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Peri. Pause, Darlington (2026)

24/03/2026

Heading for VO2 ‘superior’.

Of course I wonder if I’ve tricked the app … maybe I have but I also know I wouldn’t want to go back to where I was 12 months ago 1.5 stone heavier and more tired. So something is working out.

I’m also a nudge towards my first step target weight which was planned for Christmas, then my birthday , now a beach holiday end of April and feeling pretty confident of third time lucky.

This isn’t about how I look - though I want to look in the mirror and see a strong body, it’s about gifting myself my best life and feeling I deserve it.

I will have competed 3 runs and a Zumba session by the end of this week and next week I’ll add line dancing to that too. That rill be my new routine.

My daily steps were stuck at 5k this time last year - I changed my routine and effort snd increased them to 7k, then 10k and now 13k basically because of the increase in running.

I’m making conscious choices when eating. There’s nothing I’ve cut out - still eating fats, carbs, sugar but more fibre, protein, veg and fruit.

I’m pretty good now with ultra processed foods and the cravings have gone - I’d say bread and cream are my weaknesses.

White rice I’ve swapped for wholemeal.

It’s all so much effort compared to when I was younger and that’s ok. I put a lot of rubbish in my body until this past 12 months and now I choose not to. I move when I don’t always feel like it but prioritise the fun stuff .

You’re told not to weigh yourself regularly but I do - I like the information and I no longer get demotivated by weight gain - I understand it’s a bigger picture.

Next steps - more steps (running) and weights and more dancing - looking forward to the longer days which will make it all easier.

And as always it’s self compassion that makes the difference. I need to remind myself sometimes but that part of the equation is getting easier. 🫶

16/03/2026

Hmm … interesting.

This app was prescribed to me when I was found to be pre diabetic 11 months ago.

Part of it involves tracking your meals - not overly scientific - you take a picture of each meal and the app analyses the content.

Over the past 11 months I’ve been far from consistent with this - infact you can basically say I didn’t do it. Or if I did I was selective.

Today was the day I decided to take myself and my health and my body seriously.

I guess because I’ve already made changes, no alcohol, no puds apart from dark choc, fruit and cream (mostly) it felt ‘safe’ to do.

It’s been a bit of an eye opener.

I would say today I’ve had a healthy eating day - my only vice was stewed rhubarb with single cream. I did have some nuts … not as many nuts as I normally do … a fraction of in fact.

Everything is in the green except fat. I’m quite shocked. And my 16 year old has just informed me ‘that’s not how it works’ when I pondered going for a run and then treating myself to chocolate afterwards. 🥴

Life lessons.

I’ve always despaired, felt perplexed and bought into the hormone and nervous system explanation for the visceral fat I carry.

Now I’m realising it would appear I’ve been over eating - I think I’ve mastered my sugar intake which totally would have been too high in the past … now I need to look at fat intake 🤔… lots of fruit I think.

Maybe it’s just that I’m ready to take this on board now and wouldn’t have been before 🤷🏼‍♀️. Anyone else been allocated this app? It’s called

22/02/2026

HRT dose increased and I’m grateful 🙏 hoping for a more ‘with it’ week.

I’ve been on HRT for over 5 years now - struggled with patches - they fell off - struggled with 2weeks on/off regime with tablets. I had to have an internal scan because I’d put myself at risk due to not keeping in top of the order of things.

Now I’m on max gel and tablet dose … plus the ‘other’ iykyk- I didn’t realise they were an addition I thought they were an alternative … if you’re struggling it’s always worth a conversation- don’t feel your problems aren’t ’bad enough’ to take up your doctors appointment - don’t keep battling.

I already ‘know’ this increase will make a difference. My heart and head are willing but just paused on being able.

19/02/2026

Half term hasn’t gone to plan…

When I went to work I felt guilty for not being at home.

When I worked at home I enjoyed and gave my all to planned coaching sessions but apart from dog walks and running not much else has happened 😬.

So had to work hard at not beating myself up about that as I’ve had such a productive start to the year it’s uncomfortable to feel as if I’ve ‘lapsed’ into ‘old ways’. Even though it was more than a year ago, the fear and memory of burn out is a shadow that isn’t far away it would seem.

In the future I’ll know school holidays are not the time for doing extra jobs.

They’re time for working as a coach and being mum and taking down time.

Always learning and listening to my body now. That’s the difference and that’s why I’m confident burn out won’t happen again. Life may not always look the way I want to but learning to accept that too.

Rather than fighting these ways of being (ourselves) it’s about planning for them. My brain and focus struggles to be in 2 camps at the same time.

So if that feels like you too, just letting you know it’s not only you 🫶

17/02/2026

Like many women perimenopause has been the catalyst for so much change in my life.

It was a slow burn - I first noticed symptoms around 45 but thought I was too young. It took 5 years for me to reach a point where I was barely functioning. Five years on from that my life is unrecognisable… not perfect but I feel I’m on track and I’m excited about the future.

I’m still learning the lessons and struggling to juggle everything but I know now, particularly since training as a menopause coach how important this is.

Did you know perimenopause means our neurological wiring is 🔥

In terms of fitness it’s nothing we can’t do as much we just need to make conscious choices about what we do. I run because I love it and it helps with my ADHD but I know I need to incorporate more strength training.

Food I’m tweaking - becoming more aware of what I put in my body. I’m now in the normal but high range for ha1c - I was pre diabetic a year ago but there’s still work to go - the visceral fat around my middle doesn’t care about how much I run, or how many steps I take. I know I need to drink more water. I’ve cut out alcohol.

In terms of our brains - it can feel like we’re losing our capacity but think of that as information - what do you need more of or less of in your life?

Sleep -it’s a battle - I’m still struggling with - and I’m sure a lot of that is nervous system related.

Spirituality has been something that’s become deeper and played a more and more important part in my life- nurturing and calming it.

And of course perimenopause indirectly lead me to my Adhd and autism diagnosis.

I live in my own now with my youngest and Charlie my dog. It’s my safe space - I have responsibilities but a much larger chunk of those responsibilities are towards me now.

If you’re in a perimenopause journey too then follow peri_pause_awaken and find more support there.

These changes aren’t coincidences - they’re calling you back to you 💫🫶🙏

16/02/2026

Ok let’s capture this in 3 messages.

1. Perimenopause isn’t an ending it’s an awakening 🔥

2. Your brain is ready to rewire now at the same rate as when you were an adolescent; don’t let those neuropathways 💀

3. This isn’t a diet and exercise thing … it’s a ‘whole of you’ thing and it starts with self compassion and self belief. And I mean real compassion. Not just words. Feelings. Belief 💝

I hear it all the time - the negative self talk is so ingrained- we should be more, do more, we’re this, we’re that… judgements .. harsh, cruel… relentless. And we do it to ourselves!!! 😳

For those of us who identify with being neurodivergent it’s intense and has always been there it’s just now it’s got louder.

And it’s loud for a reason.

it’s time for all that self talk and belief to change. At a heart level. You’re a beautiful human being and now is the time to show the whole world exactly what that looks like.

But the starting point is you. Show yourself first.

And if you want help with that or you want the journey to go quicker and deeper, then let’s do it together.

All the answers are in you, they just need unlocking and the voices that don’t belong to you stripping back.

No generic programme - individual tailored response to you and where you are . We’ll look at everything.

DM 6 sessions over 6 months £360 … for now.

This is my journey too 🫶💫🙏

Peri. Pause

24/03/2026

16/03/2026

22/02/2026

19/02/2026

17/02/2026

16/02/2026

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