Runner Girls

Runner Girls

By Sue Cloutier & Meagan DillardSportsRunning
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Runner Girls episodes

  • Season 7, Episode 7: The Little Things
    This week Meagan tells us about her fall marathon, and some new changes in her life, plus we talk more about hormones and how they affect us. 
    How hormones affect us and what we can do to optimize them
    Effect of sleep on hormones:
    Partial loss of sleep increases cortisol, which could promote the development of insulin-resistance
    Animals faced with food shortage or starvation sleep less;[8] conversely, animals subjected to total sleep deprivation for prolonged periods of time increase their food intake markedly.[ Sleep restriction was associated with reductions in leptin (the appetite suppressant) and elevations in ghrelin (the appetite stimulant) and increased hunger and appetite, especially an appetite for foods with high-carbohydrate contents.
    Sleep loss can affect your libido: chronic sleep deprivation, which can occur even if you get a solid six hours a night (the majority of adults need at least seven), can lower levels of testosterone—the sex drive hormone—in both men and women.
    It can affect your mood: chronic sleep debt may also lead to long-term mood disorders like depression and anxiety.
     
    Effect of physical activity on hormones
    Studies indicate a strong link between exercise and hormone levels. Physical activity has a positive impact on several hormones that influence your mood, metabolism and body composition. These include: Testosterone, Estrogen, Human growth hormone (HGH), Ghrelin, Leptin, Thyroid hormones, Insulin, and many others. Weight training specifically has been shown to increase testosterone and growth hormone levels. Exercise also improves insulin sensity, especially high-intensity training, but any form of exercise has a positive impact on insulin levels.
     
    Effect of sun exposure on hormones
    Exposure to sunlight is thought to increase the brain’s release of a hormone called serotonin. Serotonin is associated with boosting mood and helping a person feel calm and focused. Without enough sun exposure, your serotonin levels can dip. Low levels of serotonin are associated with a higher risk of major depression with seasonal pattern (formerly known as seasonal affective disorder or SAD).
    Exposure to the ultraviolet-B radiation in the sun’s rays causes a person’s skin to create vitamin D. According to WHO, getting anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes of sunlight on your arms, hands, and face 2-3 times a week is enough to enjoy the vitamin D-boosting benefits of the sun. Note that the sun must penetrate the skin. Wearing sunscreen or clothing over your skin won’t result in vitamin D production.
     
    Effect of stress on hormones
    The long-term activation of the stress-response system — and the subsequent overexposure to cortisol and other stress hormones — can disrupt almost all your body's processes. This puts you at increased risk of numerous health problems, including: Anxiety, Depression, Digestive problems, Headaches, Heart disease, Sleep problems, Weight gain, Memory and concentration impairment
     
