PHF Nutrition Consultancy, Derby (2025)

31/10/2025

Have you ever wondered why you can demolish half a pack of biscuits before the end of one episode of Netflix?

It’s not just because the show’s good.

It’s because your brain wasn’t paying attention.

When you eat while distracted, scrolling your phone, watching TV, answering emails...

Your brain doesn’t fully process the signals that tell you you’ve eaten enough.

You’d think hunger was purely about how much food you’ve had, right?

It’s not.

Hunger is psychological.

Your body doesn’t have a built-in calorie tracker that says, “Right, that’s 2,000 calories, we’re full now.”

If it did, we wouldn’t have an obesity problem.

Your brain estimates fullness based on a mix of cues.

Stomach pressure, portion size, how the food looks.

And even how many calories you think are in the meal.

But when your attention’s elsewhere?

Those signals don’t get through properly.

Your brain misses the memo...

And that means you don’t feel as satisfied, so you eat more.

Researchers reviewed 23 studies looking at what happens when people eat while watching TV.

Across the board, those who ate distracted ate significantly more.

Not just during that meal, but later in the day too.

It’s not even the meal you’re distracted during that causes the real problem...

It’s the one after.

Because your brain never “logged” the earlier meal, it doesn’t count it later.

So, you end up hungrier and eat more than you realise.

It’s small, subtle, but over time?

It adds up fast.

To help this?

Think a bit more mindfully when you're eating.

No phone.

No screens.

And no multitasking.

Just you, your plate, and a few minutes of focus.

You’ll eat less, feel fuller, and actually taste your food.

Which, if you ask me, sounds like a decent deal.

And yes, that includes scrolling TikTok between bites.

Put the fork down, enjoy, and be present in the moment.

You'll be amazed at how much this can help.

Drop me a message if you have any questions 🙂

30/10/2025

Why do people end up regaining the fat they lost?

It’s not hormones.

It’s not “metabolic damage.”

And it’s definitely not because your body is “broken.”

This is the part people don’t like to hear...

It's because they didn’t change their lifestyle.

A study has shown (again) that so-called “metabolic damage” isn’t real.

Even in extreme cases like bodybuilders, people with anorexia, even starvation scenarios...

The body doesn’t stay “damaged.”

It adapts.

And it recovers.

Because your body is built to survive.

Your body just wants normality.

It doesn't want chaos.

So if you go back to the same habits that caused weight gain in the first place...

Guess what happens?

You go back to the same result.

And that’s where so many people using tools like GLP-1s are walking a fine line.

If you don’t work on the behaviours behind your choices...

The moment the medication, diet, or “plan” stops doing the heavy lifting...

The weight comes back.

That’s not failure.

That’s just physics.

Here inside PHF, we talk a lot about sustainability.

Not because it sounds sexy.

But because it’s the only thing that works long term.

You can’t out-supplement or out-inject a lifestyle that doesn’t serve you.

(Let's park the subject of morbid obesity here for a second)

You can’t expect a quick-fix to rewrite years of learned habits.

And you can’t call it “metabolic damage” just because you’ve fallen back into old patterns.

You’re not broken.

You just haven’t rebuilt properly yet.

So stop chasing hacks, hormones, or whatever new trend the internet’s selling this week.

And start working on the real stuff.

Like your environment, your behaviours, your daily decisions.

That’s where the magic happens.

That’s where fat loss stops being temporary and starts becoming who you are.

A tough pill to swallow for some.

But if your coach or favourite "hormone healer" is talking to you about cortisol levels and not drinking coffee...

In place of the real stuff that actually moves the needle of sustainable fat loss...

You're being blagged.

If you want a real conversation about fat loss...

You know where I am 🫡

29/10/2025

Let’s talk about what really happens inside the PHF Nutrition Consultancy.

Because on the surface, sure...

It looks like we do nutrition and fat loss.

And we absolutely do.

But that’s only the starting point.

The real work?

That happens when we start changing how people think and feel about food.

I had a check-in call yesterday with one of the girls who has recently joined the consultancy.

She’s been through years of restrictive diets.

Constantly trying to be “good,” then ending up feeling like a failure when things didn’t go perfectly.

Those cycles of restricting, overeating, and guilt…

They take a toll.

But inside PHF, that’s exactly the kind of work we do.

We strip all that noise away.

We look at what’s actually happening in their real life...

Not just on paper.

This client’s had a few “bigger than expected” days recently...

(We don’t call them bad days here)

And instead of spiralling into guilt like before...

We’ve used those moments as feedback.

We've built strategies.

Added tools to her toolbox, and reframed the entire way she looks at food and progress.

Now she’s not beating herself up for being human.

She’s learning how to handle life while still moving forward.

And that’s the difference.

