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#117: Siobhan O’ Hagan: How to actually balance fitness, wellness, and real life
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Today I’m joined by Siobhan O’Hagan – Irish fitness coach, yoga teacher, and powerhouse in online wellness. From a corporate career in financial and actuarial mathematics to a freedom-focused life in Bali, Siobhan shares the key moments that led her to a path of holistic health, strength training, and authentic living.
We chat about her transformation – from restrictive dieting and bodybuilding to a balanced approach that includes Jiu Jitsu, CrossFit, yoga, and mindfulness. Siobhan also opens up about becoming a single mum, launching The Self-Improvement Project, and helping women reconnect with their bodies in sustainable, empowering ways.
If you’re curious about redefining what health looks like - mentally, physically, and spiritually - this one’s for you.
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:
[0:00] - Welcome and a warm intro to today’s guest, Siobhan O’Hagan
[2:13] - Siobhan’s surprising shift from corporate life to online fitness coaching
[4:39] - How online coaching changed the game and gave her freedom
[7:22] - The highs and lows of content creation and social media pressures
[13:00] - Her experience with bodybuilding and the lessons it taught her body and mind
[18:30] - Why balanced health and long-term wellness matter more than aesthetics
[23:02] - A look inside her coaching style and what it’s like to work with Siobhan
[34:08] - Moving from extreme training to a more intuitive fitness approach
[37:22] - Why resistance training is vital for women’s longevity and confidence
[39:32] - Building a sustainable workout routine that actually fits your life
[47:10] - Incorporating yoga and meditation for mental clarity and calm
[1:00:01] - Navigating fitness during pregnancy and postpartum recovery
[1:01:25] - What true, holistic health looks like - and how to get there
[1:02:54] - Final thoughts and a heartfelt call to action
Links & Resources:
- Connect with Siobhan on Instagram here
- Visit The Self Improvement Project Website here
- Support Siobhan and explore Down Dog by using her affiliate link here
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with friends who might benefit. For more health and fitness tips, follow me on Instagram and TikTok @katehamiltonhealth.
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Transcript
Introduction and Guest Overview
00:00:09
Speaker
Hello everyone and welcome back to another episode of the Kate Hamilton Health Podcast. In today's episode, I chat with Siobhan O'Hagan. Siobhan is an Irish fitness coach, yoga teacher and social media influencer known for her dedication to health, fitness and balanced
Career Transition and Motherhood
00:00:24
Speaker
living. She holds a degree in financial and actuarial mathematics, if I said that properly, from DCU and initially worked in the corporate sector before transitioning to a career in fitness.
00:00:34
Speaker
While living in Bali, a pivotal moment watching an Instagram Reel led Siobhan to reassess her values and priorities. She realised she wanted to move closer to home and embrace motherhood.
00:00:45
Speaker
Siobhan is now proud single mother to daughter Kyla and continues to inspire her audience with her honest and empowering approach to life.
Holistic Health and Personal Growth Initiatives
00:00:55
Speaker
Siobhan launched her new business, The Self-Improvement Project, which focuses on holistic health, fitness and personal growth.
00:01:02
Speaker
Her ethos is rooted in helping women overcome past issues with food and promoting balance rather than restrictive diets. She believes in creating a sustainable and enjoyable approach to health and wellness, empowering women to lead healthier, happier lives.
00:01:16
Speaker
In addition to her coaching services, Siobhan also hosts her own podcast, Life Lessons with Siobhan O'Hagan, where she shares insights and interviews experts on topics related to health, wellness and personal development.
00:01:27
Speaker
Siobhan also uses her social media platforms, particularly Instagram, to share her journey as a mom, fitness enthusiast and advocate for self-improvement. So we have the most amazing conversation.
00:01:37
Speaker
We chat about everything from the fitness industry to restrictive dieting, to strength training, to running, to motherhood, to having a lifestyle based on balance.
00:01:50
Speaker
I think you are going to find this conversation so helpful and I hope you enjoy it just as much as I did.
Siobhan's Personal and Professional Journey
00:02:00
Speaker
Siobhan, welcome to the podcast. Thanks for having me. It's a long time coming. Yeah, we got there eventually. ah busy mothers this way. I know. We are literally the stereotype, which we will get into. Okay. Before we get into what we're going to chat about today, for anyone who doesn't know who you are, would you like to introduce yourself and what your background is about your story? I really should have this nailed down by now because, you know, any podcast I do do, people ask me what I, and I don't really know what I am. I think it's probably me a little simpler now. Like I am an online coach for the last almost a decade and I do content creation and I'm a mother.
00:02:34
Speaker
And I did this whole like travel the world and thinking, I don't know what I was thinking. I mean, I know what I was thinking, but I kind of had a different ethos than I do now. And I've just always kind of been sharing that journey online.
00:02:46
Speaker
So I'm just, I don't know what I am. I'm basically a PT. Yeah. Yeah, I love that. I find that as a really hard to articulate exactly what I am. And because I think I'm growing so much and changing so much, like it's it's quite hard. But I've actually followed you for a very long time.
00:03:01
Speaker
And a friend of mine followed you back in the day. Like, so you're like the proper OGs before every second person, an online coach, you know. So I have actually kind of seen your change, like your life changes over the years. Like, but like you have a background in, am I right in saying actuary?
00:03:17
Speaker
Yeah, I don't know how long I can still talk about that because I feel like it has to expire at some stage that I did i had did a degree in financial and actuarial maths with the idea of being an actuary.
00:03:28
Speaker
But I then realised that I probably wasn't smart enough. i Or I just didn't study hard enough. for d Like I had a great time in just went on the piss for... Living the college life. Yeah, yeah.
00:03:39
Speaker
And scraped through the degree and got a degree in maths. But, you know, after a year or two kind of working in financial software, ah just was a bit lost and then did a year in recruitment.
00:03:49
Speaker
And then i kind of was doing stints, working in Portugal, working in nightclubs. Like I was really like, what am I doing in my life or what? You know, like I was very much a people person, but I had the finance background. I just didn't. And then I did recruitment for a year and then I was really that's a really like a sign of real kind of, you know, self-awareness. Like I worked as a teacher for 15 years and took me 15 years to be like, I don't want to do this anymore. And now I was saying that I was supposed you know, I had kids quite young and I had a lot going on and stuff and it was kind of probably needed the financial security. But I think when I hear stories of people that are like, I'd studied really hard to do this and I got into it, I hated it and I stopped. I'm like why didn't I do that?
00:04:31
Speaker
I mean, I was lucky that, yeah, that I had no responsibilities. You know, like I had the opportunity then to go, oh I'll just completely jump off the career ladder and try something new.
Social Media Influence and Strategies
00:04:39
Speaker
Like I was living at home, i think, or had moved back home at this stage when I decided to start studying as a PT. And like even PT back then, like I was like, right, i need to get into like shredded. I felt like I didn't look like a PT. I thought that would never actually work as a career for me.
00:04:53
Speaker
I just had to try something else because I was just desperate to do something different. And I liked to go into the gym. I knew I'd always kind of tried dieting, tried to be lean. And that's why i never thought I could actually be a PT because I didn't think I'd ever get lean enough. Because, you know, that back then in 2015, I thought that's what a PT had to look like. And so then I started sharing the journey on Instagram and started showing sharing my transformation and showing that I was lifting heavy weights.
00:05:19
Speaker
And luckily at the time, it was just Instagram was kicking off. Weight training for women, feel like that was just kicking off around that time. And I was just doing that on Instagram. I was getting really lean. Everyone was like... how do I do that? And then i just started collecting email addresses and that's how the, you know, I suppose the success of it. And that's how I started having to go online as well, because I was a busy PT straight away.
00:05:41
Speaker
But then I had all these people following me in different parts of the country be like, give me a program. And I was like, right, let's figure this out. So yeah, that was, I feel like I was doing online coaching before it was a thing. Like i had to kind of figure out how this would work. And it Luckily, it's grown a lot better and, you know, it's I've iterated it over the years and we kind of have a really good system in place now. Anyway, that's long story short. Growing with the internet, though, because like, yeah, those 2015 days, it was real.
00:06:06
Speaker
Snapchat, wasn't it? And then it was like Instagram stories came out and Instagram was very much pictures. Like there was no such thing as Reels back then or TikTok. it was just... It was like faded photos of oats were like, you know, getting the most likes ever, helping me grow, you know, just a picture of anything, my lunch, because there was no stories. So used to post everything on Instagram, but like I'd probably post like a couple of times a day on my grid, like just the most random things that helped. Like now I'm like, oh my God, to get like two likes, I have to create a whole production.
