Far 2 Fabulous

Episode 144 

One diet works wonders for your friend and does nothing for you, so what’s actually going on? We’re pulling back the curtain on what 25 years in nutrition really teaches, and it’s not a miracle supplement or a perfect meal plan. It’s the messy, empowering truth that health is personal, symptoms have context, and real progress comes from understanding your body rather than copying someone else’s rules. 

I share the biggest lessons I’ve learned from thousands of client conversations, from why “one size fits all” advice fails to how modern functional testing can take the guesswork out of gut health, hormones and nutrient status. We talk about the trap of restriction culture, especially for women over 40, and why focusing on nourishment often helps more than building longer lists of foods to avoid. If you’re active, tired, dealing with cravings, or stuck in a cycle of undereating, this will land. 

We also connect the dots between stress, the nervous system and physical symptoms like IBS, sleep disruption, appetite swings and hormone changes. Sometimes the most effective protocol isn’t another pill, it’s recovery: better sleep habits, breathwork, downtime, hydration and a calmer baseline. And if you want a practical north star for healthy ageing, we make a strong case for muscle, strength training and capability over the number on the scales. 

If you’re ready for personalised nutrition, better midlife wellness, and a no-nonsense approach to healthy ageing, press play, then subscribe, leave a review, and share this with a friend who needs a boost. What’s one change you’re willing to try this week?

Got a question or comment? Send us a text message here!

Thank you for listening.

You can continue the conversation with us in the Far 2 Fabulous Facebook group. Come and connect with other women on a journey to empowered health. 

For more information about Julie Clark Nutrition, click HERE
For more information about Catherine Chapman, click HERE
 

If you enjoy the podcast and would like to support the show, you can buy us a coffee HERE. Your support helps us continue creating episodes and improving our recording setup. 

We look forward to you joining us on the next episode.

Episode 143: Finger Lickin' Frightening! 28 Days of Fried Chicken

Fried chicken for every meal sounds like a stunt, until you see what 28 days of ultra-processed food does to a real body and a real mind. We sit down with Mo Gilligan’s Big Chicken: A Fast Food Conspiracy and follow the thread from “harmless takeaway” to cravings, mood shifts, and health markers moving alarmingly fast in the wrong direction, including a jump in HbA1c that edges closer to type 2 diabetes. It’s the kind of watch that makes you look at your shopping trolley differently the next day. 

We talk honestly about ultra-processed foods and addiction: why some products are designed to keep you reaching for the next bite, why hunger can feel louder after a weekend of processed snacks, and how “just use willpower” misses what’s really happening in the brain and body. We also get into food and mood, because the documentary captures something many of us recognise: low energy, feeling flat, and that sense your sparkle has been dialled down. If we keep calling it a mental health crisis while ignoring what we’re eating, we’re only treating the symptoms. 

Then we widen the lens to the system behind the food: environmental damage from intensive farming, water contamination, antibiotics, and the human cost of production lines where dignity is treated as optional. It’s heavy, but we finish with practical power, what we choose to buy, how to bring the 80-20 rule back the right way round, and how to eat well without demonising food or living on kale. 

If this conversation lights a fire in you, share it with a friend, come and tell us your thoughts in the Facebook group, and please subscribe and leave us a review so more people can find the show.

Got a question or comment? Send us a text message here!

Thank you for listening.

You can continue the conversation with us in the Far 2 Fabulous Facebook group. Come and connect with other women on a journey to empowered health. 

For more information about Julie Clark Nutrition, click HERE
For more information about Catherine Chapman, click HERE
 

If you enjoy the podcast and would like to support the show, you can buy us a coffee HERE. Your support helps us continue creating episodes and improving our recording setup. 

We look forward to you joining us on the next episode.

Alcohol is everywhere, so what happens when you quietly step away from it and realise you do not miss it? We talk candidly about going alcohol-free, from choosing a sober year after a birthday drink to stopping after New Year with no big plan at all. The surprise is not white-knuckling through cravings, it is how quickly “not drinking” can become your norm and how much headspace comes back when the daily debate disappears. 

We dig into the real reasons we reach for a glass, especially the stress trigger after a hard day. That little voice can be loud even when you are a moderate drinker, which raises an uncomfortable but freeing question: is it the alcohol you want, or the pause? We share a turning-point moment in a fancy restaurant where the wine added nothing to the view, the food, or the company, plus the not-so-glam reality of poor sleep and feeling flat the next day. 

