219 - Improve Performance in Sports & Business through Exercise & Diet with Sharon McDowell-Larsen PhD

The story of our guest today, Dr. Sharon McDowell-Larsen, is one of perpetual movement. A plant-based athlete and former Coach at the Center for Creative Leadership, she’s lived on multiple continents and competed in IronMan triathlons, mountain bike races, Ultra Trail races, and Nordic ski races, just to name a few. Dr. McDowell-Larsen has a PhD in exercise physiology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and she has guided some of the world’s top leaders to peak performance in health and in fitness.  

So whether you’re an aspiring athlete, current athlete or weekend warrior, this is an episode you don’t want to miss!

“I just published a study that described executives in some of their lifestyle behaviors. And again, what we found over the years is that a higher percentage of them actually now exercise regularly. So that was a very positive trend that we found. Exercise rates are going up among executives. That’s over 50 percent that do it on a regular basis. You know, very few of them smoke. They don’t drink a lot of alcohol. You know, the martini lunches are gone. That’s a thing of the past. And I think it’s strenuous work, and so, to a degree, you have to have a measure of health in order to be able to do the job.” - Dr. Sharon McDowell-Larsen

 

What we discuss in this episode:

• Why a plant-based diet optimizes performance and how it changed Dr. McDowell-Larsen’s life

• The benefits of carbohydrates for performance and gut function

• How a diet rich in fiber helps to maintain muscle mass as we age

• The benefits of moderate exercise and how it improves brain function

• How executives benefit from exercise

• What happens to the brain as we age

• The benefits of soy consumption in women

• How fish is harmful to human health

• The difference between routine health and extreme health

• The benefits of sleep for brain health

 

Resources:

• Dr. McDowell-Larsen’s website: Fit to Lead

• Dr. McDowell-Larsen’s Ironman journey: Shocking Dairy-Free Athletic Performance From A 40-Year Ironman Journey - Switch4Good

 

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