The Nourished Athlete Podcast

EP 09 | Does Cycle Syncing Actually Work for Outdoor Athletes? With Casey Westbrook

Cycle syncing has taken the fitness and nutrition world by storm, with social media touting it as the secret to optimizing women's health. But is it really the magic solution it’s made out to be, especially for outdoor athletes? In this episode, special guest and strength & conditioning coach Casey Westbrook and I unpack the hype around cycle syncing and explore why it might not be as practical as it seems for those of us hitting the trails, crags, or roads. We discuss: * The natural shifts in energy and performance that outdoor athletes might notice across their menstrual cycle, * Limitations of syncing your workouts and nutrition to specific phases. * Instead of following a rigid framework, we dive into the power of understanding your own body through tracking and using tools like RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) to make real-time adjustments based on how you’re feeling. From identifying the main goal of each training session to mastering the art of adaptability, this episode is packed with actionable strategies that go beyond your cycle. Tune in to learn how listening to your body can help you achieve longevity and success in your sport, without the need to “perfectly sync” your life to your cycle. -- Casey Westbrook is a strength & conditioning coach for female outdoor athletes. Motivated by her personal experiences with injuries, overtraining, and burnout, she is dedicated to helping women improve their strength, performance, and longevity in adventure sports. Casey believes in the transformative power of smart training and aims to empower women to stay injury-free and active now & well into their later years. Follow Casey Westbrook on instagram here [https://www.instagram.com/caseymwestbrook/] To inquire about overcoming debilitating hormone symptoms, fill out a coaching inquiry form here [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfWdD6-5uwOVpuqtKKfE4ykfttmxg44W9PNsfNo0YiZUJjvsg/viewform] to chat with Amanda.

Ep 08 | 5 Essential Tips for Food Tracking as an Athlete to Fuel Smarter, Not Harder

In this episode, host and Clinical Nutritionist Amanda Fitt dives into the world of food tracking for outdoor athletes. Whether you’ve considered tracking your food but don’t know where to start, or you’re curious about how to optimize your nutrition for performance, this episode is packed with practical insights and actionable tips. Highlights from this episode: * Why the Cronometer app is my go-to platform for food tracking. * How to establish a baseline of your current intake without making changes. * The importance of accurate food measurement and when precision matters most. * Addressing concerns about food tracking and its impact on your relationship with food. * Why fitness trackers might not be the best tool for estimating your energy expenditure. If you’re ready to take your nutrition to the next level and get personalized guidance tailored to your goals, fill out my Coaching Inquiry Form HERE [https://forms.gle/xqrQG9yqugcdbHwy9]. This is the first step to connecting with me for a complimentary 15-minute discovery call, where we’ll chat about your health, performance goals, and how I can help you fuel smarter. Let’s work together to optimize your nutrition and unlock your full potential as an athlete. Follow me on Instagram @purely_nourished [https://www.instagram.com/purely_nourished/] for more nutrition tips and education for outdoor athletes and active people!

Ep 07 | Unveiling Cortisol: From Stress to Hormones to Blood Sugar

Get ready to uncover the hidden links between stress, blood sugar, inflammation, and your hormones! In today's episode, we're diving deep into the hormone cortisol. We cover: the many hats cortisol wears, different types of stressors (hint: these may not be what you think!), the stress response and the HPA axis, "burn out," cortisol's impact on blood sugar regulation & sex hormones, and more. Per usual, Amanda delivers actionable nutrition & lifestyle tips on how to nurture your stress response for optimal cortisol levels, plus testing considerations to fully uncover where your personal cortisol levels are actually at. Buckle up, it's time to demystify this stress hormone! Resources mentioned in the show: * Sign up now for Beat the Bonk! [https://purelynourished.podia.com/beat-the-bonk] Are you ready to conquer fatigue and supercharge your sports performance? Join us for the 6 week self-paced online course specifically designed to teach outdoor athletes and active people how to eat to increase energy levels, overcome hormonal imbalances, and level up their performance. You don't want to miss out on the very first round of this program - Beat the Bonk is being offered at an extremely discounted rate, PLUS you get to join 4 complimentary group Q+A video calls to receive live personalized support and feedback. Course opens Sept. 11th. * Take the Blood Sugar Dysregulation Quiz! [https://purelynourishednutrition.involve.me/take-the-blood-sugar-quiz] Are you curious as to which blood sugar type you are? Take the 2 min quiz to see if you are a fast, steady, or sluggish blood sugar type (and what to do about it). * Curious about cortisol testing? Schedule a free 15 minute discovery call [https://calendly.com/purely_nourished/15min?month=2023-08] to get your questions answered.

