

The Dr. Shannon Show
Dr. Shannon Ritchey, PT, DPT
Whether it's a research-based solo episode, a detailed expert interview, or a casual coffee chat, you'll learn what is true (and what isn't) regarding fitness, nutrition, mental health, skincare, and more. Join Shannon Ritchey, Doctor of Physical Therapy, fitness trainer, and founder of Evlo Fitness, each Thursday and occasional Fridays for science-based tools to improve your health.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Nov 3, 2022 • 22min
#86: Why tracking calories burned is sabotaging your results.
Using exercise to increase your caloric burn is actually not as effective as we've been taught to believe. I explain why this is and how to use exercise in a way that will be more impactful and sustainable. 0:00: Introduction 2:35 Using exercise to build muscle vs. to “get lean”5:42: Why burning calories is not a very important metric 11:11: Exercise selection when working out to burn more calories12:59: “Hard exercises”/compound movements 16:30: Listening to your body 19:17: What to focus on instead8 free Evlo classesFollow Dr. Shannon on IG14 day Evlo trialMetabolism as you age studyTo take our free 35-minute Upper Body Build class taught by Dr. Shannon, visit portal.evlofitness.com.

Oct 31, 2022 • 17min
OQM #10: What to do when you hold your tension in your upper traps
It's common to feel tight, tense, and even painful in your upper trap/neck region. The instinct is to push shoulders down and back, stretch, get massages, and avoid working the upper trap muscle. Dr. Payton and Dr. Shannon discuss how these things could worsen the problem and what to try instead. 8 free Evlo classesFollow Dr. Shannon on IG14 day Evlo trialTo take our free 35-minute Upper Body Build class taught by Dr. Shannon, visit portal.evlofitness.com.

Oct 27, 2022 • 19min
#85: How to develop your abdominal muscles
There are many common mistakes with abdominal training—training your abs every day, doing super high rep training, or assuming that your abs get enough stimulation with your upper and lower body exercises. In this episode, I discuss all those myths and how to train your abs for hypertrophy (muscle growth). 0:00: Introduction 1:12: Core Stability Program3:18: Muscle hypertrophy 6:52: Myth: “Everything is core work”12:27: Myth: “You should work the abdominals for 5-10 minutes straight”15:47: Myth “You should work your abdominals every day”17:21: Summary8 free Evlo classesFollow Dr. Shannon on IG14 day Evlo trialTo take our free 35-minute Upper Body Build class taught by Dr. Shannon, visit portal.evlofitness.com.

Oct 24, 2022 • 14min
OQM #9: How to calculate the minimum amount of weight to use for muscle growth
You don't have to lift super heavy to grow muscles. Studies show that you can gain muscle by using either light resistance OR heavy resistance, as long as the lift is taken close to failure. However, there seems to be a minimum amount of resistance you need to use to grow muscles, and if you use any lighter, it doesn't seem to have much effect. Dr. Payton and Dr. Shannon walk you through the process of calculating your one rep max, so you can work backward to figure out the minimum amount of resistance to use in each lift. One rep max calculator 8 free Evlo classesFollow Dr. Shannon on IG14 day Evlo trialTo take our free 35-minute Upper Body Build class taught by Dr. Shannon, visit portal.evlofitness.com.

Oct 20, 2022 • 28min
#84: Is feeling the "burn" enough to stimulate muscle growth?
If you've exercised, you are familiar with the love/hate relationship you have with the "muscle burn." But what is this actually doing? Is it burning fat? Is it "toning" an area? Is it building muscle? Why is it happening? All these things are discussed in this episode. 0:00: Introduction 2:00: The “3 M’s” to muscle growth 3:23: 1st M: Mechanical load (How heavy should I be lifting?)11:15: 2nd M: Muscle damage or EIMD14:47: 3rd M: Metabolic stress or “the burn”19:23: Barre and Pilates 22:55: Heavy lifting does not necessarily equate to high mechanical load to the muscle24:55: Summary 8 free Evlo classesFollow Dr. Shannon on IG14 day Evlo trialTo take our free 35-minute Upper Body Build class taught by Dr. Shannon, visit portal.evlofitness.com.

Oct 17, 2022 • 9min
OQM #8: Why you get sore and what to do when you're sore
Dr. Payton and Dr. Shannon discuss:Why you get soreWhy soreness is not a reliable indicator of your workout's effectivenessWhat to do when you ARE soreWhat to do when you're constantly soreTo take our free 35-minute Upper Body Build class taught by Dr. Shannon, visit portal.evlofitness.com.

Oct 13, 2022 • 34min
#83: How to improve metabolic flexibility with Cynthia Thurlow
What does it mean to be metabolically flexible, and how can we improve our metabolic flexibility? Cynthia Thurlow is a nurse practitioner, author of Intermittent Fasting Transformation, TedX speaker, and host of the Everyday Wellness Podcast. We talk about improving insulin sensitivity, how to fast around your cycle, how to fast if you're non-cycling, and more.0:00: Introduction 2:08: Signs/symptoms that you may be insulin resistance 6:27: Sugar burner vs. fat burner8:45: What we do in our 30s, 40s, and 60s affects our function in our 60s and beyond 10:45: First steps to take in improving your metabolic flexibility19:20: Fasting for individuals <35 y/o22:21: Fasting for individuals >35 y/o24:10: Exercising in a fasted state28:40: Importance of building muscle mass 31:35: How to find Cynthia Thurlow8 free Evlo classesFollow Dr. Shannon on IG14 day Evlo trialTo take our free 35-minute Upper Body Build class taught by Dr. Shannon, visit portal.evlofitness.com.

Oct 10, 2022 • 13min
OQM #7: How much cardio should I ACTUALLY be doing?
Cardiovascular training is important. But you don’t have to do TONS of separated cardio for your heart health. In this episode, Shannon and Payton discuss how much cardio you actually need, different types of cardio activities, and how to incorporate HIIT training into a balanced routine! Episode about measuring recovery To take our free 35-minute Upper Body Build class taught by Dr. Shannon, visit portal.evlofitness.com.

Oct 6, 2022 • 28min
#82: How to keep your metabolism high as you age
How often do we hear someone in their 30’s, 40’s, and beyond tell someone in their 20’s:“What I would give to have my old metabolism back and eat whatever I want.”The belief that a declining metabolism is an inevitable part of adulthood causes people to feel helpless and that they can’t do anything about it. But emerging evidence shows that a decrease in metabolism isn’t an inevitable part of adulthood, at least in early adulthood from ages 20-60ish. Shannon discusses this study and how to keep your metabolism high as you age. 0:00: Introduction2:02: Description of research study 5:13: Reasons why your body composition may change as you age 7:30: Insulin sensitivity/resistance 9:41: Constrained Total Energy Expenditure14:12: What CAN exercise do for your metabolism?19:50: The downward spiral 20:49: The upward spiral 24:12: Does your metabolism change during menopause?25:12: What is happening after the age of 60?8 free Evlo classesFollow Dr. Shannon on IG14 day Evlo trialTo take our free 35-minute Upper Body Build class taught by Dr. Shannon, visit portal.evlofitness.com.

Oct 3, 2022 • 23min
OQM #6: If, when, and how should you use ankle/wrist weights?
Ankle and wrist weights have become increasingly popular, but what are they REALLY doing for your body? Dr. Payton and Dr. Shannon discuss their opinions on when to use ankle/wrist weights and when not to use them. To take our free 35-minute Upper Body Build class taught by Dr. Shannon, visit portal.evlofitness.com.


