Rucking is having a moment right now, but it is nothing new, per se. Humans have been carrying loads for distance since the beginning of time. While rucking is not a replacement for your strength training, it has a multitude of benefits to your cardiovascular strength, blood sugar, bone health, and so much more. Key Takeaways If You Are Interested in Including Rucking in Your Fitness Plan, You Should:    Start slow and build up your endurance over time while taking time for recovery  Use rucking as a way to improve your cardiovascular and strength training  Look into rucking group challenges if you are interested    The Many Benefits of Rucking   Ever since I discovered rucking, I have included it as part of my fitness routine. The unique benefits of rucking, particularly for women over 40, have had a huge supportive impact on my training regime. Rucking is an incredibly effective form of exercise that has a wide range of benefits that can impact not only your fitness capacity but also your social and competitive capacity as well.   Carrying heavy things is a fundamental movement pattern that is especially important for women over 40. The benefits to your bones, blood sugar, insulin sensitivity, stress, and more are some reasons why I love rucking.   Answering All of Your Rucking Questions   While rucking can be simply defined as carrying loads for a distance, there are a lot of questions that come up when starting any new fitness or movement practice. How much weight, what shoes you should wear, what equipment you need, what counts as rucking, and how to get started rucking are only a few of the questions I answer for you on today's podcast.    If you are curious about rucking, already have a walking practice, or just want to try something new, rucking may be the answer you have been looking for.   What do you love about rucking? What are you the most curious about? Share your rucking thoughts and experiences with me in the comments on the episode page.   In This Episode    Learn the simplest way to define rucking in one sentence (5:01)  The difference between rucking and heavy carries during a workout (6:47)  Why rucking is an effective form of exercise, especially for women (8:26)  All the answers you need to get started with rucking (18:56)  How much weight you should be rucking in each stage (25:12)    Quotes   “Once I started rucking myself, I could definitely see where this was a beneficial addition to my fitness routine, and I have been doing it ever since.” (4:34)   “We need to keep our cardiovascular strong, but we also need to strength train. We need the unique benefits of both.” (13:19)   “Proper recovery matters just like any other kind of training. Don't overdo it, pay attention to your body… don't ignore that shit.” (29:27)   “If you are looking for rucking gear that is really going to go the distance, check out GO RUCK.” (33:54)   Featured on the Show   Apply for Strength Nutrition Unlocked Here   Use Promo Code FUELYOURSTRENGTH at Go Ruck Full Show Notes   Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest   I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!   Podcast production & marketing support by the team at Counterweight Creative   Rate and review on Apple Podcasts   Related Episodes    FYS 389: The Benefits of Rucking for Women with Michael Easter   

Rucking for Women

The Fuel Your Strength podcast is all about helping women who lift weights get stronger, fuel themselves (without counting every bite of food), perform better in and out of the gym, and take up space. Strength nutrition strategist and weight lifting coach Steph Gaudreau shares how lifting weights is a catalyst for a more expansive life and how to challenge the status quo around nutrition and fitness. This weekly show brings you discussion about building strength without obsessing about food and exercise, lifting weights, food psychology, and more. You'll learn how to eat, train, recover, listen to your body, and step into your strength.

