Whitney E. RD.

Whitney E. RD. Whitney English is a Registered Nutritionist Dietician sharing evidence-based nutrition information and healthy plant-based recipes. Whitney E.

RD is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Certified Personal Trainer in Los Angeles. Here you'll find easy, healthy recipes, fun workouts, and straight-forward science-based health and nutrition advice and information.

05/27/2026

The creatine convo online lately is one of too things 👉

A. “you’ll get huge and puffy” or
B. “it’s magic fairy dust for women over 35 that turns you into Mel Robbins with abs.

The reality is much less dramatic.

Creatine WILL make you retain water. But that water goes inside your muscle cells, which is literally what gives you that defined look 💦

The puffiness you’re actually trying to avoid? That’s subcutaneous water retention. Blame sodium, alcohol, hormones, or dehydration.

You might gain 2 lbs of water weight and lose a lot more fat than that in the process.

For most women, the tradeoff is pretty worthwhile to feel stronger in the gym and more capable and confident in your body.

Follow for more evidence-based nutrition advice 👊

Citation:
Escalante G, et al. Peak week recommendations for bodybuilders: an evidence based approach. BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil. 2021.

05/21/2026

Creatine is having a big moment right now 💁‍♀️ And like most things in nutrition, Big Wellness has somehow managed to turn a useful, well-studied supplement into both a miracle cure and a fearmongering campaign.

Here’s the reality 👉

Muscle mass and strength do decline with age, especially for women as estrogen levels fall during perimenopause and menopause 📉 That matters because maintaining muscle is linked to mobility, metabolic health, bone health, and overall longevity 💪

But no supplement replaces actually using your muscles. Strength training, adequate protein, sleep, stress management, and consistency still do the heavy lifting (literally) 🏋️‍♀️

That said, creatine monohydrate is one of the most researched sports supplements we have. Evidence consistently supports benefits for strength and lean mass when paired with resistance training, and it appears to be safe for healthy individuals at recommended doses 🔬

A few evidence-based notes 👇
• The most studied form is creatine monohydrate
• Typical dose: 3–5 g/day
• No “loading phase” required unless you want faster saturation
• Plant-based eaters often have lower creatine stores and may notice a bigger benefit from supplementation 🌱 
• The research on cognition and mood is interesting, but we are not at the point of making broad claims about creatine being a cure-all for brain fog or hormonal changes 🧠

Supplements are the sprinkles, not the sundae. Helpful? Potentially. Life-changing without the basics? Definitely not.

Do you take creatine or are you still skeptical/confused by all the hype? Tell me below 👇

Follow me for more evidence-based nutrition advice for women or reach out at the email above if you’re interested in one-on-one nutrition counseling 😉

05/19/2026

Why are people doing this?? ☕️🤢

Protein timing is a myth ❌ As long as you hit your protein needs for the day, you’re good. It doesn’t need to be at a certain time.

And if you really want to provide fuel for exercise in the morning, carbs are your best source. A banana with your morning cup ☕️ is a lot more effective and palatable IMO 🍌

You also don’t need as much protein as you think. The evidence-based recommendation for maximal muscle protein synthesis (aka getting ripped) is 1.2-1.6 g/kg of body weight 💪 Note: kilogram not pound. And that’s the max. Most people do just fine with less. It’s also not a linear increase as you increase intake. The difference between 1.2 and 1.6 is negligible for many people.

Here’s how to figure out your needs 👉

Multiply your weight in lbs by 2.2.
Divide that number by 1.2.
That’s how much protein most people need each day for optimal muscle building 👍

But protein alone doesn’t build muscle. You need a stimulus. That stimulus is strength-training. At least two sessions per week with heavy weights (those that push you to failure) is ideal.

You can ditch that disgusting drink now. You’re welcome 😉

Follow me for more evidence-based nutrition guidance for women ❤️

05/14/2026

Your Lp(a) score can’t be fixed by diet. But it does change how you should eat👇

It’s not a indication of *what* to eat. A heart-healthy diet looks the same for everyone (lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, unsaturated fat, lean protein, and FIBER).

