How to: Fitness

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of How to: Fitness, we’re talking about sleep - a topic that can seem really boring but is truly a missing key in our overall health and wellness. Today we’re talking about what we do and don’t know about sleep, its impact on every aspect of our health, and how sleep hygiene is often overlooked in the fitness space.6:36 We spend one third of our lives asleep, so it’s very surprising that there is so much we don’t know about sleep - including why we need to sleep.7:52 As we sleep our brains will cycle repeatedly through two different types of sleep - REM (otherwise known as rapid-eye movement) sleep and non-REM sleep. Michael talks through these stages and cycles with more detail, focusing on the complexity of non-REM stage three sleep and how important it is for our fitness and recovery.11:14 In REM sleep, the eyes move rapidly behind closed lids, and brain waves are similar to those during wakefulness. This isn’t considered a restful stage; the brain is highly active throughout REM sleep, increasing brain metabolism by up to 20%. It is believed to be important for mood, memories and learning.14:38 Recent findings suggest that sleep plays a housekeeping role that helps to removes toxins in your brain that build up while you are awake, essentially functioning like an overnight cleaning team providing essential and restorative services to the brain as we sleep.17:20 Sleep affects almost every type of tissue and system in the body, and research shows that a chronic lack of sleep, or getting poor quality sleep, is correlated with mortality. There is so much unknown around sleep, leaving us feeling wary of “sleep experts” who have all the answers.22:57 Our sleep need is individualized to an extent, and there is a lot unknown around how sleep needs change as we age. The general recommendation for adults is 7 hours of sleep per night, and there are negative consequences for lower amounts of sleep even though some individuals feel they function well on less sleep.29:30 There’s a lot of uncertainty around the impact of naps on brain development and overall health, as well as if we can catch up on “sleep debt.”32:49 There are a lot of obvious or “boring” tips around sleep hygiene, but there are also suggestions we often overlook when addressing our sleep patterns. We talk through some of these overlooked tips around improving our sleep.47:00 We want sexy, quick fixes and often ignore “easier” fixes. Sleep definitely falls into that category as a puzzle piece that impacts our mental, physical, and emotional health in all ways.This is our last episode for this season of How to: Fitness. We have some really exciting interviews and topics lined up for our next season coming in January 2024!Due to limited space in s💛 STAY CONNECTED Don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast so you never miss an episode.🟡 Questions & SuggestionsWe love hearing from you, if you have a question, a topic idea, or feedback on an episode, just click here🟡 How to: FitnessInstagram: @howtofitnesspod🟡 Michael Ulloa Website: michaelulloa.com Instagram: @michaelulloapt🟡 Kate Lyman Website: katelymannutrition.com Instagram:  @klnutritionThank you for listening to the How to: Fitness Podcast with Michael Ulloa and Kate Lyman!

Send us Fan MailToday we're taking a (mostly) objective approach to alcohol consumption - the risks, the benefits, and the drinking culture we are up against, and how it all impacts our nutrition, our fitness, and our overall health. We talk through taking a "risk analysis" approach to how we drink and share a bit of our own experiences as well.1:30 How can learning more about alcohol help us become more knowledgable and educated consumers? Today we want to take the morality out of this topic and go into the topic of alcohol and drinking patterns with an open mind. We talk objective vs. subjective and how both of these fit into this topic.7:30 Alcohol is a fourth, “nonessential,” macronutrient with 7 calories per gram. The caloric value of alcohol disproportionately high for the minimal nutrients provided. This knowledge can help us make more informed food choices.9:58 As a neurotoxin, alcohol receives metabolic priority. It doesn’t trigger fullness signals like typical food does. When we pair this with impaired decision making and lower inhibitions, we see a tendency towards overconsumption.15:35 There are many physiological impacts of alcohol intake, both short and long term. One of them that really impacts how we feel is disturbed sleep after drinking. There is a dose-toxicity response, so moderate drinking is very different than binge drinking.17:50 We talk through the benefits of drinking: both health and social oriented. Moderate alcohol intake can increase HDL and lower risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney stones, and more.21:57 We must take a “risk assessment” approach to our alcohol intake. Overall health benefits pale in comparison to risks, so it feels like the benefits we can weigh are social benefits - community, celebration, and enjoyment.27:00 Drinking habits are very personal and very sensitive and a lot of trust and respect is required before opening up a conversation around this topic.29:50 We talk about drinking culture in the US vs UK, drinking age limits, and the downfall of abstinence-based approaches around alcohol consumption. Rates of binge drinking are increasing across certain populations: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/29/opinion/sunday/alcohol-binge-drinking.html36:20  Kate and Michael each share some of their personal experiences - from growing up in a more conservative community where alcohol was attached to morality to family history and days of heavy drinking through university.46:30 The term “sober curious” means “to choose to question, or get curious about, every impulse, invitation, and expectation to drink, versus mindlessly going along with the dominant drinking culture.” It is about assessing your relationship with alcohol and paying attention to you💛 STAY CONNECTED Don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast so you never miss an episode.🟡 Questions & SuggestionsWe love hearing from you, if you have a question, a topic idea, or feedback on an episode, just click here🟡 How to: FitnessInstagram: @howtofitnesspod🟡 Michael Ulloa Website: michaelulloa.com Instagram: @michaelulloapt🟡 Kate Lyman Website: katelymannutrition.com Instagram:  @klnutritionThank you for listening to the How to: Fitness Podcast with Michael Ulloa and Kate Lyman!