    Effect of cholesterol on hormones
    Cholesterol occurs in every cell of the body, and since in all human bodies it is stored in the adrenal glands, it has a vital role in synthetizing those steroid hormones, which are produced by the adrenals. Cholesterol is synthesized in the liver and hence, drugs which inhibit liver’s production of cholesterol have a very damaging effect upon the proper production of hormones.
    Cholesterol deficiency can cause lower level of growth hormone, which may trigger some symptoms of disturbed health status, such as: Limited movements, Lack of growth, Muscle cramps, and Kidney problems and failures. Androgenic hormones, such as testosterone (which plays a role in sexual function and athletic performance), are also influenced by cholesterol synthetized in the body. Progesterone has a role of regulating women’s menstrual cycles and as a gestation hormone. Deficiency of cholesterol causing limited amount of progesterone increases the risk of having irregular menstrual cycles and miscarr
    30 min
  • Season 7, Episode 6: The Hormone of Darkness
    This week Sue and Meagan are learning all about hormones and how they affect the body, and we might even talk about running!
    Full Show Notes and Resources:
    What are hormones?
    Cortisol - stress hormone that controls your mood, motivation, and fear (known for your body’s fight or flight response), also affects how your body metabolizes food, keeps inflammation down, regulates blood pressure, and controls your body’s sleep/wake cycles, can also boost energy. Cortisol can shut down bodily functions that aren’t necessary when your body is having a crisis of some kind (like shutting down menstruation when energy supply is chronically low). Having too much cortisol in your body for too long can have serious negative effects on the body like anxiety, depression, memory problems, trouble sleeping, and weight gain.
    Adrenaline - another stress hormone that is secreted in times of crisis. In response to a threat, adrenaline stimulates the heart to beat faster and harder, increases alertness, increases blood flow to the muscles, and decreases the pain response. Excessively high levels of adrenaline due to stress without actual threat of danger can cause heart damage, insomnia, and a jittery, nervous feeling.
    Estrogen - Estrogen, or oestrogen, is the primary female sex hormone. It is responsible for the development and regulation of the female reproductive system and secondary sex characteristics. Estrogen also affects metabolism, hunger, and fat storage - which is why changes in estrogen throughout the menstrual cycle can affect your hunger, food intake, and weight gain. Estrogen blunts hunger, so you may feel less hungry at times in your cycle when estrogen is high, like the week before ovulation. It also plays a role in bone formation and muscle protein synthesis.
    Progesterone - another female sex hormone that is involved with ovulation and pregnancy. It also affects metabolism, skin health, mood, bone strength, body temperature, inflammation and immune response. Progesterone can have a dramatic effect on mood - when progesterone levels drop before the start of the next menstrual cycle, that is when many women experience sharp changes in mood and heightened irritability (one known characteristic of PMS). Progesterone increases hunger - watch out for hunger when progesterone peaks the week after ovulation.
    Testosterone - the main male sex hormone that is also present in women. It is an anabolic steroid - which means it promotes muscle growth. Testosterone usually stays pretty low in women, but we do get a small surge in testosterone around the middle of our cycle. Testosterone enhances libido, so that is something else you might notice in the days around ovulation.
    Growth Hormone - stimulates growth, cell reproduction, and cell regeneration in humans - because of its ability to promote muscle growth and fat loss, it is used exogenously by bodybuilders, but it is a hormone that all humans produce naturally. Growth hormone is secreted in pulses throughout the day - with a big surge of it coming just before you wake up in the morning. Fasting and vigorous exercise both increase growth hormone, while eating food decreases it.
    Erythropoietin (EPO) - is an essential hormone for red blood cell production and has been shown to dramatically improve athletic cardiovascular performance. EPO doping has been used by endurance athletes to boost performance illegally, but training at altitude can have similar effects on the body because the lower oxygen levels at altitude can boost natural EPO and red blood cell production.
    Insulin - regulates blood sugar levels in the body. When you eat food, insulin is secreted to promote the storage of glucose in your liver, muscles, and fat. The glucose goes to the liver first and is stored as glycogen, and once that’s filled, goes to the muscles and again stored as glycogen, and any remaining glucose is stored in the fat cells as fat. Carbohydrates, protein, and fat all raise insulin levels in the bloo
    25 min
  • Season 7, Episode 5: It's Happening
    This week Meagan and Sue are going in depth on nutrition and strength training, and giving some tips and tricks for fat loss and muscle growth. 
    Full Show Notes and Resources:
    Always consult your doctor before beginning any diet or exercise routine
    Diet protocols: IIFYM (If it fits your macros), Paleo, Keto, Vegan/vegetarian, Carnivore, LeanGains, Intuitive eating, or just plain old calorie counting, etc. There are ways to optimize virtually any diet, as long as you’re getting a minimum amount of protein & lifting
    Boosting fat loss: substituting water for all beverages (especially cold water), adding in cardio (has diminishing returns but can be helpful), intermittent fasting, meal timing for insulin sensitivity (higher carb foods in morning when sensitivity is highest, lower carb foods in the evening), carb cycling based on workouts (because insulin sensitivity is higher after workout), green tea been shown to increase fat burning by as much as 33%, cold showers to boost brown adipose tissue (fat burning in stomach area), vibration therapy
    Boosting muscle synthesis: protein timing (spread out throughout the day, about 20-40g per meal, Vitamin D & sun exposure promotes muscle synthesis, heat shock proteins improve muscle synthesis (sauna post-workout, heat exposure), SLEEP is imperative - muscles are broken down in the gym and re-built while you sleep - aim for at least 8 hours every night, post-workout massage has been shown to be effective treatment for DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness), creatine has been shown to be effective and safe supplement for lifting performance - have to take it every day to see results, intermittent fasting has been shown to boost natural levels of human growth hormone
    Weight plateaus: Check your current TDEE, check your menstrual cycle (water retention occurs during ovulation and again before menstruation), weight lifting can also cause water retention as does carbohydrate intake and salt intake. Increase in activity? Are you sleeping enough? Drinking enough water? Are you taking measurements, how are clothes fitting? Are you taking progress photos? Remember weight loss is not linear. You will have ups and downs, even while following a nutrition plan to the letter - there is a woosh effect, especially true for women! Check out the Libra app to see how weight trends over time.
    Lifting routines:
    Get a trainer if possible to show you the lifts and proper form
    Learn the major compound lifts: Squats, Deadlifts, Bench press, Overhead press with barbells
    Accessory work for hypertrophy (bigger muscles) - machines, dumbbells, bodyweight, kettlebells, etc
    Beginner routines: Starting Strength, StrongLifts, Ketogains, Thinner Leaner Stronger, Strong Curves
    Full body routines can be done 3x per week with rest day between each workout for beginners
    Bodypart splits for intermediate lifters: Push-Pull-Legs (PPL, Day 1: Push, Day 2: Pull, Day 3: Legs, Day 4: Rest, repeat) or Upper-Lower Splits (Day 1: Upper, Day 2: Lower, Day 3: Rest, repeat)
    Hit each muscle group at least twice per week, 4-5 sets of 3-5 reps on compound lifts, 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps for accessory work, Rest for 3-5 minutes for compound lifts, 1-3 minutes for accessory lifts
    Rest is just as important to lifting as it is to running - it is during the rest period when the muscles grow!
    57 min
  • Season 7, Episode 5: It’s Happening

