Smart Nutrition

12/04/2026

In my 20’s & 30’s I used to avoid building muscle. I didn’t like it when my arms got muscley & worried weight training would make me bulky.

Cardio was my go to & I loved the endorphins I would get from going for a run or doing a cardio workout.

When I hit my 40’s & as my body started changing with perimenopause, I came to realise the importance of building muscle not for how it makes me look but the metabolic & functional health benefits.

Now I prioritise strength training 2–3 days per week & embrace building muscle knowing this is setting me up for an active & healthy mid-life & beyond.

Because building muscle in this phase of life isn’t about getting “bulky” — it’s about supporting your body in a completely different way.

✨ Muscle is your metabolic powerhouse
→ Supports insulin sensitivity & more stable blood sugars
→ Helps with fat loss (especially around the midsection)

✨ It protects your strength & function
→ Everyday tasks feel easier
→ You’re maintaining independence as you age

✨ It supports bone health
→ Especially important as oestrogen declines

✨ It helps regulate appetite & energy
→ Better satiety, fewer crashes, more consistency

✨ And yes… it does change how your body looks
→ In a way that feels strong, toned, and capable

And honestly — this is the strongest, most empowered I’ve ever felt in my body.

If you’ve been avoiding weights because you’re worried about getting bulky…it's time rethink that.

Save this post for later as your reminder of why you should be building strength training into your weekly routine ✨🩷



And tell me — have you started strength training yet or is it something you’re still contemplating?

10/04/2026

No rushing
No overthinking
No constant noise about what I should or shouldn’t be doing

Just space to breathe, reset, and feel present again 🩷

And it got me thinking…

How often do we actually give ourselves this space in everyday life?

Where do you go (or what do you do) that instantly helps you feel calm and happy?

05/04/2026

Happy Easter everyone! Hope you are enjoying the long weekend, some time out & of course some Easter eggs! 🐰 🍫 💕

30/03/2026

18/03/2026

If I could give you one tip to get your nutrition back on track…
👉 It would be this: have a plan.

Not a rigid, restrictive plan…
But a simple, realistic plan that takes the guesswork out of what to eat.

Because it’s not lack of motivation that holds most women back —
it’s the daily decision fatigue of trying to figure out meals when life is already busy.

When your meals are planned:
✨ you’re more likely to hit your protein needs
✨ your fibre intake naturally improves (hello gut health 🌿)
✨ energy feels more stable
✨ and weight loss becomes so much easier to achieve & sustain

Inside my Women's Wellbeing Reset, you get access to a Weekly Meal Planner where you can choose from 150+ delicious, satisfying, high protein, gut-loving meals and snacks — all designed to support you to feel your best amongst the busy daily juggle.

This is what sustainable, enjoyable nutrition should look like 💖

If you’re a 35+ women ready to take the overwhelm out of “what should I eat?” (that also works well for the rest of the family)

👉 Comment RESET and I’ll send you the details

13/03/2026

If you’ve caught yourself thinking lately…

“Why is this harder than it used to be?”

You’re not imagining it.

From our mid-30s onwards, hormonal shifts can influence fat storage, muscle mass, insulin sensitivity, appetite regulation and our gut microbiome.

So if the strategies that used to work for you in your 20s aren’t working in the same way anymore — that’s not a lack of willpower.

It’s physiology.

And the good news is this:

Progress is absolutely still possible.
But your strategy needs to change.

Think:

✓ prioritising protein
✓ supporting muscle mass
✓ keeping blood sugar stable
✓ nourishing your gut
✓ moving away from extreme restriction

Weight loss in your mid-30's, 40's & 50's isn’t about trying harder or eating less.

It’s about working with your body instead of against it.

This approach is exactly what I built into my Women’s Wellbeing Reset — a structured but realistic nutrition and lifestyle program designed specifically for women 35+ to support sustainable weight loss, better energy and improved gut health.

Because when you nourish your body in the right way, things start to feel much easier.

🩷 Save this post for the days you find yourself wondering why things feel different than they used to.

