Farah Dutson - Personal Trainer & Nutrition Coach

31/05/2026

SKINNY IS EVERYWHERE AND AFTER BREAST CANCER this can feel overwhelming.

The pressure to lose weight fast.
To get your old body back.
To make yourself smaller again.

⭐️But skinny doesn’t protect your bones.

⭐️And being lighter without enough muscle doesn’t protect you long-term either.

Especially when you’re taking Aromatase inhibitors and / or Zoladex or Tamoxifen in perimenopause where the sudden loss of oestrogen already increases the risk of bone loss.

Fast weight loss can mean:

1.Less load through the bones
= less stimulation for bone strength

2.Muscle loss
= lower protection as you age

3.More stress on the body
= poorer recovery and resilience

⭐️And when women are under-fuelling, over-exercising and chasing rapid fat loss
they often end up weaker, not healthier.

Most of my clients don’t need more restriction.

They need:

✔ Structure
✔ Clear programming
✔ Accountability
✔ A sustainable plan that supports muscle, metabolism, gut health and bone health

⭐️Recovery shouldn’t just focus on making your body smaller.

It should focus on making your body stronger.

STRONGER. NOURISHED. SUSTAINABLE.



Do you feel the pressure to lose weight?

28/05/2026

Breast cancer, osteoporosis & bisphosphonates - you need to look at the bigger picture.

⭐️Bone loss during endocrine treatment
(especially aromatase inhibitors and Zoladex) can be much faster than normal menopause.

⭐️So why are bisphosphonates prescribed?

It’s not just about bone density.
They are used to:
•Reduce fracture risk
•Slow down bone breakdown (osteoclast activity)
•And in some cases, help reduce the risk of cancer spreading to bone

⭐️This is where context matters

Your oncologist is looking at:
•Your cancer type
•Your treatment plan
•Your fracture risk
•Your overall health

It’s not just about your T score.

So if you’re unsure, ask. Don’t just stop taking them.

28/05/2026

Most women after breast cancer treatment
Are told to protect their bone health by just taking calcium & vitamin D supplements.

But supporting your gut health, soluble fibre intake, protein intake & inflammation levels are just as important.

Your gut microbiome may influence inflammation, recovery, bone rebuilding, blood sugar balance & even body composition, which is why focusing on whole foods can make such a difference.

Simple habits like:
* increasing soluble fibre
* including calcium-rich foods
* prioritising protein
* resistance training
can all help support stronger bones, healthy ageing & long-term recovery after breast cancer treatment.

Follow for realistic science led support for breast cancer recovery, osteoporosis & menopause

23/05/2026

“We don’t get to choose what happens to us—but we can choose how we respond.” - Sir Chris Hoy

In this episode of the Breast Cancer Now podcast, 6-time Olympic gold medallist Sir Chris Hoy shares his experience of being diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer.

Chris discusses the shock of diagnosis, adapting to life with incurable cancer, and how his mindset as an elite athlete has helped him navigate uncertainty. He also introduces the Tour de 4, a community cycling event raising funds and awareness for metastatic cancers.

Together with Laura Price—who is also living with metastatic breast cancer—the conversation explores resilience, the importance of healthy living, and finding meaning while living with an incurable diagnosis.

Watch or listen now.

https://breastcancernow.org/about-us/podcasts/sir-chris-hoy-on-hope-living-for-today-and-not-letting-cancer-define-you?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=podcast&utm_content=ChrisHoy

22/05/2026

If your clothes are feeling tighter after breast cancer treatment, it’s not always because you’re “doing less.”

Treatment can increase inflammation, reduce muscle mass, and impair the number and quality of your mitochondria - the tiny energy producers inside your cells.

Less mitochondrial function = less energy.
And when oestrogen drops during endocrine therapy, joint pain and stiffness often increase too.

So if exercise feels impossible right now, there’s physiology behind it.

This means fatigue isn’t “in your head.”Your body is literally producing less usable energy.

