Episode 78

Have you ever wondered why you seem more prone to injuries as you navigate perimenopause or menopause? That twinge in your knee, the persistent ache in your shoulder, or the way your body feels stiffer during certain weeks might all be connected to your changing hormones.

As a 54-year-old competitive gymnast, I've had to rethink my entire approach to training after experiencing injuries that seemed to come out of nowhere. The truth is, they weren't random at all – they were perfectly predictable based on my hormonal fluctuations. When estrogen rises during the first half of your menstrual cycle, it boosts collagen production, giving your tendons and ligaments more elasticity and resilience. Think of them like fresh, stretchy elastic bands that can extend and snap back easily. But after ovulation, when hormones begin to drop, those same tissues become more vulnerable – like old elastic bands sitting in a drawer that snap when stretched too far.

This episode unpacks exactly how to work with these changes rather than against them. You'll learn how to time high-intensity workouts for when your body has natural hormonal protection, how to recognize your personal warning signs of increased injury risk, and specific nutrition and supplement strategies that can support your joints when your hormones no longer do. I'll share practical tips for adapting your warm-up routine, why strength training becomes even more crucial during this life stage, and recovery practices that help keep your body resilient.

Whether you're still experiencing regular cycles, navigating the unpredictable patterns of perimenopause, or adjusting to the consistently lower hormone levels of menopause, you can create a training approach that honors your body's current needs. This isn't about slowing down or giving up the activities you love – it's about getting wiser about how you pursue them. Join me to discover how tracking your symptoms, listening to your body's signals, and making strategic adjustments can help you stay active and injury-free for decades to come. Have you noticed changes in how your body responds to exercise? Share your experience in our Far Too Fabulous Facebook group!

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 77

Could Listening to Your Body Be the Ultimate Midlife Hack?

Have you ever felt like your body is trying to tell you something important, but you can't quite understand the message? You're not alone.

After 40, our bodies begin communicating in new and sometimes confusing ways. What's fascinating is that we've been culturally conditioned to ignore these signals – dismissing our intuition as "woo" or "too alternative" when it's actually millions of pieces of information being processed by our subconscious every second.

In this eye-opening episode, we explore the fascinating disconnect between our growing confidence as we age and the physical changes that often leave us feeling betrayed by our bodies. That unexpected weight gain? Those strange energy fluctuations? The occasional brain fog? These aren't random malfunctions – they're sophisticated communications from a body that's navigating significant hormonal shifts.

We dive deep into why strength training becomes non-negotiable after 40 (and why it makes you feel like a "badass"), how stress undermines even your best health efforts, and why supporting your gut and liver function becomes increasingly crucial during perimenopause. Plus, we share practical strategies for reconnecting with your body's wisdom without feeling overwhelmed.

Perhaps most importantly, we challenge the cultural narrative that aging means decline. The truth? Your body isn't broken – it's adapting. And when you learn to listen to what it's telling you, you unlock a level of wellbeing that no Google search or quick-fix solution can provide.

Whether you're approaching 40, firmly in your middle years, or supporting someone who is, this conversation offers a refreshing perspective on working with your body rather than fighting against it. Ready to trust yourself again? This episode is your invitation to reconnect with your most reliable health advisor – your own intuition.

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 76

Ever wonder why you're stuck in your weight loss journey despite seemingly doing everything right? The answer may lie deeper than your diet and exercise routine.

In this eye-opening episode, Julie and Catherine explore the powerful connection between mindset and weight management, particularly for women over 40. When hormonal changes make traditional weight loss methods less effective, addressing psychological barriers becomes essential for progress.

We dive into why the term "weight loss" itself works against us. Your brilliant subconscious, which runs 96-98% of your bodily functions, actively resists losing things it believes you need. This creates an internal conflict that no amount of willpower can overcome. For many women, extra weight serves as protection from past trauma or negative experiences – a fascinating "second gain" your body provides despite consciously wanting to be slimmer.

Your self-talk matters tremendously. Since your subconscious doesn't recognize negatives, saying "I can't lose weight" only registers as "weight" in your mind. We share practical techniques to identify and release emotional blocks without reliving painful experiences, including powerful questions that reveal surprising insights about what's really holding you back.

