Uplift Conversations

🎙️ This week, we’re tackling one of the biggest mistakes beginners make in the gym… doing too much too soon. From chasing intense workout schedules to comparing yourself with experienced lifters, we break down why more training does not always mean better results. Zaira, Evie and Jaz explore the science behind “newbie gains”, why beginners can progress incredibly fast with just a couple of sessions per week, and how building the right habits early can set you up for long term success. 💪

Are you doing more volume than you should? 
Uplift Conversations, Season 02, Ep. 61
▪️ Beginner Gym Mistakes - Why jumping into 5 workouts a week can backfire
▪️ Newbie Gains Explained - Why beginners improve faster than experienced lifters
▪️ Why Less Training Works - The surprising science behind low volume training
▪️ Full Body vs Split Workouts - What beginners should actually be doing
▪️ Recovery & DOMS - Why soreness can stop you building consistency
▪️ Learning Movements - Squats, hinges and why technique matters early on
▪️ Tracking Progress - Why writing down your workouts changes everything 📈

📌 Love fitness, running and strength training? Subscribe and join our community! 🔔

🎙️ This week, we’re breaking down one of the most powerful (and underrated) ways to start running… Parkrun. From first-timer nerves to finding your community, we’re joined by runner and broadcaster Alice Couldwell to explore why this free weekly event has changed millions of lives. 🏃‍♀️✨

From Not a Runner to 5K: Why You Need Parkrun
Uplift Conversations, Season 02, Ep. 65
▪️ From Non-Runner to Marathoner – Alice’s journey from struggling with running to completing the London Marathon
▪️ What Parkrun Actually Is - The global, free 5K event anyone can join every weekend
▪️ Why It’s NOT a Race - Breaking down the pressure and making running feel accessible
▪️ The Power of Community - How Parkrun connects people and builds lasting friendships
▪️ Social Prescribing & Mental Health - How running became a tool for healing and wellbeing
▪️ Junior Parkrun Explained - How kids (and parents!) can get involved from as young as 4
▪️ No One Comes Last - Why Parkrun removes one of the biggest fears beginners have
▪️ How to Get Started - What you actually need to do before your first Parkrun

👉 Follow Alice on Instagram: @itsalicecouldwell

🎙️ This week, we’re breaking down one of the most misunderstood parts of race training… tapering. With Coach Alice joining us for a second week while Jaz is away, we dive into why running less feels so wrong and how to know if you’re doing it right.

Are You Tapering Wrong? Marathon Prep Mistakes to Avoid
Uplift Conversations, Season 02, Ep.64
▪️ What Tapering Actually Is – Why running less is key to performing more 🧠
▪️ The Biggest Taper Mistakes – Overtraining, panic runs, and “maranoia” 😅
▪️ How to Maintain Fitness – Why intensity stays (but volume drops)
▪️ Shakeout Runs Explained – Do you need one before race day? 🏃‍♀️
▪️ Race Week Strategy – Sleep, nutrition, and managing time on your feet
▪️ The Mental Game – How to stop overthinking and trust your training
▪️ Visualization Techniques – Preparing for what could go wrong (and right) 🎯

🎙️ This week, we’re unpacking one of the most controversial topics in nutrition right now… ultra-processed foods (UPFs). With Coach Alice Cadman, we cut through the noise, the fear-mongering, and the confusion to understand what actually matters when it comes to your diet. From protein trends to supermarket choices, this is a must-listen if you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by what’s “healthy” and what’s not. 🛒🍎

Are Ultra-Processed Foods Actually That Bad? (Coach Alice Cadman Explains)
Uplift Conversations, Season 02, Ep. 63

▪️ What Are UPFs Really? Breaking down ultra-processed foods in simple terms 🧠
▪️ Why UPFs Exist: Cost, convenience, and feeding a growing population 💸
▪️ The Truth About “Healthy” Marketing: Protein, labels, and misleading claims 👀
▪️ Supermarket Survival Guide: How to read ingredients without overthinking it 🛒
▪️ Protein Obsession vs Reality: Are we actually eating too much? 💪
▪️ UPFs & Performance: Why they can actually help runners and athletes 🏃‍♀️
▪️ The Real Problem: Overeating, satiety, and why UPFs are easy to overconsume 🍽️
▪️ Balance Over Perfection: Why all-or-nothing thinking doesn’t work ⚖️

👉 Follow Alice on Instagram: @coachcadman

🎙️ This episode is for new mums and anyone supporting them through the postpartum journey. After pregnancy and birth, getting back to exercise can feel confusing, overwhelming, and sometimes even intimidating. So how soon is too soon to return to the gym?

