No Nonsense Nutrition by Liam Leech

05/12/2025

Hey folks, about Christmas…

Every year I see the same worry creeping in. People feeling guilty for enjoying Christmas and panicking about the weight they might gain because of it. Here’s what’s worth remembering:

Christmas is literally a feast.

Food, drink, parties, tins of Roses everywhere, less movement than usual… of course you’ll eat more, and of course you’ll gain a bit of weight. It’s completely normal. No need to panic or shame yourself for enjoying it. Just be cool with it.

Weight will trend up at certain times throughout the year. It just is what it is, and Christmas is one of those times.

Now here’s where it gets interesting.
Most people think, “Right, I’ll enjoy it now and jump straight into a diet on the 1st of January”
But when your brain knows restriction is coming, something funny happens. You actually tend to eat even more before it starts. Not always consciously… it just happens.

That’s the “last supper” effect. The thought of a diet coming makes you squeeze in as much food as possible beforehand. So now Christmas eating becomes Christmas plus the two weeks of overeating leading up to the diet.
Then comes the overly strict January, a rebound in February when you get fed up, and the whole binge then restrict loop starts again. Not to mention the guilt!

So instead of jumping into a diet the second the clock hits midnight, give yourself some breathing room. Let January settle, let your weight stabilise, and start when you’re calmer and not reacting to guilt.

Mid to late January is always going to be a better time to get going. You’ll make clearer decisions and avoid the panic, restrict, rebound cycle.

Enjoy Christmas & be grand with a bit of weight gain. It’s part of living, not proof you’ve failed.

And when you do start, be easy on yourself. You’ll progress better when it isn’t driven by guilt.

Liam Leech, a Registered Associate Nutritionist based in Letterkenny, Co. Donegal. Expert nutrition services for weight loss & improved body composition. Online support countrywide.

12/09/2025

FacebookTweetLinkedInPrint When you walk into the No Barriers gym in Letterkenny, it might look like any other fitness centre –…

21/11/2024

The wait is over!! We are delighted to announce our partnership with Fairstone Ireland🎉
This has been a long time in the making but we are very happy with the move and believe it will put the company and the customers in a stronger position going forward 💪
Our location remains the same at Crossview House, Letterkenny.
There will be no change whatsoever to the staff and what we can offer our customers and most importantly, as always we are still committed to offering the same level of top quality customer service!
All of our customers will receive individual communication over the coming weeks outlining exactly what is happening but if you have any questions at all in the meantime please get in touch☎️
Thanks to Paul Merriman from AskPaul for giving us this opportunity and the Fairstone Ireland family for welcoming us into the fold😀
And last but certainly not least thank you to the main man, John Loughrey, who started the business and has taken us this far, huge congratulations now on your well deserved retirement 👏
Read more here: https://lnkd.in/ej8zE3QG

18/10/2024

Feepay

24/09/2024

If you know anyone interested please pass it on!

08/04/2024

Just a friendly reminder: WEIGHT LOSS IS NOT A LINEAR PROCESS! 🌟

Here's a glimpse into one client's journey from January until their final session with me last week. This graph illustrates the natural ups and downs of weight loss, underscoring how day-to-day fluctuations are a part of the process and not the cause for concern that most people will experience.

It's important to remember that gradual progress, not perfection, is what matters.

My client has not reached their overall goal weight yet, but they've gained the knowledge and confidence to continue on this journey alone, without the constant support of a nutritionist. That's a huge win!

So, don't get discouraged by the small stuff; focus on the bigger picture. Weight loss takes time.

Feeling inspired? Get ready for the summer NOW!

email: liam@nononsensenutrition.ie

22/03/2024

Want to lose weight and your New Year's resolutions didn't work?

Patrick started working with me in January:

"I decided I wanted to shift some weight I've been carrying for far too long and got in touch with Liam.

He has made this process very easy, with straightforward explanations and setting realistic goals. My experience with Liam could not have gone any better, I'm well on my way towards a much healthier lifestyle and Liam has been a joy to work with..”

How much happier would you be at your dream weight? We're in March already, summer is approaching & now's the time to start!

email: liam@nononsensenutrition.ie

01/12/2023

It's the 1st of December. If you haven't already started, today's as good a day as any! Get stuck in now and you can enjoy Christmas without giving yourself a hard time about it.

You'll want to:
- get some decent sleep (having a caffeine cut-off time will help this)
- keep the step count as high as you can fit in
- get a few resistance training sessions in per week
- stay hydrated
- if your goal is weight loss, increase your protein intake and avoid snacking, the snacks available this time of year are fairly energy dense so it'll undermine your efforts if snacking regularly

Most important for results:
- just be consistent with whatever you can manage to do from now until Christmas

Good luck!

18/11/2023

The weekend tends to be a stumbling block for the VAST majority of people when they first start with me. They manage well enough during the week, setting themselves up for weight loss success, only to have their weekend habits undermine all the effort they've put in.

If this sounds familiar, consider these two options:

Can you exert more control over your calorie intake on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays? Set a target or a range for the weekend that prevents you from negating the overall calorie deficit you've established throughout the week.

OR

Put in extra effort during the week, implementing further restrictions to accommodate any weekend indulgences while maintaining a net calorie deficit overall.

It makes WAY more sense to gain control over the weekend rather than subjecting yourself to additional hardship during the weekdays. Excessive restriction increases the likelihood of going off the rails come Friday and, worse still, giving up altogether, as it becomes unsustainable over time.

So, make weight loss easier! Put in the work during the week to allow yourself a bit of leeway over the weekend, but avoid going crazy!

Asking yourself "Is this going to move me towards my goal or slow my progress?" is a good habit to get into.
If it's not moving you towards your goal, is there anything you can do to change this?

So if it's takeaway tonight, can you:
- go for a smaller portion of your usual?
- select a lower calorie option from the menu?
- increase the veg and reduce the starchy carb content?
- skip the starter and have the desert?
- have the starter and skip the desert?
- have a few less alcoholic drinks?

Pick the easiest thing for you.

Then do something similar tomorrow but for your main meals, and the day after and so on. Look for the low hanging fruit here - the easiest things to change. Be consistent, be patient and the weight loss will come.

17/11/2023

Carbs are not the enemy!
An interesting study (Sofer et al. 2011) looked at subjects for 6 months on a weight loss diet. 1 group had 70% of daily carb intake at dinner, the other group spread carbohydrate intake throughout the day’s meals and snacks.

The researchers found that those eating the majority of carbohydrate in the evening:
- lost more weight
- lost more body fat
- stayed fuller
- lost more around waist
- improved hormonal profile

Want to lose fat?
Get yourself into a deficit and eat in whatever pattern feels best to you.

Make weight loss easier!

15/11/2023

Behind the scenes!

I'm updating some client resources in time for the inevitable January rush, while I get the chance.

Pro tip: if you want to lose weight, DO NOT WAIT UNTIL JANUARY.
Start making small changes today and stick to them.

Make it easier on yourself for a guilt free Christmas and new Year! 😀