The Ayrshire Nutritionist

30/04/2026

I learned that trying to create a monthly nutrition newsletter on top of a fully booked few months of nutrition consultations and being CHOKA was ambitious.... 🥵

However issue number two of my Ayrshire Nutritionist Newsletter is finally out and in your inbox (check your spam) if you're on my mailing list or you're a client.

My main aim with these is just to break through all the noise and nonsense that permeates social media and actually provide real, evidence based and practical help when it comes to tackling common fat loss/nutrition issues.

This months topics?

- Why eating less isn't always the answer to losing weight
- Greens powders, worth it or ditch them?

And I also a fired in a lovely wee creamy pea and bacon pasta recipe too!

What topics would you love to know more about or what supplements/trends should I unpick to see if they are worth your time? Let me know.

Enjoy!

27/04/2026

It was such a privilege for me to host a Nutrition & Movement Throughout Menopause Workshop in Feeling Fabulous Kilmarnock last Friday.

When Catherine asked me to do this I jumped at the chance!
Every time I do these workshops not only do I get to connect with women who are struggling with their nutrition, their health and their mindset (and hopefully I can impact them positively by delivering some nuggets to help) but they also get to hear that they are not alone in the things they are struggling with.

We covered everything from the changes in our hormones and our bodies that can happen through this time, to protein, to fibre, to supplements, to strength training and so much more.

I've delivered this workshop loads now and it never goes the same way twice. I love the questions, the chat, the sharing of experiences and getting right to the bottom of what can help best for the women who attend and this one was a cracker.

A gorgeous bunch of women, a gorgeous set up in Catherine's salon and it was really cool to have these women choose to spend the first sunny Friday night this year listening to me chat all things Nutrition and Movement.

☺️

14/04/2026

My dad is 87 years old and his love language is giving us things that are going out of date and need used up immediately....
However, 39p fresh tagliatelle was a phenomenal base for this recipe!

Its quick, its light, it's packed with nutrients/protein/fibre/flavour and we are already buzzing to have it again tonight.

Creamy Salmon Pasta.
576 calories
39g protein
6g fibre
15 mins from fridge to plate.

Swipe through the photos to see the steps.

Freshness from the peas, lots of flavour from the blistered tomatoes and garlic, plant goodness from the spinach, omega 3s from the salmon and some absolute comfort from the creamy ricotta based sauce and fresh pasta.

I don't want this to become a recipe page and simultaneously post lots of recipes....
I'm sure there are loads of variations of this on the gram and I have a lot of posts on the back burner about motivation, decision making, why meal plans don't work plus the March/April edition of the Newsletter coming too but I might need 36 hours in a day to get through it all!

So have a recipe instead xox

27/03/2026

Movement and Nutrition Through Menopause.
Excited to be doing a workshop at the lovely Catherine's Feeling Fabulous Salon ☺️
Friday 24th April 6pm.
Details in Catherine's posts below 🤩

🌸 MOVEMENT & NUTRITION THROUGH MENOPAUSE SEMINAR

🗓️ Friday 24th April 2026
⏰ 6.30pm
📍Feeling Fabulous, Kilmarnock
🎟️ £15 per person

📩 contact Catherine to book your spot
email: feelingfabulousx@gmail.com
text: 07540164365

We are holding an event with AKA the amazing Pamala Picken who specialises in woman’s health 💁🏽‍♀️🫶🏾

Pamala has years of experience in the fitness industry and has great knowledge and passion when it comes woman’s health and menopause related challenges we all face at some point in life.

This is a topic that comes up again and again within the salon and I feel very passionate about bringing you someone who will keep it real , genuinely cares and will give you the most relevant, safe information you need to get through or continue to move through this time which may feel lonely or challenging.

We have limited spaces available

If this feels like the correct fit for you at this time or you want to be more prepared for what’s ahead we can’t wait to welcome you to our safe space, where there is no judgment and you want to navigate your way through this phase of life feeling supported, heard and seen by other woman 🫶🏾✨

Please feel free to reach out if you have any queries

Remember how fu***ng FABULOUS you are ♥️♥️

19/03/2026

Something that will genuinely do more to :-

- lower "inflammation"
- boost your mood
- regulate stress hormones (like cortisol)
- lower your risk of chronic disease
- enhance fat loss
- improve insulin sensitivity

Than any concoction of random, trendy supplements...

Regular walks outside, even in short bouts.

Before you spend a single one of your hard earned pounds on a supplement from some corner of the internet, try to find just ten minutes a day to be outside.

I know it seems boring, I know life is hectic, I know we can feel tied to desks, responsibilities and exhaustion. But I implore you to find ten minutes just for yourself today, especially in this spring sunshine.