We don’t just hand out calories and wave you off, hoping it all clicks.

We work in real life with real people...

With real structures that fit your world...

Not someone else’s highlight reel.

Because when you fix your relationship with food...

Your body starts to follow.

Fat loss becomes easier.

Confidence builds.

And the pressure finally lifts.

This client came to me for fat loss.

But what she will walk away with is freedom...

And that, to me, is where real coaching lives.

Not with all the fake daily affirmations and highlight reel recipes that coaches expect you to follow 🙄

That's not where the real work in nutrition is.

If this sounds like you...

If you’ve spent too long at war with food...

Then maybe it’s time you found a different way.

Drop me a message today.

Let’s talk 🙂

28/10/2025

I started digging into some research after a check-in call with a client yesterday.

We got onto the topic of caffeine.

How much, when to have it, and whether it actually helps performance…

So, naturally, I went down the rabbit hole.

And this study was too good not to share.

Apparently, your morning brew doesn’t just wake you up...

It can actually make you stronger.

Researchers had trained lifters perform bench presses and squats at 9am and 6pm with and without caffeine.

3mg/kg, roughly the equivalent of three Red Bulls.

Normally, people perform better in the afternoon or evening.

Thanks to natural biorhythms and higher body temperature later in the day.

But here’s where it gets interesting…

When caffeine was introduced, it completely flipped the script.

In the morning sessions, caffeine boosted strength, power, and endurance significantly.

Basically wiping out the usual performance disadvantage of early workouts.

Basically, caffeine literally reverses your body’s natural “I’m not awake yet” setting.

It fast-tracks your biorhythm, raises alertness, and fires up your performance engine earlier in the day.

So while social media might tell you caffeine “doesn’t work” in the morning because you’re not tired yet…

The data says otherwise.

Here is where it's at...

If you train early, caffeine is your best mate.

If you train later, it still helps...

Just maybe don’t double scoop pre-workout at 7pm unless you plan on counting ceiling tiles till 2am in the morning.

And for me?

Well, I train in the evenings…

But let’s be honest...

I was always going to find a study that justifies another coffee 😬👌🏻

Oh, and if any idiot coach tries to bang on about "cortisol" and how it's bad for fat loss...

Just ignore them...

They literally haven't got a clue.

And should stick to watching TikTok and recording their leg day sessions from thirsty iPhone camera angles 🙃

26/10/2025

Drop me a message now to find out more about what we do here or simply DM me the word “PHF” and I’ll take it from there 🙂

25/10/2025

It’s that time of year again.

The nights are darker, the weather’s colder, and motivation for a lot of people starts to slide.

But inside my consultancy, we’re still full steam ahead.

My clients and my team are pushing hard into Christmas...

And we’re still producing some unbelievable results every single week.

And this week, I received a message from one of my clients that really hit home for me.

This person has one of the most intense jobs you could imagine.

Their shift pattern alone would make most people throw the towel in before we even start.

But they took the plunge, trusted the process, and trusted me to coach them through it.

Now, they’re not only seeing the physical changes…

They’re feeling better about themselves.

That’s the real win here.

Yes, fat loss happens, that’s a given when you do things right.

But what I really care about is when clients tell me they’re more confident...

More comfortable in their own skin, and finally walking into rooms feeling like they belong there.

That’s what this is about.

And as a consultancy, we drive ridiculously high standards.

I’m constantly reviewing, challenging, and pushing our processes.

Because what we do here matters to me.

If you’ve ever been a fly on the wall during a PHF team meeting, you’ll know exactly what I mean.

Last Thursday’s meeting at Tim Hortons?

Heated debates, strong opinions, and, as usual...

Me being told by Sanj to get back in my box.

But that’s the thing...

We care.

We’re passionate.

And we argue because we give a damn.

We don’t settle for “good enough.”

So when feedback like this comes in, it makes me proud.

Because it shows that what we deliver is exactly what we say we do.

And it also keeps Sanj off my back for at least a day, which is a bonus 🙄

If you’re ready to turn the tide before the festive chaos kicks in and want to feel better, look better, and perform better...

Drop me a message.

Let’s talk about how we can make it happen before 2025 is out 🙂

24/10/2025

You’re not imagining it.

As the cold, wet, and dark nights roll in...

Moods dip, motivation drops, and suddenly even getting off the sofa feels like a full workout.

And it’s not just the weather.

It’s what the lack of sunlight does to your body.

Your body makes most of its vitamin D from sunlight, not food.

There’s very little of it naturally in what we eat.

And unless you’re living on a beach in the Bahamas...

Chances are your levels are dropping fast.

And that’s a problem.

Because Vitamin D plays a huge role in mood regulation.

It’s directly involved in serotonin production (that “feel-good” chemical)

A major meta-analysis of 31 studies found that vitamin D supplementation was effective in treating depression.

