The Dr. Shannon Show
Dr. Shannon Ritchey, PT, DPT - buzzsprout.com
Latest episode: Thu Jun 05 2025
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.
255 total episodes
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- Jun5#221: Weights or cardio first, reaching failure vs. reps in reserve, and an important announcement21mins
- May29#220: How to Body Recomposition in a Sustainable, Effective Way51mins
- May22#219: Cardiovascular Aging: How to Measure and Improve It14mins
- May15#218: How to train your nervous system and improve vagal tone31mins
- May8#217: Body Image and Body Dysmorphia with Psychiatrist Margaret Duncan49mins
- May2Coffee Chat with Interior Designer Coco Greenblum38mins
- May1#216: What men and women should do when trying to conceive with Dr. Natalie Crawford33mins
- Apr24#215: Freezing your eggs, how our reproductive system changes with age, and more with Dr. Natalie Crawford47mins
- Apr17#214: How often should you work a muscle each week?12mins
- Apr10#213: Understand your hormones in each decade with Dr. Jessica Shepherd50mins
- Apr3#212: Building 5lb of muscle: how long does it take, member tips, and more20mins
- Mar28Coffee Chat with Olivia Adriance: Pregnancy Q&A36mins
- Mar27#211: How to get fit during pregnancy33mins
- Mar25Mini: Will your waist get thicker by training abs?5mins
- Mar20#210: Does strength training cover all your bases for generalized health & fitness?37mins
- Mar13#209: AMA: Accuracy of Body Composition Scales, Splitting Workouts in Half, and More26mins
- Mar6#208: Genetics and somatotypes - should you train for your body type?20mins
- Feb27#207: How does creatine affect body composition?6mins
Feb25Ask an RD: Reverse dieting with Hope Brandt, RD5mins- Feb20#206: Weight lifting & fertility with Dr. Payton Busker20mins
Feb18Ask an RD: What to do if your total daily calorie goal seems too low? With Hope Brandt, RD7mins- Feb14Coffee Chat: My updates on building muscle while pregnant, how to track muscle growth without a DEXA, and more15mins
- Feb13#205: The Burnout Effect: Understanding Anti-Recomposition and How to Avoid It20mins
Feb11Ask an RD: How to have more stable blood sugar levels with Allie Chilcote, MS, RD, LD21mins- Feb6#204: Does strength training double as cardio?18mins
Feb4Ask an RD: Calorie deficits, maintenance, and surpluses with Hope Brandt, RD11mins- Jan30#203: Can you target different portions of the same muscle? Breaking down regional hypertrophy25mins
Jan28Ask an RD: How much protein can you eat at one time? With Hope Brandt, RD4mins- Jan23#202: 200TH EPISODE BEST OF: Pilates & Megaformer: do they build muscle, tone, or "lengthen?"37mins
Jan21Ask an RD: How do you avoid, prevent, and improve bloating? With Allie Chilcote, MS, RD, LD19mins- Jan16#201: 200TH BEST OF: Zone 2 cardio15mins
Jan14Ask an RD: Are sugar alternatives really "better" than table sugar? With Hope Brandt, RD24mins- Jan9#200: 200TH EPISODE BEST OF: Metabolism14mins
Jan7Ask an RD: Intuitive eating vs. dieting - which is better for my goals? With Miranda Galati, RD21mins- Jan2#199: The benefits, risks, and uses for GLP1s like Ozempic and Wegovy with McCall McPherson PA-C47mins
Dec31Ask an RD: I don't want to track my calories, how can I reach my body composition goals?7mins- Dec26#198: Fitness Trackers: What Features are Important?7mins
Dec20Coffee Chat: My journey of building 5lb of muscle and body recomposition19mins- Dec19#197: How to Build 5lb of Muscle in 202530mins
- Dec12#196: How walking affects body composition7mins
Dec9Coffee Chat with Miranda Galati: Weight Watchers, digestive health, Evlo, and more32mins- Dec5#195: Nutrition for energy, mental health, and more with Miranda Galati, MHSc, RD39mins
- Nov28#194: Thanksgiving episode: can you really "erase" a meal with exercise?17mins
- Nov21#193: How to maintain during the holidays6mins
Nov15Coffee Chat: Payton's IVF journey62mins- Nov14#192: Evidence-based skincare: products, botox & filler, redlight therapy, and more with Amy Koberling39mins