Send us Fan MailWe believe in taking a holistic approach to our health and fitness, and we know that our sexual health is part of that. We speak with sexologist Dr. Celeste Holbrook on growing up in a conservative community, body ideals, how to open more conversations around sex, and how we can approach sex as a learned skill.1:38 Dr. Celeste Holbrook is a sex educator using behavior change theory to enlighten individuals and partnerships on the topic of sex. Being a sexologist was not her goal career in her youth, but sex education became important to her after growing up in a conservative community and her own personal experiences.8:40 We discuss how we can start becoming more open about sex by taking sex off of a “weird pedestal” and making it more approachable. It is a part of life, not the pinnacle, but modern messaging around sex suggests otherwise.10:30 Sex is a learned skill that doesn’t always come naturally. Approaching it as such provides a more healthful dialogue around sex and open up conversation with partners, friends, and those near us.13:00 Sometimes when working with a client we can utilize sex drive as a metric of our health, but sex is too contextual to use only as a metric of being fed, fueled, and rested. Libido can be a marker for health, but not always due to the context of what is going on in our lives. Libido also lives in a range, not only “high” or “low.”17:01 There is no gauge for our libido, it is all in relation to what feels comfortable for us. Dr. Holbrook talks about the negotiation that is sex with a partner and how that is the best metric of a healthful sex life. Like everything else about our health, it is highly individualized.19:14 Dr. Holbrook shares her strong views around the beauty industry and how our perception of beauty has been created by individuals around marketing table. While this idea is not unique to women only, it is experienced far more by those passing as women. We can take a harm reduction approach to feel best in our bodies and, as a byproduct, find a lot of compassion for others as well.24:07 Regarding sex, we can take the approach that feels best and most comfortable for us and can also push back harder against ideals that have been sold to us. We can also take an approach to our bodies and body image that feels safe and gives us permission to live our lives best.28:15 The body and beauty ideals that permeate “ideal sexuality” are the same that are pushed in the fitness industry. Dr. Holbrook gives some tips around changing the way we speak to ourselves and shifting the responsibility around beauty ideals.31:18 We can foster more confidence in our sexuality by understanding what we want out of sex and then building behaviors that support those desires. Until we know what we truly want, we are just gras💛 STAY CONNECTED Don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast so you never miss an episode.🟡 Questions & SuggestionsWe love hearing from you, if you have a question, a topic idea, or feedback on an episode, just click here🟡 How to: FitnessInstagram: @howtofitnesspod🟡 Michael Ulloa Website: michaelulloa.com Instagram: @michaelulloapt🟡 Kate Lyman Website: katelymannutrition.com Instagram:  @klnutritionThank you for listening to the How to: Fitness Podcast with Michael Ulloa and Kate Lyman!

Send us Fan MailAmericans spend over $78 BILLION dollars on weight reduction services and goods annually, and it’s estimated that the average UK adult will spend more than £20000 trying to lose weight and get healthy over a lifetime.That is…a lot.In today’s episode were diving into the history of dieting and the cultural obsession that is the constant invention of new ways to restrict and manipulate our diets.💛 STAY CONNECTED Don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast so you never miss an episode.🟡 Questions & SuggestionsWe love hearing from you, if you have a question, a topic idea, or feedback on an episode, just click here🟡 How to: FitnessInstagram: @howtofitnesspod🟡 Michael Ulloa Website: michaelulloa.com Instagram: @michaelulloapt🟡 Kate Lyman Website: katelymannutrition.com Instagram:  @klnutritionThank you for listening to the How to: Fitness Podcast with Michael Ulloa and Kate Lyman!