Most importantly, we remind you that you're so much more than numbers on a scale or clothing tags. You're the sum of your experiences, relationships, and contributions – a perspective that transforms your relationship with your body and creates space for genuine, lasting change.

Ready to understand why your body might be protecting rather than betraying you? This conversation will shift your approach to weight management by working with your subconscious rather than fighting against it.

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 75

What would you give up to be thin? A shocking survey reveals some people would sacrifice ten years of their life, accept blindness, or choose infertility over being overweight. This startling reality forms the backdrop of our deeply personal conversation about weight loss injections and society's toxic relationship with body image.

As health care professionals, we initially approached weight loss medications with skepticism, focusing on their concerning side effects. However, we've come to recognize something more troubling – the emotional desperation driving people to these solutions despite the risks. When feelings about weight override logical health concerns, we must ask ourselves what's really happening beneath the surface.

We share our own struggles too. Despite being fitter than ever (I just ran a marathon!), we're both carrying more weight due to perimenopause. Standing on different scales gives wildly different readings – on one set my metabolic age is 38, on another it's 55! Yet we're the same person, doing all the right things, battling the emotional baggage attached to arbitrary numbers.

Remember the client who transformed her body, dropped clothing sizes, and felt fantastic – without losing a single pound on the scale? This perfectly illustrates how our relationship with gravity doesn't reflect positive changes in body composition. What truly matters isn't weight but how we feel, move, and live in our bodies.

Most poignantly, we discuss looking back at photos from our youth, realizing we were much slimmer than we perceived at the time. Now our daughters are beginning this same cycle of negative self-perception far too young. How do we break this pattern?

Join our Facebook community to continue this important conversation about redefining our relationship with our bodies beyond the number on the scale.

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 74

Women Heal Women: Reclaiming Our Ancient Wisdom with Mandy Rees

What happens when a high-achieving corporate lawyer reaches breaking point and realises her true path lies in healing the very wounds she sustained in a male-dominated profession? Mandy Rees takes us on her remarkable journey from burnout to breakthrough.

After years of proving herself in the legal world, Mandy faced a crisis when postnatal depression hit following the birth of her first daughter. "I didn't tell anyone because lawyers don't get postnatal depression," she reveals. Returning to work when her baby was just three months old, she maintained the façade of the competent professional while crumbling inside – an experience countless women will recognise.

The story shifts dramatically when Mandy finally steps away from her legal career and begins to reconnect with her authentic self. Through running yoga classes for new mothers, she discovers something profound: women desperately need spaces to share their experiences without judgment. "I watched women support women in a way I'd never experienced before, and it was that that healed me," she shares.

This realisation forms the foundation of Mother for Life, Mandy's business dedicated to creating supportive circles for mothers. Her refreshingly simple yet deeply impactful approach provides spaces where women can talk, share, and realise they aren't alone. As she eloquently puts it, "Humans are not meant to human alone; we're meant to human together."

Perhaps most compelling is Mandy's perspective on reclaiming ancient feminine wisdom. "The world needs the wise women," she asserts, "and we have to own that space." By challenging the societal undervaluing of motherhood and reconnecting with our intuition, women can heal not just themselves but also our planet.

Ready to join a supportive circle of women or perhaps create one yourself? Connect with Mandy at motherforlife.co.uk and discover how women truly do heal women.

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.

The Seven Layers of Protection: How Cancer Taught Me the Power of Saying No

Episode 73

What happens when your life suddenly transforms, forcing you to reassess who and what truly deserves your time and energy? For Sarah Sangster, a cancer diagnosis became the catalyst for a profound boundary reset that would eventually help countless others reclaim their lives.

Sarah joins us to share the deeply personal journey that led to her creating 'The Seven Layers of Boundaries' – a practical framework that transforms abstract boundary concepts into tangible, strategic actions. Drawing from both energetic principles and logical implementation, Sarah's approach gives people-pleasers and empaths a powerful system for protecting what matters most without the guilt that typically accompanies saying "no."