Nov8Solo Coffee Chat: How I calendar each week17mins- Nov7#191: The minimal effective dose for strength training and cardio18mins
- Oct31#190: If the "burn" isn't building muscle, what is it doing?14mins
Oct25Coffee Chat with Karalynne Call from Just Ingredients: Understanding what's in your supplements and realistic changes to live a cleaner life63mins- Oct24#189: Take control of your hormone and thyroid health with McCall McPherson PA-C30mins
Oct18Solo Coffee Chat: Q&A on Postpartum Body Image, Creatine, and More31mins- Oct17#188: How women differ from men with strength training and cardio33mins
- Oct10#187: FAQs About Body Recomposition13mins
Oct4Coffee Chat with Jill Zambito and Lauren Pollard: Creatine, sleep chronotypes, and more62mins- Oct3#186: Biomechanics 101 & your cheat sheet to know if any workout is effective21mins
- Sep26#185: Improving anxiety and rewiring your negativity bias with neuroscientist Nicole Vignola31mins
Sep20Solo Coffee Chat: How I'm building 5lb of muscle postpartum16mins- Sep19#184: Postpartum Body Recomposition27mins
Sep13Coffee Chat with Olivia Adriance: how she improved her acne, grew a social media following, and more60mins- Sep12#183: How to avoid the 4 communication styles that predict the end of relationships with Casey Lepper61mins
Sep6Coffee Chat on fitness trends: Weighted vest walking, doing your hair with wrist weights, Pilates for back pain12mins- Sep5#182: REHIT: How 2 minutes of work/week can significantly impact your cardiovascular health18mins
Aug30Solo Coffee Chat: The coaching tools that have rewired my brain20mins- Aug29#181: Does strength training make you leaner?12mins
- Aug22#180: Do you have to lift heavy as you age? How to increase lean mass at any age23mins
Aug16Solo Coffee Chat: A podcast rebrand, tools to stay inspired, and 10x growth15mins- Aug15#179: Q&A: Inner thigh toning, the effectiveness of minimal equipment workouts, and muscle confusion13mins
- Aug8#178: Find Your Ideal Fitness Routine: Balancing Strength, Cardio, and Recovery for Optimal Results33mins
- Aug1#177: Training your nervous system with Dr. Eric Cobb76mins
- Jul25#176: Nutrition and breastfeeding with Dani Patton33mins
- Jul18#175: Q&A: Best activities for recovery days, if megaformer classes build muscle, is Evlo diastasis recti-friendly11mins
- Jul11#174: Your nervous system & fitness part 3: Cerebellar neuroplasticity9mins
- Jul4#173: Your nervous system & fitness part 2: safety and stability11mins
- Jun27#172: Your nervous system & fitness part 1: Central nervous system fatigue21mins
- Jun20#171: Q&A: Grip strength limiting lower body lifts, feeling "bigger" after strength training, and do sculpt classes help maintain muscle?7mins
- Jun13#170: What to do if you're exercising hard but not losing weight9mins
- Jun6#169: How to balance exercise and cortisol13mins
- May30#168: Training your core and diastasis recti with Dr. Elizabeth Knoble32mins
- May23#167: Short workouts and exercise snacks16mins
- May16#166: Does more sweat = better results?9mins
- May9#165: Improving metabolic flexibility for lasting results42mins
- May2#164: Why more fatiguing workouts aren't more effective22mins
- Apr25#163: Pre/post workout nutrition with Hope Brandt, RD21mins
- Apr18#162: Super-responders and non-responders to exercise17mins
- Apr11#161: Strength training and pelvic floor, body recomposition, Pilates and results, and more22mins
- Apr4#160: Maintenance14mins
- Mar28#159: Pilates isn't "snatching" you. Here's what's really happening13mins
- Mar21#158: Modeling healthy behavior around food and exercise with Hope Brandt, RD34mins
- Mar14#157: How to exercise in your 30s to age well12mins
- Mar7#156: Spot treating fat and cellulite13mins
- Feb29#155: Why you don't have to squat to be functional27mins
- Feb22#154: Exercising with PCOS41mins
- Feb15#153: How muscle REALLY affects your metabolism20mins
