Perimenopause Symptoms You Might Be Missing (Part 1): Tired but Wired, Fat Loss Frustration, Mood Shifts & Brain Fog

In this episode of The Nicola Graham Podcast, I share why I’ve been talking more about perimenopause after opening up on Instagram about “losing my mojo,” and I outline subtle, often-masked symptoms that can show up in everyday life as oestrogen and progesterone begin fluctuating, especially for women around 38+.

I cover feeling tired but wired (afternoon crashes, night waking, palpitations), fat loss feeling harder with weight creeping up around the middle and increased cravings linked to blood sugar and insulin sensitivity, mood changes like irritability, anxiety and tearfulness, and brain fog/forgetfulness, including the role of gut health.

Sharing practical steps like reducing late caffeine, building a consistent evening routine, fuelling properly through the day instead of fasting, tracking your cycle to protect energy, prioritising rest, getting outside, and using strength training for regulation, plus how to advocate for yourself with your GP.

This is part one, with part two to follow, and I also explain the “health-first” approach inside my Time to Thrive group coaching. And if you found this episode valuable, like and subscribe to keep up to date with more valuable insights and actionable advice

How You Can Work With Me...

Join my free online community 'Thriving Women' https://nicolagrahamfitness.com/thrivingwomen

Check out my group online coaching membership 'Thrive Lifestyle' https://nicolagrahamfitness.com/thrivelifestyle

Interested in 1-1 online coaching? Drop me a DM via my Instagram www.instagram.com/nicolagrahamfitness

Want to get in touch? Send me an email via [email protected]

00:00 Subtle Perimenopause Signs

00:21 Mojo Lost Instagram Spark

01:09 Masking Changes Mindset

02:06 Weekly Unfiltered Sunshine

03:12 Daughter Confidence Pep Talk

05:42 Kids Mirror Self Talk

10:06 What Perimenopause Is

13:24 Symptom One Tired Wired

15:46 Fixes Sleep Caffeine Fuel

17:05 Symptom Two Fat Loss Harder

19:19 Insulin Cravings Belly Gain

20:31 Stop Eating Less Doing More

20:58 Food Diary Reality Check

21:34 Friday Undereating Weekend Fallout

23:40 Fasting Backfires New Approach

24:29 Mood Swings Stress Tolerance

28:36 Track Your Cycle Protect Energy

30:35 Cravings Regulation Tools

33:52 Brain Fog Gut Health Link

38:06 Health First Not Scale

42:09 Sustainable Coaching Invitation

In this episode of The Nicola Graham Podcast, I speak candidly about imposter syndrome after a client call, explaining that it’s often just the discomfort of growth and being outside your comfort zone. Sharing the idea of building a “bank of evidence” through taking action first.

Whether that’s leading a directors’ meeting, lifting weights for the first time, going out sober, wearing the dress without the jacket, or walking confidently by the pool. I also dive into the mental side of fat loss: how many women quit right before progress shows up, sabotage when results feel slow, and over-focus on the scales instead of wider signs of thriving like energy, mood and relationships.

Finally, I challenge the belief that women shouldn’t invest time, money and boundaries in themselves, and leave two questions to prompt action and self-trust.

Like and subscribe to keep up to date with more valuable insights and actionable advice

How You Can Work With Me...

Join my free online community 'Thriving Women' https://nicolagrahamfitness.com/thrivingwomen

Check out my group online coaching membership 'Thrive Lifestyle' https://nicolagrahamfitness.com/thrivelifestyle

Interested in 1-1 online coaching? Drop me a DM via my Instagram www.instagram.com/nicolagrahamfitness

Want to get in touch? Send me an email via [email protected]

00:00 No Notes Real Talk

00:44 What Imposter Syndrome Is

02:10 Bank of Evidence Mindset

02:49 Work Example Leading Meeting

03:47 Gym And Life Firsts

05:27 Diamonds Meme Consistency

08:30 Scale Obsession Mindset Shift

09:26 Identity Sabotage And Growth

11:33 Lifestyle Approach Over Plans

12:44 Ask For Help Lean In

13:52 Prioritizing Yourself Guilt

15:34 Two Questions Take Action

15:56 You Are Worth It

16:52 Rebuild Trust And Community

18:15 Time Is Now Journal Prompt

18:53 Final Challenge And Goodbye

In this episode of The Nicola Graham Podcast, I am challenging the “weekend reset” myth for mums, arguing that relying on Saturdays and Sundays to recover from a stressful week fuels burnout and stalls transformation because the body doesn’t run on a weekly calendar.

