🎙️ This week, we’re breaking down what it really takes to start a fitness career in 2026. If you’ve ever thought about becoming a personal trainer, coach, or working in fitness but had no idea where to start, this episode is for you. Zaira asks Evie and Jaz to share the lessons they wish they knew at the beginning, from choosing the right PT course to navigating imposter syndrome, social media pressure, and the business side that catches most people out.

We talk honestly about why nearly 80% of people leave the fitness industry within their first year, and how you can build a career that actually lasts.

Starting a Fitness Career in 2026: What They Don't Tell You
Uplift Conversations, Season 02, Ep. 53
▪️ The 80% Failure Rate – Why so many fitness careers end early and how to avoid it
▪️ Choosing a PT Course – Online vs in-person, cheap vs expensive, and what actually matters
▪️ Imposter Syndrome – Feeling underqualified, charging money, and finding confidence early on
▪️ Gym vs Freelance PT – The real pros and cons of each route
▪️ The Business Reality – Why coaching is only part of the job
▪️ Social Media Pressure – Do you really need Instagram to succeed in fitness?
▪️ Getting Your First Clients – Free sessions, cheap sessions, and building trust
▪️ Living the Lifestyle – Body image, expectations, and practising what you preach

This is the resource we mentioned on the app: https://www.liftthebar.com/

📌 Love fitness, career growth, and honest conversations? Subscribe and join our community! 🔔

🎙️ This week, we’re breaking down one of the most confusing parts of running: setting the right goal for where you actually are. From Instagram comparison traps to marathon time myths, we talk through how to choose between time, distance, and consistency goals, and why trying to do everything at once often leads to burnout or injury. 🏃‍♀️

Realistic Running Goals 2026 | From Beginner to Marathon
Uplift Conversations, Season 02, Ep. 52
▪️ Time vs Distance vs Consistency – How to choose the right goal for your current fitness
▪️ Beginner to Advanced – What realistic progress actually looks like from 5K to marathon
▪️ Training Frequency Truths – How many runs per week you really need to improve
▪️ Marathon Time Myths – Why sub 3 and sub 4 goals can be unrealistic for first-timers
▪️ From 5K to Ultra – Typical training timelines explained simply
▪️ Consistency Over Perfection – Why hitting 70 percent of your plan is often enough

📌 Love fitness, running, and honest conversations about progress? Subscribe and train smarter with us. 🔔

 💬 What’s your current running goal: time, distance, or consistency? Drop it in the comments and let us help keep you accountable 👇

Similar to the Strength Goals calculator, here is the running one: https://runninglevel.com/

You can also check the London Marathon Good for Age standards here:
https://www.londonmarathonevents.co.u...

And the Championship times here:
https://www.londonmarathonevents.co.u...

🎙️ This week, we are breaking down how to set gym goals that are actually realistic, measurable, and motivating. From pull ups and push ups to deadlifts and strength standards, we unpack what progress really looks like in the gym and why chasing vague goals often leads to frustration instead of results. 💪✨

New Year Gym Goals | How Strong Should You Really Be?
Uplift Conversations Ep. 51
▪️ Strength Goals Explained – Why “getting stronger” is not specific enough
▪️ Pull Ups & Push Ups – What they really require and why they take time
▪️ Strength Standards – How strong should you be relative to your body weight?
▪️ Beginner to Elite – What those labels actually mean and why context matters
▪️ Training Smarter – How to structure goals over 3, 6, and 12 months
▪️ Running vs Strength – Balancing gym goals alongside endurance training 🏃‍♀️

📌 Love fitness, strength training, and honest conversations about progress? Subscribe and train smarter with us. 🔔

 💬 What gym goal are you working towards this year? Drop it in the comments and let us keep you accountable.

Useful Links: https://strengthlevel.com/

🎙️ This week, we’re unpacking the expectations vs reality of running your first marathon, fresh off the back of the Valencia Marathon. From training surprises and fueling disasters to race-day chaos, emotions, and unexpected magic, we share what it’s really like crossing the marathon finish line for the first time. 🏃‍♀️✨

First Marathon Expectations vs Reality | Valencia Marathon Race Recap
Uplift Conversations Ep. 50
▪️ Marathon Training Reality – Why it takes over your life more than you expect ⏳
▪️ Half Marathon vs Marathon – Why you can’t “just wing it” past 21K 🧠
▪️ Fueling Fails & Gut Training – The part no one prepares you for 🥴
▪️ Race Day Chaos – Start lines, waves, toilets, and last-minute stress 😅
▪️ The Emotional Rollercoaster – Why marathons make grown adults cry 🥹
▪️ Heat, Pace & Expectations – When race day conditions change everything ☀️
▪️ The Finish Line Effect – Why the last kilometre feels endless and iconic 🎉

📌 Love running, fitness, and honest conversations about the hard stuff? Subscribe and run this journey with us 🔔

🎙️ This week we are breaking down the simple habits behind Zaira’s 9kg weight loss journey. No crash diets, no extreme training plans, just three small lifestyle shifts that created big long term results. From mindful eating to tracking trends instead of obsessing over single weigh ins, this episode shows how sustainable fat loss can genuinely fit into a normal life.

