Imperfect Progress with Anne Guzman

Have you ever pushed yourself to the limit in a ride or race, only to be held back because you're struggling to breathe? You're not alone - as many as half of athletes face respiratory issues. During this episode of the Imperfect Progress Podcast, Dr. James Hull, a pulmonologist and Professor at the ISEH- the Institute of Sport Exercise and Health at UCL unpacks what athletes may be struggling with and why a diagnosis can be complicated.

We'll explore the differences between asthma and exercise-induced laryngeal obstruction - EILO - and why the sensations and solutions differ. Dr. Hull shares how misdiagnosis can hamper athletic careers when the root cause goes unaddressed. And how conditions are influenced by factors like local pollution levels and lung infections.

When you listen you'll gain tools to advocate for your own respiratory health evaluation. Proper diagnosis is key to treatment maximizing performance potential long-term. Don't let breathing hold you back - tune in to improve your understanding and keep advocating for yourself with this knowledge in hand.

To learn more from Dr. Hull follow him @Breathe_to_win on X (Twitter). To learn more from me and get updates about podcasts, sports nutrition, and mindset, follow me on X (Twitter) @guzmannutrition, and here on LinkedIn and Instagram.

If you haven't yet subscribed to my newsletter, head to anneguzman.com. You'll get more sports nutrition, sports science, and mindset insights to help you succeed in sports and life. Head to the footer of any page on my website and join over 500 athletes and active people in this curious and driven community today.

Now let's step inside and learn how to breathe easier.

Osteoporosis, the "Silent Thief," erodes bones without a whisper. Whether you're an athlete or just cherish mobility, your bones are partners in every adventure. During this podcast we unveil the secrets of your skeletal strength, embracing aging gracefully and embracing life's potential.

Your bones are always building and breaking down, shaping your strength, agility, and health. Your choices matter: what you eat, how you move, genetics, age – they all impact your bone health.

Today, we dive deep with bone health expert Dr. Lora Giangregorio. She's a Professor in Kinesiology, a member of Osteoporosis Canada's Advisory Council. This isn't a dry lecture, but a practical exploration:

• What exercises truly bolster bone health?
• Does resistance training work after menopause?
• How does yoga fit in?
• Can vibration boards really make a difference?
• The importance of sports nutrition and energy intake for bones.
• And the silent impact of under-eating.

We unravel a DEXA scan's significance, delve into osteoporosis rates among males, and spotlight the power of a holistic bone health approach. Plus, discover valuable resources to fortify your bone training journey.

If you're active and you want to have that freedom to do all of the exercises you love for as long as you live, NOW is the time to pay attention to your bones. Prevention is everything.

You can learn more from Dr. Giangregorio on twitter (now X) at: Giangregorio.

Want to keep learning about sports nutrition, sports science and mindset!? Perfect. Follow me on X (twitter) , IG or LinkedIn and sign up for my monthly newsletter! I dig deeper into interesting topics and leave you with resources to learn more. Just head to Anneguzman.com and subscribe on the bottom of any page.

I love hearing from listeners and newsletter readers so don't be shy! If there are topics you want to hear about, let me know.

To support my podcast, please take a moment and head to my podcast on Apple and give this podcast a 5-star rating if you love it or any other episode! Please leave a review. It takes 2 minutes and can make a HUGE difference in getting my podcast out to more listeners. Thanks in advance I appreciate you! Please share this episode with family or friends who can benefit. Trust me, most people need to learn about bone health! It's not making front pages of the news! Until next time, remember, all progress is imperfect. Ride the waves when they come and keep moving when you are facing adversity. Trust that the universe gives you what you need. Everyone struggles. Don't believe social media. YOU DO YOU and know that I am rooting for you. Thank you for being part of this community.

Pro cyclist Haley Smith is no stranger to the cycling world. She's a force on two wheels, and vulnerability and her willingness to share her inner struggles is a super power in and of itself.

If you struggle with confidence, are always comparing yourself to others, and obsess about watts per kilo or data, listening to conversation is guaranteed to help you loosen your grip a bit and enjoy the process of sport more. And isn't that the point of it all?