Joining us is pre & postnatal specialist Laura McManus-Brennan, who breaks down what actually matters when returning to movement after having a baby. From breath work and core reconnection to pelvic floor health and realistic expectations, this conversation is packed with reassuring advice for navigating postpartum fitness safely and confidently.

Postpartum Fitness: When Is It Safe to Exercise Again?
Uplift Conversations, Season 02, Ep. 62
▪️ The 6 Week Check Myth – Why postpartum recovery timelines are not one-size-fits-all
▪️ What You Can Start Doing Early – Breath work, posture and core reconnection exercises
▪️ Diastasis Recti Explained – Why abdominal separation is completely normal in pregnancy
▪️ Pelvic Floor Red Flags – Signs you should slow down or seek professional help
▪️ 10 Minute Workouts Count – Why short sessions can make a huge difference postpartum
▪️ Support Networks Matter – How community and partners can help new mums prioritise their health

🎙️ This week, we’re breaking down one of the most common gym questions: How strong should you actually be? From squat to bench to deadlift, we unpack real strength standards, bodyweight ratios, and what those numbers actually mean for you. 💪

Whether you’re new to lifting or chasing advanced numbers, we talk one-rep max myths, age differences, programming smarter, and why these benchmarks are a tool, not a judgement.

How strong should you be on the big three?
Uplift Conversations, Season 02, Ep. 60
▪️ What The “Big Three” Actually Mean – Squat, bench & deadlift explained
▪️ StrengthLevel Data – The benchmarks based on 150M+ lifts 📊
▪️ Female vs Male Standards – Why ratios differ
▪️ One Rep Max – Should you even test it?
▪️ Bodyweight Multipliers – Beginner to Elite breakdown
▪️ Age & Strength – Does it really decline?
▪️ Are You Imbalanced? – Why comparing your lifts matters
▪️ Programming Smarter – How to bring up weak lifts
▪️ Running + Lifting – Can you build strength during marathon training? 🏃‍♀️

📌 Love strength training, running, and building confidence in the gym? Subscribe and join the Uplift community! 🔔

💬 Where do you fall on the scale? Are you stronger on squats or deadlifts? Let us know below!

Strength Goals calculator: https://strengthlevel.com/

🎙️ This week, we’re tackling a conversation that’s exploding across social media: why are so many female runners getting injured? From bone stress fractures to burnout, we sit down with Chartered Physiotherapist Yasmin Palfrey, who specialises in injury recovery and rehabilitation, to uncover what’s really going on. 🏃‍♀️💥

Why Female Runners Keep Getting Injured 
Uplift Conversations, Season 02, Ep. 59
▪️ What RED-S actually is – and why so many runners haven’t heard of it
▪️ The under-fuelling trap – how 70% of long-distance runners may be affected
▪️ Bone stress injuries explained – from shin splints to full fractures
▪️ The period “red flag” most women overlook
▪️ Why the pill can mask early warning signs
▪️ Social pressure, body image & overtraining culture
▪️ How to recover properly (and why rest is non-negotiable)
▪️ When to see a physio, doctor or nutritionist

🎙️ This episode is all about unlocking better running performance by fixing one thing most runners ignore… their form. From posture mistakes to arm swing myths and why “thinking about your form” actually works, Zaira, our in-house running coach, breaks down the simple tweaks that can completely transform the way you run. 🏃‍♀️✨

The Secret to Faster Running (Simple Form Hacks)
Uplift Conversations, Season 02, Ep.58
▪️ The #1 Form Mistake Most Runners Make – And why posture changes everything
▪️ Arm Swing Secrets – How your arms control your legs without you realising
▪️ Heel Striking vs Midfoot Landing – What actually matters for injury prevention
▪️ Cadence Explained – Why 180 isn’t magic, but still useful
▪️ The “Think It, Improve It” Effect – How mental focus rewires movement
▪️ Small Tweaks, Big Gains – Why fixing just ONE thing at a time works best

📌 Love running, fitness and practical tips you can actually use? Subscribe and join our community! 🔔

💬 Have you ever analysed your running form, or do you just run and hope for the best? Tell us below, we read every comment!

