Episode 99: When Life Stops Overnight. Maddie Harland’s Journey From Stage to Stillness.

What happens when the show must go on collides with a diagnosis that stops everything? We sit down with Maddy Haaland—once a West End performer, now an acupuncturist and coach in Whitstable—to trace a life that moved from bright lights to deep healing without losing its song. Her story begins with ballet dreams, shifts into musical theatre, and confronts the pressure most audiences never see: relentless auditions, constant feedback, and the quiet toll of perfectionism. Then comes stage four lymphoma on press night—exhaustion, insomnia, a burning itch no lotion could soothe—and a startling feeling of relief when the fear finally had a name.

From treatment and clinical trials to a reimagined identity, Maddy shares the moment her ambition changed shape and why gentleness became non‑negotiable. We explore how acupuncture helped her regulate a jangled nervous system, sleep again, and build a practice that invites calm: heated blankets, soft music, and a conversation that treats the whole person. She explains meridians and qi in clear, practical terms—pain as stagnation, needles as a way to restore flow—and why clients who arrive for tennis elbow or menopause insomnia often leave with something larger: permission to feel safe, connected, and at home in their own bodies.

We also dive into survivorship anxiety, the persistent undertow of waiting for results, and the unspoken shame many carry about being unwell. Maddy’s new coaching group creates room for messy truth and mutual understanding, while her ChiChiFit classes bring back the joy of movement—show tunes, sweat, no mirrors, all welcome. It’s a portrait of life after crisis that honours both grief and delight, trading hustle for presence and finding tribe along the way.

If this conversation resonates, subscribe and leave a review to help others find the show. Share it with someone who needs a gentler path forward, and tell us: what part of Maddy’s journey stayed with you?

You can find Maddy on Instagram HERE

FaceBook HERE

Acupuncture information

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For more information about Julie Clark Nutrition, click HERE
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We look forward to you joining us on the next episode.

A woman joins the gym, grinds 30–40 minutes of cardio every day, keeps the weights light, fasts four days a week, relies on laxatives, and gains two kilos. Familiar? We’ve seen this pattern again and again, and we break down why it happens—and how to turn it around with a plan that respects stress, hormones, and real life.

We start by dismantling the “eat less, do more” script that pushes women into chronic stress: steady-state cardio in the middle zone, under-fuelling, and long-term constipation that signals deeper gut and thyroid issues. Then we map a smarter training approach. Instead of daily drudge, use interval cardio with full recoveries to build fitness without frying your nervous system. Ditch light weights and endless reps; choose heavy, technically sound sets that hit failure around reps eight to ten to protect bone, support hormones, and actually change your body.

Food becomes a tool, not a punishment. Build a daytime eating window and let the overnight fast be your fast. Eat real food regularly—protein for muscle, plants for fibre, fats for satiety—and hydrate like it matters. We explain why daily bowel movements are a basic health marker, how fibre variety supports the microbiome, and why relying on laxatives for years deserves medical attention. Beyond the scale, we prioritise visceral fat, hydration, muscle mass, sleep quality, and how you feel in your clothes. Expect progress over weeks, not days, and add joy back into movement with walks, swimming, or Pilates to support recovery.

If you’ve been doing “everything right” and still feel stuck, this conversation offers a clear reset: fewer stressors, better signals, and habits that hold. Subscribe for more myth-busting advice, share this with a friend who needs it, and leave a review to help others find the show. What’s the first change you’ll make this week?

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

Episode 97: Fire, Trapeze, And A Midlife Marathon with Louisa McShane.

What happens when you mix marathon grit, firefighter standards, and a fear-conquering leap on the flying trapeze? We invited Louisa to the mic to share how a ten-week sprint to the London Marathon collided with a life-changing bid to join the fire service, and how both journeys reshaped her strength, mindset, and identity in her mid-40s.

We start with the rebuild after Covid, when group classes vanished and habits fell apart. Louisa walks us through rediscovering endurance via Parkrun and run coaching, then saying an unflinching yes to a last-minute charity place. From there, the story shifts to the fire service: a rigorous, gender- and age-agnostic fitness test, a first attempt missed by 15 seconds, and a comeback plan built on brutal specificity. She breaks down how she simulated kit carries, hose drags, and loaded movements in the gym, and why shifting from pure endurance to functional strength flipped the script. Crossing the line at 10:48 wasn’t just a pass; it was proof that systems, not willpower, win.

The surprises keep coming. Circus arts, from aerial silks to flying trapeze, helped Louisa rewrite her relationship with heights, refine mobility, and build powerful grip and core strength that translate to real-world demands. Along the way, she opens up about a late ADHD diagnosis: not a shock, but a profound permission to drop the shame over life admin, recognise the “ADHD tax,” and cultivate a kinder inner voice. Running trained that voice—mile by mile—into a coach instead of a critic. We talk momentum, community, and the joy of sharing gym clips that nudge other women to lift heavy, run long, and take up space.