During this powerful conversation Haley lets us into her mind as we unravel and discuss how she:

• Survived anorexia
• Builds confidence
• Measures progress
• Uses data in training
• Plans to use her Sport Psychology degree
• Practices mindfulness
• Changed her mindset about watts/kilo
• Came to realize that she is ENOUGH
• Manages comparison to competitors
• Sets process goals and what they mean to her

I've been waiting for this conversation because I knew it would be meaningful, helpful for others and authentic. I know that every athlete, coach, parent and person can take something away from Haley's insights that will help them to shift their process in sport and their mindset, tipping it towards a more positive direction.

Understanding more about how Haley thinks makes it easy for me to understand why she's crushing. A big part of that is that she's found JOY in the process and sees beauty in the sport of cycling. You can follow Haley here.

Before you jump in, if you would like to support me and this podcast, please take two minutes now and head over to Apple or Spotify and give my podcast a rating, leave a comment about what you thought of the episode! THIS REALLY HELPS PUSH THE PODCAST OUT to more listeners.

I do this podcast to share quality information and conversations and I want as many people as possible to hear these important messages. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!

Follow me here:

IG: ⁠⁠⁠@guzmananne⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠@imperferctprogresspodcast ⁠⁠⁠Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠@guzmannutrition⁠⁠⁠ 

LInkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠AnneGuzman ⁠⁠⁠

TikTok: @guzmananne. Interested in a podcast topic? Shoot me an email.

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Thank you for being a part of this amazing positive community and thank you for listening. Share this episode on your favourite social media platform and tag me! I love meeting listeners from across the world.

Are you tired of the frustration and disappointment of struggling to follow through on your habits? Have you ever experienced the pain of starting a new routine only to find yourself skipping days or abandoning it altogether? It's a disempowering cycle that leaves us wondering why we can't stay on track.

During this podcast episode, I've had an enlightening conversation with renowned Neuroscientist and Psychologist Dr. Scott Frey.

Join us as we dive deep into the realm of limiting self-beliefs and discover powerful tactics to help you finally break free from the cycle of unfulfilled habits.

It's time to follow through and reach your true potential by beginning a transformative journey of habit-building success.

Embark on Dr. Frey's captivating journey as a neuroscientist shaped by his upbringing by his incredible single mother who lived with Multiple Sclerosis. Dr. Frey's story is inspiring and a huge reminder that we can overcome self-limiting beliefs, create new habits, and intentionally change our lives.

When you listen today you'll learn about:

• Overcoming obstacles with specific tactics for habit formation.
• Strengthening neural pathways to achieve your goals.
• Breaking free from self-limiting beliefs: and understanding the danger of absolute statements.
• Unveiling the power of imagery in the mind.
• The differences between the flow state of cycling and running and intentional meditation.
• Harnessing the power of your environment to stick to your habits.
• The science behind stroke recovery and learned disuse.
• Fascinating insights into the brain's adaptation after limb loss.
• The 30 day deal we made LIVE together to keep one another accountable!
• How you can connect with Dr. Frey and his new business to learn about his coaching for transformative results.

This conversation moved me. It takes many different turns, and there's much to act on after you listen.

You can learn more about Dr. Scott Frey and his business Cerebral Performance here.

If you'd like to support me in my mission to amplify and translate science to active populations like you, please head to my podcast where you listen and give it a 5-star rating!  I would be super appreciative! This moves it up on the rankings, and this means MORE PEOPLE GET CREDIBLE SCIENTIFIC INFO! You can find it here on Apple or here on Spotify.

If you're here listening you have a hunger for knowledge! There's more to learn from my monthly newsletter. Visit Anneguzman.com, swiftly scroll to the bottom of the page, and seize the opportunity to subscribe to my exclusive monthly Performance Hub Newsletter. Join an elite community of 500+ passionate athletes, practitioners, and coaches who stay ahead of the game by embracing the latest sports science insights every month.