At the heart of Sarah's message is a revolutionary perspective: your boundaries aren't just about keeping others out – they're about creating space for you to live authentically. She explains how recognising the seven distinct layers of boundaries allows you to make intentional decisions about who gets access to different aspects of your life. This isn't about building walls; it's about establishing healthier relationships where everyone understands where they stand.

The conversation takes a particularly moving turn when Sarah shares how parenthood heightened her awareness of boundary violations. "You'll never get the time back with your children," she reminds us, revealing a profound story about choosing work over family time that ultimately transformed her approach to boundaries forever. For parents especially, this discussion offers invaluable insights into modelling healthy boundaries for children while protecting precious family moments.

Sarah also opens up about her "superpower" – dyslexic thinking – which enables her to break complex problems into manageable components and rebuild strategic solutions. This unique perspective informs her boundary framework, making it accessible and applicable across various life situations. Her closing thought captures the essence of boundary work perfectly: "You are not here to carry what does not belong to you." Listen in and discover how to create a life with greater peace, purpose, and authenticity by finally establishing boundaries that honour your worth.

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.

Sorry Not Sorry: Breaking Free From People Pleasing

Episode 72

Have you ever agreed to something you didn't want to do, simply to avoid disappointing someone else? That uncomfortable feeling in your gut might be trying to tell you something important.

In this revealing conversation with wellness expert Melanie Flower, we unpack the deeply ingrained habit of people pleasing that so many of us struggle with, particularly in British culture where politeness often trumps authenticity. As women, we're conditioned from childhood to be accommodating, pleasant, and constantly available – a cultural expectation that can lead to serious consequences for our wellbeing.

Melanie shares powerful insights on recognizing the subtle signs of people pleasing in our daily lives: the dread when certain names appear on our phones, the elaborate excuses we craft rather than simply saying no, and the physical symptoms that emerge when we consistently override our own needs. "If you don't listen to your body whisper, you'll hear it when it screams," she explains, highlighting how ignoring these signals eventually leads to burnout, illness, and resentment.

The episode offers practical, transformative language tools to help reclaim your boundaries without feeling rude or defensive. Learn why saying "I won't" instead of "I can't" closes the door to manipulation, how phrases like "If I were you, I'd feel exactly the same" can validate others while maintaining your position, and why sometimes "no" truly is a complete sentence. We explore the profound difference these small linguistic shifts can make, alongside practical boundaries like separate work phones and defined working hours.

Whether you're a lifelong people pleaser or simply looking to strengthen your boundary-setting muscles, this conversation offers compassionate strategies to honor your needs while maintaining relationships. Your relationship with yourself is the foundation for every other connection in your life – isn't it time to make it a priority?

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 71

The rise of weight loss injections has reached epidemic proportions, with people who aren't even clinically overweight seeking these "miracle solutions" for quick fat loss. What started as medications for type 2 diabetes has morphed into a mainstream approach to weight management—but at what cost?

Julie and Catherine dive deep into the concerning world of anti-obesity medications, exploring how these drugs actually work and the potentially dangerous side effects that aren't being openly discussed. They reveal how these medications essentially put users into "an anorexic state" by suppressing appetite and slowing digestion, potentially leading to malnutrition, muscle wastage, and serious inflammatory conditions like acute pancreatitis.

The conversation tackles the fundamental problem with this pharmaceutical approach: it completely fails to address the root causes of weight gain. Whether psychological factors, emotional eating, or our broken food environment, these issues remain untouched while the body experiences significant hormonal manipulation. Much like Weight Watchers (which recently went bust in America), these solutions offer temporary results without sustainable change.

For those currently taking these medications, the hosts offer practical advice on maximizing nutrition with limited appetite, the importance of protein supplementation, and why strength training becomes even more crucial. They emphasize that while these tools can be appropriate for certain individuals with clinical needs, the casual approach to prescribing them to anyone seeking weight loss is deeply troubling.

This thought-provoking episode challenges listeners to consider what true health looks like beyond numbers on a scale. Are we trading our vitality, strength, and long-term wellbeing for a quick fix? Join the conversation in the Far Too Fabulous Facebook group and share your experiences with these medications.

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.