00:06:36
Speaker
and like i do I feel like this owl one in the corner that's like, oh, back in my day, it was a lot easier. But now it's so much more challenging. And because I think at the time, people didn't know the potential of Instagram. And now, obviously, everyone wants to do it. Everyone wants That lifestyle. Like I didn't know what I was doing. I didn't know that I was creating that lifestyle for me. I was just like trying to make a business out of my, I just wanted to advertise my PT that I was doing in swords or malheide. And you know, now it's it's changed so much like to to be successful Instagram. I'm like, I'm looking at you pumping out the content and like instead of me actually going and doing it, I'm there like, oh God, I'm past it. I just need to...
00:07:15
Speaker
It's a lot of work in fairness, it is. thing its It is, it is. And like, I know, I know when I do do it, it's like trying to balance it all now. Like I, I keep having this idea or I keep having this, yeah, i keep saying like, oh, once I have, and and I get to Thursday, I'll spend all day Thursday, Friday, like creating content. And then, you know, you get a call from the crash or,
00:07:33
Speaker
Something comes up and it's just it's creating content is like the last thing for my business. It's like kind of I forget, of but you know, it's it's the first thing to stop. Like it's not the proactive stuff. I'm like, I need to look after my clients. I need to ah do whatever I need to do, create the programming. So the content is always kind of the hardest part for me now.
00:07:52
Speaker
Well, people who are consuming content don't realise the amount of work that goes into it. And it is really hard because you're trying to organise your thoughts. So like I try and kind of like plan out kind of what I want to say to people that week.
00:08:04
Speaker
Like I do a little bit every morning before, like I get up, have my my little coffee before anyone can talk to me because like in my house, the chaos once the kids are up, it's yeah. I've lost it, lost any type of creativity. And then it's to try like what I find with the internet, but obviously because it's so oversaturated now and there's a lot of misinformation, there's a lot of click bait, there's a lot of, you know, hooks, lot of hooks that you're trying to get good information to people by putting something that's going to catch their attention in place, but by sticking to your values,
00:08:35
Speaker
It's so difficult. It's so difficult. It's so, so difficult. mean, like even when I saw your page, I was like, oh, no. I was like, oh, no, someone in the supermarket. And then I actually started listening, though. But yeah obviously, just because I was thinking all the people others I've seen in the supermarket were giving out.
00:08:50
Speaker
like, you know, scaring people where you're actually were showing that it's actually not a good idea to be at super analyzing your spices. And I was like, oh yeah, you're you've got a balanced approach. But I mean, that's the kind of thing. I literally am asking ChatGPT, I remember ages ago asking ChatGPT, like, why is everyone recording videos in supermarket? And they were like, because they replied, like, because it's bright, catches your eye, it's
Content Creation Challenges and Approaches
00:09:11
Speaker
familiarity.
00:09:12
Speaker
I was like, oh, God, yeah. So there is a re like, i need to kind of get on these trends myself. But I just can't bring myself the amount of times I've brought myself to the supermarket and tried to even like take my phone out and record myself. i'm like, no, no, no, no. And I have my one of my coaches, Lindsay, she comes with me and we we do a film a day once ah week. And I used for a long time, I used to dread it. The two of us would go into the supermarket and we'd be, you know, head down at the phones.
00:09:36
Speaker
And now it's like, now we just have a laugh. It's like our get together every week. And I do a lot more from home now because I kind of wanted to pull back a bit from the supermarkets as well. Because although I do try and help people in the supermarkets, supermarket so formark videos do get you an awful lot of online abuse. And online abuse is something that is it like like, shouldn't be, but is part and parcel of like, you know,
00:09:56
Speaker
ah following as I'm sure you're well aware as well like that it's pretty horrific so like my kind of whole way of like dealing with comments and stuff is I actually just don't read them so and like anyone who follows me knows this because I've talked about in my stories I'm like I don't read my comments yeah I saw them or negative I'm literally like if someone messages me I will make like I'll go out of my way to try and get back to everyone but like I won't not in the comments I'm like I can't I just I have to protect my energy like Yeah. And like, that's the thing you're, you're, I think I'm not doing anything as controversial anymore. Like that's the thing, like it and like, I think I'm just saving myself from that drama. You know, like, I feel like if I create anything, you have to put so much nuance in it to actually not offend anyone or to not confuse anyone or to not...
00:10:40
Speaker
Which then makes a whole message. And if you don't offend anyone, it's not going to get pushed on social media either. Yeah, exactly. Like by the time I try and explain my point without any drama or adding in all this context, it's long and boring and not going to be seen but it's seen by anyone. So I kind of find myself, yeah, then I just, I'm like, just leave us It's easier to just post. i and Obviously not a great business move. Or like, so they don't post on my grid as much because of that. I'll be like, okay, you're just waiting for someone.
00:11:08
Speaker
mean, have enough people waiting for you to slip up or to not put enough context in and then they pull you on that. And then you're well, I could have said that, but it would have taken me another minute in the video. and then you'd lose the point. So it is, it's a really hard thing to find. It's hard to get that balance as well between, you know, putting up content, obviously, to keep, you know, to keep your business going and help people, but also to not... To polarise people or...
00:11:33
Speaker
Yeah, like you to not to be able to actually get your message across, and watch you like trying to capture what people think they want and give them what they actually need.
00:11:44
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. And actually the last video I did, which is probably like about two weeks ago now at this stage, You know, I just i just started it bit like that. I was like, it's the people who are think they need the six week shreds that are that actually need to be with me. And so that's why the messaging can be difficult. Like they might think that they're not going to get any fat loss if they join the self-improvement project.
00:12:00
Speaker
But it's not. It's like you're going to get fat loss and you're going it's going to be sustainable and you're going to improve your health alongside it but it's the people who if you kind of keep the messaging around like that balance and that like long-term goals the people who need that are the ones that are actually going to six-week shreds or you know that are looking for the dramatic transformations so yeah that's always been a battle it's like how do we market to the people that need it the most And like that video, as I say, and I just did, I started it with, you want to lose four dress sizes by the summer?
00:12:31
Speaker
and And then obviously then I go, well, stop setting unrealistic goals. And yes, which like that but like the hook has to be something completely against what I'd actually agree with. Like, that's why it's so oh difficult to...
00:12:44
Speaker
That's what I use the supermarket for. I'm like, I don't even need to say anything. I'm just in the supermarket. It's a hook in itself. People will even watch it because they want to give me abuse for being in the supermarket. It's tough going. It is tough going. And the thing is, like the people who who need it probably won't be. The people listening to this podcast know
Bodybuilding, Dieting, and Health Realizations
00:12:58
Speaker
all this stuff. You know, they know they know that the balanced approach. They know the step-by-step patience.
00:13:04
Speaker
But speaking of restrictive dieting, if we talk about this early fitness coach stages and you were kind of getting into this image yeah did you did did Am I right in thinking that you did, did you do a bodybuilding show at one stage as well? Yeah, yeah. And funny, the people, the trolls, like she never shuts up about it. But like it was always it's such a pivotal part of your learning process.
00:13:24
Speaker
ah So yeah, like I had battled at my body image, ah probably I didn't really like looking back now. i'm like, oh, yeah, well, no, I just I remember dieting a lot, like you teens a bit and then doing Weight Watchers and blah, blah.
00:13:37
Speaker
So then when I became a PT and finally just learned about a calorie deficit and lifting weights and I just started getting into what I thought was like, I was like, I never thought I could achieve it. Like even things like definition in my stomach, you know, like all this stuff growing up where I never thought possible.
00:13:51
Speaker
So I actually was really happy with my body. I was happy with my business. Like I was working as a PT and happy my body, but I was working in a gym ah surrounded by people who were doing bodybuilding and like people coaching people.
00:14:02
Speaker
women into bodybuilding and to be honest it kind of put me off as watching it or like seeing the way they were doing it because you know starvation diets like fish and rice and you know fish and rice cakes but then I was like ah I just needed a new challenge like I just needed something to kind of to then like my why like I was kind of happy with my body I was like well why am I training you know like you need something to focus on There was no goal then? Yeah, there was no like performance goals. Again, because Instagram was only kicking off, I felt like everyone that I was following in the FitFam was doing bodybuilding. you
00:14:36
Speaker
CrossFit, like I didn't even know what CrossFit was it was. I don't think so anyway, back then, 2015. Or like any kind of performance. like I was always strong, but I never thought about... I'd considered powerlifting, but I was now i was only good deadlifting, so that was waste time.
