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:

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👤 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

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👩🏻‍💻 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

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✉️ CONNECT WITH ME: ⤵️

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🖥️ ⁠⁠ Shop the Resource Suite⁠⁠⁠

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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 ⁠leigh@leighmerotto.com⁠. See you soon!

In this episode, we address a listener's question about common bloating culprits like carbonated drinks, straws, and smoothies. We dive into the science behind bloating, distinguishing it from distension, and explores various causes such as gas-producing foods, constipation, and microbiome imbalances. We discuss practical advice on managing these triggers and emphasizes the importance of personalized approaches to gut health.

⏱️ Chapters:

• (0:00) – Welcome & Intro
• (1:06) – Listener Q&A: Noura’s Bloating Question
• (1:44) – What Is Bloating vs. Distension?
• (2:23) – Common Causes of Bloating
• (3:23) – Backup Bloat & Constipation
• (5:30) – Carbonated Drinks & Bloating
• (7:22) – Stepwise Approach to Fizzy Drinks
• (8:37) – Straws: Myth or Trigger?
• (9:57) – Why Smoothies Can Cause Bloating
• (12:50) – Tips to Make Smoothies Gut-Friendly
• (13:55) – Personalized Approaches to Bloating
• (16:08) – Gut Harmony Method Program & Final Takeaways

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👩🏻‍💻 RESOURCES & LINKS MENTIONED: ⤵️

📌 Gut Harmony Method Program

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✉️ 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 ⁠leigh@leighmerotto.com⁠. See you soon!

If you’ve been feeling frustrated, limited, or even afraid to move because of pelvic floor symptoms like leaking, urgency or pelvic pain — you’re not alone. These symptoms are common especially in those dealing with gastrointestinal issues like IBS, IBD and endometriosis. This episode will give you hope, validation, and the tools to start rebuilding trust in your body.

⏱️ Chapters:

• • (0:00) – Intro
  • (2:18) – Meet the Guest: Courtenay Pollock, Exercise Physiologist
  • (3:06) – What Is an Exercise Physiologist & How They Differ from Personal Trainers
  • (10:30) – How Pelvic Health Became Courtenay’s Focus
  • (16:22) – What Is the Pelvic Floor & What Does It Do?
  • (20:27) – Signs of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
  • (23:39) – IBS, Constipation & the Pelvic Floor Connection
  • (26:24) – Common Causes of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
  • (31:38) – Weak vs. Tight Pelvic Floor: Key Differences
  • (37:01) – Nervous System Regulation & Pelvic Floor Health
  • (46:51) – What a Supportive Exercise Plan Can Look Like
  • (55:57) – Rapid-Fire Segment: Rating Popular Pelvic Floor Tools
  • (1:08:06) – Final Advice for Supporting Your Pelvic Floor

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  👤 Today’s Guest: Courtenay Polock, APD

  Joining me all the way from Australia is Courtenay Polock, Accredited Exercise Physiologist and founder of Her Exercise Physiology — a virtual clinic providing accessible, evidence-based care for women, with a special focus on pelvic health across the lifespan. Courtenay has extensive experience in helping women navigate endometriosis, chronic pelvic pain, postpartum recovery, and more — and she’s here to share her expertise on how to build an intentional, supportive exercise plan that works with your body, not against it.

  📌 Courtenay's Website

  📌 Courtenay’'s Instagram

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  👩🏻‍💻 RESOURCES & LINKS MENTIONED: ⤵️

  📌 Squatty Potty

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  ✉️ 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 ⁠leigh@leighmerotto.com⁠. See you soon!