You will also get practical ideas for what to drink instead, without falling into the “replace it with sugar” trap. We chat through sparkling water with lime, tonic as the actual star of the old G and T, the social stealth of zero per cent beer, and why zero wine still has a long way to go. Alongside the lifestyle side, we touch on health benefits like improved sleep quality, calmer mornings, and encouraging changes in blood markers even when weight loss does not show up. 

If you are sober curious, cutting down, or simply tired of negotiating with yourself, come and join the conversation. Subscribe, share with a friend, and leave us a review, then tell us: what would change in your life if alcohol was no longer part of the equation?

If you enjoyed this episode, here are two more where we talk about sobriety with experts Anna Sudbury and Sarah Williamson.

Got a question or comment? Send us a text message here!

Thank you for listening.

You can continue the conversation with us in the Far 2 Fabulous Facebook group. Come and connect with other women on a journey to empowered health. 

For more information about Julie Clark Nutrition, click HERE
For more information about Catherine Chapman, click HERE
 

If you enjoy the podcast and would like to support the show, you can buy us a coffee HERE. Your support helps us continue creating episodes and improving our recording setup. 

We look forward to you joining us on the next episode.

Episode 141: A Pain in the Menopause! – World Menopause Day Special

Chronic pain can creep in so quietly during perimenopause that you start doubting yourself and then someone else doubts you out loud. With World Menopause Day focusing on chronic pain in midlife, we sit down and speak plainly about what so many women experience: aches that spike as hormones change, appointments where symptoms get brushed off, and that exhausting sense of having to prove you’re not “just being emotional”.

We explore the menopause and pain connection through a few different lenses: oestrogen decline and inflammation, why joint pain and frozen shoulder show up so often, and how conditions like fibromyalgia can become a catch‑all label when tests don’t give neat answers. We also talk about the brain’s role in pain pathways and why the mind‑body link is real without being a reason to dismiss physical symptoms. If you’ve been passed from GP to physio to specialist and back again, we share a practical idea that can change your next conversation: build your own symptom timeline and ask whether your pain tracks your hormonal shifts.

We also zoom out to the bigger picture: midlife pressure, work realities, and the slow progress in women’s health research and NHS support. Our aim is empowerment, not perfection, and a more human approach to what women need during menopause, whether that includes lifestyle changes, pacing, or a thoughtful conversation about HRT.

If this resonates, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs to hear it, and leave us a review so more women can find honest, evidence‑based menopause support.

Got a question or comment? Send us a text message here!

Thank you for listening.

You can continue the conversation with us in the Far 2 Fabulous Facebook group. Come and connect with other women on a journey to empowered health. 

For more information about Julie Clark Nutrition, click HERE
For more information about Catherine Chapman, click HERE
 

If you enjoy the podcast and would like to support the show, you can buy us a coffee HERE. Your support helps us continue creating episodes and improving our recording setup. 

We look forward to you joining us on the next episode.

Episode 140

The headline says “supplements are a waste of money”. Real life says “it depends”, and that’s exactly where we land. We dig into the news chatter around supplements for women, especially menopause supplements, and why blanket statements can be misleading, patronising, and frankly unhelpful when women are already doing the hard work of managing symptoms and protecting their health.

We talk about the pink tax and menopause marketing, from overpriced gimmicks to celebrity-led hype, and then we get practical about what actually matters: quality, ingredients, dosage, and having a clear reason for what you’re taking. We share why a menopause multivitamin is not always the same as a standard multivitamin, including how needs can change around iron, calcium, and minerals. You’ll hear our real-world experiences with magnesium for sleep and stress, and why nutrients like magnesium and vitamin B6 can be especially relevant when hormone changes collide with modern stress.

We also explore collagen (including collagen type 2 for joints), why results can be mixed, and why the scattergun approach of buying “a bit of everything” can waste money or create problems, particularly with herbal supplements that can stack up. Our takeaway is simple: supplements should supplement, not replace the basics, and you deserve personalised support rather than clickbait.

If this strikes a chord, subscribe, share the podcast with a friend, and leave us a review. Then come and join our free Facebook group and tell us what’s worked for you, what you’re unsure about, and what you want us to unpack next.

Got a question or comment? Send us a text message here!

Thank you for listening.

You can continue the conversation with us in the Far 2 Fabulous Facebook group. Come and connect with other women on a journey to empowered health. 