Ep 06 | CGM: sharing my recent experience & biggest takeaways

CGM stands for continuous glucose monitor. This snazzy piece of technology allows you to monitor your blood sugar levels in real time. This literally means IMMEDIATE biofeedback on how your food, stress levels, and lifestyle impacts your blood sugar. I recently used one for the first time: in this episode, I share my whole experience from the application, meal tracking, metrics, biggest takeaways, and more. * Purchase CGM's on your own from Veri with my discount code --> click here to apply the discount right away [https://www.veri.co/shop?refc=VSM-PURELYNOURISHED], or use PURELYNOURISHED at checkout * Click here to learn more about 1:1 coaching opportunities [https://www.purelynourishednutrition.com/starthere] for personalized feedback on continuous glucose monitoring * JOIN THE WAITLIST for the 6 week blood sugar balancing program [https://purelynourished.podia.com/beat-the-bonk]with CGM's (beta round & big ol discount on the total investment) ----> application opens mid August. As a reminder, the information provided in this podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be used as a substitution for medical advise. Please reach out to your provider before making any changes.

Ep 05 | PROTEIN: debunking myths, how much you should be really eating, protein timing, and more!

In this episode, Amanda answers listener questions on all things PROTEIN! Bro-tein (sorry bros, it’s just fun to say!) is a crucial macronutrient that serves a variety of functions in the body, including comprising skeletal muscle, certain hormones, antibodies, transport proteins, enzymes, and so much more. Because of the far reaching functions that proteins have in the body, under consuming protein can have detrimental consequences on a vast number of bodily systems, especially for athletes and active individuals. In this episode we cover how much protein you should be consuming daily, if all protein sources are created equally, who might require a higher amount of protein, debunking whether or not it’s possible to eat too much protein, protein timing (when to eat protein around activity), and if supplementation is necessary. Resources/ Notes mentioned in the show: Stay up to date on all podcast episodes, Purely Nourished offerings, and receive free nutrition tips, and education by adding yourself to my mailing list [https://mailchi.mp/0aa8fce9741c/general-newsletter-sign-up]! Super special Black Friday announcement coming soon- stay tuned! International Society of Sports Nutrition's stand on protein: great educational article to read [https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-017-0177-8] Edit: when discussing the kidneys and protein, “our KIDNEYS & liver are what converts proteins/ breaks down amino acids into ammonia and urea to be excreted via the kidneys…” not our proteins are what converts proteins… (silly me, whoops!). Here’s a review article examining high protein diets on kidney function [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4424780/] for educational purposes My favorite protein powder: [https://bewellbykelly.com/products/vanilla-swedish-grass-fed-beef-protein-powder?variant=32415140937779¤cy=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&utm_source=google&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=18034390932&utm_content=&utm_term=&gadid=&gclid=Cj0KCQiA37KbBhDgARIsAIzce16GsdztSD-lsoCAdCTtjQJpaNBTyBwodya4wl7LdoU3bITmSo4hsvEaAq3AEALw_wcB] Be Well by Kelly (they make a plant based one now, too!) My favorite plant based protein powder: Truvani [https://www.truvani.com/] For more free resources, tips, and strategies, make sure to check out my website & blog [https://www.purelynourishednutrition.com/blog], as well as follow me on instagram @purely_nourished! [https://www.instagram.com/purely_nourished/] This show should not be substituted for. medical advice and is for educational purposes only. Consult with your medical provider before making any changes.