Your voice matters too! Share your desired topics, and I'll curate content that truly resonates with your interests. Email or message me about what you're keen to learn. Become a part of this transformative community today. I look forward to seeing you in the community.

Follow me on my social platforms to keep learning and being inspired to be your best. Like what you're learning and hearing? Tag me! IG: ⁠⁠⁠@guzmananne⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠@imperferctprogresspodcast ⁠⁠⁠Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠@guzmannutrition⁠⁠⁠ LInkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠AnneGuzman ⁠⁠⁠TikTok: @guzmananne.

And with that, let’s jump inside the podcast and build some lasting habits!

How can under eating, over exercising, high stress events and losing your period as a result, potentially contribute to poorer heart health? The science is surprising and it isn't being talked about enough. My guest today sheds light on all of these. It's important information that's not getting out to many athletes and coaches.

Today’s guest Dr. Chrisandra Shufelt is an expert in women’s heart health and menopause, Dr. Shufelt is Professor and Chair of the Division of General Internal Medicine, Senior Consultant at the Mayo Clinic Women’s Health, and Associate Director of the Women’s Health Research Center at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. Dr. Shufelt is awomen’s health internist with fellowship training in vascular biology and women’s health and a certified menopause practitioner. She’s the immediate past president of the North American Menopause Society where is now on the board of trustees.

Her NIH-funded research focuses on young women with hypothalamic amenorrhea evaluating the impact on immune and vascular health.

During this podcast we discuss:

• The effect of early and late onset of a female's first period on future heart health.

• How losing your period from over exercise, under nutrition or high stress events could impact bone health.

•  How estrogen impact vascular health and how this can impact your performance as an athlete.

• Early and late menopause, hormone replacement guidelines and considerations.

• Hormone replacement for bone health in young female athletes with amenorrhea.

• Prevalence of amenorrhea in athletes.

• Estrogen throughout your lifespan and how this relates to heart health.

• Dr. Shufelt's NEW STUDY and how to join because she is recruiting athletes NOW.

There's so much to learn in this episode. EVERYONE should listen, male or female, coach, parent or athlete.

To learn more about Dr. Shufelt's study (women 18-40 who have missed more than 3 periods in a row due to stress, over exercise or under nutrition) call the study coordinator at this number: 904-953-9805.

You can follow Dr. Shufelt on twitter here: https://twitter.com/cshufeltMD

If you're here listening you're hungry to learn, whether it's for health, performance or both. That means you should head over to Anneguzman.com, scroll to the bottom of the page and subscribe to my monthly Sports Science Minute newsletter! Join 500+ athletes, practitioners and coaches who are learning the latest in sports science monthly. Have topics you'd like to hear about? Email me!

Follow me on my social platforms to keep learning and being inspired to be your best. Like what you're learning and hearing? Tag me! IG: ⁠⁠@guzmananne⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠@imperferctprogresspodcast ⁠⁠Twitter: ⁠⁠@guzmannutrition⁠⁠ LInkedIn: ⁠⁠AnneGuzman ⁠⁠TikTok: @guzmananne.

If you'd like to support me in my mission to amplify women in science and translate science to active populations like you, please head to my podcast where you listen and give it a 5 start rating!  I would be super appreciative!

And with that, let’s jump inside the podcast!

Welcome to episode 31 of the Imperfect Progress Podcast!

On today's podcast I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Meagan Wasfy, a sports cardiologist and echocardiographer at the Mass General Hospital Brigham, Massachusetts. Dr. Wasfy completed her undergraduate degree is from Harvard College and medical degree from Harvard Medical School. She serves as team cardiologist for Harvard Athletics and co-medical director for the Boston Athletic Association. Her research focus is on optimizing the clinical utilization of cardiac imaging and exercise testing in athlete patients, with an emphasis on sex-based differences. She’s also an avid runner herself and has extensive experience working with endurance athletes, as well as the NFL and also the general population in relation to heart health.

