Below you will find a collection of topics I have covered in my daily newsletters starting from 28 August 2024.
Metabolic Health #1
The number on the scale is lying to you
The scale went up.
Again.
And if you’re like most women I work with, that number instantly ruined your morning.
Maybe it derailed your whole day.
Maybe you skipped breakfast as punishment. Maybe you told yourself, “Clearly nothing is working.” Maybe you felt like a failure before you even brushed your teeth.
But here’s the thing:
That number on the scale? It’s lying to you.
WHAT THE SCALE ACTUALLY MEASURES
Your bathroom scale doesn’t measure health.
It measures:
– How much water you’re retaining (hello, hormones and salt)
– Whether you’ve had a bowel movement yet today (sorry, but it’s true)
– How much glycogen is stored in your muscles (which is actually a GOOD thing)
– What you ate yesterday (not whether it was healthy or not)
– Where you are in your menstrual cycle (if applicable)
What it DOESN’T measure:
– Whether your blood sugar is stable
– Whether your inflammation is decreasing
– Whether your cells are burning fat efficiently
– Whether your liver is functioning better
– Whether your hormones are balanced
– Whether your metabolic health is improving
And here’s the kicker:
You can be getting metabolically HEALTHIER while the scale stays the same (or even goes up).
WHAT IS METABOLIC HEALTH, ANYWAY?
Metabolic health is your body’s ability to:
✅ Maintain stable blood sugar without extreme highs and lows
✅ Burn fat efficiently for energy
✅ Keep inflammation low
✅ Balance hormones naturally
✅ Respond appropriately to insulin
✅ Support cardiovascular health
In other words: metabolic health is how well your body WORKS, not how much it weighs.
And here’s what the research shows:
You can be “thin” and metabolically unhealthy.
And you can be heavier and metabolically healthy.
The scale can’t tell the difference.
THE REAL MARKERS THAT MATTER
Instead of obsessing over the scale, here’s what I want you to pay attention to this month:
🔹 Energy levels: Are you waking up feeling more refreshed? Do you have steady energy throughout the day instead of crashes?
🔹 Sleep quality: Are you falling asleep easier? Staying asleep longer?
🔹 Mood stability: Are you less irritable? Feeling more emotionally balanced?
🔹 Food cravings: Are they decreasing? Do you feel more in control around food?
🔹 Hunger signals: Can you go 4-5 hours between meals without feeling ravenous?
🔹 Skin, hair, nails: Are they improving? (This is a sign of better nutrient absorption and hormone balance)
🔹 How your clothes fit: Forget the number. How do your jeans feel?
🔹 Strength and endurance: Can you walk further? Carry heavier grocery bags? Get up from the floor more easily?
These are signs that your metabolic health is improving.
And THAT is what leads to sustainable weight loss.
WHY THIS MATTERS FOR WEIGHT LOSS
When you focus on metabolic health FIRST, weight loss becomes a natural byproduct — not a constant battle.
Here’s why:
When your metabolism is healthy:
– Your body burns fat efficiently (instead of storing it)
– Your hunger hormones regulate naturally (so you’re not constantly hungry)
– Your cravings decrease (because your cells are properly fuelled)
– Your energy increases (so you naturally move more)
– Your stress response improves (so cortisol isn’t triggering fat storage)
When you focus on the SCALE first:
– You do extreme things that damage your metabolism
– You trigger stress hormones that make fat loss harder
– You create a yo-yo cycle that confuses your body
– You ignore the actual health improvements happening
The scale is a lagging indicator.
Metabolic health improvements happen FIRST. Weight loss follows.
Not the other way around.
WHAT TO DO INSTEAD
For the rest of January, I’m focusing on FOUNDATIONS.
We’re going back to basics — the things that improve metabolic health, which then lead to natural, sustainable weight loss.
Starting with this:
Stop weighing yourself daily.
Seriously. Put the scale away for at least two weeks.
Instead, track:
– How you FEEL
– How you SLEEP
– How your CLOTHES fit
– How your ENERGY is
– How your CRAVINGS are
These are the real markers of progress.
And I promise you, when you focus on improving THESE things, the scale will eventually catch up.
Try this:
If the scale has been messing with your head, here’s a little experiment:
Weigh yourself first thing in the morning.
Then drink a big glass of water.
Weigh yourself again.
You just “gained” half a pound in 30 seconds. 😅
That’s how meaningless those daily fluctuations are.
Focus on metabolic health. The rest will follow. 💜
Metabolic Health #2
Your gut microbiome is running the show
When was the last time you thought about the 39 trillion bacteria living in your gut?
Never?
That’s fair. Most people don’t.
But those tiny organisms have more control over your metabolism, weight, and health than you might think.
In fact, research shows that the diversity and health of your gut microbiome may be one of the MOST important factors in metabolic health and weight management.
And yet, most diet advice completely ignores it.
YOUR GUT MICROBIOME: THE METABOLIC CONTROL CENTER
Your gut is home to trillions of microorganisms — bacteria, fungi, viruses — collectively known as your gut microbiome.
These aren’t just passive passengers. They’re actively involved in:
✅ Digesting food — Breaking down fibres and complex carbs that your body can’t digest on its own
✅ Regulate metabolism — They help extract energy from food and decide whether to store or burn fat
✅ Control inflammation — A healthy microbiome reduces chronic inflammation (which blocks fat loss)
✅ Produce essential nutrients — They create vitamins (like B vitamins and vitamin K) and short-chain fatty acids that fuel your cells
✅ Regulate hunger hormones — They influence ghrelin (hunger) and leptin (fullness)
✅ Protect gut barrier — They prevent “leaky gut” which triggers inflammation and metabolic dysfunction
✅ Communicate with your brain — Via the gut-brain axis, influencing mood, stress, and food choices
But when your microbiome is out of balance (dysbiosis)?
You get:
❌ Increased inflammation
❌ Insulin resistance
❌ Fat storage (especially around the middle)
❌ Increased cravings for sugar and processed foods
❌ Poor nutrient absorption
❌ Low energy
SO HOW DO YOU FEED YOUR MICROBIOME?
Your gut bacteria thrive on ONE thing above all else:
FIBRE.
Not protein. Not fat. Not carbs. Fibre.
Specifically, prebiotic Fibre — the kind of Fibre that YOU can’t digest, but your gut bacteria can.
When your gut bugs ferment this Fibre, they produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like butyrate, acetate, and propionate.
These SCFAs:
→ Fuel your gut lining cells
→ Reduce inflammation throughout your body
→ Improve insulin sensitivity
→ Signal your brain that you’re full
→ Support metabolic health
But here’s the problem:
Most people eating a Western diet get only 10-15g of Fibre per day.
The optimal amount? 30-40g per day from diverse plant sources.