I share my recap of attending the Grand National, explaining how she avoided a hangover by limiting alcohol, drinking lots of water, eating protein (including boiled eggs), and handling social pressure to drink. Explaining how chronic weekday stress can dysregulate cortisol, disrupt sleep and cravings, and contribute to “stress belly,” and why feeling “lazy” can actually be dysregulation.

Inreoducing the Daily Dose principle: small, intentional daily habits (like a 10-minute walk, meal prep shifts, saying no, set workout days, and no phone upstairs) to build self-trust and thrive consistently. AND I announce my upcoming monthly Thriving Women Zoom coaching calls.

Like and subscribe to keep up to date with more valuable insights and actionable advice

How You Can Work With Me...

Join my free online community 'Thriving Women' https://nicolagrahamfitness.com/thrivingwomen

Check out my group online coaching membership 'Thrive Lifestyle' https://nicolagrahamfitness.com/thrivelifestyle

Interested in 1-1 online coaching? Drop me a DM via my Instagram www.instagram.com/nicolagrahamfitness

Want to get in touch? Send me an email via [email protected]

00:00 Weekend Reset Myth

00:43 Daily Thriving Mindset

01:29 Unfiltered Races Recap

02:04 Self Acceptance With Alcohol

03:23 Prep Pressure And Chaos

06:13 Feeling Good Over Perfect

08:20 Hangover Proof Habits

13:47 Stop Saving For Weekends

15:47 Chronic Stress And Cortisol

17:14 Cortisol Hard Hat Analogy

18:45 Stress Belly Explained

19:49 Why Weekends Don’t Reset

21:31 Daily Dose Principle

22:36 Systems and Set Days

23:13 Micro Habits and Walks

25:06 Saying No as Self Care

26:56 Uncomfortable Change and Tradeoffs

30:02 Modeling Self Care for Kids

32:25 No Phone Bedtime Rule

33:57 Seven Day Self Trust Challenge

35:27 Time to Thrive Program Invite

36:34 Monthly Community Zoom Calls

38:49 Final Takeaway and Goodbye

Reset After Easter: My 3-Step Framework to Get Back on Track (No Restriction, No Punishment)

In this episode of The Nicola Graham Podcast, I share a simple three-step framework to help you reset after Easter without slipping into all-or-nothing thinking or doing anything overly restrictive. I explain why one weekend of overindulging isn’t the real issue, but dragging it out for days or weeks is, and how past diet culture can fuel the ‘if it can’t be perfect, it can’t be done’ mindset.

Step one is getting clear on your calorie goal and making your calories count with simple, repeatable whole-food meals built around protein, fruit and veg, plus sensible portions of carbs or healthy fats.

Step two is prioritising hydration and daily steps to reduce bloat and boost energy, including two pints of water on waking and aiming for 10,000 steps.

Step three is returning to normal strength training, no punishing extra cardio, so you leave sessions with energy left for the rest of the day.

Like and subscribe to keep up to date with more valuable insights and actionable advice

How You Can Work With Me...

