So… I got my pole shoot photos back 🕺🏻 and I’m a lil obsessed 😌

Feeling proud of my pole pics got me thinking about the other kind of photoshoots that are big in the fitness world… and yep, it fully reinforced how I feel about them.

This episode is about fitness and physique photoshoots, what they actually require behind the scenes, and why they so often do more damage than good when it comes to body image, food, and your headspace.

We’re chatting:

• What fitness photoshoot prep really involves (and why it’s so extreme)
• Why body image often gets worse with a shoot, not better
• How photoshoots can fuel restrict-binge cycles
• The red flags that a fitness photoshoot is a bad idea for you right now

We're also talking about how to support yourself through this choice and things you need to know first.

For coaching enquires/questions - ⁠Message me on WhatsApp⁠ 💬

Instagram ➡️ ⁠@carlarushcoaching 🫶🏻

Want to submit a topic or question for a future episode? ⁠Click here⁠

Follow, rate ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and share the episode with someone who could benefit from listening ❤️

Raise your hand if you’ve ever said:

"When I lose the body fat, then I will…"

“.. go on the date. Book the holiday. Join the dance class.” ✋

We really need to stop treating our lives like a waiting room!

On this week's episode, I’m sharing some behind-the-scenes tea from my workshop last weekend. We got into the nitty-gritty of Body Acceptance and why it’s actually the secret sauce to getting results!

If you think acceptance means "sitting on the couch eating crisps forever"-I promise, it’s not that.

In this episode, we are breaking down The Paradox of Change and why this is the missing piece to your progress.

💃 The Waiting Game: Why putting your life on hold is officially OUT this season.🛑 Acceptance vs. Shame-based motivation**:** Why bullying yourself into shape is a strategy that belongs in the bin. I’m talking - ”I need to be mean to myself so I stay motivated” 💩🪦 Grieving the Fantasy: How to mourn the "Perfect Body" illusion so you can finally unblock the real change and results that have felt out of reach for years.

This episode is a big warm hug for your brain. Tune in! 🥂

I’ve set a challenge at the end of this episode—let me know what you decide by messaging me below! ❤️‍🔥

If this one resonated, you will love this:Ep. 47 - Why You'll Never Arrive At Your ‘Goal Body’ (& What To Do Instead)

For coaching enquires/questions - ⁠Message me on WhatsApp⁠ 💬

Instagram ➡️ ⁠@carlarushcoaching 🫶🏻

Want to submit a topic or question for a future episode? ⁠Click here⁠

Follow, rate and be super to share the episode with someone who could benefit from listening ❤️

Welcome back! I’ve been getting so many questions about running and fat loss lately — especially with more of my clients training for races and my own 2026 goal to run more.

The problem?
People are mixing fat loss conversations, performance goals, and diet culture rules… and ending up confused, injured, or stuck.

In this episode, we’re chatting:

• The risks of running under-fuelled (stress fractures, RED-S, muscle loss)

• The energy mismatch that often causes people to maintain or put on weight while running

• Why fat loss is a terrible motivator for runners

• Why more mileage doesn’t equal better health — especially for women

• How to approach running in a way that actually supports your body and mind

Running can be incredible for your body and mind — don’t let diet culture ruin it before you’ve even given it a proper chance.

👉 Click here for a previous episode where I do a deeper dive into running.

For coaching enquires/questions - ⁠Message me on WhatsApp⁠ 💬

Instagram ➡️ ⁠@carlarushcoaching 🫶🏻

Want to submit a topic or question for a future episode? ⁠Click here⁠

Follow, rate and be super to share the episode with someone who could benefit from listening ❤️

How was your year??! There’s something so refreshing about heading into a new year, and goal-setting is my favourite part! Today I’m taking you through how to reflect on 2025 and set goals that MATTER TO YOU for 2026 to make it your best year yet! Goal-setting questions listed at bottom👇🏼

We’re talking about:

• Why most goals/resolutions fail by February so you know what NOT to do
• How to align goals with your values so you don’t give up when you things get challenging
• Using input goals to become - so you’re not obsessing over outcomes
• A simple, step-by-step way to set realistic goals that fit your energy, body, and season of life

Let me know what goals you set for 2026 so I can back you!! ❤️‍🔥

For coaching enquires/questions - ⁠Message me on WhatsApp⁠ 💬

Instagram ➡️ ⁠@carlarushcoaching 🫶🏻

Want to submit a topic or question for a future episode? ⁠Click here⁠

Follow, rate and be super to share the episode with someone who could benefit from listening ❤️

It's that time of the year again 🥂 Where everyone shares their highs of 2025 and I am ALL FOR IT 🥳

But if you find yourself in the comparison trap every Christmas & New Years thinking "Why have I achieved so little compared to everyone else?? I failed at 2025 😪 " - this episode will have you thinking differently.