Send us Fan MailToday’s episode is a quick-fire Q&A where we bust some common nutrition and fitness myths. We referenced a few sources throughout the episode and you can find these below in the show notes:00:32 Does exercising on an empty stomach burn more fat?https://examine.com/deep-dives/the-surprisingly-satiating-effects-of-fasted-cardio/#Pl97aQd-who-and-what-was-studied03:29 Do superfoods really have no nutritional benefit?04:48 Do we need to stay in the fat burning heart rate zone if I am trying to lose weight?06:35 Are BCAAs and creatine worth the cost?https://examine.com/supplements/branched-chain-amino-acids/11:08 Do I get the same benefit of a workout whether I am sore or not?💛 STAY CONNECTED Don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast so you never miss an episode.🟡 Questions & SuggestionsWe love hearing from you, if you have a question, a topic idea, or feedback on an episode, just click here🟡 How to: FitnessInstagram: @howtofitnesspod🟡 Michael Ulloa Website: michaelulloa.com Instagram: @michaelulloapt🟡 Kate Lyman Website: katelymannutrition.com Instagram:  @klnutritionThank you for listening to the How to: Fitness Podcast with Michael Ulloa and Kate Lyman!

Send us Fan MailMany products, supplements, and influencers say good gut health is the key to a flat belly, a mood boost and so much more. But how many of these claims are actually rooted in science? Will drinking lemon juice and ginger really make as much of a difference as some creators claim? And why is gut health constantly conflated with the idea of weight loss? Let’s find out!4:01 There is a lot of misunderstanding around what gut health actually is. Our gut health relates to the well-being of our gastrointestinal system, which includes the stomach, intestines, and all those microorganisms residing within. This is a really broad topic, so the goal of this episode is to leave us as more educated consumers and experts in our own nutrition.7:06 Gut health and learning about the gut microbiome is very new research, and there is so much more to learn. Our gut holds 80% of our immune system, synthesizes vitamins, manages inflammation, and communicates with our central nervous system - among other things. When our gut microbiome is healthy, it truly does impact our health.11:29 Some of the drivers of our microbiome composition are age, diet, lifestyle. How we were born - vaginal birth vs cesarean - also impacts our microbiome as does where we live, our stress levels, medications we take, how we were fed as an infant, and even where we travel.12:52 As gut health has become more “trendy,” it has also become a topic rife with misinformation. Among accessible information around gut health, there are a lot of unproven health claims, conflicting dietary, commercialization, and approaching gut health as if it is about weight loss.21:30 Social media is full of “hacks” for the gut, and there’s not enough data to prove whether any of these supposed fixes improve digestive functions. Many people are fooled by online wellness gurus who label themselves as “gut health scientists” or “gut health coaches”.27:00 Registered dietitians, GI doctors, and immunologists are actual experts in this subject matter. We are examples of professionals in the health and nutrition space who have knowledge and qualifications, but are by no means gut health experts. We know that our scope of practice is limited, and that’s as it should be.29:35 It’s generally the same habits that support our overall health that are best for our gut health: eating a lot of fiber rich foods, probiotic-rich foods, diversity in our food choices, moderation in alcohol consumption, and adequate hydration.44:21 There is a direct link between our gut and our brain. The gut-brain connection is a two-way communication highway. The gut sends signals to the brain, impacting our mood, stress levels, and cognitive functions, while the brain influences our gut's activity too. There is an entire emerging body of research studying change💛 STAY CONNECTED Don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast so you never miss an episode.🟡 Questions & SuggestionsWe love hearing from you, if you have a question, a topic idea, or feedback on an episode, just click here🟡 How to: FitnessInstagram: @howtofitnesspod🟡 Michael Ulloa Website: michaelulloa.com Instagram: @michaelulloapt🟡 Kate Lyman Website: katelymannutrition.com Instagram:  @klnutritionThank you for listening to the How to: Fitness Podcast with Michael Ulloa and Kate Lyman!

