from a mere afterthought to a highly detailed daily ritual. In this article, […]
Advances in the Field of Exercise Immunology
The realization that lifestyle factors such as exercise, nutrition, sleep, and stress can optimize the immune system seems to have captured the attention of the medical community. Since the inception of the International Society of Exercise and Immunology in the early 1990’s, exercise immunology as a science has revealed some fascinating statistics. In this article, we […]
Can Sports Nutrition Benefit Mental Health?
Nutrition and mental health have always taken center stage in elite competitive athletics. Even the NCAA has declared mental health support one of its top priorities for its athletes. In this article, we will explore the interplay between sports nutrition and mental health, including how athletes’ dietary choices can significantly affect their cognitive function, mood, […]
The Impact of Alcohol on Muscle Synthesis and Recovery
After working hard all week in the office and in the gym, many individuals choose to toast the weekend over a drink or two with friends. While a very common practice and certainly legal for adults over 21, this “happy hour” may have some unhappy side effects. In this article, we will delve into the […]
What Is Vibroacoustic Therapy? How Sound and Vibration Support Relaxation and Wellness
Clients seek out personal trainers for a variety of reasons, from a quest for healthier bodies to building stronger, fuller muscles. Sometimes clients turn to fitness to manage stress, sleeplessness, or chronic pain. In this article, we introduce the relatively new concept of vibroacoustic technology, studies on which have demonstrated positive results in these areas, […]
Relative Energy Deficiency in Sports: Know the RED Flags and Signs
The concept known as Relative Energy Deficiency in Sports, or RED-S, arises due to an athlete’s failure to take in sufficient energy to support daily exercise-related energy expenditure. The resulting low energy availability can promote various physiological/psychological dysfunctions, any of which can undermine sports performance. This article explores the causes of RED-S and highlights the signs […]
Green Tea Extract vs. Greens Powder: Which Supplement Is Better?
Health-conscious consumers, particularly athletic-minded ones, spend up to $60 million annually on nutritional supplements. These can range from multivitamins to alleged muscle-builders and those promising to reverse the signs of aging. This translates to a good percentage of the average individual’s disposable income, especially when we consider that many supplements offer little in the way […]
Coaching the First 12 Weeks: Part I: Helping Midlife Women Understand the Biology of Progress
Over the past several years, it has become increasingly apparent that the fitness profession is undergoing a significant shift. Conversations that were once largely confined to academic journals—including skeletal muscle as an endocrine organ, sarcopenia, sarcopenic obesity, healthy longevity, and more recently the widespread adoption of GLP-1 receptor agonists—have rapidly entered mainstream healthcare. Collectively, these […]