Your skin, brain and body will love it.

🙏🌤

09/03/2026

Whilst I don't want this page to turn into a recipe account (there are far superior Instagram accounts doing a much better job than I ever could at posting recipes) I do like to share the odd quick, easy, high protein/fibre meals that are staples for myself and my clients just incase they are useful.

Sometimes also using them to debunk some myths that do the rounds on social media too....

If you're shook at a nutritionist using a tablespoon of tomato sauce I implore you to revise the kind of content you're following....

If a small dose of convenience helps you consume more protein, more plants and more nutrients overall then the pros far outweigh any alleged cons.

Easy prawn cocktail salad.

Ingredients :-
150g cooked prawns
Half a cucumber
Half an avocado
Handful of cherry tomatoes
Shredded lettuce
Smoked paprika
Salt
Olive oil
Greek yogurt
Tomato sauce
Salad cream or lemon juice
Light mayo

Method in the photos.

A quick, minimal effort way to get almost 30g protein in and a whole bunch of plants.

Useful for me and perhaps useful for you too.

Enjoy !

02/03/2026

Something I've wanted to do for a long time is put together a monthly Nutrition Newsletter for people to open and know that they are getting evidence based, honest information.

Social media and the wellness industry is an absolute minefield right now but my aim is to be a voice to cut through that noise and, in particular, help women break free from the dieting cycle.

I sent out my first one this week to all of my clients and followers who have opted in and this months topics were scale fluctuations and if collagen supplementation is worth it.... 👀
(If you opted in, check your spam!)

If you are keen for it just drop me a wee message with your email and I'll get it out to you.

😊

19/02/2026

My "ultra processed" dinner and why its absolutely perfect for my health (and maybe yours too).

My favourite way of needing zero prep, zero creativity, zero recipe and just using up all the odds and ends in my fridge is a dinner like this.

All you need is the veg thats looking a bit sad in your fridge, a source of protein, a pouch of grains and a jar of seasoning or sauce.

Cook your chicken in some spices (beef, salmon, mince or even beans would work here).

Set aside and cook your veg in the same pan, I use a splash of water every now and then to keep the pan from drying out. When its soft throw your chicken back in, dollop in some sauce (sometimes I use a sachet of sweet and sour, tonight I just used a tablespoon of light cream cheese ans a tablespoon of sriracha) and throw in half a pouch of grains.

Mix and plate it up. This bowl was around 500 calories, over 45g protein, 10g fibre and contains six different plants.

But packets, ultra processed, convenience food Pamala? How can that be right?

Let me explain.

There are people on the internet who will tell you that sauce or seasoning from a jar is ultra processed and bad for your health.
They can't actually seem to define what an ultra processed food is and why it is harmful.
What they will do instead is give you a list of supplements as long as your arm which are 'processed' by their same standards. These usually have zero regulation, zero third party testing & quite often have zero health benefits at best (and in some cases can actually stop you absorbing the stuff you really need).
Make it make sense?

Then you have people who actually know what they are talking about. They don't promote supplements (because about a handful of useful ones actually exist) and they know that if adding 50 to 150 calories of 'processed' sauce or seasonings means you eat a plate full of plants, colour, micronutrients, polyphenols, protein, fibre and makes it easy for you on the regular then it's absolutely grand for your health.

I don't make the rules, I just tell the truth.

Maybe one day I'll be arsed to harvest my own quinoa but until then I'll be using pouches that are ready in 90 seconds. Highly recommend.

02/02/2026

Here are 3 examples of 3 different clients fat loss journeys using scale data (shared with their permission of course).

As you can see there isn't a linear, constant, downward line. There are ups & downs along the way which are absolutely PART of the process. 

Our body weight is supposed to fluctuate, especially as a female. There are a whole host of reasons for this which have nothing to do with your actual long term progress.

Just a few examples of short terms reasons for the scales fluctuating despite sticking to the plan?

- A salty meal 
- Particuarly tough training session/delayed onset muscle soreness
- Hormonal/cycle related 
- Glycogen storage from carbohydrates (note that doesn't mean carbs cause fat gain) 
- A terrible night's sleep
- Increased fibre/food intake without the output just yet 💩👀

Other reasons for periods of fluctuating "progress"?

- Planned or unplanned diet breaks (for example holidays or life curveballs)
- Periods of planned maintenance (vital if your weight loss journey is significant)

I don't think using scales alone is the best way to measure body composition change but I DO think for the right people & in the right context they are a tool in the toolbox. 

