We’re More Than Dentists Fixing Teeth— Some Of Us Work On Legs.

By Dr. Glenn Vo

one-and-a-half-year-old—so she needs to budget her time as efficiently as possible.

Her husband is more into the backend stuff, like finance, IT, but everything has become much easier with time. All of the small moving parts have transformed into a routine, and life is busier than it has been in the past. For Sara and her partner, the biggest challenge has been finding good employees.

What’s CYCED all about?

every entrepreneur holds different capacities. No matter what, one thing remains the same: dentists are especially adept at wearing different hats. And, with that said, none of us should ever feel locked into our professions. If you didn’t choose to own a dental practice, what kind of business would you run? Maybe it’s something on the fringes—like a jazz club. Maybe it’s something more stable—like a finance firm. Who knows, perhaps you like the idea of a spin studio of your own?

Drs. Sara and Ali Golshani always wanted a second business.

Five years prior to CYCED, Dr. Ali Golshani was coming up with all sorts of business ideas— like a second dental office (something Sara wasn’t too keen on). But, when he brought up the idea of opening a spin studio, Sara was on board.

Why? Well, four years before, Sara Golshani started teaching cycle classes at a local gym. There, she fell in love with the idea of beat-based challenges that ignite your soul and pull your body into the rhythm, one pedal at a time. And, while she loved the aspect that came with teaching at a bigger gym, Sara found herself craving work at a boutique fitness studio.

When her husband offered the idea of opening a cycling studio only a mile down from their dental office, it was like music to her ears. Even better, the reaction from family was just as sound. They were inspired by the pair’s creativity.

After all, health and teeth go hand-in-hand.

Since that idea, Drs. Sara and Ali Golshani opened their spin studio on January 1, 2023, and have seen success already. They own all of it: the branding, the trademark, you name it. In their words, “It’s our new baby.”

They’re not surprised to hear controversy about starting a business hand-in-hand, letalone a spin studio. Despite the naysayers, their business decisions have led to their patients becoming more comfortable. For Sara, it’s fun when patients realize that she teaches spin— but, that said, Sara prefers to separate the two.

How does spin pair with dental care?

Nowadays, Sara practices dentistry Monday, Wednesday, Friday and is teaching at the spin studio Monday evenings, Tuesday/Thursday mornings, and Saturday mornings. She’s found that this schedule splits her time evenly. After all, she has two young kids—a threeyear-old and a

CYCED was built to bring people together. It serves as a “head space” to clear your mind, and a “heart space” where you’ll fall in love with the feeling that “clipping in” gives you over and over again.

You’re a dentist. You’re a visionary. Like Dr. Golshani, you have the potential to launch any sort of show you want to be responsible for. What’s in the books for you?

Sara’s advice? If you’ve been dreaming of a second business.

GO FOR IT! It’s okay to be passionate about something else besides dentistry. Wear different hats. Meet new people. Become an even better version of yourself. Just be prepared to commit more time and money into it than you think.

As local dentists and cycling enthusiasts, Sara and Ali have created a space they knew the community would crave. A place where we lift each other up, strangers become friends, and CYCED becomes family.

In the end, dentists are entrepreneurs.

As time went on and experience grew, Sara came to know that

Losing body fat doesn’t have to feel like starving

Body fat management is one of the most difficult tasks that Americans struggle with. According to a recent study, “Roughly two out of three U.S. adults are overweight or obese (69%) and one out of three are obese (36%)”. The struggle is real! As a competitive bodybuilder, I know the difficult task of living with being hungry… for months at a time! In the fitness industry, we call it leaning out because the goal is never to lose mass. The goal is to lose body fat while retaining as much muscle as possible in order to achieve a specific look by a specific date. The deficit can be grueling and is one reason many people don’t get on a stage in a tiny bikini and ask to be judged against other athletes!

Reducing body fat is generally a result of being in a calorie deficit. Other factors influence the process (thyroid disease, hormonal imbalances, etc.), but for the majority, it comes down to how much and what kind of food we put in our mouths. The most common symptom of losing body fat is hunger, which is uncomfortable and distracting depending on how much of a deficit the person stays in on a daily basis. Who isn’t comfortable with extra reserves in the bank, the cupboard, the gas tank, etc.?

Since we cannot outrun the fork, ignoring the diet is an exercise in futility. We all have a Basal Metabolic Rate, the number of calories used to perform basic life functions (eating, sitting, breathing, digesting, etc.). That number is based on age, height, gender, and weight and changes over time as those factors change. Physical activity, such as cardiovascular exercise or resistance training, contributes to the further caloric deficit during a given day and increases the amount of hunger a person might feel. High levels of intense activity and steep caloric deficit result in a lot of hunger versus a slight caloric deficit, and mild activity levels render a lesser amount of hunger.

The beauty of body fat management is that we can control how fast we get results and how much hunger we experience. Studies across the board show that long-term success is found in a gradual loss of 1-2 lbs a week (10% deficit). It’s just easier to be a little hungry and a little more active – but the hunger is still there. The key is to get ok with being a little hungry. Here are some strategies I use for my clients:

Drink water to aid in satiety/feeling full Substitute for nutritious low-calorie foods

Mentally repeat “it’s ok to be a little hungry”

Shut the kitchen down when not eating a meal

Hang a “goal” outfit in daily sight

Take pictures/measurements to track gradual success

Stay off the scale that only gives mass, not health or body fat %

A support system to help with those temptations

All of these things can help achieve body fat reduction goals, but always remember to give yourself grace. Perfection does not exist and happiness is an inside job.

Katrina Klein, RDH

Katrina is a 15 year registered dental hygienist, national speaker, author, competitive bodybuilder, certified personal trainer, certified ergonomic assessment specialist and biomechanics nerd. She’s the founder of ErgoFitLife, where ergonomics and fitness are a lifestyle to prevent, reduce or eliminate pain.