For more information about Julie Clark Nutrition, click HERE
For more information about Catherine Chapman, click HERE
 

If you enjoy the podcast and would like to support the show, you can buy us a coffee HERE. Your support helps us continue creating episodes and improving our recording setup. 

We look forward to you joining us on the next episode.

Episode 139

You can’t out-willpower midlife. If you’re a busy woman over 40 trying to feel stronger, leaner, calmer, and more like yourself again, daily routines beat random bursts of motivation every time.

We talk through the honest, unfiltered reality of what we do each day to support wellbeing: morning anchors like water and meditation, “magic morning” habits that make movement happen, and why a high-protein breakfast changes the whole day. We also get into the stuff nobody puts on the highlight reel, like prepping food so you don’t get caught out, navigating kids’ breakfasts without defaulting to sugar, and the mental load of staying consistent when hormones are doing their thing.

From walking and steps to strength training, Pilates, HIROX-style classes, Parkrun, and post-dinner dog walks, we share how we fit fitness into real schedules. We also cover sleep routines that actually work, including a simple sleepy tea rule that stops the Netflix trap, plus a sensible approach to supplements like creatine, magnesium, turmeric, and glycine without throwing everything in at once.

If you’re ready for sustainable perimenopause and menopause wellness habits, come and join us. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs a nudge, and leave us a review so more women can find the show.

Got a question or comment? Send us a text message here!

Thank you for listening.

You can continue the conversation with us in the Far 2 Fabulous Facebook group. Come and connect with other women on a journey to empowered health. 

For more information about Julie Clark Nutrition, click HERE
For more information about Catherine Chapman, click HERE
 

If you enjoy the podcast and would like to support the show, you can buy us a coffee HERE. Your support helps us continue creating episodes and improving our recording setup. 

We look forward to you joining us on the next episode.

 Episode 138: Finding Your Tribe in Midlife with Helen from Primetime Women 

If your social life looks “fine” but you still feel disconnected, you are not imagining it and you are not alone. We sit down with Helen, founder of Primetime Women, to talk about the quiet loneliness that can show up in midlife, especially after Covid nudged so much of life online. Screens help, but there is something irreplaceable about sitting with people, reading body language, sharing a hug, and feeling like you belong in the room.

We dig into identity in midlife and why so many women lose a sense of self after years of being the organiser, the caregiver, the steady one, the wife, the mother, the daughter, the support act. Add in perimenopause and menopause shifts, and confidence can wobble in surprising ways, from anxiety about going somewhere alone to second-guessing what used to feel effortless. Helen shares how connection circles create safety and momentum: you can come as you are, speak or stay quiet, and still be seen, heard, and included.

We also get practical about how adult friendships actually form and last. That means scheduling “me time” first, treating connection like a non-negotiable, and being brave enough to make the first move for a coffee. We talk friendship seasons, letting go of one-sided dynamics, and using boundaries to protect your energy from draining “energy vampire” conversations. You will leave with simple prompts to help you reconnect with who you want to be and the kind of people you want beside you.

If this resonates, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs a nudge, and leave us a review so more women can find the conversation. What is one small step you can take this week to build your circle?

Got a question or comment? Send us a text message here!

Thank you for listening.

You can continue the conversation with us in the Far 2 Fabulous Facebook group. Come and connect with other women on a journey to empowered health. 

For more information about Julie Clark Nutrition, click HERE
For more information about Catherine Chapman, click HERE
 

If you enjoy the podcast and would like to support the show, you can buy us a coffee HERE. Your support helps us continue creating episodes and improving our recording setup. 

We look forward to you joining us on the next episode.

Episode 137: From Brushing Her Teeth to Running the Coast of Britain with Megan Boxhall 

Two hundred marathons. Two hundred and four days. One coastline. When we heard Megan Boxhall had run the coast of Great Britain, we genuinely had to sit down and ask: how does a human being keep showing up day after day through winter weather, tired legs, and the moments when your brain whispers “no one cares”? Megan joins us to tell the full story, and it quickly becomes about far more than ultra running or chasing a record. 

We talk about the messy middle: planning logistics you cannot fully control, relying on friends, strangers, and a camper van support crew, and finding unexpected belonging on the road. Megan shares her favourite sections of the British coastline, the community spirit she found in Cornwall, and why parkrun mattered to both the start and the finish. We also touch on the admin reality of recognition, GPS evidence, and the frustrating gaps in how records get defined. 