💡 Highlights You Don’t Want to Miss:
00:00 🏃‍♀️ The Running Mistake Almost Everyone Makes
00:24 🤯 Why Most People Never Think About Running Form
01:49 ⚠️ Don’t Change Everything at Once (Injury Risk!)
02:19 📏 Stand Tall = Run Better
04:37 🦾 The Arm Swing Trick That Fixes Your Stride
06:00 🚫 Crossing Arms = Running Problems
08:15 🔁 Elbows Control Knees (Yes Really)
09:38 👟 Heel Striking vs Proper Foot Strike
11:33 ⚡ Cadence Explained Simply
12:55 📊 Vertical Oscillation: Myth vs Reality
14:18 🥇 Do “Energy Return” Shoes Actually Help?
17:06 🧠 Thinking About Form Improves Performance
18:30 🌊 Flow State Running Explained
19:29 📹 Best Way to Check Your Form
20:24 🎯 How to Fix Form Without Overthinking
22:10 👀 The Easiest Fix You Can Try Today

🎙️ This week, we’re tackling one of the biggest questions in women’s fitness: is it actually safe to lift heavy while pregnant? From outdated myths to modern research, we’re joined by pre & postnatal specialist Laura McManus-Brennan to break down what training during pregnancy really looks like and why it’s far more individual than social media would have you believe. 💪🤰

Is it safe to lift heavy whilst pregnant? (We asked an expert)
Uplift Conversations, Season 02, Ep. 57
▪️ Lifting During Pregnancy – What “heavy” actually means
▪️ Training Myths vs Reality – Why pregnancy isn’t about wrapping yourself in cotton wool
▪️ Starting Strength Training While Pregnant – Yes, you can begin safely
▪️ Core Training & Coning – What to watch for and what’s actually safe
▪️ Running While Pregnant – How long you can keep going and when to adapt
▪️ Training for Birth – Why pregnancy is more like marathon prep than rest
▪️ Mental Health Benefits – Why movement matters just as much for the mind
▪️ Overheating, Nutrition & Energy – What really needs adjusting
▪️ Cultural Stigma – Why pregnant women are still judged in gyms

👉 Laura’s website:
https://www.lmbfitness.co.uk/
👉 Follow Laura on Instagram:
@lmbfitness_pt 

📌 Helpful resources mentioned in this episode:
👉 Get Active for Pregnancy Questionnaire:
https://www.activepregnancyfoundation.org/getactivequestionnaireforpregnancy

🎙️ This episode tackles one of the most talked about and often misunderstood topics in fitness: fat loss. Cutting through diet culture and extremes, we share six realistic, non toxic habits that can support fat loss while still letting you enjoy your life. No punishment, no misery, just sustainable changes that actually work.

6 "Lazy" Habits to Lose Fat (That Actually Work)
Uplift Conversations, Season 02, Ep. 56
▪️ Steps While You Wait – How small daily movements quietly add up 🚶‍♀️
▪️ You Can’t Outrun Your Diet – Why awareness beats restriction every time 🍽️
▪️ Hunger vs Cravings – Learning to tune into real hunger cues 🧠
▪️ Cook More at Home – The simplest way to regain control of your nutrition 🏡
▪️ The Scale Is Just Data – Removing emotion from weigh ins ⚖️
▪️ Add In, Don’t Take Away – Building meals around abundance, not restriction 🥗

📌 Looking for a healthier relationship with food, fitness and fat loss? Subscribe and join our community.

 💬 Which habit resonated most with you? Or is there one we missed? Drop a comment and let’s talk.

💡 Highlights You Don’t Want to Miss:
00:00 🔥 Fat Loss Without Diet Culture or Misery
00:28 🎙️ Why We’re Talking About Fat Loss Differently
00:52 🚶‍♀️ Habit 1: Steps While You Wait
01:21 🍽️ Habit 2: You Can’t Outrun a Bad Diet
02:19 🧠 Habit 3: Tuning Into Hunger Cues
03:42 🍪 Emotional Eating vs Real Hunger
04:10 🏡 Habit 4: Cooking More Meals at Home
04:38 ⚖️ Habit 5: Why the Scale Is Not Your Enemy
06:00 🥗 Habit 6: Add In, Don’t Take Away
06:54 🌿 Lifestyle Habits That Support Fat Loss
07:24 💬 Final Thoughts and Community Questions