Join my free online community 'Thriving Women' https://nicolagrahamfitness.com/thrivingwomen

Check out my group online coaching membership 'Thrive Lifestyle' https://nicolagrahamfitness.com/thrivelifestyle

Interested in 1-1 online coaching? Drop me a DM via my Instagram www.instagram.com/nicolagrahamfitness

Want to get in touch? Send me an email via [email protected]

00:00 Easter Reset Intro

01:35 Draw The Line

02:38 All Or Nothing Trap

04:56 Stop Restricting Foods

07:07 Step One Calorie Clarity

08:03 Simple Whole Food Meals

09:53 Step Two Hydration Steps

13:01 Water Targets Explained

14:57 Step Three Normal Training

17:17 Support And Next Steps

19:19 Final Reset Reminder

In this slightly different episode of The Nicola Graham Podcast, I’m helping you map your goals for quarter two of 2026 by redefining what you truly want. Rather than defaulting to the same old targets you think you “should” chase.

I talk you through the key questions to ask before setting anything new: what normally happens in your first 2-3 weeks (falling off, boredom, or life taking over), whether your goals are based on real life or an idealised version shaped by social media, what your weeks actually look like, where you consistently fall off (evenings, weekends, busy days), and whether you’re setting outcome goals without the behaviours to support them.

I also challenge you to consider where you’ll be in three months if nothing changes, and I share how to shift from motivation-led efforts to a framework of habits, standards and identity-based goals, so you go into summer feeling confident, proud and aligned.

Like and subscribe to keep up to date with more valuable insights and actionable advice

How You Can Work With Me...

Join my free online community 'Thriving Women' https://nicolagrahamfitness.com/thrivingwomen

Check out my group online coaching membership 'Thrive Lifestyle' https://nicolagrahamfitness.com/thrivelifestyle

Interested in 1-1 online coaching? Drop me a DM via my Instagram www.instagram.com/nicolagrahamfitness

Want to get in touch? Send me an email via [email protected]

00:00 Q2 Goals Reset

01:11 Quarterly Course Redirect

01:52 Spot Your Early Patterns

03:52 When Life Takes Over

05:37 Real Life Goals

10:22 Map Your Actual Week

13:16 Where You Fall Off

14:33 Outcome Versus Habits

17:18 Stop Relying On Motivation

18:11 Three Month Reality Check

21:02 Build Identity Standards

22:47 Q2 Line In Sand

24:16 Final Reflection And Action

Stop Restarting: How to Get Unstuck, Break the Weekend Cycle & Accelerate Your Results

In this episode of The Nicola Graham Podcast, I talk to any woman who feels like she’s been coasting this year, stuck in the familiar cycle of starting strong, falling off at the weekend, and “starting again Monday”.

Sharing a supermarket conversation that highlights how harshly we judge ourselves, why crash diets and short “shreds” keep us trapped, and why choosing the lifestyle approach. Taking the wheel with support, changes everything.

I explain how unrealistic expectations and overwhelm stall progress, how to treat a plateau as feedback (not failure), and how to create momentum by tweaking just one key metric at a time (like steps or water) instead of trying to change everything.

I also cover the importance of robust non-negotiables, repeatable weeks, and “staying in the game” by managing mental, physical, and emotional wobbles.

Like and subscribe to keep up to date with more valuable insights and actionable advice

How You Can Work With Me...

Join my free online community 'Thriving Women' https://nicolagrahamfitness.com/thrivingwomen

Check out my group online coaching membership 'Thrive Lifestyle' https://nicolagrahamfitness.com/thrivelifestyle

Interested in 1-1 online coaching? Drop me a DM via my Instagram www.instagram.com/nicolagrahamfitness

Want to get in touch? Send me an email via [email protected]

00:00 Why You Feel Stuck

00:16 Podcast Mission Updates

01:57 Tesco Run Wake Up Call

03:45 Self Compassion In Public

04:31 Choose Lifestyle Approach

06:40 Stop Start Weekend Cycle

10:13 Plateau Maintenance Reframe

12:42 Pick One Needle Mover

18:12 Non Negotiables That Work

21:22 Stay In The Game

23:49 Emotional Fitness Reset

29:43 Minimum Standards Wrap Up

How to Stop Panicking in the School Holidays (Without Losing Your Progress)

In this episode, I talk about how to stop panicking when the kids are off school (hello, Easter holidays) and your usual routine disappears. I explain why it doesn’t have to mean weight gain, chaos, or “going backwards,” and how I personally stay consistent through birthdays, half term and holidays.