THE BEST FOODS TO FEED YOUR MICROBIOME
Here’s what to focus on:
🌱 Vegetables (especially leafy greens, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, artichokes, asparagus)
🍎 Fruits (berries, apples, pears — with the skin on!)
🌰 Nuts and Seeds (almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseeds)
🫘 Legumes (lentils, chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans)
🌾 Whole Grains (oats, quinoa, brown rice, barley)
🫒 Healthy Fats (olive oil, avocados — support gut barrier)
🥬 Fermented Foods (yogurt, kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, miso — add beneficial bacteria)
WHAT TO LIMIT (YOUR GUT BUGS HATE THESE)
❌ Ultra-processed foods — Damage gut lining and reduce microbial diversity
❌ Artificial sweeteners — Disrupt gut bacteria balance
❌ Excess sugar — Feeds harmful bacteria and yeast
❌ Refined grains (white bread, white rice) — Lack Fibre, don’t feed good bacteria
❌ Excessive alcohol — Damages gut lining and reduces beneficial bacteria
Research shows: High consumption of ultra-processed foods is consistently associated with reduced gut microbiome diversity, increased inflammation, and metabolic dysfunction (Monteiro et al., Nutrients 2023; PMID: 36986276).
HYDRATION MATTERS TOO
Water isn’t just for quenching thirst.
It’s essential for metabolic processes, nutrient transport, and keeping your digestive system moving.
Research shows: Even mild dehydration can slow metabolism, impair cellular function, and reduce exercise performance (Popkin et al., Nutrition Reviews 2010; PMID: 20646222).
How much? Aim for 2-3 liters (8-12 cups) per day, more if you’re active or in a hot climate.
Signs you’re well-hydrated:
✓ Pale yellow urine (not dark)
✓ Regular bowel movements
✓ Good energy levels
✓ Skin elasticity
YOUR ACTION PLAN THIS WEEK
Don’t try to overhaul everything at once.
Pick ONE of these:
OPTION 1: Add Fibre Gradually
Add ONE high-Fibre food to each meal:
– Breakfast: Add berries and chia seeds to your yogurt
– Lunch: Add a side of lentil soup
– Dinner: Add roasted Brussels sprouts or broccoli
OPTION 2: Eat the Rainbow
Track how many different coloured plant foods you eat each day. Aim for 5+ colours daily (red, orange, yellow, green, purple/blue).
OPTION 3: Add One Fermented Food Daily
Start with something simple:
– Morning: Greek yogurt or kefir
– Lunch: Kimchi on your salad
– Dinner: Sauerkraut as a side
OPTION 4: Hydration Check
Drink a full glass of water:
– First thing in the morning
– Before each meal
– Mid-morning and mid-afternoon
Start small. Build consistency. Your gut bugs will thank you.
P.S. Your gut microbiome is like a garden.
You can’t control every weed that pops up, but you CAN decide what you feed and water.
Feed it Fibre-rich, whole foods, and it will reward you with better metabolism, lower inflammation, and easier weight management.
Neglect it with processed foods and sugar, and it will sabotage your best efforts.
The choice is yours. 💜
Metabolic Health #3
Why protein is your metabolism’s best friend
Quick question:
How much protein did you eat at breakfast this morning?
If your answer is “I don’t know” or “Not much” or “Just toast and coffee,” you’re about to discover why your metabolism has been struggling.
Protein is THE most metabolically active macronutrient.
It does things that carbs and fats simply cannot do.
And when you don’t eat enough of it – especially at breakfast – you’re leaving the EASIEST metabolic advantage on the table.
THE THERMIC EFFECT OF FOOD
Here’s something you need to know:
Your body burns calories just to digest, absorb, and process the food you eat.
This is called the Thermic Effect of Food (TEF).
But here’s the thing: Not all foods create the same thermic effect.
– Protein: 20-30% TEF (you burn 20-30 calories for every 100 calories of protein you eat)
– Carbohydrates: 5-10% TEF
– Fats: 0-3% TEF
Translation: Eating protein literally burns more calories during digestion.
It’s like getting a metabolic boost just from choosing chicken instead of crackers.
BUT PROTEIN DOES WAY MORE THAN JUST BURN CALORIES
Here’s why protein is non-negotiable for metabolic health:
✅ Preserves muscle mass during weight loss – Without enough protein, you lose muscle along with fat (which slows your metabolism)
✅ Increases satiety — Protein keeps you full longer, reducing cravings and overeating
✅ Stabilizes blood sugar — Prevents the spikes and crashes that trigger cravings
✅ Supports muscle repair and growth — Muscle tissue burns more calories at rest than fat tissue
✅ Reduces late-night hunger — Adequate protein throughout the day reduces evening snacking
✅ Improves insulin sensitivity — Helps your body use glucose more efficiently
FOR BREAKFAST 30G MINIMUM PROTEIN
Here’s one of the simplest, most effective metabolic health strategies I know:
Eat at least 30g of protein within the first hour of waking up.
Why?
Because protein at breakfast:
→ Stabilizes blood sugar for the ENTIRE day
→ Reduces cravings and hunger later
→ Kickstarts your metabolism
→ Prevents muscle breakdown
→ Sets you up for better food choices all day
Compare these breakfasts:
Breakfast A: Toast with jam, orange juice (5g protein, high sugar, blood sugar spike → crash → cravings by 10am)
Breakfast B: 3-egg veggie omelette with cheese and avocado (30g protein, stable blood sugar, satisfied until lunch)
Which one sets you up for success?
HOW MUCH PROTEIN DO YOU ACTUALLY NEED?
The general recommendation for metabolic health and body composition is:
1.2 – 2.0g of protein per kg of body weight per day
For a 70kg (154 lb) woman, that’s:
– Minimum: 84g per day
– Optimal: 100-140g per day
Spread across 3 meals, that’s roughly:
– Breakfast: 30g
– Lunch: 30g
– Dinner: 40g
EASY WAYS TO HIT YOUR PROTEIN TARGETS
BREAKFAST (30g):
– 3 eggs + 1 cup Greek yogurt
– Protein smoothie: 1 scoop protein powder + 1 cup milk + 2 Tbsp nut butter
– 2 eggs + 100g smoked salmon + avocado
– Cottage cheese (1 cup) + berries + nuts
LUNCH (30g):
– Chicken breast (100g = 31g protein)
– Tuna salad (1 can = 25g protein) + chickpeas
– Lentil soup (1.5 cups) + Greek yogurt
– Turkey wrap with cheese
DINNER (40g):
– Grilled fish (150g = 35g protein) + quinoa
– Beef stir-fry (120g beef = 36g protein) + veggies
– Chicken thighs (150g = 40g protein) + roasted vegetables
– Tofu scramble (200g tofu = 32g protein) + beans
SNACKS (if needed):
– Hard-boiled eggs (6g each)
– Greek yogurt (15-20g per cup)
– Protein shake (20-30g)
– Nuts and cheese (10-15g)
PLANT-BASED? YOU CAN STILL HIT YOUR TARGETS
High-protein plant foods:
– Lentils (18g per cooked cup)
– Chickpeas (15g per cooked cup)
– Tofu (20g per cup)
– Tempeh (31g per cup)
– Edamame (17g per cup)
– Quinoa (8g per cooked cup)
– Hemp seeds (10g per 3 Tbsp)
– Nutritional yeast (8g per 2 Tbsp)
– Plant-based protein powder (20-25g per scoop)
Tip: Combine plant proteins throughout the day to ensure you get all essential amino acids.
