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Fiona O'Donnell MSc Nutritionist

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Fiona O'Donnell MSc Nutritionist

Empowering change for a healthier, fitter you. Nutritionist and lifestyle coach. Founder of Feedback is more than welcome and is very much appreciated.

I built this page initially to chronicle my journey from marathon running to competing in figure competition. I love training and I also love eating - so dieting is a big challenge for me. For this reason, I try to develop new recipes which are gluten free, sugar free, low carb (for the most part) and highly nutritious. I am open to learning as much as I can whilst on this journey. Following compl

etion of my MSc in Exercise & Nutrition Science, I am now working through a post grad in Applied Nutrition with the CISSN.

14/08/2025

Context context context!!!

Before we jump into this rabbit hole - many of you who know me will understand that I occupy the grey space in wellness, nutrition and fitness.

I’m not polarised - so the topics I share sometimes don’t get the reach they deserve.

Because honestly, the grey space is a wonderful place to be when it comes to food.

Let me explain:
I got a call from Elaine * (not her real name) today.

She asked me to help her with her calorie deficit.

When we chatted further, she told me that she had been lifting weights for over a year and was loving it.

Her lean mass had increased, she was feeling really fit…. But her weight had begun to increase significantly over the last 8 months.

We discussed her attitude to her body - and she told me that she has no hang ups (what a rare thing to hear) and is pretty happy with how she looks.

But, she understands that in order for her to see the changes she is seeing, it’s likely that she is over consuming food.

Her concern is the risk to her long term health issues f her weight gain continues.

We discussed her attitude to food, her eating history and whether she had used any weight loss strategies before.

Elaine told me that she reached out to me because she knew I wasn’t going to “…..put her on a diet”

She wants to understand how to nourish herself as well has managing her energy balance.

Most importantly, she doesn’t want to run the risk of becoming overly precious about her food choices (her words…. Not mine)

So I said ‘yes’!

I’d be happy to help!

Many of you know me as the person who doesn’t recommend the one stop shop of 1500 cals for all ….

And most of our clients don’t track their food, their steps or any numbers other than the weights they lift.

The grey area signifies balance, self acceptance, and a desire to grow…

If this sounds like you, our next start date is the 25th of August.

DM me with START and let’s chat.

12/08/2025

I asked a question the other day about black/white thinking.

And I had some great conversations in DM’s!

One of the questions that came up was ‘How do I know if I have black or white thinking?’

‘How do I know if this is an issue for me?’

‘How do I learn if this is what’s keeping me stuck?’

Understanding your thinking and your behaviour isn’t about finding a solution.

It’s a bit of an exploration… a journey of discovery and growth that’s always developing.

There really is no finish line.

Start by asking yourself this:
Is there anything I’m doing or thinking right now that I can’t be moved on!

Like➡️
❌ I can’t eat sugar because it’s bad

❌ I can only eat 1500 calories a day - more is bad

❌ If I’m going to have a night out, I should make sure I’ve exercised.

Some of this type of thinking…
These rules we create…

They aren’t achieving what we think they are - there’s no context…. And no perspective, or room for change.

Does this sound familiar?
Want to change it?

09/08/2025

We hold these beliefs…. Without ever actually thinking about them….

Chocolate is bad….. broccoli is good….

And this black or white thinking is one of the things that keeps us feeling stuck.

Because ….lets face it…. Chocolate isn’t always the wrong choice….

And equally, broccoli isn’t always the right choice!

Had a rubbish day at work and want a bit of pleasure in your evening with a cuppa….

Broccoli isnt going to cut it. But a few chocolate hobnobs might do the trick!

The difficult part is when we ‘rely’ on those chocolate hobnobs in lieu of meals … or to help regulate our emotions all the time…

What are your thoughts?

28/07/2025

“I’d love to be able to eat pancakes for breakfast…. But if I did that, I’d be the size of a house!”

This is what a lovely woman messaged me over the weekend when we were chatting back and forth about my breakfast post.

She asked me what her options were as she was getting sick of the weight watchers porridge bread recipe she had been given.

It’s the only bread she allows herself to eat.

Because when she eats any other bread, she ‘blows up’.

I wondered if perhaps this lady had undiagnosed coeliac disease - but no foods other than bread or pasta have this effect.

