Today we are unpacking the idea of "metabolic confusion", which is the belief that you need to constantly change your food intake, calories, or training to "shock" your body into losing weight.

You've probably heard things like:

• "You're not eating enough"

• "Your body is in starvation mode"

• "You need high-calorie days to reset your metabolism"

• "Cheat days keep your body guessing"

But how much of this is actually backed by evidence?

In this episode, I walk through what metabolic confusion really refers to, what the research says about calorie cycling, and what actually leads to weight loss plateaus

We cover:

• What metabolic confusion actually is

• Whether alternating high calorie days and low calorie days improves fat loss outcomes

• How relevant metabolic adaptation is in your weight loss journey

• Pros and cons of cheat days

• Hormonal implications of calorie cycling and intermittent fasting

• Benefits of aiming for consistency with in-built flexibility

I also give an update on the Balanced Body Community and our 30 Day Reset, which you are welcome to come and join! Link below:

Join the 30 Day Challenge: The Balanced Body Reset 1:1 coaching: Message me on Instagram @nutrition.by.helena

Can eating in the sun really help you lose more weight? Does coffee "switch on" your adrenals? And do you actually need animal fats to absorb fibre?

This is a relaxed and unscripted episode. I wrote down all the nutrition misinformation I heard on a podcast recently and debunk 3 of them.

I also talk through the habits I'm intentionally bringing into 2026, and an update on the 30 day community challenge (see below). x

We're kicking off a 30 Day Challenge on January 25, 2026, where we'll follow the Balanced Body Reset together, with:

• weekly live Q&A calls

• ongoing prompts and encouragement from me

• support inside a private Facebook group

This challenge is available exclusively to those who have purchased the Balanced Body Reset — and there's also the opportunity to earn back your initial $80 investment by participating.

If you've already purchased the Reset, keep an eye on your inbox — I'll be sharing all the details and the group link via email.

Hope to see you inside x

Join the 30 Day Challenge: The Balanced Body Reset 1:1 coaching: Message me on Instagram @nutrition.by.helena

Before we dive in, here are a few ways I can support you:

Join the 30 Day Challenge: The Balanced Body Reset 1:1 coaching: Message me on Instagram @nutrition.by.helena

I'm excited to be introducing a community element to the Balanced Body Reset. Doing things together so often leads to better results than going it alone.

And that's not just a feeling - there's solid research behind it. In this episode, I talk through what the evidence shows about group-based, online health programs, including improvements in diet quality, physical activity, weight outcomes and overall adherence when social support is part of the intervention.

You can read the study I reference here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0091743524002548?via%3Dihub#ab0005

We're kicking off a 30 Day Challenge on January 25, 2026, where we'll follow the Balanced Body Reset together, with:

• weekly live Q&A calls

• ongoing prompts and encouragement from me

• support inside a private Facebook group

This challenge is available exclusively to those who have purchased the Balanced Body Reset — and there's also the opportunity to earn back your initial $80 investment by participating.

If you've already purchased the Reset, keep an eye on your inbox — I'll be sharing all the details and the group link via email.

Hope to see you inside x

Before we dive in, here are two ways I can support you:

Join the 30 Day Community Challenge: The Balanced Body Reset 1:1 coaching: Message me on Instagram @nutrition.by.helena

x

If you've ever thought, "I could never eat like that, my metabolism is too slow", this episode is for you.

In this episode, I break down what metabolism actually is, what influences it, and why it's rarely the reason people feel stuck with weight or food.

We talk about:

• What metabolism really means

• How age, muscle mass and hormones actually play a role

• What people mean when they say they've "ruined" their metabolism

• Why under-eating and repeated dieting can backfire

• What actually helps support a healthy metabolism long term

The key takeaway: For most people, it's not a broken metabolism holding them back, and rather unsustainable habits, under-fuelling, and muscle loss.

If you've been blaming your metabolism, this episode will help you see the full picture.

Before we dive in, here are a few ways I can support you:

Free guide: The Ultimate Checklist to Look and Feel Your Best 30 day program: The Balanced Body Reset to help you feel in control of food, energy and confidence 1:1 coaching: Message me directly on Instagram @nutrition.by.helena

If you've seen claims that certain foods can naturally increase GLP-1 in your body and help reduce overeating - they're not completely wrong.

But some of the messaging, like promising "superpowers" or being "biologically indifferent to tempting food" (as per Bryan Johnson), is a bit exaggerated.

This episode breaks down what's actually worth paying attention to, and what's mostly social media hype.

We cover:

• What GLP-1 actually is and how it works • The difference between food-driven and medication-driven rises in GLP-1 • Food sequencing for blood sugar control • Practical strategies I use with clients

Tune in for a realistic take and a few tools you can use to make food work for you, not against you.

Before we dive in, here are a few ways I can support you:

Free guide: The Ultimate Checklist to Look and Feel Your Best 30 day program: The Balanced Body Reset to help you feel in control of food, energy and confidence 1:1 coaching: Message me directly on Instagram @nutrition.by.helena

This episode is a bit of fun where I reflect on what actually worked in 2025 - both for you and for me.

We talk about:

• The meals we relied on this year (nothing extravagant, which is kind of the point)

• The supermarket products I've recommended on repeat

• Nutrition trends from 2025 we love, and the ones I'd happily leave behind

• What I think we'll see more of in 2026

• Some personal reflections and what's coming next for the Balanced Body community

Tune in for a fun chit chat, food ideas and inspo for the new year x

If you struggle with Christmas eating, holiday overeating or the all or nothing mindset around food, this episode will help you approach the Christmas season in a balanced and healthy way without restriction or guilt.

