Time to talk about Protein and Estrogen!

Make protein your BFF.

I cannot stop emphasising how protein is THE most important part of your diet.
Protein, being a building block of your body, not just helps with muscle health but also with hormonal health.

No matter the age, protein is essential for menstrual health. How? Let me break it down for you.

Estrogen, a major female hormone, contributes to cognitive development, bone health, proper functioning of the cardiovascular system, and other essential bodily processes.

However, when it comes to menopause and peri-menopause, estrogen decline can affect a woman's health, emotional well-being, and even her ability to perform daily chores.

In order to help balance out estrogen levels it is often suggested that a woman should make some dietary changes as she ages.
If you are having a hard time dealing with menopause and peri-menopause, you may consider regulating your estrogen levels through diet and protein intake.

Protein helps in internal communication between hormones and various body parts.

Your food choices can make or break your hormones.

Here are 5 points on why you should incorporate a protein-rich diet into your lifestyle.

1. Hormonal health- Protein plays a major role in making, regulating, and maintaining hormonal balance. Develop a habit of having a protein-rich breakfast by including eggs, peanut butter, greek yogurt, avocado, mushrooms, etc.

2. Blood sugar balance - A high-protein diet helps reduce and regulate glucose levels.

3. Snooze food cravings- Hormonal imbalance can lead to mood swings and cravings, but with a high protein meal, you will find yourself full throughout the day and especially during the “snacking hours”.

4. Your shield against ageing- As a human body ages, its tendency to absorb protein decreases significantly. Thus it's important to consume a balanced diet with an adequate amount of protein. Protein deficiency can lead to loss of muscles, weakness, dullness of skin, and various signs of ageing.

5. Metabolism and sleep cycle- Your gut health affects your mental health, which in turn affects your physical and emotional health. Consuming plenty of protein can help develop muscles, which are essential for a faster metabolism.

When it comes to women’s health, it is always recommended to have a nutrition-rich diet regardless of age.

Healthy doesn’t look the same on everybody!

What do I mean by that, exactly? Well, you’ve probably noticed that the fitness industry as well as social media in general tends to confuse leanness with health.

And while sure, some people are certainly able to maintain a super lean physique as their natural body composition... for most of us that just isn’t a realistic goal. Here’s the truth: If having super defined abs isn’t your natural state of being, you are going to have to make *major* sacrifices and commit to substantial lifestyle changes to achieve and maintain that look.

From there it’s up to you to decide if those sacrifices and lifestyle changes are worth it. Do they result in a significant improvement to your life?

For most of us... the answer is no. The ideal situation is to find a comfortable place for *your* body, where you can push yourself and get stronger or improve your body composition while still having the flexibility to enjoy social events, dinners out, days off from the gym, etc. and are able to maintain this without having to obsess over it all the time, because that is not fun... or healthy.

We are all a little different and you are in no way a failure if being super lean is not a natural state for you. Set realistic goals. Find your sweet spot. Eat to fuel. Exercise to move, feel, and sleep better.

And don’t use others to measure your own progress. That’s a competition between you and you. The programs I provide as a fitness & wellness coach are all about sticking to the basics- or in many cases simply learning the basics.

My job is to keep it SIMPLE and relatively EASY for my clients to adopt a healthier lifestyle that is SUSTAINABLE. I use that word All. The. Time. Because if what you’re doing isn’t sustainable for the long term, what’s the point?

Do you find it hard to manage your stress levels?

Stress relief and healthy ways to manage stress is a huge topic in my programme and one that’s very important to cover when you are working towards any health or fitness goals.

Stress can negatively affect your workouts (exercise itself is a stressor, too!) as well as in almost every other aspect of your life.High stress levels can also wreak havoc on your nutrition – knocking you off your healthy eating habits and into a cycle of stress eating, guilt over the stress eating, and then stress eating some more.

Some ways you can increase your *ability to deal with stress* are:Getting more/better quality sleep Being flexible with your expectations of yourself

Asking for help when you need it.