YOUR CHALLENGE THIS WEEK
Pick ONE protein goal:
OPTION 1: The 30g Breakfast Challenge
Eat at least 30g of protein within 1 hour of waking up. Track how you feel throughout the day.
OPTION 2: Track Your Daily Protein
Use an app (like MyFitnessPal or Cronometer) to track your protein for 3 days. Are you hitting 100g+?
OPTION 3: Pre-Prep Your Protein
Batch cook protein for the week:
– Grill chicken breasts
– Hard-boil a dozen eggs
– Cook a big pot of lentils
– Portion out Greek yogurt
Make it EASY to hit your protein targets.
I can’t tell you how many clients have said: *”I started eating 30g of protein at breakfast and my cravings disappeared.”*
It’s not magic. It’s biology.
When you give your body the building blocks it needs (amino acids from protein), it stops screaming at you for quick energy (sugar and carbs).
Try it for one week and see what happens. 💜
Metabolic Health #4
Walking – the most underrated tool for weight loss
Can I tell you a secret?
I used to think walking “didn’t count.”
If I wasn’t dripping with sweat, gasping for air, and collapsing at the end of a workout, I figured I wasn’t really exercising.
Walking felt too… easy. Too gentle. Too boring.
Surely, if I wanted to lose weight, I needed to do something MORE.
HIIT workouts. Intense cardio. Bootcamp classes.
I was so wrong.
THE PROBLEM WITH “MORE INTENSITY”
Here’s what I didn’t understand:
When you’re already stressed (work, family, life), and you add MORE stress (intense exercise), your body responds by:
❌ Elevating cortisol even higher
❌ Increasing hunger and cravings
❌ Holding onto fat (especially around your middle)
❌ Disrupting sleep
❌ Triggering inflammation
In other words: Intense exercise can actually make weight loss HARDER if you’re already stressed.
Don’t get me wrong — there’s a place for strength training and higher-intensity movement.
But for most midlife women?
Walking is the missing piece.
WHY WALKING IS A METABOLIC HEALTH POWERHOUSE
Here’s what happens when you walk regularly:
✅ Lowers cortisol (reduces stress hormone that triggers fat storage)
✅ Improves insulin sensitivity (helps your body use glucose efficiently)
✅ Stabilizes blood sugar (reduces cravings and energy crashes)
✅ Supports mitochondrial function (your cells’ energy factories work better)
✅ Reduces inflammation (chronic inflammation blocks fat loss)
✅ Improves sleep (better sleep = better fat loss)
✅ Enhances mood (reduces stress eating triggers)
✅ Increases NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis you – burn more calories all day)
And here’s the best part:
Walking does all of this WITHOUT triggering the stress response that intense exercise can cause.
THE MAGIC WINDOW: AFTER-MEAL WALKS
Want to know the single most effective time to walk?
Within 30 minutes after eating.
Here’s why:
When you eat a meal, your blood sugar rises. If it rises too high (or stays elevated too long), your body releases insulin to bring it back down.
Excess insulin = fat storage mode.
But if you walk for just 10-15 minutes after eating, you:
– Blunt the blood sugar spike (so insulin doesn’t surge)
– Help your muscles absorb glucose (instead of storing it as fat)
– Improve insulin sensitivity over time (making weight loss easier)
This ONE habit – a short walk after meals – can have a bigger impact on your metabolic health than an hour at the gym.
I know. It sounds too simple to be true.
But the research backs it up. (And so does my experience with hundreds of clients.)
“BUT I DON’T HAVE TIME TO WALK!”
I hear you.
Work is busy. Life is chaotic. You barely have time to eat lunch, let alone go for a walk.
But here’s the thing:
You don’t need 60 minutes. You don’t even need 30.
Here’s what works:
🚶♀️ After breakfast: 10 minutes around the block
🚶♀️ After lunch: 10 minutes (even around your office or neighbourhood)
🚶♀️ After dinner: 10 minutes with a podcast or music
That’s 30 minutes total, spread throughout the day.
And if you can only do ONE of those walks? Start with the after-dinner walk. (It’s the meal when blood sugar tends to spike the highest for most people.)
“BUT WALKING DOESN’T BURN ENOUGH CALORIES!”
This is where most people get it wrong.
They think: “Walking only burns 100 calories. A run burns 300. So running is better.”
But weight loss isn’t about calories burned during exercise.
It’s about what happens to your metabolism the other 23 hours of the day.
Walking:
– Lowers cortisol (so your body stops storing fat)
– Improves insulin sensitivity (so your body burns fat more efficiently)
– Reduces inflammation (so fat loss isn’t blocked)
– Doesn’t trigger extreme hunger (unlike intense cardio)
– Doesn’t require a recovery day (so you can do it daily)
Translation: Walking creates a metabolic environment where fat loss HAPPENS, even when you’re not exercising.
Running might burn more calories in the moment, but if it’s spiking your cortisol, increasing your hunger, and requiring rest days, you’re actually working AGAINST your metabolism.
THE “TOO EASY” TRAP
I know what you’re thinking:
“But walking just feels too easy. Shouldn’t I be working harder?”
I used to think the same thing.
Until I realized: “Easy” is exactly what your stressed, overworked, under-slept body NEEDS.
Your body doesn’t need more stress.
It needs more RECOVERY.
And walking is active recovery.
It moves your body.
It improves your metabolism.
It reduces stress.
Without breaking you.
That’s not “easy” — that’s SMART.
HOW TO MAKE WALKING WORK FOR YOU
Here’s my challenge for you:
Pick ONE after-meal walk to commit to.
Start small:
– After dinner? Walk for 10 minutes.
– After lunch? Walk around your office or neighbourhood.
– After breakfast? Walk while listening to a podcast.
Just ONE walk. Every day. For one week.
No pressure to do all three meals. No need to hit 10,000 steps. No fancy gear required.
Just you, your shoes, and 10 minutes.
That’s it.
WHAT YOU MIGHT NOTICE
When clients start doing after-meal walks, here’s what they report:
🔹 “I’m less bloated after dinner.”
🔹 “I’m not craving dessert as much.”
🔹 “I’m sleeping better.”
🔹 “My energy is more stable.”
