The 80/20 principle is a Nutrition guide I use with some clients who have a fat loss goal.

It is about eating whole, nutritious foods 80% of the time and having treat, soul foods 20% of the time.

It’s a way to improve the quality of your diet and also often achieving a calorie deficit (depending on how you were eating before of course, and your portion sizes!).

The reason why I like to use it with clients is that it means that no foods are removed from a persons diet. Everything has a place.

Maybe you’ve realised you’re only just getting by.

Maybe your’re burnout and or are feeling like you’ve been run over by a peri- menopause shaped bus.

Maybe you’re feeling confused about who you are, and and feel like a shadow of your former self.

Your first step to feeling better is to concentrate on your basic needs. I’m talking 3 meals a day, staying hydrated, and getting enough sleep. I’d also recommend making sure to get outside for a mental health walk everyday- which really works, and a minimum of 10 minutes is all that is needed.

This is another 30 minute month review as once again I’m struggling to write the monthly review that I committed to at the beginning of the year. By setting my timer to 30 minutes and just allowing the words to flow, i’m getting it done. It won’t be perfect but getting it done is what is important to me at the moment, and as I always say- ‘done is better than perfect’.

Work

Work is feeling aligned with who I am and my values. I’ve had moments in the last few months where I’ve really missed the outdoor fitness community I created, which has been hard. However, the women I’m working with at the moment are exactly the women who I want to be working with. Work gives me so much meaning and purpose, but not in the unhealthy way that used to be the case. I have recently invested in some business Coaching which feels exciting and I’m so excited to have someone to share and discuss business ideas with, which I really miss. I’m currently developing my Coaching offer . Watch this space.

I’m taking a bit of a deep dive at the moment into resilience in midlife as it’s a skill that my most successful clients have.

Midlife presents pretty much constant curve balls and key to thriving in midlife is developing and maintaining the ability to deal with these curve balls.

I used to think that resilience meant ‘not giving up’ and pushing on regardless of how hard things got. Now I understand that what resilience actually means is the ability to cope with the ups and downs of life. And I honestly think of a more useful skill for the rollercoaster ride that is midlife.

Long, hard day? Bad night’s sleep last night? Feeling crap about your body? Many women find that their natural reaction is to reach for a glass of wine- so you are not alone. But in Perimenopause, you may start to find that this actually causes more problems than it solves, and there could be better ways to deal with the curve balls that life appears to be throwing at you.

The body processes alcohol differently as we age, which could point to a connection between hormonal changes and alcohol intolerance. Drinking alcohol impacts your hormone levels in different ways throughout your adult life, including during menopause. These effects can be positive or negative, depending on your age and how much you drink. Because menopause and drinking alcohol can interfere with the body’s hormone system, it also has the potential to negatively impact other areas of the body, such as blood sugar levels, calcium metabolism and bone structure. When it comes to the impact of drinking alcohol specifically in perimenopausal women, there are direct correlations…

I’ve been thinking a lot about how Online Coaching has helped me. Basically because of a conversation yesterday with someone who doesn’t think it’ll be as effective as face to face personal training.

I have worked with nearly 100 women in this way now, who have achieved transformational results with regards to fat loss, exercise and their mindset and confidence.

I nearly didn't write this as April has gone by so fast I thought to myself that I didn’t think I had actually done or achieved much! But, I’m doing it because I made a promise to myself that I would and I like to keep promises to myself. It builds confidence and and quite honestly it’s one of the things that has helped me raised my wellbeing standards.

Doing things that I don’t want to do (like this blog when I’m super busy, and would much rather procrrationate by having another hot drink) actually helps me build and flex my neuorlogical willpower muscle - and by writing this seemingly innocuous and harmless blog I’m actually helping my future self massively. She’ll be proud of me. I’ll be proud of me when I tick it off my list in 30 mins (I’m setting myself a timer so it feels less over facing!).

This is particularly true if you have spent time the past doing diets like Slimming World and Weight Watchers. This quick article will help you get clear on what you need to do.

The Energy Balance equation

The fact is that all diets work in the same way because fat loss can only work in one way- through achieving a calorie deficit. This means that the amount of energy (measured in Calories) that your body takes in through food and drinks has to be less than your body expends through movement and just existing. This is called the Energy Balance Equation.

Journalling conjures up this mystical, spiritual and super consistent practice that put me off for YEARS.

But now I’ve found my own groove with it, I’m an absolute convert. It has without doubt contributed to my own enhanced wellbeing & increased self-awareness. I experience more gratitude, am better at regulating my emotions and I notice patterns in my behaviour. I’m clearer in what I want and need, and feel less stressed.