You’ll come away with practical insights on training for purpose, not perfection; using specificity to prepare for high-stakes work; and reframing midlife as a launchpad, not a slowdown. If this story sparked something, hit follow, share it with a friend who needs a push, and leave a quick review to help others find the show. Then tell us: what bold step are you taking 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

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

Episode 96: Authenticity, Identity, And The Courage To Say No with Pauline Buckley

What if the truest version of you isn’t a fixed label but the choice you make right now? We sit down with guide and former HR leader Pauline Buckley to unpack authenticity, identity, and the courage it takes to live in alignment when culture nudges you to conform. Growing up as the hearing child of deaf parents, Pauline learned to listen in a way most of us never do. That deep stillness now shapes how she helps people remember who they are, who they’re not, and how to act on that truth with clarity and care.

We dive into the tension between masculine and feminine energies and why so many of us are stuck performing a self that feels safe but isn’t honest. Pauline offers a sharp lens on fear, division, and the shaken ant jar: when chaos rises, we turn on each other and forget our power. From COVID-era questioning to everyday boundary-setting, we explore practical ways to shift from fear to love, and from apologising to owning a clean no. We talk about alcohol, social pressure, and how removing numbing agents raises your energy and refines your friendships. Without sedation, you discover which spaces lift you and which habits you’re done carrying.

Stillness becomes the thread that ties it all together. Five quiet minutes a day can change how you hear your body’s signals, make decisions, and treat yourself. We discuss midlife hormones, people pleasing, and why many women find a new appetite for truth as tolerance for misalignment fades. The imagine if mindset invites you to dream and take one step toward it, even when others resist. You don’t need a perfect plan; you need a honest next move. Along the way, you’ll hear stories of creative problem solving, like using improv to build confidence in high-stakes rooms, and simple prompts such as is that true and how do you know that to be true that cut through noise and reveal what matters.

If you’re ready to live with fewer apologies and more alignment, this conversation is your nudge. Listen, share with a friend, and tell us: what truth are you ready to speak today? Subscribe, leave a review, and join our community to keep the conversation going.

If you would like to connect with Pauline; her website is https://www.paulinebuckley.com/ and you can find her on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/paulinebuckley1/

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

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

Episode 95: Inside The Joe Wicks Protein Bar Controversy And What It Reveals About Ultra-Processed Food

What happens when a “healthy” label hides a legal sleight of hand? We sat down to watch Joe Wicks’ new documentary and found ourselves peeling back the bright colours, influencer endorsements, and protein promises to examine what ultra-processed foods really deliver to our bodies. From the first glossy montage to the cigarette-style warnings on a prototype bar, the story exposes how taste engineering and health halos pull us toward products that can be lawful yet still linked to serious health risks.

We talk through the scale of the problem in UK diets, why low-income families are disproportionately affected, and how the “it’s your choice” defence collapses under the weight of constant nudges and flavour profiles built for overconsumption. A shelf of additives tells its own tale: emulsifiers, sweeteners, and stabilisers that may pass regulations but raise red flags for metabolic health, inflammation, and the gut microbiome. The most unsettling part? Self-regulation means products can stack permitted additives to the limit, wrap them in nature-coded packaging, and market them as better-for-you.

Joe’s moral dilemma anchors the human side of the debate: should he release a bar designed to legal thresholds to prove the point? A lawyer deems it compliant yet wouldn’t let her children eat it. We unpack that tension and show how marketing splits its message—fun for kids on the front, soothing leaf motifs and vitamin claims for parents on the back—while the real sugar and additive story hides in the small print. Along the way we share practical moves you can make today: build your shop around real food, choose clean protein powders with single ingredients, batch-cook for speed, and carry simple snacks that don’t need a label to explain themselves.

Change won’t come from the till alone, so we call for clearer warnings and tighter limits on additives consistently tied to harm. Until policy catches up, knowledge and community are a powerful start. If this conversation sparked a rethink of your go-to bars, shakes, or snack swaps, tap follow, share this episode with a friend, and leave a review to help more listeners find it. Then come tell us in our Facebook group: what’s the one “healthy” product you’re reconsidering after hearing this?

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

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

Episode 94. From ME To Mighty: How Jo Mayes Rebuilt Energy, Confidence, And Community Through Strongman Training

A decade ago, Jo Mayes rationed every ounce of energy just to manage the school run. Today, she’s stepping onto an invite‑only stone lifting field and carrying a 103‑kilogram rock for 36 metres—proof that small, repeatable steps can build a life you want to live.