Then, make sure to incorporate some things that help ease your stress. Things like taking a walk, listening to music, writing in a journal, calling a friend, meditating or watch the sun go down.Is stress something you struggle with?

While managing stress can be difficult, it doesn’t mean you need to do it alone!My programmes are all about addressing your health and fitness from a holistic perspective.

We work together to find your motivation and take control of your health and happiness.The time is now to make this health and fitness thing work for the long haul. Are you ready?

Don’t let the scale define you!

Are you sick of stepping on the scale and don’t see any shift in your weight?

Let me tell you first that you got to stop defining your WORTH and SUCCESS by the number you see on the scale! Definition of the scale; a numerical reflection of your relationship with gravity 🤷🏻‍♀️ Some examples of why the scale fluctuates;

👟 Eating Salty foods
👟 You’re on your menstrual cycle
👟 After intensive exercise
👟 Dehydration
👟 Your food hasn’t digested yet
👟 Alcohol
👟 Water Retention

A scale doesn’t know the difference between a 75kg woman who’s lean, fit & toned and a 75kg woman who eats fast food all day.

Your body will know the difference though, your measurements (tape) will show it, how your clothes fit and how your body looks. The kilo’s on the scale is not showing how fit you’re or how much muscle you have.

So why not focus on what you want to achieve rather than what the scale is telling you?

If weighing yourself motivates you in a positive way, there’s no reason to stop but I know for many women the number on the scale makes you feel miserable. Then it’s time to ditch the scale and focus on healthy eating, getting stronger and become more fit than you were before.

My mission as a health/fitness coach

I do a lot of talking here on my social media pages about you- my clients. But I’ve been meaning to let you in on the inner workings of me, as your coach. “My mission” as your coach is all about getting you to feel better ABOUT your body and IN your body.

That means waking up every day feeling good- because you’re fuelling your body properly, because you’re incorporating daily movement, because you’re managing your stress levels and prioritising your sleep hygiene– because you’re making CHANGES.

BUT - it also means feeling better about the body you are in right NOW, which involves a lot of mindset work as well.

I don’t want you to feel better *because* you lost fat, or inches or a pant size.

I want you to feel better in your body because you are caring for it. Because you are enjoying challenging it. Because you are getting to know how it works and what it needs.

I am successful as your coach when you feel physically stronger. When you sleep better. When you speak nicely to yourself. When you feel confident in your body. But at the end of the day, it is *your* body and my biggest, most important job is to remind you of all the good that already exists.

Just imagine where you can be 12 weeks from now…. You’re already on the way.

How do you change your habits?

When trying to get in shape and take control of your health, it’s not uncommon to feel frustrated or overwhelmed.

You *want* to look, move, and feel better - but you’re unsure about how to make it all work.

The result? Health and fitness goals get pushed aside.

But we can change that!

No matter your starting point.

No matter how you currently feel.

No matter how much is on your plate.

Change is POSSIBLE.

All it takes are simple, strategic habits.

Habit-building is one of the biggest elements in my coaching. Habits are where we put in “the work.”

Motivation comes and goes. But habits are what give you the *momentum* to keep moving forward.

They are small, action-based steps, taken slowly and one at a time, that build your momentum and over time become routine.

As you incorporate those habits into your routine, you start to see results! And results- they get you motivated all over again!

The habits themselves are going to look different for different people depending upon their goals, their starting point, their strengths, and weaknesses, etc.

The habits might be nutrition-based, movement-based, mindset-based, and more.

Fitness doesn’t need to take over your life.

Nutrition doesn’t need to occupy your every waking thought.

Rest and Recovery don’t need to be more things on your to-do list.

I want to help you get started.

IF you are looking for a structured, customised, and progressive fitness program that is all about you - this might be the right fit for you.

MY goals as your coach are these:

For movement to make you feel GOOD.

For your food to FUEL you.

For you to feel happy, capable, and strong in your life and in your body.

Importance of Hiring a Coach who Personalises!

Think about this for a second, you see your favorite beautiful “fit-influencer” doing her HIIT workouts 7 days a week, drinking loads of smoothies, layering on the nut butters, and sprinkling in some treats. She has the perfect body, never seems to gain weight or bloat, is always motivated to train, is never seen having a bad day. Basically, she is living the life.