Dr. Wasfy and I discussed heart health, aging, and endurance athletes. When you listen, you'll learn about:

• How menopause can affect our risk of heart disease.
• Why endurance athletes are not invincible to aging and heart health issues.
• Preventing sudden cardiac arrest in young and masters athletes - what can be done?
• Atrial fibrillation and endurance athletes. Which sex is at higher risk?
• The optimal level of exercise for improved health.
• Is extreme exercise good for heart health?
• CPR - why we should all learn it.
• How wearable technology can be an asset to cardiologists.
• Which age group wearable technology is not useful for and why.

Tune in to learn more about these important topics! After this episode, I am taking my movement seriously, and every bit counts towards my heart health.

To learn more about Dr. Wasfy follow her here on Twitter today!

If you’re not signed up for my monthly newsletter about all things sports nutrition, sports science and mindset, head over to ⁠Anneguzman.com⁠ now and subscribe. I dive deeper into podcast topics and share resources for those who want to learn more. I’m also very open to hearing from you the listeners about topics you’d like to learn about in my newsletter! Join the 500+ other members of the community today! If you love what you see please share it with friends on social media or by email.

Did you learn something interesting? Share it on social and tag me! IG: ⁠@guzmananne⁠ and ⁠@imperferctprogresspodcast ⁠Twitter: ⁠@guzmannutrition⁠ LInkedIn: ⁠AnneGuzman ⁠TikTok: @guzmananne.

If you'd like to support me in my mission to amplify women in science and translate science to active populations like you, please head to my podcast where you listen and give it a 5 start rating!  I would be super appreciative!

And with that, let’s jump inside the podcast!

Welcome! Today's episode is about all things carbohydrates, insulin and blood sugar, at rest or during cycling and other endurance exercise.

My guest Dr. Javier Gonzalez is deeply invested in research in the area of Nutrition and Metabolism and has over 159 papers published in the field. He's deepling interested in understanding human fuel use, specifically how we obtain fuel from our diet, how we burn fuel during exercise, and how we store fuel when we have more than we need.

As a Professor at Bath University Dr. Gonzalex also consults with sports teams and industry and he himself participates in cycling, putting his science into motion!

If you eat carbohydrates during an intense bike ride do you think you will 'spike;' your blood sugar? If so, press play and start listening.

I loved this conversation! Here's some of what you'll learn during this episode:

• · The basics of sugar, carbohydrates, and the roles hormones such as insulin, glucagon, and catecholamines in regulating blood sugar during  exercise.
• · How carbohydrate intake during exercise impacts blood sugar and insulin, which may surprise you!
• · Insulin sensitivity and resistance, and how they play into our overall health and can change in response to different factors, including endurance exercise.
• · Differences in glycogen storage and use (carbs stored in muscle and liver) between untrained vs trained endurance athletes.
• · The different types of sugars (glucose, sucrose, fructose) and how the body is able to absorb these, and in what amounts.
• · Carbohydrate intake on the bike during and after training and why the TYPE of sugars you ingest can matter depending on your context.
• · Why competitive and elite cyclists perform best on a high carbohydrate diet.
• · The limitations of relying on body fat as fuel for competitive cyclists.
• How Dr. Gonzalez navigates imperfect progress and adversity in his own life (great answer!).

There's a lot more to this conversation but those are some of the key areas we touch on. You'll also learn about what types of carbohydrates help you recover the quickest and examples of carbohydrates to eat on the bike/run and why multiple types of carbs is important for training that lasts more than 90 minutes.

This is a good one! I’ve been waiting to find the right person for this topic for some time. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

If you’re not signed up for my monthly newsletter about all things sports nutrition, sports science and mindest, head over to Anneguzman.com now and subscribe. I dive deeper into podcast topics and share resources for those who want to learn more. I’m also very open to hearing from you the listeners about topics you’d like to learn about in my newsletter! Join the 500+ other members of the community today! If you love what you see please share it with friends on social media or by email.

Did you learn something interesting? Share it on social and tag me! IG: @guzmananne and @imperferctprogresspodcast Twitter: @guzmannutrition LInkedIn: AnneGuzman TikTok: @guzmananne.