And even people who weren’t clinically depressed experienced mood improvements.

The effect was even stronger in women.

Why?

Because Vitamin D helps reduce inflammation in the brain.

It supports neurotransmitter function, and essentially keeps your mental and physical energy systems firing.

And here’s the important bit...

Even in summer, most people in the UK are deficient, because we simply don’t get enough strong sunlight.

Even outdoor athletes struggle.

That’s why, inside my coaching, Vitamin D supplementation is something I hammer home.

Especially at this time of year.

It’s one of the simplest, cheapest, and most effective ways to protect your mood, immune system, and long-term health.

Now, before you start throwing back handfuls of tablets like Smarties...

The right dosage is individual.

It depends on your skin tone, environment, and how much sunlight you actually get.

But it’s safe to say that the current “recommended” doses are way too low for most people.

So as we slide into the darker months, don’t just look after your training and nutrition...

Look after your light levels too.

Get outside when you can.

Consider supplementing.

And keep your energy high.

Because winter doesn’t have to feel flat.

Even as these cold and dark nights start to roll in 🥶

Drop me a DM if you have any questions.

23/10/2025

If you’ve been following me lately...

You’ll know I’ve been on a bit of a sweetener streak...

And for good reason.

Everywhere you look, some influencer or coach is claiming sweeteners “ruin your gut,” “mess up your hormones,” or “stop fat loss.”

Apparently, one can of Diet Coke is now responsible for everything from bloating to the downfall of civilisation 🙄

But most of them haven’t got a clue what they’re talking about.

Gut microbiota is a complex science.

Not something you can learn from a two-minute online exam or a few “gut reset” reels.

But that hasn’t stopped the self-proclaimed experts from trying.

Let’s get to the real science...

A large EU-funded study tracked 225 overweight people across four countries for a year.

Half avoided sweeteners completely.

The other half used them freely to replace sugary foods and drinks.

Here’s what actually happened...

✅ The sweetener group lost more body fat and kept it off

✅ They had better gut health with more bacteria producing short-chain fatty acids

✅ Improved cholesterol levels at six months

✅ And absolutely zero negative effects on glucose or metabolism.

The researchers concluded:

“Prolonged consumption of sweeteners in a healthy diet is a safe strategy for obesity management.”

So, you can relax...

Your Coke Zero isn’t destroying your gut.

Sweeteners, when used within a balanced diet, can actually help people manage their weight long-term.

So next time someone online starts fear-mongering over Diet Coke, remember this...

Science > social media.

Every single time.

No matter how good they look in a pair of skin-tight leggings or muscle tee 🫠

Stay smart, stay balanced, and don’t fall for the noise.

PHF Nutrition Consultancy...

Where science meets common sense (and a bit of sarcasm 😬)

Drop me a DM if you have any questions.

22/10/2025

The word "Organic" has become a bit of a halo term.

The label goes on, the price doubles, and suddenly your carrots are spiritual.

But when you actually look at the science, the idea that organic food is healthier, cleaner, or safer doesn’t hold up.

Researchers compared 147 studies looking at organic vs conventional foods.

Digging into things like nutrient content, pesticide residues, and health effects.

Here’s what they found:

Nutritionally?

There’s barely a difference.

Organic foods might have slightly more vitamin C, but it’s not enough to make any meaningful difference to your health.

In fact, for some nutrients (like manganese), conventional foods actually came out higher.

Toxins and pesticides?

The difference in residues varied massively between foods.

And neither side was “toxic” or unsafe.

Conventional foods are subject to strict safety checks, and the amounts used are well below harmful levels.

Fat and fibre?

Again, the source of the food matters far more than the label.

Whether your steak’s organic or not...

What that animal was fed, how the food’s cooked, and the overall balance of your diet make far more difference.

The researchers summed it up perfectly:

“The belief that organic food is a safer or healthier alternative is not supported by science.”

Now before the clean-eating crusaders start coming at me with their pitchforks...

Or the coaches who like to show you through their days' worth of organic eating, making out they're superior to you, even though you're trying to manage a full-time job and kids...

Nobody’s saying you shouldn’t buy organic.

If it makes you feel better, go for it.

Just don’t confuse moral preference with scientific reality.

For most people, the real health upgrade isn’t in buying “organic”

It’s in eating more protein, more plants, and more fibre.

So unless your wallet’s overflowing and you fancy paying extra for the same nutrients…

Spend your money on quality protein, some good olive oil, and stop stressing over labels that don't mean much anyway.

Science wins again.

Drop me a DM if you have any questions 🤓

19/10/2025

For decades, eggs have been branded as tiny “cholesterol bombs” ready to clog your arteries at the first sign of a fry-up.