Send us Fan MailWe had the amazing opportunity to speak with an incredible guest, respected Cambridge university lecturer Dr. Giles Yeo. Dr. Yeo is a professor of molecular neuroendocrinology whose research focuses on food intake, genetics, and obesity, and our conversation was nothing short of amazing.1:57 We talk about Giles’ recent “midlife crisis” that manifest in the form of an amazing cycling adventure across the UK.7:33 What is obesity? There is an oversimplified yet strong-held belief that body size correlates with health, and Dr. Yeo talks us through the impact genetics play on our body size. The ability a individual’s body has to carry body fat without negative health implications is impacted by our genes.12:14 How much fat we can store safely (without disease) is largely genetic, though there are always environmental factors at play as well. Where we hold our body fat is also entirely purely genetic14:38 Twin studies help us understand what portion of our health is genetic versus environmental. Dr. Yeo shares a fantastic example of heritable traits using hair color (compared to fat carrying capacity, body shape) and freckles (compared to what foods we like to eat, how much food we eat).17:17 Mail in DNA tests (ex: 23 and Me) and can show us some accurate traits, while others are a stretch. There are both predictable traits that these tests can show us (like response to lactose and alcohol), and less predictable or more complicated traits (aerobic capacity, which diet would be best for us).23:17 How do these DNA tests provide inaccurate information? Predictable traits that involve just one compound are far more likely to be true and there is legitimate information we can learn.27:24 Dr. Yeo was recently on the Diary of A CEO podcast, where parts of his interview were utilized for soundbites that circulated around the fitness community while taken out of context. There was a lot of backlash around his comments surrounding calories, as well as his physical experience vs. his expertise.30:38 Calories tell you the amount you’re eating and the energy content, but nothing of the nutritional content of a food.35:15 With advancements in how we understand the genetics of bodyweight, we’re getting closer to understanding how to use genetics to tailor our intake to our individual needs. As we figure out how to mass monitor food intake, our potential to understand individualized needs grows in incredible ways.39:12 Is there a future of individual calorie-counting devices that give us a more accurate view of our intake?43:23 We talk through the challenging topic of balancing body positivity/neutrality and health. We don’t do ourselves justice when we focus on weight; we need to focus on health.💛 STAY CONNECTED Don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast so you never miss an episode.🟡 Questions & SuggestionsWe love hearing from you, if you have a question, a topic idea, or feedback on an episode, just click here🟡 How to: FitnessInstagram: @howtofitnesspod🟡 Michael Ulloa Website: michaelulloa.com Instagram: @michaelulloapt🟡 Kate Lyman Website: katelymannutrition.com Instagram:  @klnutritionThank you for listening to the How to: Fitness Podcast with Michael Ulloa and Kate Lyman!

Send us Fan MailToday’s episode is a quick-fire Q&A on the topic of supplements - an area with a lot of confusion and misinformation. We talk about which supplements may be worth the expense, which supplements can benefit us as we age, and which supplements we personally take.00:34 - Do BCAAs actually help repair muscle?02:24 - Should doctors be ordering more blood panels for patients so they know how to supplement?05:43 - Do I need a greens powder supplement?07:48 - Are there any supplements that are more beneficial as we age?11:16 - Do any supplements actually work? (Here is more detail on DSHEA, an act that leaves dietary and herbal supplements exempt from most FDA regulations: https://www.kuer.org/politics/2018-12-18/how-a-1994-law-supercharged-utahs-supplement-industry)15:38 - What supplements do we take?Have more questions about supplements or any other topic related to your nutrition and fitness? Send them our way! 💛 STAY CONNECTED Don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast so you never miss an episode.🟡 Questions & SuggestionsWe love hearing from you, if you have a question, a topic idea, or feedback on an episode, just click here🟡 How to: FitnessInstagram: @howtofitnesspod🟡 Michael Ulloa Website: michaelulloa.com Instagram: @michaelulloapt🟡 Kate Lyman Website: katelymannutrition.com Instagram:  @klnutritionThank you for listening to the How to: Fitness Podcast with Michael Ulloa and Kate Lyman!