I share a no-nonsense approach: accept the routine will change, set new non-negotiables, avoid social media first thing, stay prepared with food, and don’t default to chocolate just because the kids are home. I cover planning indulgences, why hyper-palatable foods make willpower harder, front-loading calories to manage appetite and stress, and getting creative with exercise (gym early, tag-team with your partner, steps, walks, swimming, soft play).

Most importantly, I remind you to hold the standard, remember your “why,” and make the next decision a good one.

Like and subscribe to keep up to date with more valuable insights and actionable advice

How You Can Work With Me...

Join my free online community 'Thriving Women' https://nicolagrahamfitness.com/thrivingwomen

Check out my group online coaching membership 'Thrive Lifestyle' https://nicolagrahamfitness.com/thrivelifestyle

Interested in 1-1 online coaching? Drop me a DM via my Instagram www.instagram.com/nicolagrahamfitness

Want to get in touch? Send me an email via [email protected]

00:00 Holiday Panic Intro

00:58 Coach Perspective Shift

02:38 New Routine Nonnegotiables

04:05 Nutrition Plan Not Chaos

06:55 Chocolate Boundaries

08:34 Front Load Calories

11:23 Fruit Snack Rule

12:42 Mindset Power Reset

14:30 Exercise When Kids Off

19:45 Family Food Standards

20:43 Hyperpalatable Food Science

22:58 Remember Your Why

26:44 Flexible Not Perfect

28:09 Easter Sendoff

In this episode of The Nicola Graham Podcast, I break down the exact three-day training split I use with women who want to build shape, feel toned and finally see progress.

Especially if you’re training 3–5 times a week, adding loads of cardio and still not changing. I share why random workouts, cardio-led fat loss, and training for exhaustion (not adaptation) stall results, and why strength training builds the shape while nutrition reveals it.

I explain how to structure each full-body session (squat, hinge, push, pull, core), why the first two “money maker” lifts matter most, and how to apply progressive overload without chasing PBs every session. I cover smart cardio (steps first, cardio after weights), common mistakes, realistic timelines for results, and my unfiltered lesson on putting your goals out loud and going all in.

Like and subscribe to keep up to date with more valuable insights and actionable advice

How You Can Work With Me... Join my free online community 'Thriving Women' https://nicolagrahamfitness.com/thrivingwomen

Check out my group online coaching membership 'Thrive Lifestyle' https://nicolagrahamfitness.com/thrivelifestyle

Interested in 1-1 online coaching? Drop me a DM via my Instagram www.instagram.com/nicolagrahamfitness

Want to get in touch? Send me an email via [email protected]

00:00 Why You’re Not Seeing Change

00:48 Muscle Tone Myth Busting

01:45 Podcast Updates and Awards 03:17 Stronger Together Reflections

05:03 Say Your Goals Out Loud

09:48 Realistic Transformation Timelines

12:02 Common Training Mistakes

15:53 What Actually Builds Shape

18:07 The Three Day Split

19:54 Structuring Each Workout

22:55 Session Two and Three Variations

23:40 How Many Exercises to Do 24:10 Ditch More Is Better

25:01 Progress Big Lifts

26:47 Cycle Strength Fluctuations

27:49 Lift Heavy Enough

31:07 Beat Gym Judgment

33:41 Cardio That Supports

37:07 Weekly Training Structure

38:06 Mistakes And Recovery

41:40 Realistic Results Timeline

43:19 Consistency And Community

46:15 Events And Wrap Up

In this Monday short episode of The Nicola Graham Podcast, I dive into why tracking all the data can quickly lead to overwhelm rather than progress. Instead of chasing every metric, I break down the three that truly matter for improving your health, energy, performance, sleep, and building a lean, strong physique.