Learn:

• Why comparison spikes at Christmas so you can stop blaming yourself and start responding differently
• How comparison fuels body image struggles, food guilt, and binge–restrict cycles
• See through the “before & after” and highlight-reel trap so Instagram stops hijacking your confidence and motivation
• Reframing comparison into a tool for growth, not shame to reach your full potential
• Step-by-step process to catch, challenge, and redirect comparison in real time to stop self-sabotage and be kind to your body

Save this episode to come back to over New Years when the “BeSt YeAr EvR” posts come flooding in 😉

For coaching enquires/questions - ⁠Message me on WhatsApp⁠ 💬

Instagram ➡️ ⁠@carlarushcoaching 🫶🏻

Want to submit a topic or question for a future episode? ⁠Click here⁠

Follow, rate and be super to share the episode with someone who could benefit from listening ❤️

December is a time when a lot of people struggle with body image and don't know why. I was one of them.

My bingeing, food restriction and alcohol use all got worse at Christmas because of my poor body image. So today's episode is to help you understand why BI can be tricky over the holidays and what you can do to support yourself.

We're chatting through:

• Family dynamics & comments from relatives about your body/food
• The comparison trap
• The contradicting pressures of diet culture & social media ("earn your dinner" vs "f*ck it, it's Christmas")
• Why your body may be changing, and that's completely normal
• Action steps you can take today to actively improve your body image now instead of waiting until January

December is actually a GREAT time to work on body image.

I hope you love this episode!

For coaching enquires/questions - ⁠Message me on WhatsApp⁠ 💬

Instagram ➡️ ⁠@carlarushcoaching 🫶🏻

Want to submit a topic or question for a future episode? ⁠Click here⁠

Follow, rate and be sure to share the episode with someone who could benefit from listening ❤️

For coaching enquires/questions - ⁠Message me on WhatsApp⁠ 💬

Instagram ➡️ ⁠@carlarushcoaching 🫶🏻

Want to submit a topic or question for a future episode? ⁠Click here⁠

Follow, rate and be super to share the episode with someone who could benefit from listening ❤️

This is your Christmas food survival guide 🍪 Where we are covering:

• How to mentally prepare for the abundance of food so you don't go into "last supper" mode

• Reduce overeating on ‘novelty foods’ by removing the scarcity mindset
• Hidden costs of dieting over Christmas & how to avoid the ‘binge in December’, ‘restrict in January’ trap
• Using mindfulness to enjoy festive food more and remove guilt
• Tips for alcohol, boundaries & value-based decisions to protect your energy & show up as your most cheerful, content self!

Save this episode to come back to on Christmas week when the Holiday chaos is really kicking in for in-the-moment strategies! 🎄

Today’s episode is inspired by some Black Friday shopping blunders that 10 years ago would’ve had me walking blindly into yet ANOTHER restrict-binge cycle 🫠.

I’m walking you through some of the coaching tools I use with 1-1 clients when working on their body image both with or without body composition/fat loss/muscle gain goals.

We are chatting about detaching your worth from clothes labels/sizing and 4 steps to practice in-the-moment when clothes don’t fit. I hope you love it!

For coaching enquires/questions - ⁠Message me on WhatsApp⁠ 💬

Instagram ➡️ ⁠@carlarushcoaching 🫶🏻

Want to submit a topic or question for a future episode? ⁠Click here⁠

Follow, rate and be super to share the episode with someone who could benefit from listening ❤️

Today we’re diving into one of the most important mindset skills behind every long-term goal - delayed gratification.
When this skill is missing, that’s when people reach for quick fixes: the binge-restrict cycle, the “start again Monday” mindset, the crash diet that promises everything in 4 weeks.

We're chatting through:

• Delayed vs instant gratification
• The brain science behind our decisions
• Dopamine
• What makes good choices harder (& how to stop this)
• When the fitness industry gets it wrong - the toxic version of DG
• How to actually build the skill
  For coaching enquires/questions - ⁠Message me on WhatsApp⁠ 💬

Instagram ➡️ ⁠@carlarushcoaching 🫶🏻

Welcome back. Today's episode is all about prepping for a race - physically and mentally. I'm meant to be running the Glasgow Half Marathon this weekend, but I've picked up a knee niggle this week.

I'm taking you through my actual race week prep while dealing with uncertainty about whether I'll even be able to run on Sunday.

We're chatting through:

• Carb loading – what it actually is (not just binging on pasta)
• Parking the ego – and why "pushing through" isn't strength, it's stupidity
• Athletic maturity – choosing long-term health over short-term hero moments
• Letting go of all-or-nothing thinking – showing up imperfectly and still feeling proud
• Race day fueling strategy – timing, foods, and what NOT to do
• Mental shifts to take the pressure off & supporting a positive body image on race day.

If you're prepping for a race, dealing with injury, or just tired of letting ego run the show - you will get a lot of value from this episode.

Next episode: I'll give you the full debrief on how race day actually went.

For coaching enquires/questions - ⁠Message me on WhatsApp⁠ 💬

Instagram ➡️ ⁠@carlarushcoaching 🫶🏻