And deep down, you know it's the highlight reel you know it but it just looks so legit that…

You try to copy it anyway. You follow her “What I eat in a Day” video to the T. You work out the way she works out. And you try to force yourself to be happy and enjoy the process.

But the results you were after? The weight loss, the muscle tone and definition, the happiness... they don't come.

Why? Because you aren't her. You never will be. 

She doesn't have YOUR life. Your job. Your stress. Your relationships. Your health history. Your metabolic profile. Nothing is the same.

So what she does to see results (or at least what she posts about) is not what you need to do to see results.

And honestly that’s the beauty of it! You are a unique, complex, beautiful woman who deserves to go on her OWN journey, not follow someone else's.

This is WHY I created the FemmeFit programme. And it is why I take such an individual approach with my clients. Because they are all different in every way.

It’s time to stop wasting your money on meal plans, workout guides and supplements that will not apply to you as an individual.

Start taking the time to get curious about your body and your life. Together we can work to figure out the foods that make you feel good, versus the ones that make you feel sluggish; to find the exercises that make you feel strong and energised, the workouts that help your body to move better throughout your daily life and ditch the ones that simply do not help you to reach your goals.

Therefore it is imperative to hire a coach that builds you a personalised program, a coach that doesn’t fire off a random list of exercises or some cookie-cutter meal plan.

Therefore I do what I do. To not only tell my clients what will work for them, but WHY. So that they become empowered in every area of their life.

This journey is about so much more than just exercise and nutrition. It's about aligning with yourself and your goals and the more you do the inner work: the less you have, to TRY to be healthy and fit, and the more it becomes your LIFESTYLE.

Listen...My program is not for everyone.

It is for the women that are truly ready to make this thing happen.

Ready to ditch the diet culture voice inside their head that they must be cardio-ing themselves to death (and boredom), must be on a diet, must always be trying to "lose 3 kg!", or otherwise restricting themselves in some way.

It is for the women ready to release the doubt (or the guilt) and make this journey a lifestyle - because they know they deserve it. ⠀⠀

If you…

- Are ready to commit to your health and fitness goals with daily movement, nutrition, rest, recovery, and reflection

- Want to jumpstart (or re-start) the most important habits to look and feel your best

- Are sick of endless diets, quick fixes, impersonal workout guides, and cookie-cutter meal plans 

- Want a program you can stick to, even when life gets in the way

- Are ready to create lasting lifestyle changes that set you up for success

Then it's time to get on board!

I can't wait to have you join us.

Get your greens in a smoothie or salad?

Do you prefer to “get your greens” in a Smoothie or in a Salad?

I’m a salad girl personally- I love the crunchy satisfaction of a hearty salad. For me, any time I add fruit to my salad it makes me look forward to lunchtime! This chicken-berry salad is one of my go-to because it comes together so quickly and is super tasty. You can make it even faster by pre-cooking the chicken or opting for a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store.

🥗 Chicken-Berry Salad

🔹 3 cups salad greens

🔹 ½ cup grape tomatoes

🔹 ½ cup chopped salad veggies, your choice: peppers, carrots, cucumber, zucchini, onions, etc.

🔹 1.5 tbsp olive oil

🔹 1.5 tbsp apple cider vinegar

🔹 Salt and pepper to taste

🔹 3 oz grilled or roasted chicken, chopped

🔹 ¼ to ½ avocado, sliced

🔹 1 cup berries: sliced strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, pomegranate seeds, whatever you like

🔹 2 tbsp pumpkin or sunflower seeds

🔹 optional: 2 tbsp crumbled goat cheese

Wash salad greens and place in a big salad bowl. Add in the grape tomatoes, salad veggies and chicken. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil and vinegar and add in the salt and pepper to taste. Whisk again as you pour over the salad greens. Toss together to mix. Add the chicken, avocado, berries, pumpkin/sunflower seeds, and optional goat cheese and toss again. Serve and enjoy!