A Calm Strength

If you've ever wondered whether the people giving nutrition advice actually follow it themselves, this one's for you. This week, Caroline sits down with Nutritionist, Jade Mcintyre-Loughlin from Dumfries Nutrition for a conversation between two practitioners who do similar work, share similar values, and are refreshingly honest about the reality of walking the talk. They talk diets, body image, brain health, strength training, sleep, and what it means to look after yourself when you're busy looking after everyone else. Spoiler: neither of them has it perfectly figured out either.You can find out more about Jade athttps://www.instagram.com/dumfries_nutrition/

This week I'm joined by my friend Sarah James, Partner and Global Head of Adaptive at international law firm Simmons & Simmons, for an honest, wide-ranging conversation about what it really takes to sustain a big career over the long haul.This conversation goes well beyond the job title. We talk about running on empty and what finally made her stop, her meticulous travel routine and why sleep is her non-negotiable first love.We also get into the stuff that doesn't often get talked about... the loneliness that can creep in when friends scatter in your 40s and what perimenopause has actually given her rather than taken away.Sarah is self-aware, and refreshingly honest about what she's still figuring out. In this episode:- Why work-life balance doesn't have to look the same every day- How she manages long-haul travel without falling apart- The friendship audit she's done in her 40s and why quality beats quantity- Finding joy in movement again after years of exercising for the wrong reasons-Thinking in summers, not years and why she's finally signed up for parkrun

What happens when a high-flying IT career ends, your heart lands you in hospital with a rate of 220 beats per minute, and you're told, at 55, that if you don't change something, you won't be around to enjoy what's next?For Maggie Toole, the answer was yoga. Maggie is a yoga teacher, a plus-size yogi, and someone living with both cancer and heart failure. In this episode, she talks about her journey from stressed-out IT lead to qualified yoga teacher and founder of Accessible Asanas, a practice built for real people with real bodies and real health challenges.We talk about:- Finding the teacher who changed everything- The 21-day challenge that made it all click- How yoga helped her lose seven stone and what else had to change- Working with your body instead of fighting it- Why she decided to be completely honest about who she is online- And what she'd say to anyone who's ever walked out of a class feeling worse than when they walked inThis one is for anyone who's ever thought: that's not for someone like me.It absolutely is.You can find Maggie on Instagram at @accessible.asanasMaggie teaches in-person classes at Selkirk Swimming Pool on Monday evenings and Wednesday afternoons, and is also available for online classes.

Fiona, owner of The Wee Wellness Room in the Scottish Borders, is a massage therapist whose route into the industry wasn't conventional. From dance college to mental health work, and through years of debilitating chronic migraine, she eventually found her way to the one thing that made her feel better - massage - and decided to make it her life's work.In this conversation, Fiona opens up about the reality of burnout as a business owner in a caring profession, the invisible mental load of holding space for others, and what it means to finally start putting herself first. She also shares her experience of living without taste or smell following surgery, and how that shapes her relationship with food, nourishment, and self-care.This is a conversation about honesty, boundaries, and giving yourself the same permission to heal that you give everyone else.You can find out more about Fiona on Facebook & Instagram at @theweewellnessroom

What do you do when you've spent 17 years helping other people get well and then your own body falls apart?That's exactly what happened to Keris Marsden. A nutritionist, author and yoga teacher, Keris hit 40 and found herself in the middle of a seven-year chronic illness journey that no diet, supplement, medication or therapy could touch. The turning point came when she stopped trying to fix herself and started listening instead.In this conversation, Keris and I talk about what it's really like to be a health professional who can't heal herself - the shame, the frustration, the moment she realised that all her knowledge had actually become part of the problem. We talk about the nervous system, about childhood patterns that show up as adult symptoms, about why so many of us use exercise, food and productivity as coping mechanisms without even realising it. And we talk about what genuine healing has looked like for her.Keris has recently launched The Mindful Body Method; a membership program for women who are done with quick fixes and ready to go deeper.How to find out more about Keris:Website: kerismarsden.comThe Mindful Body Method: kerismarsden.com/themindfulbodymethodInstagram: @kerismarsdennutrition

Grief is one of those things we don't talk about nearly enough and yet almost every one of us is living alongside it in some form.This week I'm joined by Cate, a non-religious civil celebrant and grief coach behind Circle of Love Celebrant Services in the Scottish Borders. Cate has navigated her own losses, and brings that lived experience alongside her training to help others find their way through something most of us have no roadmap for.We talk about what grief actually feels like in the body, why there's no such thing as a timeline, and the difference between getting over something and integrating it into your life. Cate also guides us through a box breathing exercise at the end which is worth sticking around for.You can find out more about Cate here:www.circleoflovecelebrantservices.co.ukcate@circleoflovecelebrantservices.co.ukInstagram @circleoflovecelebrantservices

In this episode, we're talking about mindful eating.This one's for you if you've ever stood at the kitchen counter eating cold pasta at 6pm.A Calm Strength is the podcast for women who are ready to take care of themselves by introducing simple, realistic and sustainable habits into their busy lives.https://linktr.ee/acalmstrength@acalmstrength

Have your habits chosen you, or have you chosen them?In this episode, Caroline explores how easily habits form without us noticing, and why getting out of them takes something very different. She introduces the idea of a simple habit audit - a moment of honest reflection to work out which daily patterns are genuinely supporting you, and which ones have just quietly taken hold.Short, grounding, and practical, this one is worth a listen with a notebook nearby.You can find out more about Caroline's STRONGER FOR LONGER coaching at https://linktr.ee/acalmstrength@acalmstrength