- Feb8#152: The optimal volume for muscle growth for women30mins
- Feb1#151: Why your menstrual cycle is a vital sign: exercising to improve menstrual health, fertility, and more48mins
- Jan25#150: HIIT and longevity37mins
- Jan18#149: Is walking "enough" for cardio?19mins
- Jan11#148: Do women really need zone two cardio?34mins
- Jan4#147: Blood sugar: what can go wrong, and how to improve insulin sensitivity through nutrition with Katherine Andrew57mins
- Dec28#146: Metabolic adaptation and fitness challenges18mins
- Dec21#145: Do heavy weights "bulk" and does Pilates "tone"?33mins
- Dec14#144: Nutrition and exercise for fertility44mins
- Dec7#143: How and when to take a deload week29mins
- Nov30#142: Are "functional exercises" necessary?17mins
- Nov23#141: Thanksgiving episode: Why you can't "burn off" what you eat, and how to manage blood sugar spikes22mins
- Nov16#140: Body recomposition when you're sleep deprived: a follow up to last week's episode30mins
- Nov9#139: The psychology of habit forming for body recomposition28mins
- Nov2#138: The best time of day to workout, hip thrusts vs. lunges, kegels during core work, and more17mins
- Oct26#137: Carb cycling with Esosa Osagiede, RD35mins
- Oct19#136: How does overexercise affect hormones?17mins
- Oct12#135: How should men and women train differently?20mins
- Oct5#134: Building muscle during pregnancy25mins
- Sep28#133: Productive vs. unproductive stress28mins
- Sep21#132: Are low-impact workouts really more effective?14mins
- Sep14#131: Where is your calorie burn plateau?20mins
- Sep7#130: The timeline of results for body recomposition29mins
- Aug31#129: The "afterburn effect..." is it real?16mins
- Aug24#128: Feeling "bigger" after strength training? Here's why.17mins
- Aug17#127: How to exercise to improve your skin17mins
- Aug10#126: How to use (and how NOT to use) fitness wearables33mins
- Aug3#125: How soreness affects your results17mins
- Jul27#124: How to train given your genetic predispositions40mins
- Jul20#123: Keep your brain young with Dr. Julie Fratantoni42mins
- Jul13#122: How to cycle sync while still building muscle39mins
- Jul6#121: Metabolic flexibility: Improve energy & body composition while decelerating aging40mins
- Jun29#120: Payton's personal story with an autoimmune diagnosis27mins
- Jun22#119: Is cardio interfering with body composition improvements?25mins
- Jun15#118: How and why to manage fatigue for better results27mins
- Jun8#117: How to improve chronic inflammation25mins
- Jun1#116: Fear of gaining weight from doing less25mins
- May25#115: Nervous system tools to improve your results29mins
- May18#114: Do women HAVE to lift heavy?31mins
- May11#113: Improving endocrine dysfunction and fertility with Dr. Audrey Gaskins26mins
- May4#112: Is cardio making your stress better or worse?30mins
- Apr27#111: Weight loss drugs: Ozempic, Wegovy, and more with Dr. Arti Thangudu26mins
- Apr20#110: Tools to improve muscle activation & results from training30mins
- Apr13#109: How to train your nervous system43mins
- Apr6#108: Nutrition and leanness with Hope Brandt, RD37mins
- Mar30#107: Exercise and leanness30mins
- Mar23#106: Pilates... is it "enough?"46mins
- Mar16#105: "Mom butt" and more with Dr. Amelia Ponchur48mins
- Mar9#104: Become a master listener of your own body53mins
- Mar2#103: 100TH EPISODE BEST OF: Why I don't stretch35mins
- Feb23#102: 100th EPISODE BEST OF: Body Composition50mins
- Feb16#101: 100th EPISODE BEST OF: Cardio39mins
- Feb9#100: 100th EPISODE BEST OF: Improve workout efficiency & feel better47mins
- Feb2#99: Top 4 mistakes for training glutes13mins
- Jan26#98: How much volume (sets/week) is needed for muscle growth?26mins
- Jan19#97: The minimum amount of exercise to see results15mins
- Jan5#95: Improve results without overworking: what NOT to do32mins
- Dec29#94: The biggest fitness mistake that backfires in the new year13mins