Lose Weight Sustainably with Three Tiny Changes
Uplift Conversations Ep. 47
▪️ How Zaira Lost 9kg Without Cutting Out Foods
▪️ Why Mindful Eating Beats Strict Dieting Every Time
▪️ The Truth About Liquid Calories and Hidden Add Ons
▪️ Exercise vs Lifestyle Calories: Why Running Is Not Enough
▪️ How Daily Weigh ins Build Confidence Instead of Anxiety
▪️ Why Slow and Steady Fat Loss Works Better for Runners
▪️ Building Sustainable Habits You Can Actually Stick To

🎙️ This week we’re lifting the lid on the most common mistake almost everyone makes when they start strength training. It has nothing to do with your form or your programme. It’s all down to what you wear on your feet. Yep, gym shoes really do matter.

From wobbly squats to unstable deadlifts, we break down why running trainers make lifting harder, what type of shoes you should be wearing, and how to test it all without spending a penny.

Zaira, Evie and Jaz share their own mistakes, explain the two types of lifting shoes you need to know about, and give real beginner tips to help you feel more confident, stable and strong in every session.

And if you want to match with us, all our Uplift Conversations merch is linked below.
https://upliftlondon.rocketbunny.co.u...

📌 Love strength training, running and feeling stronger every week? Hit subscribe and join our community.

💬 Got a favourite pair of lifting shoes or a question about what to wear? Drop it below and we’ll help you out.

🎙️ This week we’re diving into interval training and unpacking why so many runners hit a plateau. From newbie running mistakes to the real reason easy runs matter, we break down the foundations of speed work in a way that feels simple, practical, and actually achievable. 

Check the sessions Zaira mentions on the episode!
https://www.zairabrilhante.com/running

Uplift Conversations Ep. 45

💡 Highlights You Don’t Want to Miss:
00:00 🔥 Why You’re Not Getting Faster
00:27 🏃‍♀️ The Truth About Interval Training
01:05 💡 Speed Work for Beginners Explained
01:52 📉 Zaira’s Early Interval Mistakes
02:45 😅 Why Sprinting for 3 Minutes Doesn’t Work
03:25 ⚡ Faster vs Fast: Understanding Relative Pace
04:10 📈 What Interval Training Actually Improves
04:37 🔄 Why You Plateau Without Speed Work
05:07 🏋️‍♀️ How Faster Running Improves Form
05:36 🚑 Injury Prevention and Good Mechanics
06:00 🔟 Understanding Different Gears and Paces
06:44 🧠 Why You Need 5K, 10K and HM Paces
07:15 🔢 How to Find Your Interval Paces
08:13 ⏱️ Time Based vs Distance Based Sessions
09:02 🎯 How to Adjust Your Paces by 10 to 15 Seconds
09:43 ⌚ Using the Lap Button to Improve Training
10:26 ❤️‍🔥 Heart Rate Zones for Intervals
10:58 😬 Are You Pushing Hard Enough?
11:27 🧱 Where to Start if You’re a Complete Beginner
11:55 🗂️ The Perfect First Interval Session
12:45 🧩 Why Consistency Matters More Than Speed
13:42 🔁 Negative Splits Made Simple
14:36 📅 How to Progress Your Intervals Safely
15:05 🚶‍♀️ Are Strides the Same as Intervals
15:31 🥶 Warm Up Mistakes That Lead to Injury
16:27 🚦 What Tempo Running Really Means
17:19 📊 How to Structure 2 or 3 Weekly Runs

🎙️ Whether you’re a runner, lifter, or desk worker, chances are you’re doing it wrong (or not at all!). This week, we’re joined by movement specialist and educator Ava Rodriguez, known as The Joint Whisperer, to break down one of the most misunderstood topics in fitness: mobility. We will explore why pain often lingers, even when we’re “doing everything right.”