00:14:48
Speaker
Anyway, so long story short, I decided to do body bodybuilding with a coach who I thought could help me do it as healthy as possible. And I enjoyed the process. Like it was very challenging.
00:14:59
Speaker
But, you know, it's like anything, you know, like when you're doing something challenging, even like going out for that run I just went on there, you know, I was like, this is character building. But really, if did I need to do that? like I don't know. Sometimes we just choose misery to like, just to boast about it.
00:15:13
Speaker
But that's the way I felt. I feel like with the bodybuilding, it's like, i I don't know what you really get out of it. Like I did relatively well. I came second in like the tall category for my first show. Like I didn't even have to diet that hard. Like I was dieting and I...
00:15:25
Speaker
think I was on 2000 calories on peak week, which is relatively high compared to other people I'd spoken to. How tall are you for context, Siobhan? I'm like 5'9". I was like, I'm going to, I'm like 74 kilos, but like I got down to 62, which I'm like 5'9". Yeah. So that's very, what very, very lean. Like I looked, I looked unwell. But yeah. And then afterwards, and like again, i got the trophy and was like, yay.
00:15:51
Speaker
And then I really, really suffered with binge eating. and like And I always say I don't use that term lightly because after learning about all the symptoms and what you would, like I was never officially diagnosed, but just from learning about what I was doing, was like, yeah, that was dark. like i But again, I put it down to just not having enough discipline, not having a goal, then trying to be too strict to myself, you know, like yeah eating loads on ah you know whatever every day and and then staying um saying that I was going to start again the next day and started bringing in all these really unhealthy habits It's a shame because before that I had a really kind of good balance of Counting My Calories. i just wasn't, as it just became like hyper fixated on obviously what I looked like and I was getting a lot of praise online.
00:16:31
Speaker
I grew so many followers because everyone saw the transformation and obviously everyone thought that was amazing. then i couldn't even do transformations anymore because my body was going the other way.
00:16:42
Speaker
And even though I was fighting it, and then even with training, i I honestly just felt like I was pissing in the wind. I was going, like eating loads and then going in doing bodybuilding training, like doing hypertrophy training and just, again, not having a ah ah proper focus.
00:16:55
Speaker
And I was like, what am I doing? anyway but Eventually went, i thought I thought the solution would be to do another show. So that was the plan. i was like, oh, just if I get on stage again, then I'll be disciplined because I just couldn't figure out why i was binging. Like I was, I had no control.
00:17:11
Speaker
Or then I'd be really, really strict and then lose control. And it was only going to Thailand and just trying, trying CrossFit and trying something that I wasn't good at and then getting really competitive with that and being like, right, okay,
00:17:25
Speaker
I don't care about what I look like. I just want to like eat to fuel this training, to perform well. And meeting loads of new people who'd never seen me before that you know, they thought I looked great. I was like, oh, home should have seen seen me three months ago. Even though like first, like internally I felt really fat that whole summer when I was shredded. Like I was tiny. You know, between 62 and 70 kilos probably all summer, which, you know, even now I feel it's it's mad because I feel so much better in myself now at whatever, 74 kilos of that.
00:17:52
Speaker
And have such freedom with my food. And yeah, du I mean, I would never recommend bodybuilding. I don't even recommend photo shoot dieting. Dieting for a specific time, holiday, wedding.
00:18:05
Speaker
Dieting hard for that. Just, it can I can see, and I've seen it in clients. i see it in brides, especially. They come back for the honeymoon and they've dieted too hard for the wedding. And then they can't find that discipline. They're getting disappointed in themselves. they're I'm very, very much against dieting.
00:18:21
Speaker
restrictive diets now. I mean, yeah fairly common sense, but like I should have seen that at the time. But, you know, as I say, we learn you live and learn. It did shape me. and I learned a lot about how people think. I see it now, like even disordered eating habits in people that sign up and they don't realize that, you know, they're hyper fixated on getting smaller and they're already tiny. And it's trying to help them find that balance and improve their relationship with their body and with food and teaching them how good it feels to actually be well fueled.
00:18:49
Speaker
And to move away like from the weighing scales, it's like being so fixated on a number and not being able to look at themselves in the mirror and be like, I'm a really healthy weight. I have a healthy body. I'm strong. I'm you know lean or you know whatever, whether you are or you aren't.
00:19:05
Speaker
But like looking at your your body instead of being like, I have to be 60 kilos. yeah I have to be 55 kilos. I was 55 kilos before I got married or whatever, you know, these narratives that we tell ourselves.
00:19:17
Speaker
That's why I talk about my weight now, because I think people hear 75 kilos, like I would say 75 just to be like, because honestly, I feel good in myself. Like I don't even care what weight I am. I'm place I feel good. And I know that I clients that are like, just need to get under 70. And I'm like, but why?
00:19:31
Speaker
You know, like i I really always drill down when people have these goals and like, what does that look like? Or exactly if they're talking about like, oh, well, I was this weight before i had kids. i'm like, well, what did your life look like then? You were doing boxer size three times a day, you know, and is that feasible? Is that healthy?
00:19:47
Speaker
That's why you have to set realistic targets. And are you looking at the photo or are you actually thinking back to the feeling? Like, did you feel amazing then? And if you felt amazing then, what were your habits? What were you doing?
00:19:59
Speaker
Yeah. And then are you able to like replicate those habits now or has your life changed and you need to make some sort of adjustments and incorporate some of them? And then it doesn't matter about the number. It matters about the habits. Yeah. And like I always say, like it's okay to feel like you want to change. And often it's that feeling of feeling good that you want. It's not a size. It's not a scale weight.
00:20:19
Speaker
It's that feeling that you're actually doing something for your body. Like you're nourishing your body. You're improving your fitness. You're improving your strength. And when you're doing all that and you have a neutral relationship with food, like you're not being too strict, like fat loss can naturally come.
00:20:34
Speaker
And this is a theory I'm just right. I'm saying it loud. Like i Don't quote me. But I'm just thinking like, you know, you find your set points. Again, I think this has been discouraged. But for I think about is it as your set point for your values. As in like my life now for my activity, I'm able to listen to my body. I'm able to listen to my hunger levels and I'm able to kind of go with it. But I know I could be leaner if i my values were different.
00:20:57
Speaker
Am I making sense? yeah so Like yeah again, after a week of like, I know, I kind of was sick and I wasn't eating properly and I, will you know, not moving. You start getting this, like maybe I'll set a ah target, but realistically it's not the target I wanted. It's the feeling of feeling good.
00:21:12
Speaker
And when I just have my usual healthy habits in place, like that I'm a naturally active person, that I'm doing training that gets me fitter and stronger, that I'm not under eating, that I'm enjoying my food that I'm not dieting or that I'm not getting hyper fixated on food know keep using that word but I used to be very hyper fixated on food and now I just go with the flow like know I just don't so some weeks yeah I'm like oh what I diet and then I'm like no you just need to get back to it what's normal for you and that's what I try and help people is like it's not about a dieting phase you know it's it's like let's improve your normal life your healthy habits in place
Coaching Services and Sustainable Health Goals
00:21:47
Speaker
so that it's not like on a diet or on a training plan it's
00:21:51
Speaker
you want to train because you want to nourish your body or you want to improve your fitness or you want to get stronger or you want to live longer. When you have your values and your whys in place, it becomes easy and it becomes natural.
00:22:03
Speaker
That does make sense. And like very much how we would work with clients as well is you have to have a ah clear why. You have to know ah what you want. You have to know why you want it. And there's nothing wrong with having goals. Like if, you know, I noticed that, and like, I think it's what's really important is to be really self-reflective as well.
00:22:19
Speaker
Like to be really self-aware. Like I know that I tend to, like, I like to have something to work towards. I kind of go through phases. I'd be like, yeah, do you know what? i'm I'm going to run this 10K. So then I was like, great, okay, I'll get into a little bit of running and then i' I'll ease off and that I'd be like, you know what? I just want to get back now.
00:22:36
Speaker
Notice my legs are are quite weak. I'm like, I'm going to focus on strengthening them for the next few months and I'll make that my main focus. And I've no professional photos for a business. you what I'm going to do? I'm going to do a photo shoot, but not a super restrictive one. But you see...
00:22:48
Speaker
This is where it comes down to not being one size fits all, isn't it? Because I have never had an issue with restrictive eating. If anything, I can't diet. Like I can't like, which in a way I think makes me a good coach to other people who struggle to like, you know, to stick to things.
00:23:02
Speaker
I just wanted to interrupt the podcast for a moment to talk to you a little bit about Kate Hamilton Health online coaching. So we have two coaching options available.