But once again… the science tells a very different story.

Researchers compared three diets...

🍳 High cholesterol (about 2 eggs a day) with low saturated fat

🥗 Low cholesterol (no eggs) with high saturated fat

🍔 High cholesterol and high saturated fat

All diets were calorie-matched.

The result?

Dietary cholesterol (like what’s in eggs) had no significant effect on LDL...

The so-called “bad” cholesterol.

Saturated fat intake, however, did raise LDL levels.

You see...

It’s not the cholesterol in your food that’s the problem...

It’s the source and amount of saturated fat that goes with it.

In fact, for most people, your body is smart enough to regulate cholesterol on its own.

Eat more of it, and it’ll just make less or get rid of more.

There are some hyper-responders, but they’re the exception, not the rule.

So no...

Eating eggs won’t clog your arteries.

You can enjoy them guilt-free.

Especially when your overall diet includes plenty of fibre, unsaturated fats (like olive oil), and nutrient-dense foods.

The myth that “eggs raise cholesterol” has been cracked.

And funnily enough...

It’s the kind of outdated nonsense that still gets passed around by coaches who’ve not opened a research paper since 2005.

Here’s our take at PHF:

🍳 Eggs are nutrient-dense, protein-rich, and perfectly healthy for most people

🥓 Excess saturated fat is worth managing

🥬 A balanced diet is what really matters.

So next time someone tells you eggs are bad for your heart...

Just smile, nod, and remember...

Science > scare tactics.

And if you’ve got questions about how this applies to your nutrition?

Drop me a DM, I'm happy to help 🙂

18/10/2025

BCAAs.

They’re one of the most talked-about supplements in the fitness industry…

And one of the most misunderstood.

Every week, I see people investing their hard-earned money into BCAAs thinking they’re unlocking some kind of muscle-building advantage.

When in reality, the science paints a very different picture.

Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) are already present in any high-quality protein source if you’re eating enough protein through your diet...

Think, chicken, fish, eggs, dairy, or whey...

Then you’re already getting everything your body needs to build and repair muscle.

The research shows that adding extra BCAAs on top of that provides little to no benefit.

At best, you might get a tiny bump in muscle protein synthesis.

At worst, you’ve just paid for an expensive flavoured drink that does nothing.

In simple terms...

Buying BCAAs when you’re already hitting your protein target is like me buying hair gel.

Pointless 👨🏻‍🦲

The review I looked at summed it up perfectly:

“High-quality dietary protein providing all essential amino acids supports muscle protein synthesis far better than BCAAs alone.”

So, if your nutrition is already dialled in and your protein intake is solid...

You don’t need to waste your money on tubs of BCAAs.

Focus on total daily protein intake instead.

BCAAs aren’t bad...

They’re just unnecessary for most people.

Save your money, fuel properly, and invest in what actually drives results.

If you’re unsure whether your protein intake’s on point for your goals, drop me a DM...

I’ll happily point you in the right direction.

And if you think this post could help someone else, hit share or bookmark it for later.

PHF Nutrition... real science, zero nonsense 🫡

17/10/2025

I want to talk about the actual science around detoxes today.

Because if I see one more “coach” telling people to flush out toxins with lemon water, celery juice or some magic tea bag...

I might actually lose the plot.

The body already has a detox system.

It’s called your liver, kidneys, and lungs.

And they’ve been doing a world-class job since the day you were born.

You don’t need to “reset” them with a juice cleanse.

Here's some science for the coaches who smokescreen their clients with detox talk...

A study tracked fat tissue samples from people before and after five months of weight loss.

And what they found was incredible.

Fat loss itself triggered major improvements in cellular health.

The kind of “detox” your body actually benefits from.

It reversed cellular ageing...

Those old, damaged cells that don’t function properly were cleared out.

It improved cell recycling (called autophagy), basically your body’s natural clean-up and repair system.

It reduced inflammation by decreasing immune cell build-up in fat tissue.

And yes…

It even detoxified the body by reducing harmful fatty acids and compounds stored in fat cells.

In short, fat loss is the only detox your body ever really needs.

It’s biological, evidence-based, and happens naturally when you eat well, move more, and support your body properly.

Not by torturing yourself with a kale smoothie for breakfast 🤮

So, if your favourite “coach” is still banging on about detox teas, powders, or three-day cleanses...

Congratulations, you’ve just found someone who doesn’t understand how the human body works.

And I wouldn't let them feed my dog 🫠

At PHF, we don’t sell nonsense.

We teach people how to create real change, backed by science, not rubbish.

If you ever want clarity on what actually works...

And what’s complete nonsense...

Just drop me a DM.

I’ll happily help you separate the science from the circus 🙂

PHF Nutrition Consultancy

31/10/2025

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