    This week Meagan and Sue are going in depth on nutrition and strength training, and giving some tips and tricks for fat loss and muscle growth. 


    Full Show Notes and Resources:

    Always consult your doctor before beginning any diet or exercise routine


    Diet protocols: IIFYM (If it fits your macros), Paleo, Keto, Vegan/vegetarian, Carnivore, LeanGains, Intuitive eating, or just plain old calorie counting, etc. There are ways to optimize virtually any diet, as long as you’re getting a minimum amount of protein & lifting


    Boosting fat loss: substituting water for all beverages (especially cold water), adding in cardio (has diminishing returns but can be helpful), intermittent fasting, meal timing for insulin sensitivity (higher carb foods in morning when sensitivity is highest, lower carb foods in the evening), carb cycling based on workouts (because insulin sensitivity is higher after workout), green tea been shown to increase fat burning by as much as 33%, cold showers to boost brown adipose tissue (fat burning in stomach area), vibration therapy


    Boosting muscle synthesis: protein timing (spread out throughout the day, about 20-40g per meal, Vitamin D & sun exposure promotes muscle synthesis, heat shock proteins improve muscle synthesis (sauna post-workout, heat exposure), SLEEP is imperative - muscles are broken down in the gym and re-built while you sleep - aim for at least 8 hours every night, post-workout massage has been shown to be effective treatment for DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness), creatine has been shown to be effective and safe supplement for lifting performance - have to take it every day to see results, intermittent fasting has been shown to boost natural levels of human growth hormone


    Weight plateaus: Check your current TDEE, check your menstrual cycle (water retention occurs during ovulation and again before menstruation), weight lifting can also cause water retention as does carbohydrate intake and salt intake. Increase in activity? Are you sleeping enough? Drinking enough water? Are you taking measurements, how are clothes fitting? Are you taking progress photos? Remember weight loss is not linear. You will have ups and downs, even while following a nutrition plan to the letter - there is a woosh effect, especially true for women! 

