Leah Higl | Ideal Nutrition

18 May 2022

What To Do When You Blow Your Calorie Budget

Have you ever wondered "what should I do if I eat more than my planned calories while in a deficit?" As dietitians, this is a question we get asked all of the time and is a common concern for those undertaking a fat loss phase. Everyone, even the most consistent people, are bound to go off track a day here and there. Whether it is a meal out with friends or a few drinks with work colleagues on a Friday afternoon. So what do you do after this happens? Energy Balance - A Quick Recap Let’s quickly revisit energy balance…

13 May 2022

By Leah Higl

How To Measure Changes In Body Composition: A Guide

There are so many ways that you can track changes in body composition and measure progress over time. All of which have their pros and cons. So this blog post will go over each of the main options you have for tracking changes. What Is Body Composition? Body composition refers to the composition of your body mass. With predominant components being lean mass and fat mass. So body composition is the ratio of the two. Now lean body mass refers to not only muscle but also includes BoneOrgansSkin Body water And literally, anything that isn’t fat mass When people say they would…

12 Apr 2022

By Leah Higl

The Menstrual Cycle & Sports Nutrition: A Dietitian’s Review

You don’t have to spend much time looking through sports research to realize that the majority of research has been done in exclusively male populations. There is a significant gender research gap in athletic populations. This means that the current sports nutrition recommendations we have, are mostly based on men and have just been applied to all athletes, despite gender. But of course, there are a lot of fundamental differences between the sexes. Biologically, men and women are different. Our hormone profiles are completely different and this can and does make our nutritional needs different. It also potentially changes what…

23 Mar 2022

By Leah Higl

Does Having A Higher Body Fat % Make You Less Anabolic?

Should I bulk or cut first? Has been a common conundrum since the dawn of the online fitness world. It was often a heated debate on BodyBuilding.com back in the late 2000s. Many people believe that getting leaner prior to a bulking phase can improve your ability to build muscle due to an increase in insulin sensitivity. The theory is that as your body fat gets higher, your muscles become less responsive to insulin which means nutrients are diverted away from the muscle. This having the flow on effect of less hypertrophic (muscle building) potential. Therefore, cutting before a bulking…

14 Jan 2022

By Leah Higl

Does Coffee Stunt Your Growth?

Coffee is probably one of the most well-studied beverages around. If you received a dollar for every time you saw a news article citing recent research about the benefits or risks of coffee drinking, you would probably get pretty rich, pretty quickly. But have you ever heard someone say that coffee stunts your growth? There are quite a lot of reasons why you may not be wanting to pump your kids up with coffee. Hyperactivity due to the caffeine probably being at the top of that list. Another reason parents often cite though is not wanting to stunt the growth…

05 Jan 2022

By Leah Higl

CSID: How To Manage Sucrase-Isomaltase Deficiency

What is CSID? Congenital sucrase-isomaltase deficiency (CSID) is a genetic condition that affects the body’s ability to digest certain sugars. Sucrase and isomaltase are enzymes produced in the lining of the small intestine to break down sucrose and maltose/isomaltose (starches). But with this condition, there is a relative deficiency of these enzymes. Therefore, when a person with CSID consumes sucrose or maltose they may experience unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms. The most common symptoms are loose bowel movements or diarrhea and bloating. Although some people may experience vomiting as well. A familiar way to think about CSID would be to compare it…

09 Dec 2021

By Leah Higl

Training The Gut For Endurance Athletes: A Dietitian’s Guide

Endurance athletes such as marathon runners, triathletes, and long-distance cyclists typically utilize food during training and events to improve their performance. The body can only store a limited amount of glycogen, the storage form of carbohydrates, in the liver and muscles. So once these storages have been exhausted or significantly reduced, the body has to turn to fat as a major fuel source. The issue with this is that using fat as a fuel source is less efficient than carbohydrates and will limit the intensity that the athlete can continue to perform at. This is often what is occurring when…

26 Nov 2021

By Leah Higl

Hypothalamic Amenorrhea: How To Restore Your Period

Functional hypothalamic amenorrhea is a condition where the menstrual cycle has stopped. Amenorrhoea is the absence of a menstrual cycle. Hypothalamic refers to the hypothalamus, which is a section in the brain that produces a number of hormones. The menstrual cycle provides key insight into the body’s hormonal balance. So when someone loses their period outside of menopause, the effects of contraception, or another diagnosed condition, it may be a sign that something is wrong. Nonetheless, if the menstrual cycle has stopped, it can be a sign that the body is under a lot of stress. The concept of not…

19 Nov 2021

By Leah Higl

Do High Protein Diets Negatively Impact Gut Health?

Diet significantly affects the health and composition of the gut microbiome. Recently, there has been a lot of talk around high protein diets and their impact on gut health. Specifically, high protein diets may negatively impact the gut microbiome. Although, it seems that there are several dietary strategies you can use to protect your gut health if you do have a high protein diet. These include maintaining a high fibre intake, having a diverse range of plant foods in your diet, limiting fat intake to <40% of caloric intake and moderating intake of red and processed meats. The Research -…

04 Nov 2021

By Leah Higl

Inositol: Is It A Useful Supplement For Those With PCOS?

Inositol is a compound that is abundant in the human body. It plays a major role as a component of cell membranes. It also influences insulin and other chemical messengers in the body. Supplementing with inositol has gained traction as a treatment for some of the symptoms and conditions associated with PCOS. But how useful is inositol supplementation and how do you take it? What Is PCOS? PCOS is a condition that affects hormonal levels in women. It is categorized by a higher than normal production of male sex hormones which can lead to an inconsistent menstrual cycle, infertility, body…