Beyond Mobility: Why You’re Still in Pain
Uplift Conversations Ep.44

💡 Highlights You Don’t Want to Miss:
00:00 ⚡ What Is Mobility (and Why Most of Us Get It Wrong)
01:15 🧠 The Nervous System and “Movement Jail” Explained
03:05 💪 Mobility vs Flexibility – The Real Difference
05:12 🔍 Why Your Body Locks Up and How to Fix It
07:00 🦵 From Pain to Performance – Solving the Root Cause
09:10 🧩 The Detective Mindset – How Coaches Can Truly Help
11:25 🧍‍♀️ Why “Getting Older” Isn’t the Problem
13:00 💥 The Biggest Lie in Fitness: Aging Equals Decline
14:45 🧠 Rethinking Pain – Your Nervous System in Control
16:05 🏃‍♀️ Zaira’s Story: From Knee Fracture to 13 Marathons
18:10 🔑 The Fear of Injury vs The Injury Itself
19:35 🌸 Women Over 40 – Hormones, Joints, and Movement
21:10 💪 Muscle as the Organ of Longevity
23:00 🩺 Why Durability Matters More Than Flexibility
24:20 🧩 Inside Ava’s Method – From One-to-One to Educator
26:10 🎓 How the Mobility Fitness Academy Was Born
28:00 🧘‍♀️ Teaching Movement Intelligence (Not Just Exercises)
29:45 🧭 The Problem With Quick Fixes and “Best Exercises”
31:20 📱 Social Media vs Real Movement Education
33:00 🗣️ How to Spot Sound Advice Online
34:20 📚 Why Critical Thinking Is Your Best Fitness Tool
36:00 🔄 The “Do the Work” Philosophy – No Magic Fixes
38:00 ❤️ Pain, Emotion, and the Psychology of Movement
39:25 🧩 When to Refer Out – Knowing Your Limits as a Coach
41:00 🧘‍♀️ The Free Hip Class & Movement Resources
42:15 👴 The 89-Year-Old Client Who Changed Ava’s Perspective
43:00 🌍 Why Longevity Is About Quality, Not Just Years

🎙️ As the days get shorter, the clocks go back and the temperature drops, staying motivated can feel like a challenge. From cozy routines to clever hacks for daylight and energy, Zaira, Evie and Jaz share their go-to tips for beating the winter blues and staying on track with fitness, wellness, and everyday life. 🌤️

This week, we’re breaking down one of the most misunderstood concepts in running: the easy run. From heart rate zones to the 80/20 rule, Zaira, Evie and Jaz get honest about why slowing down might be the smartest way to get faster. 🏃‍♀️💨 Whether you’re a new runner who can’t imagine “running and talking” or a PB chaser who struggles to hold back, this episode will help you finally understand how to train smarter, not harder.

Is There Such a Thing as an Easy Run?
Uplift Conversations Ep. 43 - Running 101 Series
▪️ What “easy” really means – and how to know if you’re running too hard 💡
▪️ Heart rate zones explained – why Zone 2 training matters ❤️‍🔥
▪️ Strava traps and ego runs – how comparison holds you back 📱
▪️ The 80/20 principle – smarter training for better performance 📊
▪️ Breathing tips, walking breaks, and why your body actually knows best 🧠

🎙️ As the days get shorter, the clocks go back and the temperature drops, staying motivated can feel like a challenge. From cozy routines to clever hacks for daylight and energy, Zaira, Evie and Jaz share their go-to tips for beating the winter blues and staying on track with fitness, wellness, and everyday life. 🌤️

 💬 What’s your go-to trick to stay motivated during the colder months? Share below — your tip might help someone else get moving!

💡 Highlights You Don’t Want to Miss:
00:00 ❄️ Surviving the Winter Slump: Why Motivation Dips
00:53 🌤️ Welcome to Uplift Conversations – Let’s Talk Winter Blues
02:21 💪 World Record Trivia: 24 Hours of Pull-Ups?!
04:47 ☀️ The Power of Daylight: Resetting Your Body Clock
06:10 😴 Sleep, Rest & Recovery: Why Your Body Needs It
07:06 💧 Hydration Habits: Don’t Forget to Drink Water
08:23 🌞 Vitamin D & Light Exposure: The Winter Essentials
10:17 🏃‍♀️ Running in Winter: How to Stay Consistent
11:14 🕯️ Cozy Homes, Cozy Minds: Creating Warm Vibes Indoors
12:11 🍲 Embracing Comfort: Food, Routine & Hygge Energy
15:29 🧥 Dressing for Success: Layering Tips for Cold Workouts
18:44 🏋️‍♀️ Adapting Your Workouts for Winter
19:14 🚴‍♀️ Indoor Training Ideas: Turbo Trainers & Alternatives
21:29 🚶‍♀️ Winter Walks & Outdoor Adventures
22:10 🗓️ Balancing Social Life & Self-Care in the Festive Season
23:09 💡 Setting Seasonal Challenges to Stay Motivated
24:29 🌴 Plan Ahead: Holidays, Races & Things to Look Forward To
25:45 📚 Romanticise Your Life: Rest, Read & Reconnect
26:37 💬 Your Turn: Share Your Winter Motivation Tips Below!