00:23:12
Speaker
We have our elite coaching and we have our group coaching service. Our elite coaching service is bespoke individualized coaching, which will help you to finally break free from diet culture with one-to-one anytime support from your coach and with access to a safe, supportive community.
00:23:32
Speaker
This is a higher ticket coaching option and the coaching is by application only. If you go to my website, KateHamiltonHealth.com, you will be able to apply for elite coaching through there and we will be in touch to organize a call and to get you up and running.
00:23:47
Speaker
In relation to our group coaching, our group coaching starts on the first Monday of every month. When it's full each month, we do close the doors. With the group coaching is about building the habits, body and energy of the healthiest version of yourself and finally make it stick.
00:24:04
Speaker
We include personalized calories and portions, food lists, recipes, meal plan ideas, step goals, home or gym based workouts, depending on what you want.
00:24:16
Speaker
Changed every eight weeks. Mindset work, app access. So that's the Kate Hamilton Health app, which will be your hub for everything. Weekly yoga classes, WhatsApp group community, weekly group Q&A with myself, fun challenges, daily habits form, weekly self check-in, fortnightly check-ins with your coach, a library full of lifestyle guides, a library full of lessons, seminars, and all of this is updated regularly.
00:24:43
Speaker
We have weekly group Zoom calls with myself and the team, regular guest seminars where we get experts on to talk more to you about different topics that we need experts on for.
00:24:53
Speaker
And then we have in-person events twice a year that you will get at a major discount as being a member of the Kate Hamilton Health community. So, Then, as I said, this starts the first Monday of every month. If you go to my website, KateHamiltonHealth.com, you will see when the next group coaching intake is starting for you.
00:25:15
Speaker
So we close the doors as soon as that intake is full or the Monday before the group coaching starts. So usually that last Monday of the previous month. So if you head over to KateHamiltonHealth.com, all of that information that I've talked through is on the website.
00:25:31
Speaker
You'll be able to book your spot for the next intake there. And I will chat to you all then. That's how I am now. Like, that's how I feel now. yeah yeah Even when I do think like, oh, I'll diet a bit.
00:25:44
Speaker
I honestly, then I'm like, I just, I don't want it enough. That's good. You know, like I'm not, I don't have that discipline anymore, but it's not a bad one. It's not discipline. You see, it's it's your why, because your wife where your why has changed.
00:25:56
Speaker
Back in 2015, 2016 or whatever, your why was, so you were building this new business, this but exciting social media, and it was a different kind of why. Yeah, like I really did put a lot of value on my appearance then.
00:26:08
Speaker
And I think it's because my body has changed up and down so much over the years. Obviously, even having babies, a baby. and But it made me realise that like, you know, life can be good at any at loads of different sizes. Like it's not like this constant chase to be smaller or, or you know, like I know that say I did lose two kilos before ah go to Portugal next week. I'm like... Like realistically, would anyone notice except me? Even if they did notice, even if someone commented going, you're looking lean. I'm like, will it be worth the sacrifices I need to get to drop two kilos before then? And that's what I try and teach clients. But like instead of being like, OK, I need to do it for then. It's like just focus on the small changes day to day. So like the calorie deficit, that it's not too restrictive, that when it comes to a holiday and you get your photo and everyone says you look great, that you're not like, OK, thank God I can relax.
00:26:54
Speaker
You know, like that what you're doing is sustainable. That's it, that you're creating a life that makes you feel good. And like when we say calorie deficit, I think people really get like they take this up wrong, like that that means tracking calories.
00:27:07
Speaker
And don't get me wrong, like tracking calories works really well for some people working towards a goal. It's not something to do for the rest of your life. It's to get the habits in place to sustain the eating habits that you actually get from getting the results.
00:27:18
Speaker
But being in a calorie deficit can be done without tracking calories as well. Yeah, which I mean, since I've had my life, I haven't really tracked calories. And I'd surprise myself a bit, been like, oh God, especially last summer. I was like, oh, because i again, I didn't really feel like I was trying too hard. Like I'd always be like health focused. Like that's when I'm, I have three main meals.
00:27:36
Speaker
i Say a client came to me now and they, they're really busy and they want to lose a bit of weight and they're, you know, their eating's all over the place. I'm like, okay, let's just, we don't need to track calories straight away. Some people might be up for it. Like, it again, it's very person dependent because it can be really educational for people, especially like for a lot of people, i'm like, you're,
00:27:53
Speaker
to track protein is a really good one because you know people be like yeah i eat loads protein and it's about the awareness around it like like what are you actually having so yeah it's i mean a lot of the times when you have people eating regularly it removes this like it's stopping people being hungry that's a big thing calorie deficit almost you want to be very very slightly hungry but if you're finding yourself very hungry you're not gonna be able to fight that forever so it's like let's manage that increasing food And like yeah you can like if you're eating like three main meals, couple of snacks, I always say like if you want something, have it, but make sure you really want it.
00:28:23
Speaker
Like know don't just have it because it's there. And then we just you can assess like measurements or photos or how you're feeling. And if you measurements going up, you could just say, OK, let's look back at the week. What can we tweak? You know, it doesn't have to mean good now track everything you're having. It's like, OK, what's your portions of rice?
00:28:38
Speaker
Did you need to cut that down? Or, you know, maybe we're using loads of oil. Let's just bring that back for this week. And that could be, that you know, these small tweaks then could have you in a calorie deficit without being really anal about it.
00:28:49
Speaker
And if you're starting out like and you're like, I don't think that works for me, then tracking your calories can be a really great way. Like you said, how much protein am I eating? hem Like start tracking what you're actually eating. I think it's always a really good starting point for anyone.
00:29:02
Speaker
Without any judgment, just ah don't change anything. Just start tracking how you're currently eating. And then once you do that and you're like, oh, God, yeah, I'm eating. It's awareness and mindfulness. Yeah. You know, you could be like, oh, God, I need to eat a bit more protein. know Oh, Jesus, I'm actually eating about 3000 calories day. Maybe I'll just bring them back by or three weeks. Because I i actually like i I knew I was kind of like snacking a bit more, like lot of chocolate in the house and I kind of was grabbing it mid morning as well as mid afternoon. And I was like, you know, i'm going to track my calories for a week, just even even for content. And so just remind myself of like how it feels and the thoughts that go through your head.
00:29:35
Speaker
And I couldn't believe how much I was having. Like, I really felt like I'd kind of pulled back and I was still averaging two and a half thousand. i was like, God, I must have been eating easily over three thousand on average. And it really did. It just makes me more. And again, for protein, like I i realized that my two eggs in the morning is not enough.
00:29:52
Speaker
You know, I was like and like, deep down, I knew that. But when you're tracking, you start own adding an extra egg or I'll have a Greek yogurt in the middle, of in the mid morning instead of and bit of chocolate. Because I'd be like i'd maybe be more thinking about, oh, I need to grab something now before I train at lunchtime.
00:30:05
Speaker
And I wasn't being very sensible about the protein. ah Yeah, so tracking, is that was without any targets. Like I didn't say I was going to stick under anything. I just was like, I'm going to track for some awareness. And that's what can help people. But some people become like, they cannot use the word hyperfixators again.
00:30:21
Speaker
They become obsessed with sticking to their target or where they don't, if they go over their target, they then throw it all out the window and then they overeat. And so it's about learning, I suppose, for the client for a person, what works best for them.
00:30:33
Speaker
For me, it's always about what reduces the amount of stress in your life. Like I'm all about removing frustration. So if you're getting amazing results, but you are stressed every day about tracking your food and like, that's not worth it.
00:30:45
Speaker
I'd rather see you go go through your day ah less stressed and get slower results or no results. As long as you're like, yeah peace of mind is is really what I always aim for, for myself and for clients.
00:30:56
Speaker
And I always say that, you know, if you want to change, it's going to be a little bit uncomfortable. So you're going to be doing things that you're like, oh, like it will feel a little bit stressful. So it's it's kind of learning to gauge that, that you want to get out of your comfort zone so that you learn and you grow and like whatever you're you're trying to change.
00:31:11
Speaker
But you don't want to like jump so far out of your comfort zone that you end up in this overwhelmed point because there is only so long we can actually stay in overwhelm before we say fuck it. Yeah, yeah, exactly. Yeah, the the hunger thing, like, you know, people really fighting that hunger and I'm like, really, that's not really a good thing. Like you want a very, very slight hunger if you're going to be in deficit, but if you're fighting a big hunger, you can't really beat your body.