Ultimately if you are successfully losing fat over time the scales will come down*. They have absolutely NOTHING to do with your worth as a person.
If they don't mess with your head & you can look at the readings just as data then they can be a helpful tool to know things are going in the right direction.

That downward trend over time is what matters, NOT the individual readings day to day or even week to week.
Tweaking things based on the overall trend rather than the individual readings is where the magic happens (that's my job!).

However, if they dictate your mood for the day, if you get petrified before standing on them or if they completely rule your brain then its worth considering a bunch of other reliable ways to measure progress. That stress alone is not worth it & will likely do more harm than good for your progress!
 
I never use scale data on its own to measure progress, even with the most level headed of clients, they are simply a tool in a toolbox.

*👇

27/01/2026

Every January I think about the girl on the left even though its been a long time since that photo.
She started every year trying to shrink, it would get to this time in January & the wheels would come off in spectacular fashion.

The latest fad diet would become tiresome - she was analysing every calorie, scrutinising every centimetre of her body & she just felt lost.

Fast forward 17 years & here we are. A successful Personal Trainer, Nutritionist & obsessed with helping others find their way too.

Whilst I can look back & feel grateful for her journey because its lead me to where I am today (a career I absolutely love, 13 years & counting of coaching people towards the healthiest version of themselves plus a freedom in her life & body she would never have dreamed of) if I could go back there are some things I'd tell her :

- You cannot stop the judgement of other people but you can certainly stop being so judgemental of yourself. That cycle, that critical voice & that 'cloak' of motivating yourself by berating yourself is NOT producing a positive outcome. You won't believe it until you try it but the change will happen when you start showing yourself some compassion (and you'll realise that happy people don't tear other people's body down anyway - that energy is not yours to carry)

- That compassion will pave the way for decisions based on taking care of yourself, nourishing yourself and prioritising yourself. You think the answer lies in another diet but the answer lies SO far away from another diet.

- Stop thinking about what to have less of. Stop thinking about newer, smarter, more savage ways to restrict yourself. Start thinking about what you can have more of. Not just when it comes to food but in life too.

- Start strength training. It will CATEGORICALLY change your life. It'll be the very thing that leads you to find your place in the world. It'll lead you to your people, it'll lead you to your passions in life, it'll lead you to your confidence, it'll lead you to knowing you belong & you'll help others feel like they belong too.

- You won't make lasting progress until you believe you deserve it. Thats the tough bit, but you'll get there.

P.s - you'll be lucky enough to find someone who actually listens to you, doesn't put you on a treadmill or tell you to stop eating carbs. You'll fall in love, marry him and start an empire 🤭. That empire will grow with the aim of listening to others who are maybe struggling like you are too.

Just letting people know I've walked the walk... and whilst everyones path is different this might help someone to realise they're not alone in the fad diet cycle.

There is a way to break out of it and feeling strong, fit and healthy belongs to EVERYONE.

🤓

04/01/2026

Looking to "tone up" this year? Lift weights.

That's a click bait heading & I'm sorry, but it's true. 

Everyone screams about protein as if its enough to build & retain muscle mass on its own (building/retaining muscle mass whilst you lose body fat is exactly what "toning up" is).
The bottom line is all the protein intake in the world won't really make a dent if you are not sending the physical signals to your body to keep hold of/increase your muscle mass. Eating protein without also resistance training will not do the full job. The training is the primary driver for muscle growth. I cannot emphasise that enough.

However, are there things you can eat that will help you "tone up"? Absolutely!

- Protein. It absolutely plays a role (adequate being a lot less dramatic than we once thought so if you think you need to choke down 200g protein a day rest assured you can probably bring that number down). 

Its vital because it can keep us fuller for longer allowing for an easier time of it when eating in a calorie deficit. It helps with that all-important resistance training progress & recovery. On top of this its generally amazing for our immune system & health too ESPECIALLY as we age! 

- Fibre. Its everywhere just now & rightly so. Not only does it help hugely when it comes to consuming less calories (a must for losing body fat, one of the keys of "toning up") but its vital for our gut health, disease prevention, regulating our appetite, regulating our energy levels & the inclusion of vital nutrients. 
Fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, oats, wholegrains, lentils, chickpeas. The more diversity the better. If your current consumption of these foods is super low then dont jump straight to 30g a day, increase gradually.

Other things I don't have enough space to delve into here - healthy fats, sleep, hydration, stress.

Ultimately no "one" thing is magic. Not protein on its own, not fibre on its own. Progressive resistance training is as close to magic as it gets, but pair it with adequate protein and a high fibre intake then you've got the perfect storm to actually make progress towards your goal this year.

Hit me up if you need help or guidance 😊