- Dec22#93: My body recomposition journey this year27mins
- Dec15#92: An endocrinologist's view on "balancing hormones" with Dr. Arti Thangadu31mins
- Dec8#91: How to utilize cycle syncing while still keeping your workouts effective23mins
- Dec1#90: A hypertrophy guide for the modern woman who struggles to build muscle42mins
- Nov24#89: Thanksgiving episode - why trying to "burn off" holiday food won't work, and what to do instead13mins
- Nov17#88: Improve your relationship with food with Miranda Galati, RD38mins
- Nov10#87: How to adjust your routine to continue progressing around the holidays36mins
- Nov7OQM #11: How many steps should you be taking for weight loss?19mins
- Nov3#86: Why tracking calories burned is sabotaging your results.22mins
- Oct31OQM #10: What to do when you hold your tension in your upper traps17mins
- Oct27#85: How to develop your abdominal muscles19mins
- Oct24OQM #9: How to calculate the minimum amount of weight to use for muscle growth13mins
- Oct20#84: Is feeling the "burn" enough to stimulate muscle growth?27mins
- Oct17OQM #8: Why you get sore and what to do when you're sore8mins
- Oct13#83: How to improve metabolic flexibility with Cynthia Thurlow33mins
- Oct10OQM #7: How much cardio should I ACTUALLY be doing?12mins
- Oct6#82: How to keep your metabolism high as you age27mins
- Oct3OQM #6: If, when, and how should you use ankle/wrist weights?22mins
- Sep29#81: Optimize your workouts for the best results with the least cost34mins
- Sep26OQM #5: How to work the arms with less elbow pain7mins
- Sep22#80: How to train your core before, during, and after pregnancy with Dr. Amelia May22mins
- Sep19OQM #4: Are knees over toes bad?8mins
- Sep15#79: How to train your deep core and pelvic muscles with Dr. Amelia May36mins
- Sep12OQM #3: Should you stop doing crunches?9mins
- Sep8#78: Should you be in maintenance mode? If so, how do you adjust your training?37mins
- Sep5OQM #2: Why we don't do overhead presses8mins
- Sep1#77: Body recomposition45mins
- Aug29OQM #1: Am I going to get bulky if I start lifting?8mins
- Aug25#76: How to ACTUALLY workout around your period to optimize results26mins
- Aug18#75: Four fitness mistakes that seem to save time but don't18mins
- Aug11#74: Exercising in heat: how heated workouts affect your outcomes26mins
- Aug4#73: Using PT as a bandage for overexercise: an interview with Hailey Miller66mins
- Jul28#72: How sleep can affect your fitness results with Dr. Meredith Broderick, MD27mins
- Jul21#71: Why we shouldn't train like athletes20mins
- Jul14#70: "Toning" and "tightening" workouts: what they are and aren't doing for your body17mins
- Jul7#69: Can you train your lower abs? With Doug Brignole9mins
- Jun30#68: What is stretching doing or not doing for your body? With Dr. Payton, PT, DPT58mins
- Jun23#67: How the nervous system affects your results: why exhausting workouts aren't more effective22mins
- Jun16#66: To fast or not to fast? With Katherine Andrew34mins
- Jun9#65: How women should eat around their training with Dr. Stacy Sims41mins
- Jun2#64: Mistakes and misconceptions about high-intensity training with Dr. Payton Busker46mins
- May26#63: Metabolism and insulin with Dr. Ben Bikman49mins
- May19#62: What foam rolling is and isn't doing for your body18mins
- May12#61: Why endless cardio is not the answer with Doug Britnole19mins
- May5#60: Why "functional" exercise isn't necessarily better with Doug Brignole17mins
- Apr28#59: Low-impact doesn't always mean low joint-stress25mins
- Apr21#58: What reformer Pilates is and isn't doing for your body with Dr. Payton Busker44mins
- Apr14#57: The top 7 mistakes millennial women are making in their workouts29mins
- Apr11#56: BONUS: My experience with a reset week22mins
- Apr7#55: It's time for me to take a reset week2mins
- Mar31#54: How to reduce oxidative stress to slow aging, improve results, and reduce risk of chronic disease18mins
