EP: 36 Life-Changing Tips Priya Used to Transform Her 44-Year-Old Perimenopausal Body

0:00Hello and welcome back to Becoming Her, fitter, better, and stronger over 40. I'm your host and coach Shauna. I am 46, a wife, a boy mom, and a fitness and nutrition coach helping women over 40 become their best. Today I'm sitting down with someone who's not only been a longtime listener of the show, but who has actually taken action on what she's heard and the results will speak for themselves. So today you're going to meet Priya, who is a 44-year-old mom from Birmingham, England. She has two grown boys. She works full-time. And like many of you who are listening, has spent years trying to find the healthiest way to stay in shape.

0:34The problem was never about trying hard enough. It was more about the advice that she was using was not actually helping. But all of that changed when she began implementing tips she picked up right on this show, especially around reverse dieting. And what has happened since is honestly so inspiring. Priya is now feeling more energized, more confident, and for the first time ever, free. Free from restriction, free from frustration. And finally, seeing changes in her body she did not even think were possible. You're going to love this conversation. It's honest, it's uplifting, and a reminder of how powerful small shifts can be when they are built on the right strategy.

1:17So let's dive right into the interview. I know you're going to enjoy it. Well, welcome, Priya. I am so delighted to have you here today and talk with you more. I was so excited when you reached out and you had such amazing feedback to share based on what you learned through listening to podcasts and how you applied it to your own journey and how it's creating some positive changes in your life. So I can't wait to share that with other women just so that they can kind of empower themselves on their own journey. So So welcome and thank you so much for being here. Well, it's absolutely brilliant to be here.

1:54I'm super excited. Thank you. I'm so excited. So just to kind of go back in time a little bit here, where were you before you started to listen to the podcast and kind of connect with my content? So I was 43, so I'm 44 now. So this is only literally six months ago. In the middle of perimenopause, you know, they didn't really know where to turn. And the thing is, I've always worked hard to sort of stay in shape, if you like. But, you know, people wouldn't look at me and say, oh, she needs to lose weight or she's heavy or whatever. But I was battering myself, like literally battering myself on a daily basis with cardio, probably doing like an hour and a half every day running and hit and just, you know, anything that I could do under the sun.

2:39I was doing some sort of resistance training, but it was like videos that you pick up on YouTube that, you know, change every day. and just because they're a bit more fun and you can kind of just you know do them sort of along with the person that's that's actually training but I woke up overnight literally it felt like overnight and I had this like spare tire around my stomach and I couldn't understand like what was happening you know I was eating less and less and less starving myself but I wasn't getting the same results that I was getting in my 20s and 30s so I just thought like something has shifted like something massive has shifted that that's basically where I was yeah and probably feeling a little hopeless and and disheartened by it all absolutely absolutely because when you when you are busting a gut and you feel like you know you're doing everything that you can what why isn't it shifting what's happening what's going wrong you know that's where I was and it's it's this feeling of like you don't have control of your body anymore exactly you know that that feeling of like, okay, maybe this is just my new reality.

3:43And that can be really just, it's a really hard place to be in. Because as someone who's putting in the effort, like, you would understand if maybe you were not, you know, exerting so much effort and control around things. When you're pouring yourself into something, and you're like, well, from everything that I'm doing, I should feel better than I do. And so it's a tough place to be in, especially because it can really lead to potentially, you know, backsliding where, you know, we're not necessarily seeking answers anymore, and maybe just accepting that that's the new reality. But I'm glad that that, you know, wasn't the story for you.

4:20I know you kept seeking answers, which I think potentially led you to connect with me, which is, which is, which is amazing. What I know you talked a little bit about already, like the things that you had tried, But before you started to implement some of the things you learned with the podcast and such, what were the things you mentioned hit? You mentioned like restriction with calories. What were your other approaches that were not necessarily working? I think like a lot of women our age, actually just women generally, I've always battled with the idea that skinny is, you know, that's the aspiration.

4:53That was my motivation. The skinnier, the better. like in the UK we had this thing in the 90s which was sort of called heroin chic which is horrific but it's like that gaunt kind of emaciated catwalk look that everybody wanted to aspire to to be like and you know I'm five foot three I am pervy naturally I've got a bum as most women do I've got a bum I've got hips you know the only way that I was going to achieve that was by starving myself like literally starving myself so I've done you know I've done every diet under the sun being frank you know I've ranged from sort of eating disorder territory when I was younger to cabbage soup diets intermittent fasting mainly I've restricted so I've eaten sort of like one meal a day you know and thought that that was okay but as I said it was excessive exercise excessive cardio that could be running that could be hit but like as I say I got to 40 and it just it wasn't achieving the same result so I started researching I just thought I've had enough I'm going to research and research and research and you will know this right this is your bread and butter but there is so much out there that you just you can't navigate there's some somebody says take this pill and it'll bust all your belly fat or I've got a cortisol supplement take this and this is what you need and you just think well what's the truth do I do cardio do I not do cardio anyway I think that the universe directed me to your page out of nowhere like literally I mean obviously you know the algorithms it picks up stuff that you're searching but it directed me to your page and I just thought she actually gets it like she gets it you know and I know that you've got a membership program that I would recommend people join but I just got the sense that you wanted to share your information you know you've got this knowledge you have it's worked for you so you actually think do you know what I'm not gonna gatekeep this I'm gonna give this information to women out there who were struggling like I have struggled.