Most importantly, Megan speaks openly about mental health, her experience of crisis care, and why the Samaritans became a lifeline. She explains what happens when you call, why waiting on hold can still be worth it, and how small steps (even brushing your teeth on the hardest days) can start to rebuild a life. We explore anxiety, perfectionism, living with a multiple sclerosis diagnosis, and why prevention and education may be the missing pieces in the way we handle mental wellbeing. 

If you care about resilience, women’s wellbeing, mental health support, or endurance sport, you will take something real from this conversation. Subscribe, share this with someone who might need it, and leave us a review so more people can find the help and hope in stories like Megan’s.

You can continue to follow Megan's incredible story via Instagram HERE

And donate to the Samaritans HERE 

Got a question or comment? Send us a text message here!

Thank you for listening.

You can continue the conversation with us in the Far 2 Fabulous Facebook group. Come and connect with other women on a journey to empowered health. 

For more information about Julie Clark Nutrition, click HERE
For more information about Catherine Chapman, click HERE
 

If you enjoy the podcast and would like to support the show, you can buy us a coffee HERE. Your support helps us continue creating episodes and improving our recording setup. 

We look forward to you joining us on the next episode.

Episode 136: The Hot Flush Off Switch Is Above Your Lip with Georgina Strickland 

Your feet carry you all day, but what if they are also quietly reporting on how you’re coping? We sit down with Georgina Strickland from Lifespan Reflexology to unpack what reflexology actually is, why it has roots stretching back thousands of years, and how a skilled practitioner can use mapped pressure points on the feet and face to support your whole system without making medical claims. If you’ve ever wondered how stress shows up in the body, or why you feel different after a truly relaxing treatment, this chat makes it make sense.

We go deep on women’s health, from Georgina’s own fertility journey into practice, to the way many clients use foot reflexology and facial reflexology for perimenopause and menopause symptoms. We talk hot flushes, night sweats, anxiety, sleep, brain fog, and why the parasympathetic nervous system is at the centre of feeling better. Georgina also explains how facial reflexology works closer to the brain and central nervous system, why that can be a great alternative if you hate people touching your feet, and how a little self-care “map” between sessions can speed up results.

You’ll also hear two simple facial reflexology points you can try at home, plus the bigger takeaway we keep coming back to: slowing down is not a luxury, it is essential. If this conversation helps you, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs support, and leave us a review so more women can find the podcast. What symptom would you most like to switch off?

Got a question or comment? Send us a text message here!

Thank you for listening.

You can continue the conversation with us in the Far 2 Fabulous Facebook group. Come and connect with other women on a journey to empowered health. 

For more information about Julie Clark Nutrition, click HERE
For more information about Catherine Chapman, click HERE
 

If you enjoy the podcast and would like to support the show, you can buy us a coffee HERE. Your support helps us continue creating episodes and improving our recording setup. 

We look forward to you joining us on the next episode.

Episode 135: What If Consistency Was Just Two Days Away?

One missed day shouldn’t erase weeks of progress, but for so many of us it does. We’re talking about the two-day rule, a deceptively simple habit-building tool that helps you stay consistent with exercise, walking, meditation, nutrition goals, or cutting back on alcohol without falling into the all-or-nothing trap.

We unpack what the rule actually is (never miss twice in a row) and why it works so well when life inevitably derails your plans. We also explore the “sod it” moment: how a stressful trigger can spark an internal argument that ends with chocolate, wine, or abandoning your routine altogether. By noticing the sequence of triggers and behaviours, you can change the first domino and make the healthy choice far easier to repeat.

Along the way we share practical strategies for habit formation and behaviour change, including habit stacking, building routines that act as reliable cues (like an evening tea that signals the end of eating or the start of bedtime), and using Mel Robbins’ 5-4-3-2-1 countdown to move before your brain talks you out of it. We also zoom out to the bigger picture: self-trust, momentum over perfectionism, and identity-based habits that align with your values so they actually stick.

If you’re ready for a fresh start that doesn’t require a complete life overhaul, press play, then come and tell us what habit you’re rebuilding. Subscribe, share with a friend, and leave us a review so more women can find the support too.

Got a question or comment? Send us a text message here!

Thank you for listening.

You can continue the conversation with us in the Far 2 Fabulous Facebook group. Come and connect with other women on a journey to empowered health. 

For more information about Julie Clark Nutrition, click HERE
For more information about Catherine Chapman, click HERE
 

If you enjoy the podcast and would like to support the show, you can buy us a coffee HERE. Your support helps us continue creating episodes and improving our recording setup. 

We look forward to you joining us on the next episode.