And if you’d like guidance that’s designed specifically for women in this stage of life, you can learn more about the Women’s Wellbeing Reset via the link in my bio.

08/03/2026

Today is about celebrating women — but it’s also a day to pause and reflect on how much we all carry, give, and juggle every single day.

To every woman in this community…the mothers, the friends, the carers, the busy working women, the women quietly trying to look after their health while managing busy lives, you are doing an amazing job!

So many women spend years putting themselves at the bottom of the list. Work comes first. Family comes first. Everyone else comes first... I know I have been like this in the past and can still fall into this head space at times.

But your health, your energy, and your wellbeing matter too...you can't pour from an empty cup.

When you feel strong, nourished and confident in yourself, the benefits ripple into every aspect of your life — your family, your work, your relationships and the way you shows up each day.

That’s why this community exists.
To support women to feel their best!

If there’s one thing I hope for you this year, it’s that you give yourself permission to prioritise your health and wellbeing without guilt.

✨ I'd love to know — what's you're doing for your wellbeing this year?

Tell me in the comments below 👇

And tag the incredible women in your life, so we can celebrate them too.

Happy International Women’s Day 💕

̇nternationalwomensday

05/03/2026

Keep it easy, keep it colourful & keep it consistent! 👌

Dinner doesn't need to be complicated. I got home from a busy clinic day, paperwork to do, my Women's Wellbeing Circle zoom call to prepare for - so I needed to throw together a quick dinner...and how good!! 😋

❤️ Cooked the chicken thighs with smoked paprika (my fav spice! 🔥), cumin, coriander & salt and pepper in the air fryer
🧡 Roasted some pumpkin, broccoli, capsicum & red onion
💛 Cooked up a bit of halloumi I had in the fridge in the fry pan while everything else was cooking
💚 Threw everything together with baby spinach leaves, lemon juice & balsamic

💫 Cooked some couscous for extra carbs for the kids

Dinner done ✅

04/03/2026

I had the best afternoon/evening on Monday with & 💕

I came home feeling inspired & empowered.

Some of the key takeaways for me were:
✨ You are enough as you are...this is so important for us all the remember!!
✨ Connection over perfection - people don't want or expect perfection, they want to be understood & talked to in a way that's authentic & real
✨ When the self doubt creeps in remember mantra "If not me then who?" 🫶

I even came home & signed up to Toni Street's Confident Communication course & I am loving it & learning so much...it's like reading a book you can't put down - I'm already half way through!

Thank you so much
Marisa Fong
Jayne Chater
Toni Street

🩷🩷🩷

02/03/2026

Gut health plays a powerful role in appetite regulation, inflammation and nutrient absorption — three key drivers of weight loss (especially in perimenopause and beyond).

When your gut is supported properly:

✨ Hunger signals become more balanced
✨ Cravings feel calmer and less urgent
✨ Blood sugars stabilise (goodbye 3pm crash)
✨ Inflammation reduces — making weight loss feel doable
✨ Nutrients are absorbed properly so your body can actually get the nourishment it needs from the food you’re eating

And it’s definitely not just about the number on the scales or fitting into you favourite jeans again...

A healthy gut also supports:

💗 Better mood and mental clarity (your gut and brain are deeply connected)
💗 Stronger immune function
💗 Less bloating and digestive discomfort
💗 More consistent energy throughout the day

So often, women think they need to eat less or try harder.

But sometimes the real shift comes from working with your body — not against it.

When we improve gut health, weight loss often feels easier and more sustainable and there's this amazing ripple affect of health benefits!

That’s why gut health is central to my approach in the Women’s Wellbeing Reset.

Save this post for later as a reminder to focus on your gut health if weight loss is feeling harder than it should ✨🩷

24/02/2026

15 years ✨
🩷 2 beautiful children that are growing up way too quick!
🩷 6 places we have called home
🩷 Lots of love, laughter & adventures

Celebrated perfectly with a night away to a beachside cabin near Waiuku with a beautiful sunset on the the rugged west coast, waitbait fritters, off the grid 💕