🔹 “I feel calmer.”
🔹 “The scale finally started moving again.”
These aren’t because walking burned a bunch of calories.
They’re because walking improved metabolic health.
Which is the whole point.
I used to roll my eyes when people said “just go for a walk.” It felt like such a boring, un-sexy solution.
But now? Walking is non-negotiable for me.
Not because it’s a workout.
But because it’s the simplest, most effective way to support my metabolic health every single day.
Give it a try. I think you’ll be surprised. 💜
Metabolic Health #5
Why siting all day is killing your metabolism
Let me guess:
You’re reading this email while sitting down, aren’t you?
Maybe at your desk. Maybe on your couch. Maybe in bed.
And if I asked you how many hours you’ve been sitting today, you’d probably say… too many.
Here’s the uncomfortable truth:
The average person sits for 9-10 hours per day.
And all that sitting?
It’s actively sabotaging your metabolic health — even if you exercise.
THE SITTING EPIDEMIC
Here’s what happens when you sit for prolonged periods:
❌ Metabolism slows down – Muscle activity drops to near-zero
❌ Fat-burning enzymes shut off – Lipoprotein lipase (the enzyme that breaks down fat) decreases by 90%
❌ Blood sugar regulation worsens – Insulin sensitivity decreases
❌ Calorie burn plummets – You burn only 1-2 calories per minute while sitting
❌ Inflammation increases – Sedentary behaviour triggers inflammatory markers
❌ Cardiovascular risk increases – Even if you exercise, prolonged sitting is harmful
Translation: You can’t “out-exercise” a sedentary day.
Even if you work out for an hour, sitting for the other 15 hours still damages your metabolism. ☹
ENTER: NEAT (NON-EXERCISE ACTIVITY THERMOGENESIS)
NEAT is the energy you expend doing everything EXCEPT:
– Sleeping
– Eating
– Formal exercise
NEAT includes:
✅ Walking to your car
✅ Doing laundry
✅ Cooking dinner
✅ Standing while working
✅ Fidgeting
✅ Taking the stairs
✅ Playing with your kids
✅ Cleaning your house
✅ Pacing while on the phone
And here’s the wild part: NEAT can account for 15-30% of your total daily calorie burn.
That’s 300-800+ calories per day, depending on your activity level.
WHY NEAT MATTERS MORE THAN YOU THINK
Here’s the difference between two people with the same stats:
Person A (Low NEAT):
– Sits at desk all day (8 hours)
– Drives to/from work (1 hour sitting)
– Watches TV at night (3 hours sitting)
– Works out 3x/week for 1 hour
– NEAT burn: ~200 calories/day
Person B (High NEAT):
– Uses standing desk (4 hours standing)
– Walks during breaks (30 min total)
– Takes stairs instead of elevator
– Does active chores (cooking, cleaning)
– Walks after dinner (15 min)
– NEAT burn: ~600 calories/day
Difference: 400 calories/day = 2,800 calories/week = 146,000 calories/year
That’s the equivalent of 42 pounds of fat over a year.
Not from exercise. From MOVEMENT.
HOW TO INCREASE YOUR NEAT (WITHOUT GOING TO THE GYM)
Here are the highest-impact strategies:
STRATEGY #1: Break Up Sitting Every 30 Minutes
Set a timer. Every 30 minutes, stand up and move for 2-3 minutes.
Ideas:
– Walk to get water
– Do 10 squats
– Stretch
– Walk around your house/office
– Do calf raises while standing
STRATEGY #2: Use a Standing Desk (Even Part-Time)
You don’t need to stand all day (that can actually be tiring and counterproductive).
But alternating between sitting and standing can double your NEAT burn.
Standing for 3 hours/day = ~144 extra calories burned
Over a year? That’s 15 pounds.
Tip: Start with 30 minutes standing, then sit for 30 minutes. Gradually increase standing time.
STRATEGY #3: Walk While You Talk
Phone calls. Virtual meetings (if camera is off). Brainstorming sessions.
All of these can be done while walking.
Pacing during a 30-minute call = ~60-100 calories burned
Do that twice a day? 200 calories. Over a year? 20+ pounds.
STRATEGY #4: Choose the “Harder” Option
Every day, you have dozens of micro-choices:
– Elevator or stairs? → Choose stairs
– Park close or far? → Park far
– Drive or walk? → Walk
– Sit or stand? → Stand
– Order delivery or cook? → Cook
Each choice seems small. But they compound.
STRATEGY #5: Make Household Chores Count
Stop seeing chores as annoying tasks. See them as NEAT opportunities.
– Vacuuming: 150-200 cal/hour
– Gardening: 200-400 cal/hour
– Washing dishes by hand: 100-150 cal/hour
– Folding laundry while standing: 100 cal/hour
– Playing with kids/pets: 200-300 cal/hour
Bonus: Your house gets clean AND your metabolism improves.
STRATEGY #6: Fidget More (Yes, Really)
Obviously, you can’t force yourself to fidget all day. But you CAN choose to move more while sitting:
– Bounce your leg
– Tap your feet
– Shift positions frequently
– Do seated stretches
Every little bit counts.
YOUR NEAT CHALLENGE THIS WEEK
Pick TWO of these to implement:
1. Set a 30-minute timer and stand/move for 2 minutes every time it goes off
2. Take all phone calls standing or walking
3. Use stairs instead of elevators (every single time)
4. Walk for 10 minutes after each meal (we covered this last week!)
5. Stand during one daily task (brushing teeth, folding laundry, watching TV)
6. Park in the farthest spot in every parking lot
Don’t try to do everything. Pick TWO and make them habits.
Small changes. Massive results.
You don’t need to “find time” to exercise. You need to stop sitting so much.
Your body was designed to MOVE throughout the day – not sit for 8 hours, then sprint on a treadmill for 30 minutes.
NEAT is how humans naturally maintain metabolic health.
Start moving more. Your metabolism will thank you. 💜
Metabolic Health #6
Muscle is your metabolic currency
Here’s a stat that should terrify you:
After age 30, you lose 3-8% of your muscle mass per decade.
And after age 60? That accelerates to 10-15% per decade.
This muscle loss (called sarcopenia) isn’t just about looking less toned.
It’s about losing your metabolic engine.
Because muscle tissue is metabolically active tissue. It burns calories 24/7, even while you’re sleeping.
Fat tissue? It just sits there.
So when you lose muscle and gain fat (which is what happens naturally with age if you do nothing), your metabolism TANKS.