But here’s what we discovered.

This very intuitive woman shared that she restricts bread and pasta from her diet….

And when she invariably has a “break out” (her words), she has quite a lot in one portion and feels like she “overdoes” it.

It’s that common scenario of “I can’t keep biscuits in the press or I’ll eat them all”…

And I get it!
Someone has told you what the ‘food rules’ are and you’re afraid to break them!

I asked: “Do you think that the portion size when you ‘break out’ might be the reason for feeling bloated as opposed to the bread or pasta itself”

….. and it was like the penny dropped 🧐

“Oh my god - that makes perfect sense”

In this instance, restriction was a tool that simply was not working …

“It’s like the answer was staring me in the face and I couldn’t see it”

“I feel so stupid”

But the diet industry has been so very cunning….
And a wide array of good looking influencers have pulled the wool over our eyes…. Encouraging us to see everything through the lens of weight loss.

Our coaching model is designed to help you lift the veil and look behind the ‘why’ of your behaviours….

Then we support you to take action in changing the ones that aren’t supporting your goals.

We are currently taking enquiries for August Coaching (kicking off August 25th).

If you would like to start a journey of change, pop me a DM

27/07/2025

“What should I eat for breakfast?”

One of our new clients asked me this question when we met this week.

He is returning to running after illness and is rediscovering what works for him.

And it would be so easy to give him a list of breakfast options….

Instruction: Eat A or B or C….
Action: client does as they’re told

But that’s real old style coaching!
Following rules, discovering you can’t stick to someone else’s regime, feeling like a failure because you ‘fell off the wagon’….

That’s not how we do things!

So, my answer to that question will always be “what do you enjoy eating in the mornings?”

“Why do you make that choice - How does that suit your needs”

“How do you feel when you make that choice…. Based on energy levels, gut comfort, satisfaction”

And this is how we bridge the gap between eating intuitively and serving our needs for performance.

If someone tells me they love scrambled eggs in the morning….. but they hit a wall in their early morning sessions, we ask what we can modify or add in to make this favourite meal work!

Our coaching is based on collaboration - equal work from both sides to deliver you to your goals!

Does that sound better than being treated like a bold child and being afraid to check in ?

Yeah, thought so!

What’s your favourite breakfast & why?!

26/07/2025

PLEASE SHARE

Found on the road between Kilbrittain and Bandon - set of keys.

Has some distinguishing factors (and unique key types) - I’m handing them in to Clonakilty Garda Station.

Or DM me if you recognise them

18/07/2025

There’s two kinds of people who go to the gym…..

And while I’ve been away, training in a gym where I know nobody, the difference is glaringly obvious.

Those who look strong, who look like they train, they are in the gym with a plan!

They move with confidence from one exercise to the next, taking appropriate rest, and lifting appropriate weights.

And then there are the others….

Hugely motivated - because they are standing in a gym at 1pm on a Friday while it’s 30 degrees outside….

They WANT the results….

And despite feeling motivated, feeling like they are taking action, and actually spending an hour in the gym….

They aren’t getting the results!

They do a little bit here, a little bit there…..

Small bit of leg press….

Wave the dumbbells around a few times….

Get tired too fast because the bicep curls they thought they were going to do with the 15kg dumbbells didn’t work out….

And I KNOW that these people will walk away wondering where they have gone wrong 😑

And here’s where it is….

There’s no consistency.
They are wandering and going through the motions rather than moving with purpose.

They are confused about which exercises work which muscles….

And even if they knew, they might doubt their ability to do the exercise correctly…

Or worry about people judging them.

That’s why we created the summer schedule…

So that you could learn, feel like you were progressing…..

See the fruits of your labour…

Correctly create the overload you were trying to build!

Over two weeks, I’ve upped all my weights (some by 20%).

My hip pain has reduced by about 25% and exercises I couldn’t do at the start of the holiday, I’m doing with confidence….

I haven’t had to second guess my next move - all because I had a plan. Written down…. Ready to go.

Would you like to see what you could achieve if you were consistent for a month?

DM me with SUMMER and I’ll send you the sign up link.

📸 by my gym boyfriend 💍
🏋🏼‍♀️squatproof kit by

Address

Clonakilty

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

+353873841233

Website

http://www.fionaodonnell.ie/

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