A woman joins the gym, grinds 30–40 minutes of cardio every day, keeps the weights light, fasts four days a week, relies on laxatives, and gains two kilos. Familiar? We’ve seen this pattern again and again, and we break down why it happens—and how to turn it around with a plan that respects stress, hormones, and real life.

We start by dismantling the “eat less, do more” script that pushes women into chronic stress: steady-state cardio in the middle zone, under-fuelling, and long-term constipation that signals deeper gut and thyroid issues. Then we map a smarter training approach. Instead of daily drudge, use interval cardio with full recoveries to build fitness without frying your nervous system. Ditch light weights and endless reps; choose heavy, technically sound sets that hit failure around reps eight to ten to protect bone, support hormones, and actually change your body.

Food becomes a tool, not a punishment. Build a daytime eating window and let the overnight fast be your fast. Eat real food regularly—protein for muscle, plants for fibre, fats for satiety—and hydrate like it matters. We explain why daily bowel movements are a basic health marker, how fibre variety supports the microbiome, and why relying on laxatives for years deserves medical attention. Beyond the scale, we prioritise visceral fat, hydration, muscle mass, sleep quality, and how you feel in your clothes. Expect progress over weeks, not days, and add joy back into movement with walks, swimming, or Pilates to support recovery.

If you’ve been doing “everything right” and still feel stuck, this conversation offers a clear reset: fewer stressors, better signals, and habits that hold. Subscribe for more myth-busting advice, share this with a friend who needs it, and leave a review to help others find the show. What’s the first change you’ll make this week?

Got a question or comment? Send us a text message here!

Thank you for listening.

You can continue the conversation with us in the Far 2 Fabulous Facebook group. Come and connect with other women on a journey to empowered health.

For more information about Julie Clark Nutrition, click HERE
For more information about Catherine Chapman, click HERE

We look forward to you joining us on the next episode.

Episode 97: Fire, Trapeze, And A Midlife Marathon with Louisa McShane.

What happens when you mix marathon grit, firefighter standards, and a fear-conquering leap on the flying trapeze? We invited Louisa to the mic to share how a ten-week sprint to the London Marathon collided with a life-changing bid to join the fire service, and how both journeys reshaped her strength, mindset, and identity in her mid-40s.

We start with the rebuild after Covid, when group classes vanished and habits fell apart. Louisa walks us through rediscovering endurance via Parkrun and run coaching, then saying an unflinching yes to a last-minute charity place. From there, the story shifts to the fire service: a rigorous, gender- and age-agnostic fitness test, a first attempt missed by 15 seconds, and a comeback plan built on brutal specificity. She breaks down how she simulated kit carries, hose drags, and loaded movements in the gym, and why shifting from pure endurance to functional strength flipped the script. Crossing the line at 10:48 wasn’t just a pass; it was proof that systems, not willpower, win.

The surprises keep coming. Circus arts, from aerial silks to flying trapeze, helped Louisa rewrite her relationship with heights, refine mobility, and build powerful grip and core strength that translate to real-world demands. Along the way, she opens up about a late ADHD diagnosis: not a shock, but a profound permission to drop the shame over life admin, recognise the “ADHD tax,” and cultivate a kinder inner voice. Running trained that voice—mile by mile—into a coach instead of a critic. We talk momentum, community, and the joy of sharing gym clips that nudge other women to lift heavy, run long, and take up space.

You’ll come away with practical insights on training for purpose, not perfection; using specificity to prepare for high-stakes work; and reframing midlife as a launchpad, not a slowdown. If this story sparked something, hit follow, share it with a friend who needs a push, and leave a quick review to help others find the show. Then tell us: what bold step are you taking next?

Got a question or comment? Send us a text message here!

Thank you for listening.

You can continue the conversation with us in the Far 2 Fabulous Facebook group. Come and connect with other women on a journey to empowered health.

For more information about Julie Clark Nutrition, click HERE
For more information about Catherine Chapman, click HERE

We look forward to you joining us on the next episode.

Episode 96: Authenticity, Identity, And The Courage To Say No with Pauline Buckley

What if the truest version of you isn’t a fixed label but the choice you make right now? We sit down with guide and former HR leader Pauline Buckley to unpack authenticity, identity, and the courage it takes to live in alignment when culture nudges you to conform. Growing up as the hearing child of deaf parents, Pauline learned to listen in a way most of us never do. That deep stillness now shapes how she helps people remember who they are, who they’re not, and how to act on that truth with clarity and care.

We dive into the tension between masculine and feminine energies and why so many of us are stuck performing a self that feels safe but isn’t honest. Pauline offers a sharp lens on fear, division, and the shaken ant jar: when chaos rises, we turn on each other and forget our power. From COVID-era questioning to everyday boundary-setting, we explore practical ways to shift from fear to love, and from apologising to owning a clean no. We talk about alcohol, social pressure, and how removing numbing agents raises your energy and refines your friendships. Without sedation, you discover which spaces lift you and which habits you’re done carrying.

Stillness becomes the thread that ties it all together. Five quiet minutes a day can change how you hear your body’s signals, make decisions, and treat yourself. We discuss midlife hormones, people pleasing, and why many women find a new appetite for truth as tolerance for misalignment fades. The imagine if mindset invites you to dream and take one step toward it, even when others resist. You don’t need a perfect plan; you need a honest next move. Along the way, you’ll hear stories of creative problem solving, like using improv to build confidence in high-stakes rooms, and simple prompts such as is that true and how do you know that to be true that cut through noise and reveal what matters.

If you’re ready to live with fewer apologies and more alignment, this conversation is your nudge. Listen, share with a friend, and tell us: what truth are you ready to speak today? Subscribe, leave a review, and join our community to keep the conversation going.

If you would like to connect with Pauline; her website is https://www.paulinebuckley.com/ and you can find her on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/paulinebuckley1/

Got a question or comment? Send us a text message here!

Thank you for listening.

You can continue the conversation with us in the Far 2 Fabulous Facebook group. Come and connect with other women on a journey to empowered health.

For more information about Julie Clark Nutrition, click HERE
For more information about Catherine Chapman, click HERE

We look forward to you joining us on the next episode.