If you'd like to support me in my mission to amplify women in science and translate science to active populations like you, please head to my podcast where you listen and give it a 5 start rating!  I would be super appreciative!

And with that, let’s jump inside the podcast!

Bone injuries can end your athletic season and even your athletic career - yet bone is often an after thought.

If you're having repetitive bone stress injuries, there are likely other things going on with your nutrition and training that need further investigation. It's never too late to intervene with bone health.

As a cyclist, poor bone health can often go unnoticed due to the non weight bearing nature of the sport. It's often not until someone crashes, and gets a bone density scan as a result, that poor bone health is revealed.

Today podcast guest Dr. Eimear Dolan and I dive many topics around cycling, running and bone health.

Dr. Eimear Dolan, is an exercise physiologist and sports science researcher out of University of San Paolo, Brazil. During this conversation Dr. Dolan walks us through the role of bone in our bodies,  discusses factors associated with cycling and endurance sports that could be problematic for bone health and how athletes and coaches can take action to prevent bone loss.

In this podcast you'll learn what signs to look for that may indicate potential bone health concerns and learn about the power of nutrition and certain types of exercise in building and maintaining healthy bone mass. You'll also learn:

The importance of bone in youth and teen years.

Nutrition strategies you should consider around training hours.

What is osteoporosis and osteopenia? 

How could  poor bone health impact my cycling performance?

Are calcium losses through sweat a concern?

Gain actionable tips that you can start putting into motion today. 

Subscribe to my newsletter at Anneguzman.com, on the footer of any page and you'll get a monthly newsletter with additional links to resources where you can learn more about the topic of the month! You'll also be kept up to date on any sports nutrition promotions, new courses and deeper dives into podcast topics.

If you're keen to learn more about your health from the INSIDE OUT, be the first to take advantage of my partnership discount Inside Tracker! You can get 20% off the ENTIRE STORE right now.

Go to insidetracker.com/GuzmanNutrition for your exclusive discount code today!

InsideTracker takes a personalized approach to health and longevity from the most trusted and relevant source: your body.

InsideTracker was created by experts in aging, genetics, and biometric data from Harvard, Tufts and MIT. InsideTrackers provides personalized health analysis and clear recommendations plus an action plan on how to live healthier longer. InsideTracker can also calculate your biological age, the rate at which you’re aging, compared to your chronological age, as well as ways to lower your biological age. The thing I love most about InsideTracker is they give you recommendations on things you can control to optimize your health - like food, supplements, workouts and other lifestyle choices.

They have an amazing new resource for clients which includes FREE courses that help you get a better understanding of what blood markers are, what the numbers mean and HOW to use the information you'll get from your personalized action plan from InsideTracker.

To learn more about Dr. Eimear Dolan you can follow her here on twitter: Eimear Dolan.

Like what you're learning? Give it a shout out on social and tag me: IG guzmananne, Twitter - guzmannutrition LinkedIn: Anne Guzman TikTok: Guzmananne

Caffeine, America's most popular drug. More than 85% of Americans drink at least one caffeinated drink per day. 

But for athletes, caffeine is a drug that's not restricted by WADA, which means athletes can use it and reap the benefits in their sports nutrition plan.

I know what you're thinking, my coffee is a drug!? I know, that sounds strange, but indeed it is! Ever skip a few days? Withdrawals!

If you do use caffeine  to improve performance, whether on your bike, mountain biking, gravel cycling are you getting the most out of it? Do you know what dose has been proven to be effective? What the optimal timing of intake should be? Whether that timing differs between coffee, supplement capsules or caffeinated gum?

What about habituation? Do you need to cut back on coffee pre race to get the BEST bang for your buck?

Do your genetics impact whether or not you'll get a performance effect from caffeine? 

What about caffeine consistency between coffees? Is it generally consistent if you drop in at your local coffee shop? 

These are all questions you'll need answers to if you want to use caffeine as a performance enhancer. So to get you the science, I found a top expert on the topic,.