00:31:33
Speaker
There are people who are very, very, very disciplined, but again, you're you're sacrificing. But are they happy? Like that would being my point. Like when when we think about like any client that has come to me ever with any type of goal, if you think about any goal you've ever had,
00:31:49
Speaker
what Like if you dig deep enough, the goal really is about being happy, whether it's to get more followers or whether it's to have a body composition or whether it's to, you know, do a 10K race or whatever it is. well At the end of the day it's like we're all chasing a feeling like what's the point in having something if the things that take to keep it make you that miserable?
00:32:07
Speaker
Yeah, I used to always live my life like that. but Like, okay, am I happy?
Balancing Fitness, Happiness, and Challenge
00:32:11
Speaker
Yes, keep going. If not. And to be honest, it kind of kept me a little bit probably longer in Bali than I needed to because realized you need happiness, but also yeah I felt like you also need challenge. So it's that kind of balance of, and that's why people obviously take on these 10K runs. That's why I went out for a run there in the lashing rain. Like it was that balance of going, am I doing this?
00:32:33
Speaker
You know like get there's reward in it. And that's like, even with jujitsu, that's always been, i guess this struggle, but if the reward is getting over that struggle.
00:32:43
Speaker
Yeah, it's the delayed gratification. And I think, what I think with stuff like, you know, going, doing something hard, like going for a run, for example, is... It's like it is teaching us for hard times, I kind of believe, like, you know, that you're kind of like not everything is happy all the time. Not everything is going to be amazing all the time.
00:33:01
Speaker
And like there's going to be hard times as well. But like not that you're torturing. That's I don't know. Does that sound a little bit yourself challenging yourself? Yeah, you're not it's not that you're torturing yourself. It's like, yeah, you're challenging yourself. You're pushing your comfort zone out.
00:33:13
Speaker
Then your comfort zone gets further and further. When you step out and you learn your comfort zone gets further away and. Yeah. And you learn what you're capable of. Like that this is exactly what CrossFit did for me as well. Actually, interestingly enough, I went in the opposite way. So when I got into fitness, I started off just like doing online workouts with Kayla Itznes.
00:33:30
Speaker
I used to her like at home BBG workouts back, but like when they were PDFs, that was like, yeah, that was probably 2015 or so. But then I ended up getting into the gym and I, but I ended up in a CrossFit gym and this was through teaching, like, cause we were like coaching kids and stuff.
00:33:43
Speaker
But i so I actually got into the gym, straight into a CrossFit gym, not knowing what I was getting myself into and absolutely loved it. And I think that what it taught me very much was I'm so much stronger, more stronger than I think.
00:33:56
Speaker
And what I look like really doesn't matter. I loved that. when showed I wish I'd gone straight that. Now saying that I quite like my life away from it now because I'm like, it doesn't always have to be so hard.
00:34:07
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. That's another big thing. Like i un true I went from, yeah, from bodybuilding to then end training really intensely, like CrossFit, Jiu Jitsu. And but I'd be like doing such intense training and I'd be thinking back on my bodybuilding. He's gone, I can't believe used to take pre-workout to go in and do few squats.
00:34:22
Speaker
Like when I used to train, like the intensity of my training was so much harder. But then I've kind of, so it's even, it's probably maturing as well as like looking at and seeing it in clients as like overtraining.
00:34:33
Speaker
I don't think I was overtraining, but I just see a lot of women, you know, doing CrossFit five days a week and trying to like lose weight and wondering why it's not happening. I'm like, you know, there's a lot of going on here. It's all, and you're trying to, and it's it's mad, it's those people that are hardest to get through to because you want to tell them to pull back on training and to eat a little bit more to find, know,
00:34:50
Speaker
that balance that's sustainable and it's so hard for someone who's so motivated and disciplined to hear that and like yeah that's probably one of the hardest ones to come back or yeah it's getting people to train less.
00:35:02
Speaker
Yes to get that balance because if you're putting that your body under that much stress all and strain all the time then your cortisol levels are high and you know nothing feels good things probably aren't digesting properly you know there's like you're creating Yeah, and I'm not one to say, you know, like, oh, like the problem is, I think a lot of the time people are underestimating how much they're actually having when you're training a lot.
00:35:22
Speaker
I mean, like, for example, the way I was before I started tracking last week. And like a big thing that changed for me when I came home from Bali, pandemic, that sounds weird even saying that, I had gone from training a lot during the day, like, you know, maybe training twice a day, different, either CrossFit and Muay Thai or something. And then coming home to the odd home workout, started doing yoga, didn't enjoy doing home workouts, maybe did two or three a week and then did a bit of running and just walking around. And like, I felt like I was doing nothing.
00:35:51
Speaker
But I ended up getting the leanest I'd been like in about a year because even with food, I had time to think about like, it wasn't just like, oh my God, need to eat loads because I'm training really hard. It was like finding a right balance for me. You know, I was probably more active and being able to walk around more than I could in Bali and like probably with a bit of running, like my steps were probably higher, but my stress levels were a lot lower.
00:36:14
Speaker
I found myself, I was like, God, how did I get so lean when I'm not even doing anything? But realistically, I was able to like listen to my body a bit more because I wasn't training so hard all the time. Yeah. And I think this is a really relevant issue at the minute, especially with like how trendy the running scene has gotten now.
00:36:31
Speaker
And so many people are doing... I didn't even want to nuance everything. even like Weight training is still the most important thing. Yeah. And I think because like there's a lot of people doing half marathons, a lot of people doing full marathons and then they also have weight loss goals as well. It's like, okay, hold on a second.
00:36:46
Speaker
If you want to run a marathon, you can't have a fat loss goal at the same time. like you And I think people get really confused. Like how can I not lose weight when I'm running that much all the time? And it's like, because you have to fuel it.
00:36:57
Speaker
And like, what is your goal? Are you working on feeling amazing and doing this amazing life achievement? Or are you worried about what you look like? Yeah. And like, the like it is possible, but you know, you're going to have to to sacrifice something. You have to balance these out. like One has to be more important.
00:37:14
Speaker
Yeah. won't perform your best if you have a fat loss goal, because you won't be fueling yourself correctly for training and for recovery. But I'm more thinking the long term. I'm thinking, again, getting older, thinking of how able I want to be for as long as possible and seeing everyone doing the running. And it's hard because obviously they are doing amazing. And like, I want to clap everyone doing their half marathons. And I'm i'm like, this is amazing. But if you're going out and running four or five times a week and not weight training, you're setting yourself up to be frail.
00:37:42
Speaker
Like you're losing muscle mass. The more muscle, the better you have. And I feel like I'm glad I so i spent so long doing, so like building so much muscle, I say like in the last 10 years that I can... maybe take the foot off the gas a little bit and like, you know, I do, I kind of, I'm thinking maintaining muscle at this stage because, you know, i again, but that's a so that's me, I suppose, sacrificing. I'm not going to be gaining much muscle at the moment because I have jiu-jitsu goals and because I have running goals.
00:38:07
Speaker
But that's like the, I suppose, decision I'm making myself. But I just hate seeing people, I suppose, running around, excuse pun, not understanding that. Like thinking, obviously heart health is so important. You're like getting, getting the running is amazing alongside weight training.
00:38:22
Speaker
It's so important for women like sarcopenia and osteoporosis in women can be delayed with more muscle mass. like If you fall later in life, the more muscle you mass, like you're less likely to fall, you have better recovery from falls. You will then have a quality of life. You're able to lift things. like I know running is easy, it's accessible, it's fantastic. it's you know The runner's high.
00:38:44
Speaker
Sometimes going to the gym can be confusing. you don't know what reps to be doing or you're going to the gym you're doing high reps and it's not actually efficient use of your time if you're stuck for time. I just feel like the information is there. I'm just really trying to get get it out there because, you know, you see older women now struggling. They don't have that muscle mass. Like I really am confident that I'm going to be a strong granny.
00:39:06
Speaker
Oh, me too. Yeah. And I feel like there's going to be, because there is so many. There's going to an army of strong grannies coming up through the ranks. It's exciting seeing this change that like being an old woman doesn't mean frailty if you put it in the work now.
00:39:20
Speaker
Yeah. And I think what everything you're saying is so important and it's so true. And that can say that someone listening might be like, oh my God. Yeah. But where do I start? So like, this is where it really does come down to, you have to make it work in your routine. Like at the minute, I have created the perfect routine for me, keeping in mind that I have my own business. Like I have a team there to help me as well. So I have but have a little bit more flexible time now when my kids are in school, all my kids are in school as well. So I have a bit more time. I strength train three to four times a week, depending.