I explain why your resting heart rate is a powerful indicator of stress, recovery, and lifestyle factors like under-fuelling, alcohol, or high-salt meals. I also highlight the importance of sleep quality and consistency, aiming for seven or more hours while avoiding the common “weekend reset” that disrupts your rhythm. Finally, we talk about strength progression—why getting stronger through increased load or more controlled reps is key to real, visible body change.

I also unpack three data points that are often overvalued: daily scale weight (and why trends matter more than day-to-day fluctuations), calories burned on your watch (often inaccurate and misleading), and the idea that 10,000 steps is a magic number. Instead, I encourage building from your own baseline and focusing on consistency over perfection.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by health data, this episode will help you cut through the noise and focus on what actually works.

Like and subscribe to keep up to date with more valuable insights and actionable advice

How You Can Work With Me...

Join my free online community 'Thriving Women' https://nicolagrahamfitness.com/thrivingwomen

Check out my group online coaching membership 'Thrive Lifestyle' https://nicolagrahamfitness.com/thrivelifestyle

Interested in 1-1 online coaching? Drop me a DM via my Instagram www.instagram.com/nicolagrahamfitness

Want to get in touch? Send me an email via [email protected]

00:00 Are You Tracking the Right Data

01:31 Metric 1 Resting Heart Rate

05:21 RHR Trends and Recovery Tips

07:26 Metric 2 Sleep Quality

12:31 Weekend Sleep and Hunger Effects

16:51 Metric 3 Strength Progression

18:22 Stop Obsessing Over Scale Weight

24:13 Ignore Calories Burned on Watches

28:13 Steps Goals Without Pressure

34:55 Simplify Your Metrics Wrap Up

Menopause, Motivation & Mindset: Thriving (Not Just Coping) with Coach Nikki Saunders

In this episode I’m joined by menopause coach Nikki Saunders, who shares how her own perimenopause began at 39 and how, despite HRT, clean eating and exercise, rising life pressure and corporate demands still led to brain fog and lost confidence.

Something she’d also seen in high-performing women. We talk honestly about why midlife can feel like an identity shift, how declining oestrogen and fluctuating progesterone affect dopamine, sleep, mood and motivation, and why pushing harder with low calories and HIIT can backfire by driving stress and weight gain around the middle.

Nikki explains the value of coaching: tracking daily patterns, understanding symptoms, and using practical strategies like bedtime routines, stronger work boundaries, a pre-bed “brain dump,” and a “worry box” to reduce 3am wake-ups. We also explore social connection, micro-habits, self-compassion, and Nikki’s simple three-task daily structure to rebuild confidence and feel grounded.

Like and subscribe to keep up to date with more valuable insights and actionable advice

How You Can Work With Me...

Join my free online community 'Thriving Women' https://nicolagrahamfitness.com/thrivingwomen

Check out my group online coaching membership 'Thrive Lifestyle' https://nicolagrahamfitness.com/thrivelifestyle

Interested in 1-1 online coaching? Drop me a DM via my Instagram www.instagram.com/nicolagrahamfitness

Want to get in touch? Send me an email via [email protected]

00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro

01:00 How Nikki Became a Menopause Coach

03:13 Thriving Not Just Coping

07:04 Hormones Dopamine and Brain Fog

08:28 Energy Boundaries and Better Habits

09:51 Coaching vs One Size Fits All

11:22 Weight Gain Cortisol and Stress Belly

15:58 Modern Woman Impossible Standards

18:03 Micro Habits and Redefining It All

22:23 Common Symptoms and 3AM Wakeups

24:20 Worry Box Brain Dump Strategy

28:01 Emotions Tears and Triggers

30:27 Rebuilding Social Support

32:04 Small Social Steps

32:33 Connection Through Walking

35:21 Rethinking Drinking Limits

36:24 Nick’s Coaching Approach

39:36 GPs HRT and Anxiety

44:22 Brain Fog Identity Shift

46:27 Social Media Fix Culture

51:01 Coaching for Self Trust

57:50 Confidence Reset Steps

01:01:28 Final Wrap and Next Episode