Do you hate the gym? This might be diet cultures fault.

Today, I’m chatting with Maggie Lawlor, owner of Simple Strength Gym in Leixlip, who specialises in non-diet fitness for women.

Maggie first got into gym-based training as a runner trying to avoid injuries, but over the years, her passion grew. She eventually became a coach, left her job as a nurse, and took the leap to open her own gym.

We talk about:

• Making the move from nursing to coaching and how she gradually built her client base before going all in
• Her first pregnancy and how it led her deep into research on strength training for women
• The pressure on women to “bounce back” after pregnancy and why that mindset needs to change
• The physical benefits of strength training before and after birth
• How experienced lifters sometimes struggle to adjust intensity during pregnancy
• Listening to your body and why rest is not a sign of weakness
• The grip of diet culture on women and the fear of losing fitness or gaining weight instead of focusing on growing a human
• Why every woman should see a pelvic floor physio postpartum
• Running a marathon while breastfeeding (!?)
• The dangers of comparing yourself to celebrities or athletes with completely different circumstances

We then dive into Maggie’s approach at Simple Strength Gym:

• Why so many people think they hate gyms when really, they just hate the association with punishment and guilt
• How she reassures new clients—no weigh-ins, no unrealistic expectations, just movement that feels good
• The health benefits of exercise we all take for granted until they’re gone
• Why smaller studio gyms can be a better fit for people nervous about starting
• The importance of paying attention to the content you consume and how it shapes your self-image
• The sneaky ways diet culture hides in fitness challenges—if it looks like a diet, it probably is
• Why true healthy habits aren’t flashy, but they actually work
• How fitness should be simple—if someone overcomplicates it, that’s a red flag
• Accepting that some days will be better than others and that doesn’t make you a failure

Maggie finishes with some brilliant advice to leave you thinking.

To find out more or work with Maggie, you can find her at:

@simple.strength.leixlip

https://www.simplestrengthleixlip.com/

If you are interested in working with me you can find me :

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