https://www.adeptfitnesscoaching.com/new-products/detox-program-feb-15th

Alyson - Adept Health Coaching, London (2026)

13/01/2026

Fat loss and muscle gain are not mysteries. They are predictable adaptations to repeated signals.

Resistance training provides the stimulus to build and preserve muscle.
Adequate protein supplies the material to support that adaptation.
A small calorie deficit allows fat loss without compromising recovery.

Recovery determines whether those signals are actually absorbed.
Sleep, stress, and rest days decide if training builds you up or breaks you down.

You do not need to make this harder than it is.
Your body responds to consistency, not self criticism.

Save this to return to when you need it. 🤗

(A few photos from moments during the long weekend here in Tokyo. 🇯🇵 )

08/01/2026

Many people interpret pre-menstrual cravings as a willpower problem. …As if the body has suddenly forgotten your goals and chosen chaos. 🥹

From a physiological standpoint, these cravings are a response to predictable changes in hormones, neurotransmitters, mineral demand, and energy expenditure that occur during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle.

After ovulation, estrogen declines and progesterone rises. Research shows this shift is associated with reduced insulin sensitivity, changes in serotonin activity, increased magnesium utilization, and a small but measurable increase in resting energy expenditure. Together, these changes can influence appetite, food preference, and evening hunger.

Understanding this pattern means realizing that eating more during your cycle is not holding you back. It is something many bodies experience. When you replace self judgment with information, your choices become easier to sustain.

There is some truth to the idea that adding specific nutrients at certain points in the cycle may be helpful. Research has explored luteal phase needs related to magnesium, carbohydrate availability, and overall energy intake. The caution is that strategies resembling medicinal dosing cannot be generalized across populations. Not everyone is deficient, and more is not automatically better.

Cycle informed nutrition works best when it is individualized, context aware, and grounded in physiology rather than protocols.

This is what it looks like to work with your body instead of fighting it.

01/01/2026

Happy New Year from Tokyo 🇯🇵

We welcomed 2026 with Hatsuhinode, the first sunrise of the year, then a six mile neighborhood walk for Hatsumōde, visiting local temples to mark new beginnings.
Swipe for moments from our walk and a quieter solo visit to Zozoji last night before midnight crowds gathered.

We will be in Japan through March for my husband’s work, and this season feels less about documenting and more about noticing. The rhythms, the rituals, the ordinary beauty of daily life here.

If you are curious about anything in particular, living abroad, wellness in a different culture, food, movement, or the small things that feel grounding here, let me know what you would like me to share.

28/12/2025

Cravings are not about willpower. They are how your brain and body react to cues, signals, and patterns your nervous system has learned over time.

Dopamine and reward signaling: When you see, smell, or even think about a treat, your brain releases dopamine. This motivates you to seek the reward, which is why cravings feel so urgent.

Learned patterns: Your nervous system remembers habits. If sweets are always around holidays, after meals, or during stress, your brain starts anticipating them. Even without true hunger, the body prepares for the reward—creating a craving.

Homeostatic signals: Your body sends hunger and satiety cues through the nervous system. Cravings can sometimes reflect actual nutrient needs, but the intensity is amplified by learned reward pathways.

The Sensory Taper Method is a gentle, step-down approach rooted in behavioral psychology and neuroscience. Instead of cutting holiday treats abruptly, we reduce sensory exposure over a few days. This gives your brain time to adapt, quiets dopamine-driven cravings, and lowers the risk of all-or-nothing eating.

Once the taper is done, your environment does the heavy lifting. Visible sweets keep dopamine firing and decision-making exhausting. Out of sight, out of mind. Place nutrient-dense foods at eye level so steady choices feel automatic, not forced.

This isn’t about being “good.”
It’s about easing back into your normal routine in a way that actually sticks, feels supportive, and works with your brain.

23/12/2025

One indulgent meal doesn’t derail your progress. Here’s how to enjoy it without the stress.

If you’re planning to indulge this holiday in rich holiday foods lamb, potato gratin, fudge, cheesecake, risotto, bagels and lox…remember: it’s one day per year.

Relax, enjoy, and make the day about connection, not calories. Don’t forget the purpose.

💡 Tips to enjoy without overdoing it:

1️⃣ Check in with your sense of fullness: Aim for about 70% full before pausing, then reassess. It’s easy to underestimate how much you’re eating amidst holiday food noise. Why not 80%? By practicing checking in b e f o r e you get to 80% fullness, it helps to keep you honest with yourself without going over. (And it builds self trust 🌟)

2️⃣ Move your body: a normal workout, a walk with the dog, or just stretching after the meal helps digestion and keeps things moving. Big rich meals can often meal digestive gridlock, so any activity is better than none.

3️⃣ Use Behavioral Tools: (See slides #5 & 7) Tools like intermittent fasting, mindfulness, portion awareness, and intuitive check-ins can help give your holiday eating structure as long as it doesn’t cause you stress. With a little advanced planning, some of my clients find that minimal structure can feel closer to food freedom than flying by the seat of your pants.

4️⃣ Hydrate: Busy holidays means water is often forgotten. Sipping water throughout the day keeps you feeling satisfied and helps distinguish true hunger from dehydration.

5️⃣ Rest & Reset: Give yourself permission to pause. One indulgent meal isn’t going to undo all your progress. And if the holidays have felt more like a season of extra treats, that’s okay, you can always take a deep breath and choose a fresh path forward. Your ability to change is as easy as your next choice.

💬 Remember: You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Stick with what works for you, savor your food, and focus on connection over perfection. The only thing that can hold you back is an “all or nothing” mindset.

Thank you my sweet friend K who inspired this post!!