And if endocrine therapy has lowered oestrogen levels, this will also contribute to joint pain and stiffness, which making movement feel even harder.

⭐️
Now I know it feels impossible, but the right type of movement can help improve BOTH.

⚡ 1. Start before you feel ready. Energy often follows movement, not the other way around.

⚡ 2. Prioritise strength over calorie burning. Even small amounts of resistance training help preserve and rebuild muscle.

⚡ 3. Use movement to support your mitochondria regularly, muscle contractions send signals that help improve mitochondrial number and function.

⚡ 4. Move your joints daily- even gently. Movement helps stimulate synovial fluid, improving joint lubrication and reducing stiffness.

⚡ 5. Stay below the “wipeout” threshold. You’re rebuilding capacity, not proving toughness.

⚡ 6. Let consistency do the work, your hormones may have changed, but your body can still adapt.

⭐️You’re not “letting yourself go.”You’re working with a body that’s been through treatment and physiology that needs rebuilding.

What’s been the hardest part since treatment?

1️⃣ Low energy2️⃣ Joint pain3️⃣ Not feeling like yourself in your body anymore

Comment 1, 2, or 3 below,

And if talking about it publicly feels too personal, send me a DM with the word: NOW.

21/05/2026

Zoladex and aromatase inhibitors don’t just affect weight.

They can accelerate bone loss after breast cancer, often much faster than natural menopause.

Research shows some women can lose significant bone density within the first 6–12 months, especially without resistance training, adequate fuel and bone-supportive nutrition.

And this is where aggressive dieting can become a problem, cause even more inflammation and affect bone density.

Under-fuelling doesn’t just affect fat loss.

It can also impact:

• muscle mass
• bone remodelling
• recovery
• your gut microbiome, which in turn through inflammation will affect how your bone cells function.

This is why sustainable fat loss after breast cancer should never come at the expense of:
✔ muscle
✔ bone strength
✔ long-term resilience

You can’t shortcut bone strength.

And you can’t buy muscle back later.

You build them slowly.
Strategically.
Consistently.

⭐️When I work with clients who are in breast cancer, my approach focuses on:

✔️Progressive resistance training to load the skeleton
✔️Maintaining and rebuilding muscle mass
✔️Improving metabolic health by reducing inflammation with both nutrition and exercise type
✔️Gradually increasing load to stimulate bone formation safely - both with weights and jump training

⭐️This isn’t random exercise.
It’s structured programming designed to stimulate bone adaptation while protecting joints and the spine.

For women on endocrine treatment, exercise becomes a therapeutic intervention for protecting bone density, maintaining muscle and reducing fracture risk.

⭐️If you want to stop guessing and learn how I structure this for women navigating breast cancer survivorship and osteoporosis risk, DM or comment: READY

Programs are 13 weeks, 1:1, bespoke to your health & exercise history with correctly dosed exercise & nutrition.

20/05/2026

Weight gain after breast cancer treatment isn’t just frustrating, it’s usually misunderstood as well.
Visceral fat is one of the reasons.

After treatment, your body is already inflamed and the drop in oestrogen caused by aromatase inhibitors, tamoxifen or not being able to HRT any longer adds another layer of metabolic stress

The result - your body shifts toward storing more visceral fat.

This isn’t the fat you can pinch.
It’s deeper, more active and far more influenced by hormones and metabolism.

⭐️These visceral fat cells behave differently:
They grow in size (not just number)
They struggle to get enough oxygen
They release inflammatory signals (cytokines)

⭐️And from there:
Insulin levels rise
Fat storage increases
Fat loss becomes harder
A cycle is created

⭐️So why does inflammation cause weight gain?
Because it disrupts insulin and appetite hormones making it easier to store fat and much harder to lose it.

So if you feel like your old tricks of eating
less and moving more are not working - you’re right!

⭐️Your body needs a different approach now. One that lowers inflammation and supports metabolism and your hormones with both exercise and nutrition

But more importantly you need the right level of support to actually implement it.