Nutrition

Fitness

Health & Fitness

When it comes to your training and your fueling, you need to think about the bigger picture. For sports such as Brazillian jiu-jitsu, which has a wide range of intensity demands, you need to switch your mindset and fuel your body for your practice. While being strong is a sort of ‘cheat code’ in Brazillian jiu-jitsu, it is nothing without the right fuel to back it up. Key Takeaways If You Have Questions About Your Nutrition, You Should:   Remember that what you eat today is your fuel for tomorrow   Don't believe the hype around trends like fasting and no-carb   Work with a coach who understands your goals and can help you achieve them in a sustainable way    Nutritional Lessons with Alex Maclin   Alex Maclin is a fellow performance nutrition coach, strength training enthusiast, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu player. He is passionate about helping athletically minded folks fuel themselves with the proper nutrition so that they can get more out of their performance. Throughout his health journey, he has coached hundreds of athletes through online training programs for weightlifting, strength, and conditioning, and is here today to share his knowledge with you.   Your Training Goes Beyond the Gym   When it comes to your training, it does not just exist when you are on the mat or in the gym. What you do around your training, how you eat, recover, hydrate, and think about your training, can also have a huge impact on your ability to accomplish your goals.  Even if you are not competing, if you want to train consistently and give it your all, you have to put some thought, strategy, and planning into what you are doing outside of the gym. This means thinking proactively about what you eat and remembering that what you eat today is fuel for tomorrow.   Optimal Fueling = Optimal Results   Training, recovery, and nutrition practices work together as a system to help you achieve your best results. This can get tricky when we see the amount of misinformation and conditioning that we have been exposed to, especially as female athletes.  Even if you are not into Brazillian jiu-jitsu, the fueling practices talked about in this episode will help guide your performance, nutrition, and your own athletic endeavors. When you can understand how to fuel yourself optimally, you can see your optimal performance a lot clearer. What has your experience been with fueling for sports such as Brazillian jiu-jitsu? Share your thoughts with me in the  comments on the episode page. In This Episode  What makes Brazilian jiu-jitsu such a natural transition for many athletes (7:30) The biggest nutrition mistakes that every day people fall into in the Brazilian jiu-jitsu world and beyond (19:58) Understanding the role of carbohydrates and protein in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, recovery, and strength training (31:47) Why fasting is challenging for athletic folks and how the timing of fueling can impact your performance (45:52) The importance of hydration in sports such as Brazillian jiu-jitsu, where sweat is flowing (1:05:07)  Quotes   “[This isn't] just for competitive jiu-jitsu athletes. This is for the average everyday people like me who just want to train, and they love it, and they want to feel good on the mat.” (6:38) “These foods that you are eating are foods that are going to help you feel better, help you perform better, and give you more energy. That is a really big mindset shift. Not looking at things as just having calories… but actually how this food is going to help you kick some more ass and recover.” (25:24) “You can eat at levels that you need to eat without fasting; you just need to make sure that you are getting the proper amount of calories per day.” (48:56) “What we eat today is for the next day.” (50:50) “Learn concepts of jiu-jitsu rather than just learning all these moves. I think that was the most overwhelming part.” (1:15:57)   Featured on the Show   Apply for Strength Nutrition Unlocked Here Follow Alex on Instagram | Facebook Alex Maclin Website Full show notes   Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest   I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!   Podcast production & marketing support by the team at Counterweight Creative   Rate and review on Apple Podcasts   Related Episodes   FYS 395 - How to Calculate Your Daily Protein Needs FY 350 - Are You Eating Enough? Low Energy Availability in Sport Blog - Carbs for Strength Training  

Nutrition for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu w/ Alex Maclin