Happy holidays and Hugest hugs 🤗

19/12/2025

Some of us just aren’t wired for the usual plan, and thank goodness for friends who get that a little adventure is better than a meal.

I didn’t know I wanted a slightly unhinged girls outing that involves hopping from garden center to farm stand, all independently owned, all completely decked out for the holidays. Think winter ornaments, wreaths piled high, topiaries, muddy boots, cold hands, and zero pressure to order anything other than cider.

It’s off the beaten path, a little unexpected, and honestly way more fun than another night built around reservations.

Sometimes the most nourishing gatherings are the ones that feel playful, low stakes, and just different enough to remind you that joy does not have to look like the usual plan.

Huge hugs 🤗

18/12/2025

Wearing the same piece of clothing two days in a row has become a small kind of do over for me, a familiar anchor on mornings when I feel stuck, unsure of what to wear, and standing in front of my closet wishing the decision making part of getting dressed felt easier.

This is a trick I learned from Rachel who always seems to have thoughtful, practical ideas for how to feel good in your clothes without overthinking it, especially on days when your body feels different than usual, like heading into a holiday party or a gym class while feeling bloated and not quite yourself. Same same 😉

I was also inspired by who recently went monochrome white in the middle of winter, something I have truly never done, but watching her do it made me curious about how color choices can shift how you feel, and it surprisingly helped me feel more holiday adjacent and open to wearing things I wouldn’t reach for any other time of year.

So here is my white Tibi skirt styled two ways, along with the inspo images that nudged me outside my usual rotation.

Sometimes rewearing is the softer entry point into the day when momentum feels hard to find.

Hugest hugs 🤗

17/12/2025

In November, I was my own client.
And what surprised me most is how much clarity came after I started, not before.

So many people think they need to feel ready or confident before making changes. What this reset reminded me is that readiness is often revealed through the attempt. You try something. You notice what happens. And that information becomes the work.

Instead of telling myself to “stop snacking,” I focused on awareness. I tracked my nutrition to understand when and why I was reaching for snacks, and I intentionally planned two untracked meals each week so enjoyment didn’t feel rushed or guilty. For me, waiting for something meaningful made all the difference.

There isn’t a protein bar that can compete with Guinness Cake or a dinner out with my family. And that matters, because when choices align with values, consistency stops feeling like restriction.

Another thing I noticed was how my body responds to cardio. I feel better when it’s included, but when stress is high, pushing harder on high energy days leaves me depleted later. Steady cardio is supporting me more right now, even when part of me wants to go faster.

That kind of adjustment isn’t giving up. It’s responding.

December has brought more stress and more hormonal fluctuation, and instead of forcing myself through it, I’ve stayed focused on nourishment and movement that matches where my body actually is. Some seasons I recover well from intensity. Some seasons I don’t. Knowing the difference is what keeps me consistent.

This is what the process looks like when there’s no panic, no perfection, and no moral value placed on choices. Just noticing, adjusting, and moving forward with more information than you had before.

And this is what I want people to know
You don’t need to have it all figured out to begin. The clarity comes from being in the process.

Grateful to my coach, Andreas Papas, for continuing to sharpen my understanding of physiology and helping me hold this work with more nuance.

12/12/2025

To everyone who noticed I repeated the same pants as yesterday and politely ignored it, you’re my people. 💞💘🙏🏼😘 Holiday clothing decision fatigue is real and I might just call this my holiday wellness plan. 😂🥳

03/12/2025

Life lately: A Recap
Introducing Mom to Tatte and Pita Fridays 😉
A memorable Thanksgiving dinner I didn’t have to cook
A double Mahjong night in the same week
Shopping with Grandmothers and Grandsons
A new floral courtesy of Black Friday
Thriller Movie nights
Binge watching: The Beast in Me & Absentia
…and a few more outfits that make one thing very clear.
I am fully committed to ‘Comfy Season’ and refusing any outfit that doesn’t feel like a sweater cocoon.

Spending this past week with Mom and (only one 😢) son has been such a gift, and I am so grateful she’s in good health; these moments feel truly precious.

And now that the nest is once again empty, I am wondering if anyone else finds it oddly satisfying to fill a virtual shopping cart with sweaters on a cold day… with a cup of hot tea and some cozy socks. 🕯️🫖☕️

26/11/2025

The surprising reason behind a Japanese habit I adopted and teach my clients ~ that makes your gut healthier!

Your metabolism does not need hacks. It needs **responsiveness**.

When you rotate the fruits you eat seasonally, you are not just changing flavor. You are changing the nutrients, fiber types, and polyphenols your body receives.

Pomegranates bring ellagitannins that interact with gut microbes.

Citrus offers flavanones that support vascular health and insulin sensitivity.

Apples and pears contribute catechins, flavonols, and soluble fiber that help with digestion and blood sugar stability.

Each fruit brings something different, and by rotating them you feed a wider spectrum of your gut microbes and give your body a richer palette of nutrients to respond to.

These shifts do something subtle but important. Your gut microbes adapt, your glucose response can change, and your satiety hormones respond differently. Your body becomes more attuned to the nutrients and flavors you are eating, which can improve satisfaction and help your digestive and hormonal systems stay flexible.

Curious how this Japanese habit also helps close meals, prevent blood sugar spikes, and make fruit more satisfying?

Read the full explanation and my practical tips on my Substack!

03/11/2025

🍂 Reflecting. Fall Things. A Fresh Start.
28 Day Rhythm Reset starts tomorrow.

Alyson - Adept Health Coaching

13/01/2026

08/01/2026

01/01/2026

28/12/2025

23/12/2025

19/12/2025

18/12/2025

17/12/2025

12/12/2025

03/12/2025

26/11/2025

03/11/2025

Address

Website

Alerts

Contact The Practice

Shortcuts

Featured

Share