If you’re at the point where you’re ready to stop guessing and understand exactly what to do

Comment: READY and I’ll send you details how to do this with me
✔️ Structured support
✔️ Clear guidance
✔️ And the confidence & agency to do this on your own long-term.

Programs are 13wks, 1:1 bespoke to your individual health & exercise history with both correctly dosed exercise & nutrition.

18/05/2026

When your clothes feel tighter after breast cancer treatment, it’s not always because you’re “doing less.”

Treatment can increase inflammation, reduce muscle mass, and impair the number and quality of your mitochondria - the tiny energy producers inside your cells.

Less mitochondrial function = less energy.
And when oestrogen drops during endocrine therapy, joint pain and stiffness often increase too.

So if exercise feels impossible right now, there’s physiology behind it.

This means fatigue isn’t “in your head.”Your body is literally producing less usable energy.

And if endocrine therapy has lowered oestrogen levels, this will also contribute to joint pain and stiffness, which making movement feel even harder.

⭐️
Now I know it feels impossible, but the right type of movement can help improve BOTH.

⚡ 1. Start before you feel ready. Energy often follows movement, not the other way around.

⚡ 2. Prioritise strength over calorie burning. Even small amounts of resistance training help preserve and rebuild muscle.

⚡ 3. Use movement to support your mitochondria regularly, muscle contractions send signals that help improve mitochondrial number and function.

⚡ 4. Move your joints daily- even gently. Movement helps stimulate synovial fluid, improving joint lubrication and reducing stiffness.

⚡ 5. Stay below the “wipeout” threshold. You’re rebuilding capacity, not proving toughness.

⚡ 6. Let consistency do the work, your hormones may have changed, but your body can still adapt.

⭐️You’re not “letting yourself go.”You’re working with a body that’s been through treatment and physiology that needs rebuilding.

What’s been the hardest part since treatment?

1️⃣ Low energy2️⃣ Joint pain3️⃣ Not feeling like yourself in your body anymore

Comment 1, 2, or 3 below,

And if talking about it publicly feels too personal, send me a DM with the word: NOW.

15/05/2026

15/05/2026

recently realised I’d become stale with my strength training for bone density and menopause.

I had adapted to the loads I was lifting without even noticing.
(And this for me is so easily done, especially if you don’t have accountability.)

⭐️So I started paying attention to something different:

Are the LAST 5 reps actually difficult…
or just the final 1–2?

This small shift helped me progressively increase my weights again.

⭐️This is hugely important for:
• osteoporosis prevention
• osteopenia
• post-menopausal muscle loss
• breast cancer recovery
• and women on aromatase inhibitors.

Because building muscle strength is one of the key ways we increase load on bone and stimulate osteogenesis (new bone formation).

⭐️This is where the Size Principle of Motor Unit Recruitment becomes important.

Muscle fibres are recruited from smaller, low-threshold motor units → to larger, high-threshold motor units as fatigue increases during resistance training.

⭐️This means the earlier repetitions in a set often don’t create enough mechanical tension to maximally stimulate muscle and bone adaptation.

⭐️As effort increases towards the final repetitions:
• more muscle fibres are recruited
• mechanical tension increases
• muscular force output increases
• and the loading stimulus placed on bone becomes greater.

⭐️These are often referred to as the “effective reps” - the repetitions most associated with muscle hypertrophy, strength progression and skeletal loading important for bone health.

This becomes even more important during menopause and after breast cancer treatment because low oestrogen levels accelerate muscle loss and bone loss.

⭐️And clinically, this is often where progression quietly plateaus.
Not from lack of consistency, but because training intensity slowly drifts too far from true muscular fatigue.

⭐️This is also why progressive overload, structured resistance training and accountability matter so much for long-term bone health.

⭐️Follow for evidence lead
Osteoporosis, breast cancer recovery and menopause support.