Are you cardiovascular training confused? I don't blame you; there is a lot of information out there that can work counterintuitively, especially if you are just starting to incorporate cardiovascular training into your routine. While it is easy to just focus on the numbers, finding the balance between high-intensity and low-intensity is more nuanced than that. Luckily, I have my friend Jamie Scott, an accomplished sports nutritionist and endurance coach, with me today.  Key Takeaways   If You Want to Incorporate More Low-Intensity Cardio Into Your Life, You Should:    Slowly build up your Zone 2 endurance over time  Don't get too hung up on the numbers and data  Take a holistic approach and find a balance that works for you    Finding Balance with Jamie Scott   Jamie Scott is a New Zealand Registered Nutritionist. He holds postgraduate qualifications in Nutrition Medicine and Sport and Exercise Medicine, undergraduate degrees in Nutrition Science and Physical Education, and is a Level-1 Mountain Bike Skills coach (PMBIA). Over the past 25 years, Jamie’s career has spanned several roles in the health and fitness industry. He is passionate about helping others learn how to fuel their bodies in a way that supports performance and total body health.   Give Precedence to the Feeling   I’m willing to bet there is a pretty good chance you have heard some rumors about cardiovascular health over 40 and the difference between lower-intensity and higher-intensity cardio. Many people struggle with lower-intensity cardio, or Zone 2 because they feel it is too boring, hard, or lazy. But when you can remain grounded in your ‘why’,’ you can stay focused on the practical things you can take away. You don't have to feel stressed or anxious about what your fitness technology is telling you. Remember to focus on the feeling an exercise gives you, not just the numbers on the screen.   Back to Basics   Often, we as a society are in a rush to look for what is new and shiny, so we need to remember the reliable basics. But they are there for a reason! Working both higher- and lower-intensity cardio into your weekly routine benefits your training and your lifestyle.    The practical application of lower-intensity cardio, combined with the higher intensity and strength training you are already doing, is a crucial part of the puzzle regarding your overall health and longevity.   Are you ready to implement lower-intensity cardio into your training regime? Let me know your thoughts and experiences in the comments on the episode page.   In This Episode    Breaking down the rumors around high-intensity training for women in peri and post-menopause (7:06)  How to change the way you think about Zone 2 if you feel bored with it or are focused on only your heartrate (14:23)  Why having a problem with slowing down may be related to your fitness ego (30:35)  Tips for improving or getting started on your cardiovascular stamina in the pursuit of life (38:19)  Understanding why, although this topic may not be click-bait worthy, it is crucial (53:38)    Quotes   “Overall, for those who are just after kind of the health and longevity and want to do it in a sustainable way that is not massively hard on the joints or is not a high skill requirement… that low-intensity mix seems to be better for those individuals.” (12:21)   “The endorphins, the huffy-puffy-ness, the sweatiness, the burn, all of those things we have been conditioned over years and years and years in the fitness industry as markers of some sort of ‘success.’ And we need to unlearn a lot of those things when it comes to doing this low-intensity, high-intensity split.” (31:57)   “It's getting people into that mindset of: you don't just go from 0, drop into almost a 50/50 split of low intensity and high intensity, and just slowly kind of stack things up over a long period of time. But you are not doing it in a 7-day cycle where you are just trying to shoe-horn everything in.” (47:21)   “There can be different forms of movement that people are involved with, which does add up over time.” (47:00)   “It requires people to do a little bit of reflection and thinking about where they are at, what they are doing, and what the context is.” (53:52)   Featured on the Show   Follow Jamie Scott on Instagram   Apply for Strength Nutrition Unlocked Here RPE Chart Full show notes   Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest   I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!   Podcast production & marketing support by the team at Counterweight Creative   Rate and review on Apple Podcasts   Related Episodes   FYS 423: Practical Cardio Training Tips with Jamie Scott Part 1   FYS 353: Fueling Best Practices for Active People with Jamie Scott   FYS 352: Energy Flux and Fueling for Athletes with Jamie Scott   FYS 392: Understanding Total Daily Energy Expenditure    FYS 381: 6 Reasons to Hire a Nutrition Coach   What is Within Day Energy Deficit?    What You Need to Know About Low-Energy Food Swaps   What is Low Energy Availability? And How to Avoid It     

Practical Cardio Training Tips w/ Jamie Scott Part 2

Both strength training and cardiovascular fitness play an important role in your health and well-being. However, learning how to integrate both into your weekly training regime can be challenging. That's why I have brought my friend Jamie Scott on the show to give you some practical tips on implementing lower-intensity cardio into your routine. Key Takeaways If You Are Interested in Practical Tips for Zone 2 Training, You Should:   Focus on the training-to-train approach, which will allow you to learn about your needs   Find a balance between high-intensity and low-intensity training    Take your time and be patient knowing that you are providing your body with what it needs   Your Overall Fitness Plan with Jamie Scott Jamie Scott is a New Zealand Registered Nutritionist. He holds postgraduate qualifications in Nutrition Medicine and Sport and Exercise Medicine, undergraduate degrees in Nutrition Science and Physical Education, and is a Level-1 Mountain Bike Skills coach (PMBIA). Over the past 25 years, Jamie’s career has spanned several roles in the health and fitness industry. He is passionate about helping others learn how to fuel their bodies in a way that supports performance and total body health. Polar Extremes When you think about your training, do you ever think of it in terms of polarization? The truth is it takes many different types and intensities of training to achieve the results you are looking for. While it can be challenging to weave together all the training you should be doing, when you can distribute your training loads between the polar extremes, you can unlock different variations of metabolic reactions and build a more holistic training practice. It's Not One or the Other, It’s Both Jamie is a big believer in training within the ‘training to train’ category. This means taking the time to learn the art and science of training as it applies to you and only you. Great things take time, and by focusing on learning more about your body and what it needs, you can perfect the overlap between high-intensity and low-intensity. If you want to improve your endurance, strength, and ultimately the totality of your health picture, the key is learning how to balance the low intensity and high intensity. The benefits might surprise you. What are you excited to hear about in Part 2? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page. In This Episode  Why ‘Zone 2’ is having a moment in the spotlight despite not being a new topic (12:50) Learn what exactly ‘Zone 2’ training is and the alias terms it can also go by (19:57) The importance of going through the training-to-train phase (35:03) Specific and unique benefits of ‘Zone 2’ training and why, if you are endurance training, it is a necessary piece of the puzzle (39:47) Breaking down the reasons as to why the overlap between high intensity and low intensity gets lost (45:56)   Quotes “There is a real art to it. And that art is kind of a bit fuzzy. We deal with broad ranges rather than absolutes.” (28:57) “The trends that I am seeing… and some of the top minds in the field… have come out and said the feeling of a particular intensity is actually probably more important than the number.” (30:40) “There is a learning phase you have to go through. There are phases of training, and for as long as I can remember now, I have tried to teach people that you have to go through the training to train phase.” (35:25) “You are learning the art and science of training as it pertains to you, your body, your life, your context, your sport.” (35:35) “It's not one or the other, it's both.”  (46:02) Featured on the Show Apply for Strength Nutrition Unlocked Here Full Show Notes Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes! Podcast production & marketing support by the team at Counterweight Creative Rate and review on Apple Podcasts Related Episodes  FYS 353: Fueling Best Practices with Jamie Scott FYS 352: Energy Flux with Jamie Scott  FYS 417: Building Strength for Rowing with Shane Farmer  