It tells you how much margin for error you have.

🔴 High Lp(a) + high LDL: zero margin for error. Your diet has to work overtime because one risk factor isn’t budging.
🟡 High Lp(a) + low LDL: your labs look fine but you still have an inherited risk quietly causing damage in the background. You want to keep that LDL low by following a heart-healthy diet.
🟡 Low Lp(a) + high LDL: good news - diet has a huge impact here. Lowering saturated fat and red meat and increasing healthy fats and fiber can make a big difference for you.
🟢 Low Lp(a) + low LDL: you’re who “everything in moderation” is intended for! That’s not a license to adopt a carnivore diet but (at least for now) your diet seems to be serving you well.

For someone with high Lp(a), healthy eating isn’t optional lifestyle optimization. It’s compensatory risk reduction for something they can’t control.

Ask your doctor for this test today and make sure they’re keeping track of your other relevant cardio biomarkers beyond your LDL, like apoB 👍

Stay tuned for an upcoming post showing you easy food swaps for a heart-healthy diet! ❤️

Follow me for more evidence-based nutrition information.

05/08/2026

Hey mamas, you getting the picture now? 🤨

05/04/2026

Is it Friday yet? 😵‍💫

04/29/2026

As promised, here are the supplements I take to feel my best + support long-term health 👇

B12 💊 �Only found naturally in animal foods. A must-have for plant-based eaters, adults over 50, and those with impaired GI functioning. As we age and stomach acid declines, it’s harder to cleave B12 from protein in food and research consistently shows supplements/fortified foods raise serum B12 more reliably than food. ~25 mcg/day for healthy adults

Vitamin D3 ☀️ �~40% of U.S. adults are deficient (higher in people of color and women). Essential for calcium absorption and bone health, particularly for women as osteoporosis risk increases with age. ~800-1000 IU/day ideal for most.
*Bonus if your vitamin D comes w/ K2 (works synergistically w/ calcium)

Omega-3s (DHA/EPA) 🐟 �Important for cognitive functioning and cardiovascular health. Plant foods (chia, flax, walnuts) provide ALA, but conversion to DHA/EPA is poor. “Preformed” DHA/EPA found in fish (via algae). ~200-300 mg/day

Creatine 💪 �Strong evidence for muscle building and strength, especially for women in peri/post menopause. Do I think it’s necessary for all active adults? No, but if you’re already doing everything to optimize muscle building/strength + want an extra edge, may be helpful. Cognitive research is compelling but not conclusive.

Curcumin 💛 �Well-supported for OE pain (comparable to NSAIDs). In healthy adults/athletes, evidence for modest reductions in muscle soreness/damage. I take 1000 mg/d to reduce inflammation and ease soreness, but acknowledge effects are likely minimal.

L-theanine 😴 �Evidence suggests it reduces sleep latency.

Honorable mentions…

Calcium: I take on occasion when I know I haven’t met RDA of 1000 mg which is extremely hard w/o multiple servings of dairy or fortified products 🥛

Protein powder: I use frequently in smoothies to boost protein.

My overall take on supplements: Outside of correcting/preventing deficiencies, most have small effects. Placebo effect is real and powerful. If something is safe and within your budget, it can be reasonable to try, but it’s not a shortcut or a guarantee ❌

Citations in comments 👇

04/28/2026

The caffeine makes me anxious but the sleep deprivation also makes me anxious so…🥴

04/24/2026

Two Big Macs in one day? 🍔 I’m not mad, just disappointed. 🤣

04/22/2026

What did I miss??? 🤦‍♀️

*note: I’m talking about CGMs for the general public. These lack any evidence of benefit in people without diabetes/insulin resistance, pathologize normal rises and falls in serum glucose, and lead people to focus on the wrong metric for nutrition (quantity over quality). Just think about it this way - a banana 🍌 spikes your blood sugar, bacon does not 🥓 a high consumption of one of these things is linked to cancer, CVD, and diabetes, the other is not. The biohacker CGM math is not mathing ❌

Follow me for more evidence-based health and nutrition advice and trend myth-busting 🙌

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