Dr. Bryan Saunders is a researcher who studies out of University of Sao Paulo Brazil. He has an extensive background in sports science and received his PhD from the University of Nottingham. He's researched caffeine, beta alanine and sodium bicarbonate deeply and he's also an avid cyclist. 

In other words he LOVES COFFEE (and tea!).

During this podcast you'll learn the answers to all of the questions above and a lot more including how caffeine exerts it's physiological effects on your body and how it could work into your cycling nutrition plan. 

Dr. Saunders was a pleasure to speak with and I hope you learn everything you need during this podcast. If not, tag us on social media and ask your questions, we will be sure to reply back. You can tag us on IG @guzmananne and Dr. Saunders @drbryanbeard, and on Twitter @guzmannutrition and @bicycle_brian. Head over to Apple or Spotify and help support my podcast by giving it 5 STAR RATING IF YOU LOVED IT! It really helps. THANK YOU!

If you're keen to learn more about your health from the INSIDE OUT, be the first to take advantage of my Black Friday discount with Inside Tracker! Between now and November 30th you can get $200 off the ultimate plan or 34% off the ENTIRE STORE!

InsideTracker takes a personalized approach to health and longevity from the most trusted and relevant source: your body. 

Go to insidetracker.com/GuzmanNutrition for our exclusive discount code today!

InsideTracker was created by experts in aging, genetics, and biometric data from Harvard, Tufts and MIT. InsideTrackers provides personalized health analysis and clear recommendations plus an action plan on how to live healthier longer. InsideTracker can also calculate your biological age, the rate at which you’re aging, compared to your chronological age, as well as ways to lower your biological age. The thing I love most about InsideTracker is they give you recommendations on things you can control to optimize your health - like food, supplements, workouts and other lifestyle choices. 

From now until November 30, get 34% off the rest of the store. Just go to insidetracker.com/GuzmanNutrition.

Don't make the mistake of believing the hype.  It could cost you your bike race.

Scroll Instagram for 5 minutes and you'll be inundated with diet and sports nutrition advice. Unfortunately a lot of it is BS. The reason I do this podcast is to bring you quality information from credible sources, so you don't have to learn everything the hard way. This conversation does exactly this.

My podcast guest is Eric Bustillo. Registered Dietitian, personal trainer, CrossFit coach and RD to many special forces athletes. Today we shed light on some sports nutrition myths that just don't seem to want to die. Here's what they are:

1) Intermittent Fasting and weight loss.

2) Eating carbohydrates at night will make you gain weight

3) RED-S (relative energy deficiency in sport) only relates to females

4) Caffeine is dehydrating

5) Training fasted means you burn more fat and therefore lose more body fat

6) BCAAs are an important part of an athlete's sports nutrition regime

It's easy to understand why this gets confusing. There are lots of "sciency" sounding posts out there and Twitter gets way more air time than science! But rest assured, what you hear today is not pseudoscience.

When you're training hard and the difference between good and great is nutrition, you want to know that you're executing optimally. Otherwise you may be leaving power behind that you'll need to get over steep hills, make a break , win a finish sprint. or get through a CrossFit session.

Eric is a compassionate person and this comes across in our conversation. So let's jump inside and get the facts, while also hearing a healthy attitude we can all consider towards eating and exercise, besides the one that suggests we need to "burn off our dinner" or "earn a meal."

First a note on my amazing podcast sponsor Inside Tracker!

There’s nothing more powerful than understanding WHY you feel great and why you feel sub par. To live that healthiest life it’s important to know what’s happening inside your body. One person may feel stellar at 45 another may not, and our lifestyles, genetics and nutrition can all contribute to this. Inside tracker goes beyond your annual blood work. 

What do they do? 

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Just go to inside tracker dot com forward slash Guzman Nutrition.

That’s inside tracker dot com forward slash Guzman Nutrition. insidetracker.com/guzmannutrition.

Now let's enjoy this amazing podcast conversation!

Misinformation is everywhere. I'm here to give you legitimate information backed by science.