Send us Fan MailToday we’re talking about hyperpalatable foods, what makes food delicious and drives cravings, and what that means to us as consumers and individuals trying to become experts on our own nutrition.Content warning: we do touch on certain aspects of eating disorders and disordered eating patterns in this episode4:52 Hyperpalatable foods (HPF) are foods that are engineered to be extremely tasty, appealing, and “addictive.” HPFs contain combinations of fat, sugar, salt, and other flavors that stimulate the reward centers in the brain. There are not “bad” foods; they are foods engineered to be exceptionally delicious.6:56 When we crave HPFs, it’s not because we’re “broken;” it’s because we’re reacting just as these foods are supposed to make us react.7:30 We talk through the official definition and characteristics of a HPF, as defined by a research team in 2019. HPFs contain a specific combination of nutrients, create an artificially enhanced eating experience, and slow one’s satiety mechanisms.9:38 A “bliss point” is an optimized combination of sugar, fat, salt, texture, aroma etc. that create maximum palatability and irresistibility. Bliss points light up the reward and craving centers in the brain, making us want to keep eating.14:00 We have seen the rise of packaged foods over decades. Some of the tactics used to market snack and frozen food products are the same tactics used to market tobacco. For more information on the food labeling legislation and law around selling junk food to minors in Oaxaca: https://foodtank.com/news/2020/10/mexican-state-of-oaxaca-becomes-first-to-ban-selling-junk-food-to-children/19:11 In 2016, it was discovered that the sugar industry had funded and published research in the 1960s to highlight the hazards of fat, while simultaneously downplaying the risks of sugar. There is a lot of lobbying behind various diet trends that gain, and lose, popularity over time.20:52 HPFs are generally less expensive and more accessible. This makes it outrageously easy to consume HPF, and overconsumption leads to poor health outcomes.21:23 Are HPFs addictive? We delve into the controversy around this topic and why we can’t answer definitively.  More research needed in this area.25:05 HPFs seem to hijack and dysregulate normal appetite control signals in the brain, driving addictive-like consumption, especially in vulnerable individuals. Understanding how HPFs impact us can help give these foods less powerful and leave us more informed around our food choices.30:39 Research found that a food was more than 4 times more likely to be an HPF in 2018 than in 1988. A substantial sampl💛 STAY CONNECTED Don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast so you never miss an episode.🟡 Questions & SuggestionsWe love hearing from you, if you have a question, a topic idea, or feedback on an episode, just click here🟡 How to: FitnessInstagram: @howtofitnesspod🟡 Michael Ulloa Website: michaelulloa.com Instagram: @michaelulloapt🟡 Kate Lyman Website: katelymannutrition.com Instagram:  @klnutritionThank you for listening to the How to: Fitness Podcast with Michael Ulloa and Kate Lyman!

Send us Fan MailToday we’re delving into the world weight loss clubs, specifically Slimming World and what the program promises vs. what it delivers. We share our experience working with individuals who have previously been part of weight loss clubs and talk through the prevalence of disordered eating habits that tend to follow these restrictive programs.3:37 Slimming World (SW) is a major commercial weight loss company based in the UK. It was founded in 1969 and has grown to 5.5 million members across the world. While the website reads as a promising solution, there are some significant problems with the Slimming World Program.5:17 The program is based on the “food optimizing eating plan” focused on “free foods, healthy extras, and syns.” This plan is focused on restricting "syns" - assigned values to foods based on calories, fat, and fiber content, though SW claims to not count calories.8:27 Success long term has not been shown. SW promotes disordered habits by focusing solely on short term weight loss. The idea of social support via group meetings sounds positive, but tends to be more harmful than helpful.11:50 The “syn” system is confusing and doesn’t promote education around food choices. The plans focus on restrictive rules, guilt around "syns", and demonizing certain foods which can lead to unhealthy relationships with food.15:23 What is the longevity of SW and similar programs? Confusing rules and regulations keep you reliant upon a system that doesn’t lead to sustainable habits.19:00 SW consultants aren’t credentialed in a way that leads to optimal support for SW members. When we have worked with individuals who have been SW consultants or members, many individuals have reported disordered eating habits starting with these weight loss groups.22:30 There are so many negative repercussions of making weight loss our only goal, including increased risk of ED and disordered eating habits.26:55 The group meeting formats place all stock in weight as the only measure of progress, going as far as weight shaming publicly if individuals have not lost weight. This ignores the fact that our weight fluctuates, and that weight is only one (often unreliable) measure of change for those with WL goals.31:13 The false marketing around SW’s approach creates an appearance of flexibility or longevity that masks disordered behaviors and restrictive rules.One of Michael’s posts on SW: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Ckft0EgIHK9/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D💛 STAY CONNECTED Don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast so you never miss an episode.🟡 Questions & SuggestionsWe love hearing from you, if you have a question, a topic idea, or feedback on an episode, just click here🟡 How to: FitnessInstagram: @howtofitnesspod🟡 Michael Ulloa Website: michaelulloa.com Instagram: @michaelulloapt🟡 Kate Lyman Website: katelymannutrition.com Instagram:  @klnutritionThank you for listening to the How to: Fitness Podcast with Michael Ulloa and Kate Lyman!