- Mar24#53: Neurons that fire together wire together: how to apply this powerful tool to your workouts24mins
- Mar17#52: Beginner weight gain is normal: what could be happening, and why to stay the course18mins
- Mar10#51: When to mix it up vs. keep it the same17mins
- Mar3#50: Misleading verbiage: can you actually lengthen or change the shape of your muscles?20mins
- Feb24#49: Hierarchy of priorities for optimal fitness26mins
- Feb17#48: How to have a stronger body and less back pain32mins
- Feb10#47: The "secret" behind stronger arms and happier joints28mins
- Feb3#46: How these 30 second vision drills can improve your results28mins
- Jan27#45: How to exercise based on your hormonal fluctuations47mins
- Jan20#44: A tool for better glute max recruitment28mins
- Jan13#43: Breaking down the brain-body connection with Dr. Natasha Mehta, MD28mins
- Jan6#42: Aging and insulin: how to use exercise to improve the effects of aging19mins
- Dec30#41: Four New Year's fitness mistakes to avoid (and what to do instead)32mins
- Dec23#40: FAQ #1: Cardio dosage, stretching, gaining muscle mass without lifting super heavy32mins
- Dec16#39: The five basics that drive results (that most people don't follow)42mins
- Dec9#38: How to measure if you're recovering properly27mins
- Dec2#37: A technique for increasing strength without increasing resistance27mins
- Nov24#36: "Burning off" holiday food: why it isn't an effective or healthy strategy11mins
- Nov18#35: How cortisol affects body composition46mins
- Nov11#34: Three step process for customizing your nutrition36mins
- Nov4#33: Three reasons to consider ditching your fitness watch33mins
- Oct28#32: How different workouts affect your body: Pilates, lifting, yoga, barre, running41mins
- Oct21#31: Fitness marketing that leads to burn out34mins
- Oct14#30: A reset week: if, why, and how to take a reset week to get past a plateau35mins
- Oct7#29: Running: why it's not my favorite form of exercise24mins
- Sep30#28: Glute training: why we don't do squats & deadlifts (and what we do instead)20mins
- Sep23#27: How to exercise when you're stressed24mins
- Sep16#26: Your body before and after baby: it's not just kegels with Lashonda Jones39mins
- Sep9#25: Four nervous system "hacks" for better results30mins
- Sep2#24: How to train your abs/core & 10 core myths38mins
- Aug26#23: Exercise as an emotional defense with Jewel Anderson50mins
- Aug18#22: How to internalize that You've Done Enough39mins
- Aug12#21: De-bunking that burning more calories leads to faster weight loss21mins
- Aug5#20: Why impact isn't the enemy: if, why, and how to add impact to your routine22mins
- Jul29#19: Hack your endorphins to love your workouts21mins
- Jul21#18: Why your muscles aren't growing part four: nutrition addition with Katherine Andrew51mins
- Jul15#17: Chronic inflammation could be why your muscles aren't growing (part three)36mins
- Jul7#16: Why your muscles aren't growing part two: under-training, over-training, and both39mins
- Jul1#15: Why your muscles aren't growing part one: poor muscle stimulus50mins
- Jun24#14: Elevated cortisol: how it can hold you back, and how to workout to reduce chronic cortisol44mins
- Jun17#13: Cardio Part 2: How much steady state cardio is best?37mins
- Jun10#12: Cardio: How much do you really need? (Part one)31mins
- Jun3#11: Why you can stop doing exercises you hate23mins
- May27#10: How to utilize your nervous system to improve fitness with Justin Prier46mins
- May20#9: How to cut your workout time in half but double your results25mins
- May13#8: Muscle confusion or progressive overload: what works best?15mins
- May6#7: How to know if your workouts are productive or "just hard"20mins
- Apr29#6: How to make your workouts anti-aging22mins
- Apr22#5: Three reasons you aren't seeing results from your workouts25mins
- Apr15#4: Why I don't stretch19mins
- Apr8#3: Exercise can INCREASE or DECREASE your metabolism22mins
Apr1#2: More is not better21mins