THE MUSCLE-METABOLISM CONNECTION
Here’s what muscle does for your metabolic health:
✅ Burns more calories at rest — 1 lb of muscle burns ~6 calories/day at rest; 1 lb of fat burns ~2 calories/day
✅ Improves insulin sensitivity — Muscle is the primary site for glucose disposal
✅ Increases resting metabolic rate (RMR) — More muscle = higher baseline calorie burn
✅ Enhances fat oxidation — Muscle helps your body burn fat more efficiently
✅ Supports hormone balance — Including growth hormone and testosterone
✅ Protects bone density — Strength training prevents osteoporosis
✅ Improves functional strength — Makes daily life easier
Translation: Building muscle makes weight loss EASIER because your body burns more calories all day long.
THE MIDLIFE MUSCLE CRISIS
For women over 40, muscle loss accelerates due to:
– Declining estrogen (menopause/perimenopause)
– Reduced growth hormone and testosterone
– Decreased protein synthesis
– Increased inflammation
– Less physical activity
The result?
You eat the SAME amount of food you did in your 30s, but now you’re gaining weight.
Why? Because you’ve lost metabolically active muscle and replaced it with metabolically inactive fat.
Your metabolism has slowed down — not because of age, but because of MUSCLE LOSS.
STRENGTH TRAINING: THE SOLUTION
Here’s the good news:
You can rebuild muscle at ANY age.
Strength training (also called resistance training) includes:
– Lifting weights (dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells)
– Bodyweight exercises (push-ups, squats, lunges)
– Resistance bands
– Weight machines
– Pilates (with resistance)
And you don’t need hours in the gym.
2-3 sessions per week, 30-45 minutes each, is enough to see significant results.
HOW STRENGTH TRAINING TRANSFORMS YOUR METABOLISM
BENEFIT #1: Increases Resting Metabolic Rate
When you build muscle, you burn more calories 24/7 — even while sleeping.
Over a year? 18,250-36,500 calories = 5-10 pounds of fat loss just from having more muscle.
BENEFIT #2: Preserves Muscle During Weight Loss
When you lose weight through diet alone (or diet + cardio only), you lose BOTH fat and muscle.
But when you add strength training?
You lose fat while PRESERVING (or even building) muscle.
This is CRITICAL. Because losing muscle during weight loss means your metabolism slows down, making it easier to regain the weight later (yo-yo dieting).
BENEFIT #3: Improves Insulin Sensitivity
Muscle is the primary site where your body stores and uses glucose.
More muscle = better blood sugar control.
BENEFIT #4: Creates the “Afterburn Effect” (EPOC)
After strength training, your body continues to burn extra calories for 24-48 hours as it repairs muscle tissue.
This is called Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC) — the “afterburn effect.”
So you’re burning calories long after you’ve left the gym.
HOW TO GET STARTED WITH STRENGTH TRAINING
IF YOU’RE A BEGINNER:
Start with bodyweight exercises 2x/week:
– Squats (10-15 reps)
– Push-ups (modified on knees if needed) (8-12 reps)
– Lunges (10 reps per leg)
– Plank (hold 20-30 seconds)
– Glute bridges (15 reps)
Do 2-3 sets of each exercise. Rest 60-90 seconds between sets.
ONCE YOU’RE COMFORTABLE (4-6 weeks):
Add resistance:
– Dumbbells (start with 2-5 kg / 5-10 lbs)
– Resistance bands
– Kettlebells
Focus on compound movements (work multiple muscle groups):
– Squats (legs, glutes, core)
– Deadlifts (legs, back, core)
– Chest press (chest, shoulders, triceps)
– Rows (back, biceps)
– Shoulder press (shoulders, triceps)
THE IDEAL WEEKLY SCHEDULE:
– Monday: Strength training (full body or upper body)
– Wednesday: Strength training (full body or lower body)
– Friday: Strength training (full body)
– Other days: Walking, yoga, rest
COMMON MISTAKES TO AVOID
❌ “I don’t want to get bulky.”
You won’t. Women don’t have enough testosterone to build massive muscles without intentional bodybuilding. You’ll get TONED, not bulky.
❌ “Cardio is better for weight loss.”
Cardio burns calories during the workout. Strength training burns calories 24/7 by building muscle. Both have a place, but strength training is MORE important for long-term metabolic health.
❌ “Lifting light weights for high reps tones muscle.”
Nope. To build muscle, you need progressive overload — gradually increasing weight or reps over time. Light weights won’t challenge your muscles enough.
❌ “I’m too old to start.”
Never. Studies show that even 90-year-olds can build muscle and strength through resistance training.
YOUR STRENGTH TRAINING CHALLENGE THIS WEEK
Pick ONE:
OPTION 1: Start with Bodyweight
Do this circuit 2x this week (takes 15 minutes):
– 10 squats
– 10 push-ups (modified on knees if needed)
– 10 lunges per leg
– 20-second plank
– 15 glute bridges
Rest 60 seconds. Repeat 3 times.
OPTION 2: Join a Class
Sign up for:
– Strength training class
– Bootcamp
– Pilates with resistance
– CrossFit fundamentals
OPTION 3: Hire a Trainer (Just 1-2 Sessions)
Get a professional to teach you proper form and create a beginner program.
Start small. Build consistency. Your metabolism will transform.
I used to think cardio was the key to weight loss. But what happens is you spend an hour on the treadmill, burn 400 calories, then eat them all back because I you are STARVING.
When I started strength training my body composition changed. My metabolism increased. My hunger decreased. And I’m finally building the toned, strong body I’ve been chasing for years. This is really important for me, as building muscle is foundational to ageing well. And I plan to age well. 😊
Muscle is metabolic currency. I recommend you Invest in it. 💜
A note for those at the start of their weight loss journey:
Everything above is true about the need for resistance training, especially as you age, and the fabulous metabolic advantage of increased muscle mass. 😊 However, I don’t recommend a lot of resistance training in the early phases of weight loss. This is because it is by definition a stress on the body, and it increases release of cortisol, which inhibits weight loss (!!). if you are just beginning you don’t want this, so stick with walking until your weight starts to go down and you have developed a baseline of fitness.
See the post: Walking is wildly underrated (here’s why)
Metabolic Health #7
Sleep – the non-negotiable foundation
Let me tell you what happens when you sleep less than 6 hours per night:
✅ Your insulin sensitivity drops by 30%
✅ Your hunger hormones (ghrelin) increase by 15%
✅ Your fullness hormones (leptin) decrease by 15%
✅ You crave high-calorie, high-carb foods
✅ Your metabolism slows down
✅ You lose muscle instead of fat when dieting
✅ Your cortisol (stress hormone) stays elevated
In other words: Your body actively RESISTS fat loss when you’re sleep-deprived.
Dr. Matt Walker (sleep scientist and author of *Why We Sleep*) says it best:
“Sleep is Mother Nature’s best effort yet at immortality.”
And when it comes to metabolic health?
Sleep is non-negotiable.