Feeling exhausted, foggy and stuck in the all-or-nothing cycle? This episode is for you.In this episode, Caroline introduces the Stronger for Longer 4-week group online coaching program designed specifically for women over 40 who want more energy, strength and consistency now, while also building habits that protect their health long term. Including their brain health.Caroline talks about why she created the program, what to expect, and how it works, including answers to the most common questions she gets asked.This isn't about quick fixes, extreme diets or punishing workouts. It's about building strong foundations that last well beyond 4 weeks.🎧 Links and sign-up details:https://sites.google.com/view/strongerforlonger/march-26-intake-stronger-for-longer-group-online-coachingUse code SFL2026 for £16 off.📲 Find Caroline on Instagram: @acalmstrength📧 [email protected]

In this episode of A Calm Strength, I’m sharing a very personal experience - my recent visit to Scottish Brain Sciences, where I took part in dementia research and memory testing.After losing my mum to Frontotemporal Dementia in 2025, I’ve carried a curiosity (and concern) about my own brain health. This episode is about what led me to take part in research, what the day was really like, and why awareness doesn’t have to feel frightening.I talk honestly about:Early and lesser-discussed signs of dementia, including behaviour and personality changesWhy dementia disproportionately affects womenThe difference between genetic risk and modifiable lifestyle factorsWhat memory tests actually involve - including moments I struggled, froze under pressure, and became unexpectedly emotionalHow we all rely on everyday strategies to support our memory, and why that’s not a weaknessI also share my results, what it means to establish a baseline, and why being monitored felt reassuring rather than scary.If you’re interested in brain health, dementia prevention, or building strength and resilience as you age, this episode links closely to the work I share through A Calm Strength and my Stronger for Longer coaching.Thank you for listening and please feel free to contact me at [email protected] or on Instagram @acalmstrength

Fibre is one of those nutrients we know we “should” be eating, but many of us don’t really understand why it matters, or how it connects to how we feel day to day.In this episode of A Calm Strength, Caroline explores why fibre plays a much bigger role than digestion alone. You’ll learn how fibre supports steadier energy, better blood sugar control, hormone balance, and reduced inflammation and why many women feel noticeably better when they gradually increase their intake.This episode breaks down the science behind fibre in simple, practical terms, including:The difference between soluble and insoluble fibreWhy fibre can cause bloating (and how to avoid it)How fibre supports hormones, energy, and gut healthWhy variety matters more than counting gramsCaroline also introduces the Friday Fibre Challenge - a realistic, pressure-free way to start adding more fibre to your day by including foods from five key fibre groups.This episode isn’t about perfection or strict rules. It’s about building awareness, confidence, and habits that support your body long-term.If you’d like to join the Friday Fibre Challenge, connect with Caroline on Instagram @acalmstrength or email [email protected] to receive a tracker and sample meal day.Start small. One extra serving. One intentional addition. It all adds up.

In this episode of A Calm Strength, Caroline talks about goals, especially if you’ve ever felt pressured, overwhelmed, or disappointed by them in the past.This is not an episode about pushing harder, fixing yourself, or chasing an unrealistic version of you. Instead, it’s about approaching 2026 with intention, honesty, and a mindset that supports sustainable change rather than sabotages it.Caroline explores:why mindset is the foundation for lasting changehow to go deeper than surface-level goals to find your real “why”reframing habits like food, movement and sleep as tools, not punishmentwhy small, consistent actions matter more than perfectionhow keeping promises to yourself builds self-trustand how to respond when life inevitably gets in the wayThis episode is a gentle reminder that you don’t need to overhaul your life, you just need habits that support how you want to feel and the life you want to live.If you’re setting goals for 2026 and want to do it in a calm, realistic and compassionate way, this episode is for you.

In this episode of A Calm Strength, Caroline shares all the details about her START 2026 STRONG: 21 Day January Reset.This episode is for women over 40 who feel tired, foggy or out of routine, and want a calm, supported way to start the year feeling stronger, more energised and clearer in their thinking without overwhelm, restriction or extremes.Caroline explains how working on key lifestyle habits now supports both short-term health, including energy, focus and reduced brain fog, and long-term brain health.You can find out more about the reset including:what’s included in the 21 Day Resetwho the reset is forwho it’s not forwhen it starts and how to join👉 Find out more and sign up HERE Thank you.If you have any questions please feel free to contact me on Instagram at @acalmstrength or email me at [email protected]

In this episode of A Calm Strength, Caroline shares her first Christmas without her Mum, and how she’s choosing to keep her close and honour her memory.We also explore how grief can affect the brain - why everything can feel heavier, more tiring, or more overwhelming at this time of year, and how lowering the pressure and offering ourselves compassion can make Christmas feel a little more manageable.

In this episode of A Calm Strength, Caroline introduces the Stronger for Longer coaching approach and walks through how she supports women in midlife to feel more energised, stronger, more confident and more supported.You’ll hear how this holistic approach works with where you are right now, focusing on realistic nutrition, enjoyable movement, better sleep, and stress management, without pressure or perfection.Caroline explains what’s included in her 1:1 online coaching, who it’s for, and how personalised plans, weekly check-ins, and ongoing support help women build strength and consistency in a way that fits easily into their life.If you’ve been listening and thinking you’d love some guidance and accountability going into the new year, you can contact Caroline direct at [email protected] or on Instagram at @acalmstrength.

A Calm Strength is your weekly guide to feeling more energised, building your strength, and supporting your brain health through midlife and beyond.Hosted by online coach Caroline Young, a qualified Nutritional Therapist and Personal Trainer, each episode explores the lifestyle habits that influence physical and emotional wellbeing as well as long-term brain health - from nutrition and movement to sleep, stress and mindset.Expect practical, realistic habits you can start today to stay energised, strong, sharp, and confident for years to come.Whether you’re navigating perimenopause, caregiving, midlife stress, or you just want to prioritise yourself again, A Calm Strength is your weekly reminder that it’s never too late to start.