Practical Cardio Training Tips w/ Jamie Scott Part 1

 Getting back into training after injury or pain can be scary. Whether your injury is past or present or an ongoing or onset pain, learning to move between physical therapy and getting back into the gym requires some nuance. This is why it is so important to have a team working to help you achieve your goals and get you back to the training and activities you love.  Key Takeaways   If You Want to Improve Your Overall Health Over 40, You Should:    Make sure to work with a trainer or team who is invested in your wellbeing  Tweak your workout so that it feels good for your body right now, even if you need to do things a bit differently   Focus on the big picture of your health and your short and long-term goals    Exercise is Medicine with Dr. Leada Malek   Dr. Leada Malek is a licensed physical therapist and board-certified San Francisco Bay Area sports specialist. She is one of the 9% of US therapists who specialize in sports therapy. Dr. Malek uses a combined approach of manual therapy and specific therapeutic exercise to help her patients move better, perform better, and compete again. She believes that exercise is medicine. Whether you want to start moving more, move again, or improve, Dr. Malek is passionate about helping you get there.   How to Age Your Way   Dr. Malek knows that your scope of practice as a DPT, trainer, or other field in the industry requires cohesive training and a whole-person approach. This is why Dr. Malek focuses on client-centered care, especially for those of us who are over 40 and learning how to adapt our training to our bodies as we age.    Aging is beautiful, but you need to know how to keep your body strong as it changes. Your body is adaptable, and while it won't happen overnight, staying strong, fit, and healthy past your 40s and beyond is totally possible with the right attitude, training, and recovery.   Getting Clear on Your Why   One of the first things you need to get clear on, whether you are returning to the gym after injury, working to prevent chronic or onset pain, or just want to start taking care of yourself better, is that you have to be clear on your goals. Ask yourself what you are training for and how your goals play into what you want to do. This can help you support your body and mind. Exercising for life is crucial to your physical longevity, mental health, emotional state, and ability to handle life's stressors.    Dr. Malek is here to provide you with tools you can take with you throughout your life to ensure that you can do the things you want to do without the fear of injury. Are you ready to return to the gym after an injury or pain? Share your story, comments, and experiences with me in the  comments on the episode page.   In This Episode    How to take a step forward if you have been stuck dealing with injury or pain (9:44)  What you need to be thinking about as a person wanting to keep your body as healthy as possible (15:47)  Learn how the old notion of staying still when dealing with injury or pain is changing (27:32)  Tips for teasing apart the strings that make up your total physical and mental well-being (34:57)  Discover the inspiration behind Dr. Malek’s new book ‘The Science of Stretch’ (39:33)    Quotes   “Proper programming, proper instruction, and consistency do wonders.” (16:05)   “You can still get strong. The issue is I think we are made to believe that we are just supposed to get old and be old and feel old. And I think people need to understand that it is still possible and important. So no matter your fear, understand that this should be a priority.” (17:54)   “The only bad workouts are the ones you are unprepared for, under-fueled for, and pushed through. Those are the workouts you want to be mindful of.” (28:25)   “Everything is playing a role, and I think we just need to zoom out and recognize that we are working with a system and not just an injury.” (38:16)   “As you get older, the biggest thing is what goals are you working towards, and how can you supplement those goals? (46:32)   Featured on the Show   Apply for Strength Nutrition Unlocked Here   The Science of Stretch by Dr. Leada Malek   Dr. Malek Website   Follow Dr. Malek on Facebook | Instagram | TikTok Full Show Notes   Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest   I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!   Podcast production & marketing support by the team at Counterweight Creative   Rate and review on Apple Podcasts   Related Episodes    FYS 362: Sports Injury Rehab & Return to Lifting   