Before we dive in, here are a few ways I can support you:

Free guide: The Ultimate Checklist to Look and Feel Your Best 30 day program: The Balanced Body Reset to help you feel in control of food, energy and confidence 1:1 coaching: Message me directly on Instagram @nutrition.by.helena

Christmas is often portrayed as either a time to be super clean with your diet, or a time to eat whatever you want and start again in January. Both extremes can lead to feeling out of control, binge restrict cycles and frustration with your relationship with food.

In this episode, I break down how to enjoy Christmas food mindfully while still feeling good in your body. You will learn practical, evidence based strategies for healthy holiday eating, avoiding overeating, reducing stress around food and building a more flexible, balanced approach to nutrition.

We cover:

• How to avoid the all or nothing mindset at Christmas • Why Christmas Day does not derail weight loss or health progress • How to enjoy holiday meals without overeating or feeling guilty • Why your everyday diet matters more than one high calorie day • Mindful eating tools that actually work during holiday events • How to build a balanced Christmas plate that tastes amazing • How to include dessert, chocolate and alcohol without spiralling • What to do around Christmas Day so you feel calm and in control • The mindset shift that helps you stay consistent long term

This episode is perfect if you want to feel more confident with food over the holidays, enjoy celebrations without the binge restrict cycle, and build a healthier relationship with eating.

If you've ever wanted change so badly but still can't seem to get started, or if you're someone who starts strong for a few days and then suddenly slides right back into old habits, this episode is going to feel like I'm reading your mind.

We're unpacking the psychological, environmental and behavioural patterns that get in the way of your progress, so you can finally build a healthy lifestyle that actually sticks, instead of rebounding a few weeks in.

If you've ever thought, "I know what to do… I just don't do it," this one's for you.

Looking for support with your nutrition?

FREE: THE ULTIMATE CHECKLIST TO LOOK AND FEEL YOUR BEST

👉 Check out The Balanced Body Reset — my 30-day program to help you get back in control of food, energy, and confidence: CLICK HERE

And as always, if you want personalised 1:1 support, you can contact me directly over on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nutrition.by.helena/

This week on the podcast: your rapid-fire nutrition Q&A.

We cover:

• My current training split

• Ghee vs olive oil - is ghee actually "good for your gut"?

• Overcoming the 3pm slump

• Sugar-free drinks

• How much weight loss per week is actually realistic

• How long you should stay in a calorie deficit

• Whether probiotics are worth it

Short, practical, evidence-informed answers to help you cut through the overwhelm and make nutrition feel simple again.

If you've got a question you want included in the next Q&A, DM me on Instagram because I love hearing what's on your mind.

Looking for support with your nutrition?

FREE: THE ULTIMATE CHECKLIST TO LOOK AND FEEL YOUR BEST

👉 Check out The Balanced Body Reset — my 30-day program to help you get back in control of food, energy, and confidence: CLICK HERE

And as always, if you want personalised 1:1 support, you can contact me directly over on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nutrition.by.helena/

*]:pointer-events-auto [content-visibility:auto] supports-[content-visibility:auto]:[contain-intrinsic-size:auto_100lvh] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id= "0d926304-66dd-4920-8600-b9ecca179676" data-testid= "conversation-turn-6" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant">

If you're tempted to skip this because you're "not there yet" with perimenopause or menopause… this is exactly the episode you need to hear.

Heart health and the changes that occur around menopause aren't things you suddenly start caring about at 50. The habits, blood markers and risk factors that show up in midlife are shaped by what you're doing now in your 20s, 30s and early 40s. Getting onto this early puts you in the best possible position to minimise your risk later on. So even if you don't feel like you're in the "heart disease" age bracket, please don't sit this one out.

Off the back of my mum's recent high blood pressure reading, she's now also come back with high cholesterol, despite being health conscious her whole life and having no overt risk factors. She has never smoked, she's pescatarian, grows her own veggies, walks and gardens daily, cycles with a local club and strength trains ... so she felt pretty caught off guard.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women, but so many of us don't see ourselves as "the type" it could happen to. In this episode, we unpack why that is, what actually changes around menopause, and practical steps you can take to protect your heart and your future self.

In this episode:

• Why cardiovascular disease risk increases after menopause

• The role of estrogen in protecting your blood vessels, and what happens to cholesterol, visceral fat and inflammation when levels decline

• How pregnancy complications like gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia and high blood pressure can flag higher heart disease risk later on

• The "perfect storm" of midlife: hormone shifts, changing body composition, stress, sleep, alcohol, exercise and the neverending mental load

• Key markers to keep an eye on in your blood tests

• Practical nutrition strategies to support healthier cholesterol:

  • Using foods like psyllium husk, oats, barley and legumes for soluble fibre

  • Plant sterols, omega-3s and extra virgin olive oil

  • Red meat, processed meats, saturated fat and what to swap instead

• Taking a holistic approach with key lifestyle changes

If you've noticed your body reacting differently with age and aren't sure why, this episode breaks down what's really happening, and the steps you can take today to reduce your risk and regain a sense of control.

Looking for support with your nutrition?

FREE: THE ULTIMATE CHECKLIST TO LOOK AND FEEL YOUR BEST

👉 Check out The Balanced Body Reset — my 30-day program to help you get back in control of food, energy, and confidence: https://helena-mcdonald-3e4c.mykajabi.com/30-day-balanced-body-reset-1

And as always, if you want personalised 1:1 support, you can contact me directly over on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nutrition.by.helena/