6:47So then I started to listen to your podcast. And honestly, when I say like, I devoured it, I literally blitzed it. I listened to one episode and I was like, oh, this is really like, yeah, she gets it. So then I listened and more and more and more. And I listened again and again, because it just, it resonated so well. Like it's very authentic. I would recommend anybody to listen, but it is very authentic. But it's also felt like you were talking directly to me. I was like, she's been through it. So I'm going to try what she's suggesting because actually, what do I have to lose? You know, you were at that point where it's like, okay, I don't have anything to lose.

7:22So why not? It's a beautiful, it's a beautiful thing because I think a lot of women embody this and they just don't realize it, but we all have the power of resilience. I think that's one amazing thing at 40 is that we realize how much we've been through. And so I encourage anyone listening to this, just don't give up like like Priya just keep pushing and you can be resilient you can find a way which speaking of now that you kind of once you got into the podcast episodes you started listening what were some of the things that you changed based on what you listened to what you learned yeah so I listened to the list as I say I listened to everything I listened to the whole everything that was on there and because they're kind of short manageable episodes they're not you know surrounded by this fluff to kind of make the episodes long they're just solid fact from like lived experience so it's really easy right great but I use the information to come up with a solid plan because you you literally will detail well this is what I would recommend you do you know so I nutrition wise I'd never heard of reverse dieting until I came across your information I was probably averaging less than like 1200 calories a day which you know I didn't track but I had no idea what protein I was eating apart from like I've had a protein shake so I'm okay didn't know what fiber I was eating I was probably having like pre-prepared shop meals a lot like ready meals so I wasn't eating junk but I wasn't eating you know wholesome nutritious food that was sort of prepared at home so I used one of your episodes to work out like my maintenance calories so you know the sort of calories that I needed just to sort of sustain kind of where I was I didn't want to gain weight, obviously, but I just knew there was something going wrong.

9:02So that came out at about 1850, which for me, bearing in mind I was eating 1200 calories a day, was super scary. I was like, you know, I don't know how I'm going to do this. So I just bit the bullet and thought, right, let's go to 1700. Let's try that. And I literally did that for, I mean, probably 12 weeks or so. And it was massive, massive, massive leap for me. I should have listened to your advice because you talk about doing it gradually, you know, doing it in increments. And I didn't. I just got really excited and was like, right, I'm all in. I'm going to do it. But I started tracking. I tracked the protein.

9:41Again, you talk about, I think, using your goal weight in pounds as an average to sort of, you know, estimate for what you need from a daily intake on protein. And so I did that. I started tracking my fiber. And yeah, I started preparing meals at home. And actually, I found it easier and cheaper to be eating in that way, which is great. Exercise wise, I basically went cold turkey. And again, this was really hard. So I stopped running. I stopped doing it completely. And, you know, society, I think, sort of tells you or maybe it's just us. If you're not a hot, sweaty mess at the end of a workout, it's not been worth it.

10:18You've not burned the calories. You've not, you know, worked yourself hard enough. So it is really hard to get out of that mindset where you're not thinking, but more cardio and more calorie burn is the answer. It absolutely isn't. So I listened to your advice about following a consistent resistance training program that isn't, you know, these videos, these random videos that you're just finding from wherever it is literally lifting heavier and heavier in the sets until like the last few reps of a set that I do, I can barely lift it. You know, I am struggling to lift it. It's literally the definition of like, I think it's progressive overload.

10:58But I wouldn't have thought about it had you not have said. I'd be thinking, I'll get bulky. I'll get bulky. And that's not what I want. essentially I did weeks of trial and error and this is probably where actually your listeners I would recommend saving their time because actually you have a program you've done the research you've got it's you've done the trial and error so actually I probably could have saved myself time there if I just followed that instead but I did I did find my own sort of program and I ended up doing so I do four days a week I do like legs chest and tris back and bys glutes but I'm doing 45 minutes no longer than 45 minutes per session and I now walk 10 ,000 steps a day that's that's my cardio I don't run I don't do HIIT I literally just walk and I enjoy it I do it my lunchtime after I've had a meal I do it in the evening after I've had a meal it's you know it's amazing but it but it is scary and I think that's what I wanted to kind of say to everybody listening you know you think oh it's really easy to do all these you know to implement all these things and because actually a lot of people make it look easy but it you know it's scary I was eating more calories than I've ever eaten my clothes did fit they were tighter initially and that's another thing my body composition was changing but you know it it was worth it because then at the 12 week mark I thought I have nourished my body to the point that now I can actually start implementing what I want to implement I sort of reduced my calories then to only only a couple of hundred so about 1550 which is still more than I was eating previously continued to lift continued to do you know the resistance training and like lo and behold suddenly the weight just started to drop and I was like why does nobody tell you this this is like you know a magic a magic thing so yeah so basically the but but it actually more than the scales it was my body becoming more defined my body becoming more toned my mind was becoming stronger I was getting stronger and stronger and I just it's it's completely addictive like completely addictive it's unbelievable I mean I have chills as you're telling this story just because like number one I relate to it so much but then the other part of it is just you know at this age and stage like you said most of us have from teenage years to 20 some years old we have been on some sort of diet or we've been body or conscious of how we're eating, how we're exercising, and just trying to get smaller and smaller and smaller.