00:39:46
Speaker
I'm kind of transitioning to a four day programme at the minute, but I was only training three times a week. I was running twice a week and then doing yoga twice a week. Which is quite, people are like, oh, Jesus, Kate, where do I find time to do that? yeah Not everyone needs to do that much. That's what works works well for me. Like three strength, two runs, two yoga in my week.
Fitness Routines and Aging Considerations
00:40:03
Speaker
And it's a lovely balance. makes That way I'm feeling good. I'm keeping healthy with my running. I'm getting my stretch in with my yoga. And, you it's good for my mental health as well. Both of those are good for my mental health. And then I'm keeping strong in the gym.
00:40:14
Speaker
But, like, you can train at home. Like, you can get set of, like... I did. Honestly, I did i did one of our home workouts last money because again, I'm trying to do, sorry to cut across you, im just the I'm trying to do two strength, two jiu-jitsu and two running.
00:40:28
Speaker
But jiu-jitsu really does help with maintaining muscle. Like there was this a stint in London for, I went few months barely onto the gym came back, tested everything, did 100 kilos for 12 reps, deadlift. like I was like, I've maintained, I feel like Jiu Jitsu really helps with strength, but it's like a very weird way. like You can't track it in any way. like it's it's not I wouldn't say go to Jiu Jitsu to build muscle, but I've kind of been happy with how it's helped me maintain strength.
00:40:51
Speaker
Well, you think about any athlete out there is not frail. Like, you know what I Like, you know, obviously yeah you're using your muscles. Yeah. But anyway, i so lastly, so I normally go to the gym twice, but I did one of our home workouts here last week. And like, I haven't even got a heavy, heavy dumbbells. I think the max they go up to is 10, but like I still was able to work most muscles. Like,
00:41:09
Speaker
Obviously your legs, you're not going to be building really strong legs at home with only 10 kilo muscles or weights. But like it took me 35 minutes and it was strength training. Like I did, you know, shoulders, core, legs, and then like a little finisher. And I wouldn't have said that was perfect back in my bodybuilding days. i would have been like, that's too short or you need to be doing.
00:41:28
Speaker
But realistically for a mother with very little time, who's trying to work as much as possible when you have the child in crash, that 35 minutes is so much better than not. All right.
00:41:39
Speaker
I was about to say they're better than going for a run, but it's all dependent on what your goals are. But I just don't think enough people have the goal of that long-term muscle. they They don't realize they need this goal. That's what i'm trying to tell people. You need to have that goal of having as much muscle mass on your frame.
00:41:54
Speaker
Yeah, but I also think people don't realize how much of a difference it makes to fat loss as well. So they think that just running and running more, eating less and less and less, whereas it's like literally, and I've said this in the podcast before, one of my main whys, apart from obviously, you know, being a really strong granny, lifting weights, is I i know i can eat.
00:42:12
Speaker
I can eat loads because why my metabolism is healthy. I know i if I want to lose body fat, I can do it on decently high calories, maintain my weight. It doesn't take that much effort to maintain it. And I'm 39 next month.
00:42:24
Speaker
So in the next few years, you know, things are going to slow down a bit, you know, goingnna be going to be going into perimenopause. And I'm like, I am going to be as strong and prepared metabolically for this as possible. Yeah, I know. And it's it's a shame when you see people suffering when, or I suppose like older women that they they didn't have that knowledge.
00:42:40
Speaker
And now it's like the knowledge is there. That's why I'm like, I just want to spread it. I just want, I mean, yeah running is fantastic and I love it. But if you're only doing running, I know I'm just repeating myself. I'm like, I just need to, if any, hopefully all your listeners already know this.
00:42:54
Speaker
Just get in the balance that works for you. Like if you're someone who really loves running, keep running, but add little bit of strength training. If you're someone who like, really likes strength training and you literally, you're getting out of breath going up the stairs, maybe add in a little bit of a brisk walk. It doesn't even have to be running. you Get a bit of cardio in there. You know what i mean Let's get that balance right. We don't need to be like, oh, pumped up and out of breath.
00:43:13
Speaker
And we also don't need to be like really frail running around the place and we can get that balance. And like, even I just was working towards that 10K goal. Like I literally only started running in, I hadn't ran in years. I started again in September and I did the couch to five k And I really enjoyed it because have first little while it was quite easy. Like, and then, you know, it started to get a little harder. That was great. We got to 5k and then me and my husband, we signed up to a 10k, which we did in the Phoenix park there on Sunday. It was such a high, I was delighted with myself, but I'm very much like I won't ever run more than 10k because even at that, I can feel it in my knees. I can feel it in my hips.
00:43:47
Speaker
And now I'm like, right, I do need, as I was saying there earlier, I'm like, I do need to get my legs stronger. Like my glutes, my hamstrings are not strong. I know this as a PT that my glutes and hamstrings are not are the problem and they're not strong enough.
00:43:58
Speaker
I don't have any goals to run a marathon or a half marathon. I think people who do are amazing. I'm like, I could think of nothing worse than running for longer than an hour. So I'm actually bringing my running right back now just to two 5Ks a week. If i have a busy week, it might only be one 5K, but I will keep it up because like I'm really proud of the fitness level that I've built and I don't want to lose that.
00:44:16
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. I mean, the same, like I'm using the runner app as a, and like, I didn't even have a goal at the end. Like I wasn't planning, I did a 10K on Sunday in Wexford and I wasn't actually planning on doing that. But I really impressed myself with the time. And now I'm like, oh, you know, there's that competitive bit in me is like, oh, maybe next year because there was a half marathon same time. And I was like, oh, next do the half marathon. But realistically, I need to sit down with a pen of paper and go like, what would that actually entail?
00:44:38
Speaker
Like, would I be sacrificing muscle mass? Would I be sacrificing jujitsu training? to be i like do it Like, what would I really get out of running that? that half mile. And everything comes at a cost, doesn't it? Like for me as well, like, you know, like that I have that competitive streak. I'm oh, I could.
00:44:52
Speaker
and like But like, then I'm like, no, Kate, you like, you're getting bored by eight kilometres. You don't want to do more running. And it is, it's for me, it's sacrificing time with my kids as well. You know, when am I going to do my long run on a Sunday? Like when I like to to chill at home a little bit more. so Yeah.
00:45:07
Speaker
Come back to me. You might see me at a half marathon medal next year, but for me now, the ease of getting out of the house, that's why I like the running. Just floating back. Like even yesterday, going to the gym, I stuck in traffic and I was like haner half an hour, half an hour in the car.
00:45:19
Speaker
And in my head, I was like, oh, should just sign for a run. You know, I did upper body. I did front squats. I was like, no, I'm so glad I came. It is important. It's just trying to find that right schedule for yourself and making informed choices.
00:45:30
Speaker
Yeah, that's it. And kind of like, you know, if you have a goal, why is it your goal? When I was a bit like, oh, like, you know, the running and I'm like, no, Kate, you don't enjoy doing any more than this. you don't You know, why? Like your knees hurt. Stop. Like, you know, focus on something else. Whereas, you know, so just kind of know, like back to me saying self-awareness a lot, but Back to that self-awareness of why do I want this and am
Self-Care Practices and Daily Routines
00:45:50
Speaker
I enjoying it? And I think what you said, like I think that's a really important point.
00:45:53
Speaker
Am I happy doing this? Because in your habits in general, yeah, you're going to be uncomfortable, like I said, making changes and it's okay to be uncomfortable. But are they rewarding things that you're doing? Are they making you feel good physically?
00:46:05
Speaker
Are they making you feel good mentally? It's a good question to ask yourself. Yeah, maybe I do feel good after the run. I mean, it's because I had been the last couple of weeks, the weather has been so nice. I've really enjoyed it. And I was like, oh, no, I'm glad I didn't set any mad running goals.
00:46:19
Speaker
I didn't have to go out in the rain, but I also time wise, was like, I'll get that done before the podcast. There's no jujitsu that I would have made it to. wouldn't have made it to the gym and back. the reality of a mother and I think you know it's really important to to talk about like you know you have a small child and you're running business where like what works for me today today it works for me to go for a run I've moved my body and I unfortunately I have to do it all when she's in crash like because I'd love to to get up and go for a run in the morning or even to train go to the gym in the morning but like realistically I have to do everything and i have to work and train in the time that she's a crush so it's tough going and like I'm the same like I would love to just get up and go like I'd love to get out move my but you know the way you oh like everyone's like oh your morning routine and you should get out and you should this I always was ah big person for the morning routine I still am I try like I had Kylie trying to read her book beside me in bed today but it wasn't really happening
00:47:10
Speaker
Yeah, but like I'd love to get out and walk, ah like even even just get out for a walk or go to the gym or, you know, get out for a run first thing. But my husband trains first a thing in the morning and like the kids are asleep in bed. But also, this is a great time for me to sit at my desk and get, like I said at the start, get my thoughts together. And you know what what do I want to tell people today? How do I actually feel? So I've actually used that time where I will do like a short little meditation and I have my my nice little incense. and i but So i I burn the incense so I know it's like calm cake time first, that little morning routine.