THE SLEEP-METABOLISM CONNECTION
Here’s what happens during sleep:
✅ Hormone regulation – Growth hormone, cortisol, insulin, leptin, ghrelin all reset
✅ Cellular repair – Your body repairs muscle tissue, organs, and metabolic systems
✅ Fat metabolism – Your body preferentially burns fat during deep sleep
✅ Glucose regulation – Insulin sensitivity improves with adequate sleep
✅ Inflammation reduction – Sleep reduces inflammatory markers
✅ Hunger hormone balance – Adequate sleep keeps ghrelin (hunger) and leptin (fullness) balanced
Translation: Poor sleep literally makes your body store fat instead of burning it.
HOW MUCH SLEEP DO YOU ACTUALLY NEED?
Dr. Matt Walker’s recommendation (backed by decades of research):
7-9 hours per night for adults
Close to 0% of the population can get away with less than 6 hours without harming their health.
Yes, you might “function” on 5-6 hours.
But your metabolism, immune system, cognitive function, and longevity are all suffering.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DON’T SLEEP ENOUGH
SHORT-TERM EFFECTS (1-2 nights of poor sleep):
❌ 30% decrease in insulin sensitivity
❌ 15% increase in hunger hormones
❌ 300+ extra calories consumed the next day (especially high-carb, high-fat foods)
❌ Reduced willpower and impulse control
❌ Decreased fat oxidation (your body burns less fat)
LONG-TERM EFFECTS (chronic sleep deprivation):
❌ Increased risk of obesity
❌ Increased risk of type 2 diabetes
❌ Increased risk of cardiovascular disease
❌ Chronic inflammation
❌ Accelerated aging
❌ Muscle loss
❌ Weakened immune system
SLEEP CONSISTENCY MATTERS TOO
It’s not just about DURATION. It’s about CONSISTENCY.
Your body has an internal clock (circadian rhythm) that regulates metabolism, hormone release, and insulin sensitivity.
When you disrupt this rhythm (staying up late on weekends, then waking early on weekdays), you create circadian misalignment — which independently impairs glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity.
Translation: Your body doesn’t just need 7-9 hours. It needs 7-9 hours AT THE SAME TIME every night.
THE DR. MATT WALKER SLEEP PROTOCOL
Based on his research and recommendations:
IDEAL SLEEP ENVIRONMENT:
✅ 8 hours in bed (to get 7-7.5 hours actual sleep)
✅ Cool room: 63-68°F (17-20°C) – cooler is better for deep sleep
✅ Dark environment: Blackout curtains or eye mask
✅ Quiet: White noise machine or earplugs if needed
✅ Consistent schedule: Same bedtime and wake time every day (yes, even weekends)
PRE-SLEEP ROUTINE (2-3 hours before bed):
✅ No food 2-3 hours before bed – Digestion disrupts sleep
✅ No alcohol – It fragments sleep and reduces REM sleep
✅ No caffeine after 12pm – Caffeine has a 6-hour half-life (if you drink coffee at 2pm, half is still in your system at 8pm)
✅ Dim lights – Bright light suppresses melatonin
✅ No screens 1 hour before bed – Blue light disrupts circadian rhythm
✅ Cool down your body – Take a warm bath/shower 90 minutes before bed (the cooling effect afterward helps sleep)
SLEEP HYGIENE BASICS:
✅ Morning sunlight exposure – Get outside within 30 minutes of waking to set your circadian rhythm
✅ Regular exercise – But not within 3 hours of bedtime
✅ Stress management – Meditation, journaling, breathwork before bed
✅ Comfortable mattress and pillows
WHAT TO DO IF YOU CAN’T SLEEP
IF YOU CAN’T FALL ASLEEP:
– Don’t lie in bed awake for more than 20 minutes
– Get up, go to another dimly lit room, do something boring (read a book, not on a screen)
– Only return to bed when you feel sleepy
IF YOU WAKE UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT:
– Same rule: If you can’t fall back asleep within 20 minutes, get up briefly
– Avoid checking your phone (the light and stimulation will wake you up more)
– Practice deep breathing or progressive muscle relaxation
IF YOU HAVE CHRONIC INSOMNIA:
– Consider cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) – more effective than sleep medications
– Talk to your doctor about underlying issues (sleep apnoea, hormone imbalances, anxiety)
YOUR SLEEP CHALLENGE THIS WEEK
Pick TWO sleep improvements to implement:
OPTION 1: Set a Consistent Bedtime
Choose a bedtime that gives you 8 hours in bed before your alarm. Stick to it EVERY night (even weekends) for 7 days.
OPTION 2: Create a Wind-Down Routine
Starting 1 hour before bed:
– Dim the lights
– Put your phone away
– Do something relaxing (read, stretch, meditate)
– Get into bed only when you’re sleepy
OPTION 3: Optimize Your Sleep Environment
– Make your room cooler (63-68°F)
– Block out all light (blackout curtains or eye mask)
– Remove distractions (TV, phone charger, clutter)
OPTION 4: Cut Caffeine After 12pm
Even if you “don’t think it affects you,” try it for one week and see if your sleep improves.
OPTION 5: Get Morning Sunlight
Within 30 minutes of waking up, get outside for 10-15 minutes (even on cloudy days). This sets your circadian rhythm for better sleep that night.
Start with TWO changes. Build the habit. Then add more.
P.S. I know, I know. You’re busy. You have a million things to do.
But here’s the truth:
When you sacrifice sleep to get more done, you’re actually making yourself LESS productive, less healthy, and more likely to gain weight.
Sleep isn’t a luxury. It’s a biological necessity.
And if you’re trying to lose weight without prioritizing sleep?
You’re fighting an uphill battle with biology.
Give your body the rest it needs.
It will reward you with better metabolism, better energy, and better results. 💜
Metabolic Health #8
When work ramps up, so does the snacking
Your boss just added three more things to your plate.
You have back-to-back meetings for the next four hours.
And suddenly, you’re standing in front of the pantry, eating handful after handful of crackers, even though you just had lunch an hour ago.
What is HAPPENING?
YOU’RE NOT WEAK. YOU’RE WIRED.
Here’s what’s going on:
When stress hormones (cortisol) flood your system, your brain sends out an urgent message:
“Quick! Get easy energy! We need fuel for this fight-or-flight situation!”
Your body doesn’t know the difference between:
– Running from a lion 🦁
– Dealing with a passive-aggressive email from Karen in Accounting 📧
Both trigger the same biological response: Find glucose. NOW.
So you reach for the crackers. The chocolate. The chips. The bread.
Not because you’re weak.
Not because you lack discipline.
Not because you’re emotionally broken.
Because you’re biologically wired to seek quick energy when stress hormones are high.
