Caitlin Carlson

The science is not just for athletes...

After kicking off a one-mile run, next thing you know, you check your watch and realize you’ve already breezed through four. Your body is working hard, but you don’t feel overexerted. Or maybe you’re in a yoga class and settle into an almosteffortless rhythm where you’re immersed in the teacher’s instructions and your movements. Perhaps you can recall a time when laps in the pool zoomed by because you were laser focused on your breath and each stroke. If you can relate to any of these examples…

Experts say we’re suffering from a “fatigue epidemic”—but it’s fixable.

If you’ve ever gotten an MRI, it was probably ordered by your doc based on symptoms or a potential injury that warranted a deeper look, right? Now imagine going in for one for, well, no specific reason, exactly—instead, for overall well-being. An increasing number of start-ups now offer preventive health MRIs (which use powerful magnets and radio waves to create images of your body). They claim to help diagnose medical conditions early—improving both lifespan and general health. Prenuvo, for exa…

If you had to guess, at what age would you think non-elite female runners “peak” when it comes to marathon running? Twenty-five, give or take a couple years? Younger? Get this: For recreational runners, they may have “much more in the tank” at 35 and continue improving until they’re 50, according to research in PLOS One. That’s good news for me, given I’m exactly 35 years old as I write this. Quick back story: It’s been six years since I crossed a marathon finish line. Said finish line was in Pa…

Want real talk on how to help sore muscles? Whether you’re an avid weight lifter, runner, or HIIT enthusiast, some level of muscle soreness is probably inevitable. And if you’re training for a marathon, a few (or a lot of) aches is pretty much par for the (literal) course. That said, there are research- and expert-backed ways to help sore muscles, even if they won’t spare you the discomfort altogether. FYI: I’m personally invested in sorting through the growing clutter of the workout recovery s…

What’s the most important thing to consider when seeking out the best long distance running shoes? Is it A) how much cushioning the shoe has; B) how much support it has; or C) how comfortable it feels? If you picked C, you’d be correct: “Really, the most important thing about [a long distance running] shoe is how comfortable it is for you personally,” says Elizabeth A. Cody, MD, a foot and ankle surgeon at Hospital for Special Surgery. Because the truth is, the “best” sneakers vary among individ…

Experts share their best protein-boosting hacks.

Out of the gate, here are three things you probably don’t know about whey protein: It actually starts as a liquid, there are three “types” of whey protein, and it’s a great supplement for pretttttty much anyone. “Whey protein, in general, is a fast-digesting, fast-absorbing protein,” says Molly Kimball, RD, CSSD, founder and director of Ochsner Eat Fit nonprofit initiative in New Orleans, and host of the podcast FUELED Wellness + Nutrition. “So when you think about replenishing your muscles fair…

What to eat before running has been on my mind a lot for the past few months. I’ve been training for the New York City Marathon—and I know that nutrition is one of the biggest factors that can make or break my success in training and on race day. I’ve run marathons in the past, so I’m familiar with the basics, but I wanted to know what’s changed since I last ran 26.2 (six years ago) and how I could optimize my nutrition this time around. So, I turned to three nutrition pros in the space for thei…

Olympian and marathon champion Shalane Flanagan knows more about nutrition now than she did when she was competing at the elite level. Perhaps that’s in part due to the fact that she co-authored two books, Run Fast. Eat Slow and Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow, in 2016 and 2018 respectively, before officially retiring form the sport in 2019. Her nutrition philosophy revolves around eating as much good, healthy, nutrient-dense and simple ingredients as possible—but also striving to make it deliciou…

High-intensity interval training (a.k.a., HIIT) is a triple threat: “It’s quick, easy, and effective,” says Angela Gargano, a certified trainer and creator of Strong Feels Good & Pull-up Revolution. And pretty much anyone can benefit from it, no matter your age or fitness level. And you don’t even need to go to a gym to do HIIT, Gargano points out. There are many HIIT workouts you can do at home right in your living room with zero equipment. Another cool aspect of HIIT is that there are many way…

If you’re looking to build muscle and feel stronger, strength training exercises are your BFF. The exact moves—and reps and sets—can vary depending on your fitness level and goals, but the key to success is crafting a workout routine that is sustainable, efficient, and fun. But first, know this: When it comes to the best strength exercises for women, they’re gonna be pretty similar (if not identical) to the best strength exercises for men. “It all comes down to your goal,” says Angela Gargano, a…

Truth: They woke up like this. Some people really are more inclined to find joy in exercise. But! You can rewire your brain to join that “love it” group, research shows. When experts measured the electrical connectivity in the brains of people who are recreationally active, they found that those who perceive themselves as being highly tolerant of physical effort had greater levels of “remembered pleasure” afterward, according to the new study by Florida International University. Meanwhile, those…

Sign up today for the exclusive training plan.

Range of motion is key to #glutegains.

In an ideal world, you have 45 minutes to an hour in a fully decked out gym to get in the workout of your dreams. But in the real world, sometimes you only have five to 10 minutes and, well, no equipment at all. That’s where this seven-minute at-home glute workout comes in. Whether you’re traveling or want to squeeze in a quick sweat at home in between meetings, this routine, designed by Sandy Brockman, CPT, is for you. While it’s glute-focused, it’ll actually work your entire lower body—and FYI…

As you bop around from work to Pilates class—or every time you soak in the bath or change a tampon—there’s a unique community of microorganisms keeping you healthy below the belt. You probably didn’t even realize it, as this environment humbly operates on autopilot and does its own thing. Even so, new technology and emerging research are shedding light on how the fascinating ecosystem known as the vaginal microbiome might be the key to unlocking exciting health discoveries. The V microbiome is a…

“Wow. My abs are so sore.”

No equipment necessary!