Shape Up With Caroline

09/08/2025

If all else fails, eat well 🍒🍏🍓🥦🍅 🌈

We cannot always control everything that happens to us. For example, we cannot always control:

🌧️ The weather (although today is 👌☀️😎)
💤 Sleep (the sunshine helps though 🙂)
🥵 Hormones ⬆️ ⬇️ 🥶 🔥 😡 😭
😬 Stress and what life throws at us
👨‍💼 Other peoples actions or opinions
⏰ Time (but we can make the most of it 🙂)
⏰ The past and the future (all we have is now)
🌎 Global events (heavy but true)

Now some of these issues are waaaaay out of our control and some can be influenced, like morning light to reset your circadium rhythm, less screen time, time in nature and more exercise to reduce stress and help you sleep well. All of course will help with balancing hormones. However some days, no matter how hard you try you just can't win 🙈

Now that brings me back to what you can completely control, every single day, and apart from other people, the weather and global affairs, will pretty much help with most of the above issues!

Quite simply, good, nutritious real food! 🥑 🥗🍇🍄🍗🥕🍎🍊🍇 🥚🍆🍍🫘🥒🌰🫐 🥜

So while sometimes it feels like the world is on top of you. You always have choices and the little choices make the biggest difference.

Real food is full of nutrition, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, stabilisers blood sugar, balances hormones, improves digestion, balances mood and increases energy, keeping us healthy from the inside out.

Processed and high sugar foods fluctuate blood sugar levels (hungry/ tired / irritable = need more sugar = increased tiredness and long term health issues or weight gain) increasing risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, malnutrition and other chronic illnesses.

If I can give one piece of advice, invest in your health and if all else fails start with eating wholesome, nutritious, REAL food.

Food for thought! 😁

If you need help with this I wrote a simple, easy to understand book, full of wonderful tips on how to be the best version of you. Something I'm super proud of and have received amazing feedback from my clients 💚

Drop me a message if you'd like to buy a copy or find out more.

Here's a link with information about the book: https://www.shapeupwithcaroline.co.uk/shape-up-book

28/08/2024

Why do we need protein? 💪 ⁉️ 🤔

From working with many of my lovely clients, often the biggest nutrient missing from their diet is protein.

Protein is one of the three main macro nutrients and our bodies need protein to thrive, build and repair 🌱

There is a reason proteins are referred to as 'the building blocks' of life 🥦

Did you know that protein is essential for:

💚 Healthy weight loss (it keeps you fuller for longer!) and healthy weight gain (our muscles thrive on protein)
💚 Maintaining, building and repairing muscles, organs, blood cells and your immune system
💚 Every cell in our body, including our skin, hair and nails

Did you also know if you are deficient in protein you may suffer:

❌ Mood swings, depression and irritability
❌ Muscle wastage
❌ Weakness and Fatigue
❌ Brittle hair and nails
❌ Pale skin
❌ Headaches
❌ A weakened immune system

Want to boost your protein? Check out the guides below. Taken from the awesome Shape Up book

29/10/2023

How's the 30 plant based foods a week going? Here's a sheet to help you get more fibre into your diet (aim for a minimum of 25g a day). The gut is the hub of our health... The more you work on it, the more you'll get out of it 💪 (in every way 😅)

23/10/2023

Gut health 💚 There is significant research on the importance of investing in our gut to benefit our overall physical and mental wellbeing.

💪 Challenge at the bottom of the post 💪

As a nutritionist I cannot stress enough the importance of feeding and looking after your gut.

Our gut and our digestive health is essential for our overall health. A healthy gut is linked to improved brain health and function, weight management, balancing hormones, improved fitness levels, healthy skin, improved immune system and even our mood.

If your struggling with your health, hormones or have digestive issues, I highly recommend doing some research into feeding your gut. I've read many books on this area and many health and mental health problems are linked to gut health.

💚 Challenge Time 💚 Invest in your gut and your body will thank you. My challenge to you... Eat 30 plant based foods a week (not just fruit and veg, but everything plant based from oats, nuts and pulses to nut butters, herbs and spices, wholegrains and of course all fruit and vegetables 🍅🍆🍠🥒🍇🍓🥜🥕

I will keep sharing tips to help you 🍒🍍🥝🥦

Feel free to share how you get on or if you already do this. Good luck 💚

* Exercise, health & nutrition specialist (Bsc)
* Nutritionist
* Wellbeing Coach

21/10/2023

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=3597960946909818&id=708251072547501

Spicy Lentil Soup 💚 If your struggling to eat healthy, nutritious food on a budget, I have a delicious, nutritious & very affordable winter warmer for you. A big thank you to Maria (one of our nutrition members), who has kindly agreed to share her recipe (the group love this dish!).

I have made a batch which will last me a few days & I can freeze some too, so have doubled up the recipe which will make approx 8-10 portions.

The whole batch cost just under £3 to make & works out at approximately 36p a portion!! It is packed with fibre, protein, healthy carbs, healthy fats & most importantly immune boosting antioxidants! It is only 215 calories a portion (to bulk it up add a good spoonful full fat Greek yogurt & a hanful of walnuts / pine nuts on top).