Injury, Pain, and Physical Therapy Over 40 w/ Dr. Leada Malek

In the world of fitness and nutrition, there is so much misinformation and oversimplification of concepts out there. This is why Dr. Alyssa Olenick is here to continue our conversation surrounding everything from heart rate zones to perceived excursion and how to balance your intensity properly. Key Takeaways If You Want to Improve Your Cardiovascular Health, You Should:    Focus on getting fit and meeting the physical activity guidelines if you are just starting out   Don't get caught up in the all-or-nothing perfectionist mentality when it comes to your heart rate   Get over the idea that you have to annihilate yourself for fitness to count   Finding Balance with Dr. Alyssa Olenick Dr. Alyssa Olenick, or Dr. Lyss, is currently a Postdoctoral research student studying metabolism and menopause. She has a Ph.D. in Exercise Physiology, where she researched metabolism and exercise science in females. Dr. Alyssa is on a mission to redefine evidence-based fitness. She is passionate about science-based nutrition and fitness and how the two integrate so that she can help people become their healthiest selves while chasing their boldest fitness goals. Learning to Love Zone 2 Whether you are just starting out with your cardiovascular health journey or have been going for a while, there is a good chance the conversation surrounding Zone 2 has come up more than once. Dr. Lyss has a ton of experience in understanding and applying the nuance of research to everything from your heart rate, RPE, level of intensity, recovery, and so much more. Learning what to focus on and pay attention to at the different levels of your training will help alleviate your concerns about both strength training and cardiovascular fitness. Training in a Different Way Dr. Lyss wants to encourage you to think about your training program holistically. Balanced fitness training can help you develop characteristics for health, life, and longevity. However, this takes a different mental approach and view of what quality training and intensity are. It is not just about pushing yourself to your maximum; it is about looking holistically at your overall intensity to see where you can go harder because you have held back in other areas. Female physiology needs both strength and cardiovascular health. A well-rounded training and athletic approach program can help you be the most resilient human you can be. What is your relationship to cardiovascular training? Share your thoughts with me in the comments on the episode page. In This Episode  Where to start when looking to improve your cardiovascular fitness (6:40) Understanding the role of heart rate and how to figure out where you need to be (20:58) How to assess your training distribution and fitness mindset throughout the week (31:27) What to do if you feel like you aren't working hard enough (36:04) Learn how to train in a recoverable way to ultimately do more (41:02)  Quotes “Do not worry about the mode or how you do it or how intense it is or the zone that you are in; the first thing you need to do is get to the physical activity guidelines.” (7:29) “But you have to decide, once you have been doing this for a while, ‘what do I actually want from this?’.” (16:15) “When you are doing more intense exercise, you are having to focus more on your steps and your breathing and what you are doing. So these are all things that I like to use for checking in with yourself.” (30:25) “Not all training needs to be hard to be quality.”  (36:43) “Hybrid training is health. And it doesn't have to be running and lifting. It can be so many different things. But train multiple characteristics of your fitness.” (43:37) Featured on the Show Apply for Strength Nutrition Unlocked Here Doc Lyss Fitness Follow Lyss on  Instagram Full Show Notes Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes! Podcast production & marketing support by the team at Counterweight Creative Rate and review on Apple Podcasts Related Episodes FYS 420: Dr. Alyssa Olenick (Part 2)  

Rucking for Women

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