Today, we’re exploring a topic that bridges the gap between your gut microbiome and your body goals: how your gut health can influence sports performance and body composition.

We know the gut microbiome plays a critical role in digestion and immunity — but emerging research is revealing its powerful impact on everything from how we build muscle, manage body fat, and recover from training, to how we perform during endurance activities and high-intensity workouts.

⏱️ Chapters: 

• (0:27) – Intro
• (1:55) – Guest Intro: Eric Williamson, RD, PhD
• (4:15) – Who Eric Helps & His Work at Canyon Ranch
• (8:12) – Eric’s Journey into Sports & Nutrition
• (13:39) – What Is the Gut Microbiome?
• (14:30) – Defining Body Composition & How to Measure It
• (21:32) – Why Muscle Mass Matters for Healthspan
• (26:59) – Can Gut Health Affect Body Composition?
• (34:12) – Probiotics for Fat Loss: Myth vs. Evidence
• (43:03) – Food-Based Strategies for Gut & Body Composition
• (48:04) – Gut Microbiome & Sports Performance (VO2 Max)
• (58:57) – Testing for Longevity: DEXA, VO2 Max, and More
• (1:05:12) – Final Takeaways & Practical Advice

—

👤 Today’s Guest: Eric Williamson, PhD, RD, MSc, CSSD, ​CSCS

Eric Williamson, RD, PhD, is a leading expert in nutrition and metabolism. He holds a BA in Kinesiology and a BSc in Nutrition from Western University, and completed his MSc and PhD in Exercise Nutrition and Metabolism at the University of Toronto. Eric has been a Registered Dietitian for over 10 years, and is also a Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. He has worked with a wide range of individuals, from elite athletes to busy professionals, helping them optimize their health through evidence-based, personalized nutrition strategies.

Currently, Eric serves as the Director of Nutrition at Canyon Ranch, a premier health resort with multiple properties across the US.

📌 Eric’s Website

📌 Eric's Instagram

—

👩🏻‍💻 RESOURCES & LINKS MENTIONED: ⤵️

📌 Gut Microbiota and Exercise Performance

📌 Probiotics: It May Not All Be Positive

📌 ​​Fibre: The Forgotten Carbohydrate in Sports Nutrition Recommendations

📌 Gut-Muscle AxisExists and May Affect Skeletal Muscle Adaptation to Training

—

✉️ CONNECT WITH ME: ⤵️

📱⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow on Instagram⁠⁠⁠

🎁 ⁠⁠⁠Grab a Freebie!⁠⁠⁠ 

🖥️ ⁠⁠ Shop the Resource Suite⁠⁠⁠

👩🏻‍⚕️ ⁠⁠⁠Apply For Coaching⁠⁠⁠

If the GutFit Nutrition Podcast is giving you value - helped your digestion and fitness, made you rethink how you approach your gut health, please consider leaving a review! 🎧 

If you have questions for my listener Q & A episodes, you can submit them here, or send me an email at ⁠[email protected]⁠. See you soon!