It's completely plant based too 💚

Spicy lentil soup. 8-10 portions

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 onions
4 cloves garlic
500g red lentils
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 cans tomatoes
3 pints chicken / vegetable stock
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 can of coconut milk
Salt & pepper

Method:

* Fry chopped onions & garlic in olive oil for 2 minutes
* Add all spices, stir for 1 minute
* Add tomatoes, lentils, stock & lemon juice. Bring to the boil & simmer for 30 minutes
* Add coconut milk, season to taste & stir through. Do not boil.
* Serve as it is or with a spoonful of full fat Greek yogurt & handful of walnuts

19/10/2023

This is my first post since I became ill with COVID in December 2022. I am on a mission to get better!

I best fill you in on the journey I've been on in the last 10 months... On the 18th December 22 I woke up with COVID 19 (for the first time). Despite having all 4 jabs, a healthy diet, being fit and active and living a very healthy lifestyle, it got me (yes it gets us all!).

I was very poorly with COVID, positive for 10 days, in bed for 2 weeks and completely zapped of energy. In my mission to get better and back to work it was discovered I had been left with an irregular heartbeat and the worst case of ventricular ectopic beats my doctor has ever seen. To cut a long story short I have been in and out of hospital, had heart surgery (ablation) and been diagnosed with Long Covid.

I've suffered a type of fatigue that I have never known before, been unable to do any form of exercise (due to my heart condition ) or run my business (that I love so much!). I miss everything .However with all this time on my hands and little energy to do very much I do what I always do, I read, research and seek ways to get better, to understand what is happening to me and my body and how I can fix myself.

I've had some successes but these have been short lived and I have crashed each time. COVID and long COVID are relatively new illnesses in the scheme of things so there is little research on this troublesome virus. However there is building research on how it effects the gut, especially with Long Covid. More and more research is pointing this way. All very interesting!

Being a nutritionist I thought I had a healthy gut but it is the way the virus gets into the the gut that causes the long term problems. All good if you get rid of it quickly but if it manages to stick around (in your gut), this is where the problem appears to be. Completely disrupting your gut microbes and gut health (good bacteria), effecting your serotonin levels which leads to all the long COVID symptoms such as brain fog, fatigue, poor immune health, insomnia, headaches and poor healing. Generally not very well!

So having put much of this research together I thought I would share with you my quest to boost my gut, through incorporating a wide (mostly) plant based diet (gut diversity), with plenty of probiotics (good bacteria - fermented food) and prebiotics (food to feed the good bacteria - lots of fruit and veg). Along with good fats, protein and healthy carbs. My usual healthy diet but with a real kick of pro biotics and pre biotics (all from food).

Starting today with pan seared tuna (protein) in miso paste (probiotic), sesame seeds (good fats along with the tuna), picked red cabbage (probiotic) and green veg on the side (prebiotic and healthy carbs). Hope that makes sense! I'm trying to simplify pro and pre biotics 🙂

I will never stop trying to get my health and fitness back and to get back to working again (in a a career I love with people I love to work with!) Watch this space! Love and best wishes, Caroline x 💚 x

* Please feel free comment your thoughts on this and if you have had / have Long Covid 🙏

* Exercise, health & nutrition specialist (Bsc)
* Nutritionist
* Wellbeing Coach

18/12/2022

Shape Up Christmas Special 2022 🎅🤶🎄⛄🌲💪🌊💪💚👌

A perfect day with an amazing group ❤️ Extra special thank you to Santa for his guest appearance 💪🎅💪

Merry Christmas! See you in 2023 💚

30/11/2022

Another awesome day on the beach 😎 Well done team! Smashed it 💪🌊💪 See you next week for the final Wednesday workout of the year (Final session - Saturday 17th Christmas special ⛄🎄⛄) 💚

Want to join us? Find out more here: www.shapeupwithcaroline.co.uk

23/11/2022

Super tough compound and cardio session in this mornings beach workout. 100% effort! Well done team 💪🌊💪 See you next week!

https://www.shapeupwithcaroline.co.uk/beach-workouts

09/11/2022

What a stunning day for our beach workout this morning! Awesome efforts by all, well done team! See you all next week 💪🌊💪

Want to join us? Find out more here:

www.shapeupwithcaroline.co.uk

18/10/2022

To celebrate World Menopause Day, I am offering (to all women who need my help) 25% off an initial consultation (usually £40, now £30). I will also throw in a free Shape Up book (saving another £10) to help you get back on track.

So if you are wondering why you are tired all of the time, gaining weight (when you have never had a problem before) and feel like you are losing your mind. Please come and see me.

I work with many clients going through the Peri- Menopause and Menopause. Lifestyle and dietary changes can significantly help with symptoms. You are not alone, you can take control and I will show you how. The smallest changes really can make the biggest difference.

Message me if you would like to book. Best wishes, Caroline 💚

www.shapeupwithcaroline.co.uk

05/10/2022

Hardcore warriors 💪🌊💪 Taking on the wind, the rain & the roar of the mighty ocean. Well done team, awesome efforts by all! 💯

Come join us, for all you need to know, click here: www.shapeupwithcaroline.co.uk