00:47:39
Speaker
works nicely for me and I just literally do like a little headspace meditation there's nothing fancy about my meditation practice but I literally like eight minutes it's enough for me but I'm really trying to practice that separating myself from my thoughts and I've really noticed a difference over time and I think with meditation that can be a really difficult thing for people they're like it doesn't work kind I can't I can't stop thinking back into it myself like I always like my meditation was always my yoga like my yoga has been so consistent for like the last five years well that's three years and then the last two years have been inconsistent but my meditation like I always found like a moving meditation and then the shavasana at the end like I'd always that would be my time and like I would come up with that'd be all my content and everything would come to me in that shavasana like I'd always be so creative after yeah moving my body but now I like I aim for 12 minutes of yoga like sometimes that was with kaila sometimes it's not sometimes I finish it sometimes I don't And then my one minute shavasana.
00:48:31
Speaker
Anyway, so like I know, and like I can tell in myself, like I need to get back into like structured meditation. It's just not happening at the moment, but I've realized that I've kind of just let it slip because the yoga practice is getting shorter and shorter or interrupted.
00:48:44
Speaker
I know none of yeah think we make this big list, don't we? It's like, I should, I have to do this, this, this, this. And if you're doing it, because it's like to tick it off your to-do list. It doesn't make sense. Like, because then it's like something else that's stressing you out. Like, well, I have a lot going on non at the minute kind of family-wise. And, you know, and I'm like, the kids are off school and it's just a little bit like, but ah and then I'm like, so things are slipping a little bit. And rather than getting stressed, I'm like,
00:49:06
Speaker
like I literally can only do so much and what makes the most sense today so I'm literally really turned into a I try I try I'm a planner so I plan one week at a time but then each day I'm like okay this is the plan for today we'll see how it goes yeah like my calendar things just get moved and moved moved yeah well I used to say i used to do like my routine used to be so strict like not strict but so regular no interruptions i used to read journal like i used read two books i have my coffee journal yoga write a marketing email and then go training but now i just do what i can like i journal maybe once a week i do a bit yoga i try and read like the reading has i've been better at it the last week i think because married at first sight is finished but i really love reading but it's just that's the hardest one to do you're You had a real lifestyle change though, don't
Yoga and Meditation Impact
00:49:52
Speaker
you? Like, let's bring it back a little bit to like, as you were living like the digital nomad life in Bali, weren't you? Like, you know, digital nomad was a word. Like, I didn't even realize that's I was doing. I just wanted freedom.
00:50:02
Speaker
Yeah, you just wanted the freedom and and go and just explore. and And then you trained as a yoga teacher as well. And you got really into yoga and meditation at that time. No, I actually, you would think you would think you would do it, you know, like being in Bali would, that's where you would do yoga teacher training. But it was actually when I left Bali in COVID and came back to Dublin, that's when I started doing yoga regularly.
00:50:23
Speaker
Yeah, so that's when I, so I obviously would go to the odd class in Bali. Like once a week, I'd go to one class. But because I was doing so much training, I'd just go to a class and be like, oh, that was nice. I should definitely do that more. And would probably be another week or so before i did another one. So then the difference when when I came home and I had nothing to do and I got the down dog app and started doing like 10 minutes a day and then increasing that gradually. And that really made such a difference because it was the consistency that I started feeling the difference. And then I built on that. Like the one consistent thing I've had in my life for the last five years is yoga because matter where I am,
00:50:58
Speaker
I would just roll out the mat and do the app for like whatever amount of time I had. Like I used to be doing 45 minutes a day and then going for a run. Like i'm thinking, don't know what stage that was. Still in lockdown, but in Portugal. Anyway, so then when I went back to Bali, I still didn't really go to yoga classes. I still just rolled out the mat in my villa and just still stuck to the 10, 15 minutes of half an hour and then went training. So like it was always, it became part of my morning routine.
00:51:23
Speaker
your yoga was your meditation. Like you weren't lying there, like doing a guided meditation. You were moving your body and being really mindful while moving your body. I think that's what happens. a lot of people is like they try, they want to incorporate yoga into the life and they're trying to go make time to go to a structured class.
00:51:39
Speaker
And it's an hour out of their day and it might not be, and you know and they might do that once a week where I actually think regular smaller ones would probably be like, if you keep that up in the long run, probably more consistent, like more consistent and more effective.
00:51:51
Speaker
That's so interesting. So is that, it was that the down dog app you said, is it? Yes. And you can do like little tiny stints. Oh, it's it's completely flexible. So you can just change, like change all the variables. Like you might wear go, just work on my lower back today or Vinyasa flow. You can just say,
00:52:05
Speaker
like five minutes. like So now that's I have it set on 12 minutes and one minute Shavasana. But like if Kyla isn't here, like we get I get one morning to myself like every two weeks. If I could do an hour, i do like 45 minutes of yoga and 15 minutes Shavasana.
00:52:18
Speaker
Magic. You can set it to beginner, intermediate, advanced. If I had like that might be nice to do instead of my seated morning one like you know that I could just set it to like 12 minutes. Yeah. Yeah. 12, 15 minutes whatever be like right okay well let's move instead. Yeah.
00:52:33
Speaker
I have an affiliate link if you will. Let us know and pop it into the show notes. and what i once to give the thing It sounds like I'm doing a big ad for I actually just I have been paying for it since someone recommended to me it started COVID I have been using it religiously. I think it's like 30 euro a year or something and it's the best money you i've ever spent.
00:52:50
Speaker
I'm going go and look this up now because I actually know I have a fabulous yoga teacher, Jilly, and she does like weekly yoga classes with my clients. So we've like a weekly yoga class on Zoom on a Monday night.
00:53:01
Speaker
And it's amazing. I love it. really look forward to it. So it's literally just on my bedroom floor. I love that it's, you know, Zoom class. And then I like go to a yoga class on a Thursday night up the road. Like, you know, like um the amount of times I've had to just cancel just because of something with the kids or something like it's and and I'm devastated when I miss it. Like, I'm just like, I'm sorry, I'm and yeah and there is i I do think like the going to a class is a lot it's a lot better energy you know like you're getting a lot more into it than doing at home but I always think that I'm more likely to just keep it up at home yeah doing the little bit every day or every couple of days and it's great to keep injury free like I'm terrible for like oh yeah
00:53:37
Speaker
Like literally before this podcast, I was out at the gym and I to come home sort the kids. Like, and I was rushing, rushing, rushing. So I'm like, I'm not stretching like after the gym. Hopefully my physio isn't listening to me. I've never stretched after training, ever. Yeah.
00:53:49
Speaker
And I'm convinced like jujitsu has your body in the, like you need strength in the craziest ranges of motion. And and I really think yoga has stopped me being injured. doing anything. Like it just really, really does. It is the best form of stretching. Yeah.
00:54:02
Speaker
Strength and mobility, like ah holding poses, you're strengthening the joints as well. Like and all the muscles around the joints in ways that you just don't get in any other way. i just can't imagine. And your core strength as well, like how much you're working your core and your pelvic floor, especially if you're running, if anyone else, any mothers that are trying to run like me, my pelvic floor needs a lot of work.
00:54:24
Speaker
Yoga helps that. And then I've actually just done another postnatal course at the moment, Sheridan Sky. It's very good. Some clean health. So clean health is the name of the like platform, but it's really good, really good for postpartum women. And like they talk about pelvic floor and yeah, like so many people are suffering. Like so many people are letting, and just getting on with life. And like, I think there's like, things can be improved.
00:54:46
Speaker
Obviously go to women's health physio, but also I really do think like the strength training and the yoga, yeah it really does especially with breathing and the yoga, if you get that right, I'm convinced it all helped me. I don't know. Like, that's just anecdotal. But like, I really had a really good recovery.
00:55:00
Speaker
I really have birth and recovery. And I put it down to strength training and yoga consistently for years before that. Yeah, definitely. I'd say so. Because I didn't really get into... too much strength training until after i had my third kid and like after i my third kid, I ended up injured. Like I was like back to square one. Like I had to go to, yeah, pelvic fli physio, but I had like, I was on crutches and I had to like baby steps, start walking and like, oh, it awful. Like, but I had started getting into fitness before I got pregnant with him. And then it was like, this going be my fit pregnancy.