THE STRESS-EATING CYCLE
Here’s what happens:
STEP 1: Work stress triggers cortisol release
STEP 2: Cortisol signals your brain to seek quick energy (carbs, sugar, fat)
STEP 3: You eat the snack, which gives you a temporary dopamine hit (feel-good hormone)
STEP 4: Blood sugar spikes, then crashes
STEP 5: Cortisol is STILL high (because the stress hasn’t gone away)
STEP 6: Brain says, “We need more energy!” and the cycle repeats
STEP 7: You feel guilty, frustrated, and out of control
Sound familiar?
WHY “JUST DON’T EAT IT” DOESN’T WORK
You’ve probably tried:
– Keeping “trigger foods” out of the house (until you find yourself at the drive-through)
– White-knuckling through the craving (until you binge later)
– Telling yourself to “use willpower” (which works… until it doesn’t)
But here’s the problem:
You can’t willpower your way out of a biological response.
When cortisol is screaming at your brain to find fuel, willpower is like trying to hold your breath underwater indefinitely.
You might last a little while, but eventually, biology wins.
SO WHAT DO YOU DO INSTEAD?
The solution isn’t to fight the stress eating.
The solution is to interrupt the stress response BEFORE it triggers the eating.
Here are three strategies that actually work:
STRATEGY #1: THE PAUSE
When you feel the stress-eating urge coming on, PAUSE.
Don’t go straight to the pantry.
Instead, do this:
Step 1: Take 3 deep breaths (in for 4 counts, hold for 4, out for 6)
Step 2: Name the emotion you’re feeling (“I feel overwhelmed,” “I feel frustrated”)
Step 3: Ask yourself: “What do I actually need right here?”
Often, the answer is:
– A break (even 5 minutes)
– A walk around the block
– A chat with a friend
– A glass of water
– Permission to stop for the day
NOT food.
The 3-minute pause gives your prefrontal cortex (rational brain) a chance to catch up with your amygdala (stress brain).
STRATEGY #2: STRESS-PROOF YOUR BLOOD SUGAR
When your blood sugar is stable, stress has less power over your food choices.
Here’s how to do that:
✅ Eat protein at every meal (30g minimum at breakfast)
✅ Avoid eating carbs alone (always pair with protein or fat)
✅ Don’t skip meals when work is busy (this makes stress eating WORSE later)
✅ Keep high-protein snacks at your desk (Greek yogurt, nuts, cheese, boiled eggs)
When your body has stable fuel, the cortisol-driven “FIND FOOD NOW” signal is much quieter.
STRATEGY #3: GIVE STRESS A PHYSICAL OUTLET
Cortisol is meant to fuel physical action (like running from that lion).
But when you’re sitting at a desk, it has nowhere to go.
So it keeps circulating, demanding fuel.
Give it an outlet:
🚶♀️ Walk for 10 minutes (even just around your office or house)
🧘♀️ Stretch or do yoga poses (downward dog, child’s pose)
💪 Do 20 squats or push-ups (burns off the cortisol)
🎵 Dance to one song (seriously, this works)
Movement metabolizes cortisol and reduces the “I NEED TO EAT” signal.
THE MINDSET SHIFT
Stress eating isn’t a character flaw.
It’s not a sign that you’re broken or weak or failing.
It’s a sign that your stress response is working exactly as designed.
The problem isn’t YOU.
The problem is that your body is responding to modern stressors (emails, deadlines, family demands) with ancient biology (FIND FOOD NOW).
When you understand that, you can stop beating yourself up and start implementing strategies that actually work.
YOUR CHALLENGE FOR THIS WEEK
Next time work ramps up and the snacking urge hits, try this:
BEFORE you reach for the food, do ONE of these:
1. Take 3 deep breaths and name the emotion
2. Walk around the block (or just around your house)
3. Eat a high-protein snack instead of a carb-only snack
Just ONE interruption in the pattern.
You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to create a tiny bit of space between the stress and the response.
That’s where the change happens.
P.S. If you’ve been stress-eating your way through the new year (no judgment — work is INTENSE in January), remember this:
You’re not failing.
You’re not weak.
You’re just human.
And stress eating is a symptom, not the problem.
When you address the stress response itself (with the strategies above), the eating naturally decreases.
Be kind to yourself. 💜
Night Guy keeps screwing over Morning Guy
I have a confession to make. Night Guy keeps screwing over Morning Guy.
And I’m pretty sure you know exactly what I’m talking about. 😂 😂
You see, Night Guy is the one who decides it’s perfectly reasonable to stay up until midnight scrolling through Instagram, binge-watching another episode, or polishing off the rest of the Tim Tams.
“What about getting up after five hours of sleep?” Night Guy shrugs. “Oh, that’s Morning Guy’s problem. That’s not MY problem.”
And then the alarm goes off.
And Morning Guy is FURIOUS.
This brilliant observation comes from Jerry Seinfeld (thank you, Jerry), and honestly, it explains SO MUCH about why we do things we KNOW we’re going to regret tomorrow.
THE CAST OF CHARACTERS IN YOUR HEAD
Here’s the thing: Night Guy (Night Girl 😊) has friends.
There’s Hungry Girl who eats the entire block of cheese at 9 PM and leaves Fat Girl to deal with the consequences.
There’s Just This Once Girl who promises that THIS time it’ll be different (spoiler: it never is).
There’s Tired Girl who can’t be bothered meal planning and leaves Stressed-Out-Lunchtime Girl scrambling for drive-through.
They might sound like superheroes, but despite their great power, they’re not so great about responsibility.
WHAT THE SCIENCE SAYS (YES, THERE’S ACTUAL RESEARCH ON THIS)
Now, you might think this is just a funny bit from a 90s sitcom, but here’s where it gets interesting:
Research shows that when we think about our future selves, our brains light up as if we’re thinking about a completely different person.
Not a future version of US. A stranger. Someone else entirely.
So when Night Girl decides to polish off the ice cream, she genuinely doesn’t connect that decision to Morning Girl’s regret, bloating, and shame spiral.
They’re not the same person in her mind.
It’s not that Night Girl doesn’t care about Morning Girl at all. It’s just that she doesn’t see her as a later version of herself – but as somebody else entirely.
Which explains why:
– Night Girl goes out drinking with friends, and Morning Girl gets stuck with the hangover
– Young Girl doesn’t save enough money, and Old Girl can’t retire
– Hungry Girl leaves Fat Girl with the extra kilos
– Invincible Girl leaves Sick Girl without a health plan
So what is poor Morning Girl supposed to do?
JERRY’S SOLUTION (DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME)
Jerry has one idea: “The only thing Morning Guy can do is try and oversleep often enough so that Day Guy loses his job, and Night Guy has no money to go out anymore.”
😂
Effective? Maybe.
Practical? Not so much.
THE ACTUAL SOLUTION (BACKED BY SCIENCE)
Here’s what researchers at NYU (New York University) discovered:
If you introduce Night Girl to Morning Girl – if you help them SEE each other as the same person – everything changes.