    57 min
  • Season 7, Episode 4: That Time of the Year
    This week Sue and Meagan are talking about nutrition and weight management: how to lose weight, how to gain weight, and how to accomplish body recomposition.
    Listen now: Episode 4: That Time of the Year
    Full Show Notes
    Weight Management - Basics of CICO
    Always consult your doctor before beginning any diet or exercise routine
    What are macros? Macronutrients: Protein, Fat, and Carbohydrate that give your body fuel to stay alive and for activity. Calories are the units of measurement for the energy supplied. One gram of protein supplies 4kcal of energy, as does carbohydrate. Fat supplies 9kcal of energy. Alcohol is kind of a 4th macronutrient - it has calories but isn’t really a usable fuel source. Alcohol has been shown to inhibit both fat loss and muscle growth because when the body processes alcohol, it can’t burn fat or synthesize muscle at the same time.
    Figure out your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) based on BW + activity level
    How? Use an online calculator, use a fitness monitor, get a DEXA scan
    To lose weight: eat at a caloric deficit
    One pound of fat = about 3500kcal, so to burn one pound of fat per week, eat 500 cal under TDEE
    Lifting weights will help to retain muscle on a deficit
    Aim for about 1 gram protein per pound of body weight to prevent muscle loss
    Fill the rest of calories with fat and carbohydrate to your preference
    To gain weight (muscle mass)  - eat at a caloric surplus & lift weights
    For women, muscle grows much more slowly than for men, about 1 lb per month under ideal conditions
    You will not get bulky, but will get fit & toned 
    To limit fat gain, keep your caloric surplus minimal - about 150-300 calories above TDEE
    Again, aim for about 1 gram protein per pound of body weight to maintain muscle
    Some people like to increase protein, and is generally safe to do up to 2g protein per pound of body weight, although studies show extra protein may or may not be beneficial (eating more protein than needed may not put on more muscle, but it may be more satiating than carbs or fats) - protein also has a higher thermic effect than carbs or fat (it takes more energy to burn the protein, depending on what type of protein you eat)
    To recomp (body recomposition) - gradual increase of muscle and decrease of fat at the same body weight
    Eat at TDEE for weight maintenance
    Again, some form of resistance training needed to improve muscle composition
    This is an extremely slow process
    As your BW or activity level changes, you may need to re-estimate your TDEE
    Your specific macro ratio (how many of each carbs, fats, proteins) can be tailored to your preference. As long as you are tracking what you are eating with a good app like myfitnesspal, loseit, or avatar nutrition, and measuring your food with a food scale, you should lose weight at a caloric deficit and you will gain weight at a surplus - it’s basic thermodynamics. It’s also important to remember that micronutrient density is important for optimal health. While you can lose weight on a twinkie diet, your health will probably suffer if you do so. So focus on eating nutrient-dense whole foods to support your body, and to feel good too.
    40 min
  • Runner Girls Hotline: Fall 2017
    On this edition of the Runner Girls Hotline, we get calls from Rebecca from California, and Becky from Run Becky Run. To share your run on the hotline, call our voicemail line at 207-200-3297. Thanks for listening, now go outside and run!
    13 min
  • Season 6, Episode 13: More Race for You
    This week Meagan is running again, Sue is pumping iron, and we're talking about what's next for Runner Girls Podcast. 
    Runner Girl Recommends: Sue: Strong Lifts 5x5 App Meagan: Stridebox
    Runner Girl of the Week:Marissa on Strava
    1 hr 1 min

About Runner Girls

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A podcast about women brought together by a love of running.