00:55:29
Speaker
And then that that never happened. It was just, it was awful. Yeah, I was horrible in that pregnancy. I was just so cranky. and the But with that last pregnancy and then, yeah, afterwards I was so injured. And I just remember being like, this is my starting point.
00:55:43
Speaker
And it always is. So anytime I show my progress photos, that those initial photos are after I've had him, a couple of months after I've had him. I'm like, that was my starting
Pelvic Health and Prenatal Training
00:55:51
Speaker
point. I literally had to, like what takes me 10 minutes to walk around back of my house I remember walking with my friend and it taking about 40 minutes like and it was just so painful and it's funny because I had my oldest child is 15 so like had him what 15 years ago and I remember the midwife being like do your pelvic floor exercises you'll thank me when you're 40 and I'm like god damn it and it's because I didn't know what I didn't know what pelvic floor was I was 23 like I but you know I was like oh Yes, Grant's pop-it maybe. i know you know grand I didn't even know until like until I got pregnant. Actually, like the amount of stuff I learned when I was pregnant, I was like, why didn't I learn all this before? like And I had done prenatal and postnatal course, but I just didn't absorb it enough.
00:56:33
Speaker
It's only when you go through it yourself that i was like, oh my God, there's so much to learn. It's mad because it's really hard. to It's not very tangible and it's really hard to kind of picture what you need to do as well when you're working your pelvic floor. And actually I did an episode.
00:56:47
Speaker
Anyone listening, if you want to go back, there's a few episodes back. I did one with the pelvic health physio and she was amazing. And she kind of goes through, you know, exactly what you can be doing every day, you know. And then I wish I'd had postnatal training back then because that was back in like 2010.
00:57:01
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. and yeah like I mean, even like we we talk about about all the exercises you need to do, but even just being in tune with your breath and when you're doing your strength training, because I was doing loads of the pelvic floor exercises when I was learning about them when I was pregnant and doing Pilates and all this. And then i was like, do I need to be doing this? When I'm doing strength training and contracting the pelvic floor correctly, releasing it with it like, so say I'm doing a bench press, I'm focusing on, i was focusing on the pelvic floor, like with the breath that with each movement.
00:57:30
Speaker
So basically, incorporating it into my own training. And then I went to a physio and was like, do I still need to be doing this? And she was like, no, you're actually, you're you're grand, you're doing it with your training. It's more postpartum, obviously. is that So I was trying to do it pre-natal and then postpartum is when you're rebuilding. That's when they're even more important, you know, like and setting reminders on your phone to be doing your Kegels while I don't know, you're sitting there feeding the baby, but like, okay, every time the bottle, every time I give a bottle, going to do this, this, this. Because it's obviously very hard to remember to look after yourself when you're looking after a baby.
00:58:03
Speaker
And just when, before we finish up, just anyone who's like in the gym and if you're being taught how to lift heavy weights, make sure that they're not just teaching you like a tiny man. Because I was taught by a man how to b brace and hold and push.
00:58:18
Speaker
And I don't think it did any help to my pelvic floor. i And it's very hard to unlearn When you're, you know, you're lifting heavy and you take a breath, you hold and you're pushing out of it. It's like, it's very hard to learn to, you know, breathe out at the same I'm learning at the moment is about like all the intra-abdominal pressure and how to manage that. Because yeah, if it's so forceful, you have to picture your whole core canister as like a balloon. And if you're just like, so and if you're wearing a belt, like that's pushing a lot of the pressure downwards.
00:58:47
Speaker
Again, you can manage it with your breath, but you know, ah if you're bearing down, it can be putting a lot of pressure on your pelvic floor, especially if you're postpartum, you know, you have to kind of manage your breath better.
00:58:58
Speaker
I'm pretty sure latest studies are showing that that, that breath holding or that valse, is it called valse salva breath is not causing harm in pregnancy. Now, sorry, I, I actually shouldn't even say that. I can't remember off the top of my head, but it was something like they tested it. Because I always thought when I was pregnant that i can't brace because it wouldn't be good on pelvic floor.
00:59:17
Speaker
But I'm pretty sure now they've tested bracing and it actually hasn't been shown to be detrimental. Again, don't quote me on that. need to finish this course. interesting to hear though. And like, i think I mean, it's, it's great seeing that this course I'm doing it is like all the latest research because it's changed since the two years since I've been pregnant.
00:59:34
Speaker
Things like having your heart rate really high is, it seems okay in pregnancy, which I definitely tested that myself. Like I really pushed myself in CrossFit, like doing like on the machines and you know, they'd be like, need to slow down. I'm like, um I feel fine. Like,
00:59:47
Speaker
And I was just going to know what I felt like. But yeah, i you know I'm really interested in the training pre post natal because I just think it really, really benefited me and benefits others. And i'm very I was very careful by messaging. and Like, as you said, like you couldn't train, you know, like you thought you wanted to train, you couldn't train. like So you don't want to you don't want to be shaming anyone either if they can't. You know, it's obviously like listen to your body or listen to your doctor.
01:00:08
Speaker
But I just know that. I just don't want women to think that they're, you know, they're fragile and that they can't do anything. Yeah, absolutely. And there's so many amazing coaches out there and classes out there to go and and train while pregnant and to to train postpartum. And like, you know, my local gym up here has like a babies and barbells class where the baby's going to a little playpen and the moms lift barbells.
01:00:29
Speaker
You know what I mean? so there's loads of amazing communities out there. So if, you know, any moms listening that do want to lift weights while pregnant or, you know, and but they don't want to do it on their own. Like there's definitely loads out there.
01:00:40
Speaker
Yeah. And like the thing is being pregnant, you don't need, there's only, there's very few alterations you actually need. So was doing CrossFit and like I knew, I knew myself because I had done the course. was like, I knew what changes to make.
01:00:51
Speaker
And the thing is, it doesn't, it's not always for everyone. Like as in, you know, people say like, oh, give me a trimester one training plan. And like, well, it'd be different for you to another person or trimester two. you know, you, your pelvic floor might not be able to jump or your pelvic floor might be able to Or you might be able to lie flat and you're not like, it's all about, it's it's quite individual. So yeah, I just program. I just talk to the clients and be like, okay, how are you feeling?
01:01:12
Speaker
How does this feel? Okay, you don't need that, blah, blah. Yeah. And what people are comfortable with as well. You know, some people don't want to be jumping on things or stepping on things. Yeah, of course. So it depends. Yeah, it depends on the person. Absolutely. OK, last question and we finish it there.
Overall Health Balance and Podcast Engagement
01:01:25
Speaker
What does the word health mean to you? or I think it's very multifaceted. I don't think it's only physical health. I think you have to take into account your mental health, your social health, your...
01:01:36
Speaker
spiritual health and I think I always use a visual of a wheel and like if one is perfect and one's off that's not healthy for me like a balance around them all they don't all have to be perfect but I just think a balance in all these different areas of your health is what to you should be aiming for which might mean pulling back on some physical health things to protect your mental health or pulling maybe your career health is amazing but your social health is for it. So like I think going for like a 7 out of 10 in all of those is probably more beneficial.
01:02:06
Speaker
It's more healthy suppose in my opinion than aiming for 10 out of 10 in some of them and yeah. Yeah, balance, like at getting that balance right, because I think some of the high achievers that we look up to are very good in one area. And it's like, well, what about the rest, the other areas? So like just always yeah worth keeping that in mind. And I do think balance is is definitely the healthier way.
01:02:27
Speaker
Siobhan, thank you so much for coming on and chatting. If people want to reach out to you and find out more about the Self-Improvement Project, is the best place to reach you Instagram? My Instagram is shiv.ohagan or else we have the Self-Improvement Project on Instagram and.com is the website. It's really long to type, theselfimprovementproject.com.
01:02:45
Speaker
I'm sure it'll come up in your suggested as you start typing. Siobhan, thanks so much. Thanks for having me.
01:02:54
Speaker
I just want to say thank you so much for listening to the podcast. And I would just ask for one thing from you, if at all possible, could you make sure that you subscribe to the podcast? It really does make such a difference.
01:03:08
Speaker
If there's a particular episode that you've enjoyed, please do share it in your WhatsApp groups, share it on your stories, tag myself and the guest. in your stories. All of these things really do help to grow the podcast. And obviously, if there's anything you'd like to reflect on, please do leave a comment.
01:03:25
Speaker
It would mean the world to me and I will see you on the next one.