In studies, they showed people digitally-aged photos of themselves. When participants SAW their older selves, they suddenly started:
– Saving more money for retirement
– Making healthier choices today
– Being less likely to cheat or engage in short-sighted behaviour
Why? Because they realized their future selves were ultimately dependent on the choices they were making TODAY.
When you can’t see your Future Self clearly, it’s easy to screw her over.
But when you MEET her? When you connect with her? When you hear her wisdom?
You stop treating her like a stranger and start treating her like… well, like YOU.
SO, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOUR WEIGHT LOSS GOALS?
If you’ve ever:
– Been “so good” all day and then blown it at night 🍪
– Told yourself “I’ll start fresh tomorrow” (again) 🔄
– Made a choice you KNEW you’d regret later 😬
– Felt like you were sabotaging yourself (because you literally were)
…it’s because Night Girl (or Stressed Girl, or Tired Girl, or Just This Once Girl) doesn’t have a relationship with Future You.
They don’t see her. They don’t know her. They certainly don’t care about her jeans fitting.
But here’s the beautiful part:
You can introduce them.
You can help your Present Self connect with your Future Self – the woman who’s already at her goal weight, who already makes the choices that feel natural, who already trusts herself around food.
And when you do that?
The self-sabotage stops.
Because you’re not screwing over a stranger anymore. You’re taking care of YOU.
A LOW-TECH WAY TO DO THIS
The researchers found that even something as simple as writing a letter to your Future Self can create that connection.
SOMETHING MORE POWERFUL
Meeting her.
Not in a creepy sci-fi way (although that would be cool 😎).
But in a guided visualization where you sit down with your Future Self, ask her questions, hear her wisdom, and create an anchor you can use anytime you need her guidance.
When you do that, Night Girl suddenly starts caring about Morning Girl.
Hungry Girl starts thinking about how Future You will feel.
Just This Once Girl realizes there’s someone counting on her to follow through.
When you actually MEET your Future Self – when you visualize her, talk to her, hear her wisdom – your brain starts treating her like someone who matters.
Which means the choices you make today suddenly become a lot easier.
Your future self is waiting. She wants to show you how to succeed. 😊
Your FUTURE self
Stepping into this FUTURE-self gives you an experience of what it feels like to BE the person who achieves your weight loss goal and can help you BECOME that person.
One of the main things that holds us back from achieving our goals (whatever they are) is that we doubt our ability to do it. Past failures can lead to critical self-talk and a lack of confidence in our ability to get on the right path and follow it through to the end. We convince ourselves that this may work for other people, but not for us. I know my experience is that I was always wondering what was wrong with me. Can you relate?
So meeting this future self who has achieved the goal is inspirational. You will be amazed that she has some great advice to give you, and what you then realise is that all the wisdom, power and potential was always inside you.
It’s just a matter of being able to tap into it now to:
- help in those moments when you want to give in to the immediate pleasure of eating something that you know doesn’t support your weight loss goals
- propel you into the vision of your future best self and pull you towards your goal
- keep you aligned to who you want to BE and keep you in the process of becoming that person
- stop feeling like a helpless victim in the endless rounds of dieting and ever-increasing weight loss.
Did you know that adding emotion is a memory technique that is helpful when studying? Emotional arousal hardwires important details into your mind, making them easier to recall. This is because the amygdala and hippocampus are activated at almost exactly the same time and the emotion-focused amygdala helps the hippocampus store memories more effectively. (reference: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5573739/)
When our FUTURE-self shows us what it feels like to achieve our weight loss goal, we feel all the positive emotions associated with that and experience it fully. Then we can then easily step back into that peak experience and remember the details of how it felt and looked and sounded and feel the positive emotions again.
In this way we maximise and leverage off those powerful emotions to drive our actions and behaviour. Our FUTURE-self works FOR us to pull us towards our weight loss goal.
Doesn’t that make our FUTURE-self a weightloss superpower?
Body Talk
What is your current relationship with your body like?
• Do you feel and express appreciation for your body?
• Do you have negative feelings about your body – how it looks or how it functions?
• Are you comfortable to show your body?
• Do you accept your body the way it is and work in harmony with it, or are you trying to change it so that you can be happy with it?
Have you ever felt disappointed in your body?
• Perhaps you don’t look the way you want to – this is classic because all women are self-critical and have something they would like to change about their physical appearance. Women with curly hair want straight hair and vice versa. Short people want to be tall, tall women long to be petite.
I bet you can provide me with 5 things that start with: I’m too ….. or I’d like to be more …..
• Perhaps you don’t get the performance you desire from your body – you want to compete at high level in sport or achieve a stretch goal (like running a marathon for the first time). But your body goes into a relapse of exhaustion and never seems to develop the strength or skill level you want. 🙁
Have you ever felt betrayed by your body – like it let you down?
• This may be as a result of chronic illness that interferes with the way you want to live your life or the activities you want to engage in.
• It may be a sudden injury or acute illness that made you miss out on a special occasion you had been looking forward to.
• Perhaps you have been told that you have an “auto-immune” disease where the immune system accidentally attacks your body instead of protecting it. How could that happen? How can you trust your body when things like that to you?
Does reflecting on these questions reveal that your relationship with your body could be improved??
My Weight Freedom Academy course includes body talk – something I learnt about in my Holobody (holistic body) accreditation. It presents a whole new way of interacting with your innate body intelligence.
ENVIRONMENT
Have you ever tried to explain water to a fish?
Tricky, right?
Well, that’s kind of like us trying to lose weight these days. We don’t know we’re swimming in water, because we are immersed in it.
If you’ve been on the weight loss rollercoaster, trust me, you’re not alone. It’s like our bodies have a mind of their own, creeping up on the scales when we’re not looking. And getting those numbers back down? Well, that’s a whole other story!
(Unless you’re one of those lucky ducks blessed with a eat-whatever-you-want metabolism. In which case, we’re all a tiny bit jealous! 😉)
But here’s the thing – we’re swimming in what the fancy folks call an “obesogenic environment.” Put simply, it’s an environment that promotes high energy intake and low activity behaviour.
Our world is designed to make us consume more and move less. From schools to workplaces, from our cozy homes to the ads we see, everything’s conspiring to super-size us.
Want to know how deep this rabbit hole goes? I’ve got 8 eye-opening examples of how the obesogenic environment is shaping our lives. Spoiler alert: it involves addictive food, sneaky marketing, and even our jobs!
But don’t worry, it’s not all doom and gloom. Knowing is half the battle, right? And that’s where the Weight Freedom Academy comes in. It’s all about making weight loss easier and – here’s the important part – sustainable.
Curious to learn more? Contact me and let’s chat! I’m here to answer any questions you might have.
Remember, there’s no shame in struggling with weight in a world that seems designed to make us gain. The struggle is real, but so is the solution. And we’re in this together!
Keep swimming against the current
Coach Suzi