We unpack the full arc of Jo’s transformation: pacing during COVID, daily walks that slowly grew, and the first gentle strength sessions that left her wiped out yet hopeful. She shares how a quiet garage gym became a bridge to the weights floor, why strongman felt both functional and empowering, and how a welcoming community turned training days into a source of energy rather than a drain. We talk candidly about imposter syndrome, competing alongside world‑class athletes, and embracing the event you can nail even when others don’t go to plan.

Nutrition takes centre stage too. Jo explains how tracking food supports her training, why she targets substantial protein to build and recover, and how simple carbs like oats and rice keep her sessions productive. We bust the “eat less, move more” myth for active women, dig into protein targets that actually sustain progress, and explore how strength training protects bone density, hormones, and long‑term vitality—especially in your 40s.

You’ll leave with practical takeaways: start with one step, choose training you enjoy so you can repeat it, fuel like it matters, and lean on community. If you’ve felt stuck, burned out, or unsure where to begin, Jo’s story is a reminder that consistency beats intensity and courage beats perfection. Enjoy the conversation, share it with a friend who needs a nudge, and if it helps, leave a quick review and subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next.

Come into the Far to Fabulous Facebook group to see Jo's legendary video.

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

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

Episode 93: How does stress show up in your digestion (and what can you do about it)?

Your body might be doing everything right—just at the wrong time. We dive into the overlooked power of how you eat: the timing, the pace, the breath between bites, and the simple rituals that flip your system from stress to digest. Drawing on lessons from French and Spanish lunch culture, we explore why protected mealtimes lead to steadier energy, calmer guts, and better sleep, even before you change your menu.

We talk frankly about the gaps in our food and health systems—chefs who aren’t taught nutrition, nutritionists who aren’t trained to cook—and how that disconnect shows up in everyday life. From school canteens with short breaks to workplaces that erase lunch, the result is rushed meals, screens at the plate, and a digestive system left in the lurch. You’ll hear practical shifts: a simple 12-hour eating window, moving more fuel to the first half of the day, and saving heavier carbs for the evening with a two to three-hour gap before bed to support sleep. We break down why three slow breaths before eating change everything, how chewing activates the TMJ and influences pain perception, and why something as ordinary as a short stroll after a meal can smooth your blood sugar curve.

This conversation is warm, real, and immediately usable. You’ll get no-nonsense tips to reclaim lunch, cook as a family to prime digestion, and swap the sofa for the table to turn eating into a restorative pause. Expect fewer afternoon slumps, lighter evenings, and a calmer gut—without a complicated plan. If this resonates, subscribe, leave a quick review to help others find the show, and share your best mealtime tip with us in the Facebook group. Your next great habit might be as simple as taking a breath before your first bite.

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

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

Episode 92

Abs-urd: Why a Flat Stomach Isn’t the Point.

A single moment in a shop—two women, three stone lost, and still “not enough”—opened a bigger conversation about why so many of us measure our worth by a flat tummy. We take you inside the subconscious, where safety and belonging outrank motivation, and show how decades of programming and social media filtering make “smaller” feel like the only path to approval. This isn’t a willpower problem; it’s an identity problem. And identity, thankfully, can be upgraded.

We unpack the reticular activating system (RAS)—your brain’s built‑in filter that deletes, distorts, and generalises what doesn’t fit your current beliefs. If your inner map says “flat equals good,” your feed, compliments, and daily choices bend to that script. We trace how Gen X women inherited a thinness code from magazines, diets, and praise tied to shrinking, then layered on today’s quick fixes and ultra‑processed routines. The result? A scale reading can flip your mood in a second, even when your body hasn’t changed at all.

So we rewrite the playbook. Instead of punishing overhauls, we focus on identity-level shifts: “I’m a woman who takes care of her body and mind.” We swap shamey language (“I’ve been bad”) for kinder scripts (“I’m listening to my body”). We praise strength, stamina, sleep, and steady energy. We curate our feeds to normalise real midlife health—resilience, recovery, protein, lifting, walking, and rest. And we bring in practical tools that work with emotion: EFT tapping to calm spikes, simple visualising to rehearse better choices, gentle NLP timelines to unhook old loops, and habit stacking that feels safe to the subconscious.

This is about reclaiming attention for what actually improves life: deeper sleep, a steadier mood, easier movement, stronger lifts, calmer days, and a nervous system that feels regulated. The goal isn’t a flat tummy; it’s a body you trust and a mind that doesn’t bully you. If you’ve ever felt “I know what to do, but I don’t do it,” this conversation offers clarity, compassion, and a roadmap you can live with.

If this resonated, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more women can find it. Then join our free Far Too Fabulous Facebook group to continue the conversation and build a kinder echo chamber together.

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

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