13:29And it wasn't, and it's not that what worked then doesn't work now. It's that our bodies tolerated that method when we were younger and naturally tissue. And now it's just catching up to us. Now our bodies are saying no more, no more. I can't do this. And we're more sensitive to stress. So all the things you talked about, chronic restriction, over-exercising, doing all of these things that don't nourish and strengthen your body can really start to catch up to you at this age. And yes, hormones play a part. But you mentioned already, you are in this place of perimenopause. And if you had not gotten brave enough to step into something new, you would not know how powerful your body still is, despite being in that phase of life, because it truly is.

14:14And you just have to have to believe that about yourself. And you have to lean into something that's different, even though it's scary, because on the other side of that is so much growth and so much potential for everything for your physique, but for your mindset. And I think you and I have, like we chatted about this in a private conversation. But I think one of the best things aside from like you, you look, I mean, I don't know if we'll, we'll have this video to share, but you look so amazingly strong and fit right now, which that's the cherry on top to all of this, because obviously, it's it feels good to feel good in your skin, right?

14:47It feels good to put on clothes and feel confident, you know, going to a party, not being afraid to take a picture, not being afraid to feel confident in front of your spouse. Like all of those things are something that we should all have the luxury of feeling. Absolutely right. On top, it's cherry on top. The best part of it for you, and you can, you can elaborate on this. But I feel like and for me was just this liberation of understanding that I don't have to keep myself locked in this cage of restriction and overexercising because it felt like a prison. It felt like this place that I was just stuck.

15:21Yeah. And I had to do those things, even though I was underwhelmed by the result. I felt like if I didn't do them, then I would be 10 times worse. And so once you understand that eating more, getting stronger and doing things in a phased way that complement your health and your strength and your hormones and all of those things can unlock a body that you that you just don't don't even know is possible for you. But also, it frees you mentally, you know, you feel liberated, which I think that is the ultimate. Like I, I mean, the irony, this is the best bit. So after I did that initial cut, which was like six weeks or something, it was really, really manageable.

16:04And honestly, I didn't feel hungry because I was just eating the right sort of food. I thought, I'm going to just try now, I'm like, I'm just going to experiment a little bit because it's worked so well. Let's just have a look, you know, and I went on holiday with some friends, an all-inclusive resort, lots of food, you know, good food, like fresh food, but lots of food. I probably increased my calories to like 1900, maybe 2000. I didn't track during that period. I ate out more. I was still eating generally sort of freshly prepared food and I was making sure protein and fiber was still on point, but I have never eaten so much in my life, honestly, for For about six to eight weeks, I was probably in that period.

16:43And I just I just wanted to see I wanted to see what happened when I continued to lift and continue to do my walks and just had loads of fun. And I and I got on the scales and like, I mean, I feel I feel kind of emotional about it. But I had lost weight, like eating more than I've ever eaten in my life and not restricting carbs, not restricting fat, not restricting just being sensible overall. I'd lost weight and literally if my jaw could have hit the floor it would have hit the floor because I have never been in a position in my life and this is 44 where I have eaten intuitively almost but sort of generally in the right area and had the body that I had probably wished for for like the last 20 years you know it's bonkers to me like mind-blowing so yeah it is when you say liberating, I think that's underestimating it.

17:36It's like life changing, like literally changed my life. It is life changing. And one of the things that I think can really impact your, your metabolic ability is all the things that you did, you know, when you have to think your metabolism almost like a campfire. So as you're restricting calories, and you're adding cardio, it's bringing that flame down really, really low so that anytime you add in calories, You go on a vacation, you have a week where you're above that. It's very easy for your body to then store fat and then hold on to it. And that's exactly what was happening. Exactly what was happening.

18:10Right. Versus now, your campfire is blazing, right? Because you've slowly and smartly increased calories. You've been strength training with progression, adding more muscle tissue to your frame. So now your maintenance calories is increased so that you can have maintenance phases where you're eating a lot of food comfortably, which, you know, that in itself is just, it's an amazing place to be because we aren't meant to live in deficits. I think a lot of us have that misconception that you start a diet and you have to stay there. Otherwise, things are going to backslide. But that's not the case because the only thing that happens when you stay in that chronic place of deprivation are all these negative consequences that we've talked about.

18:52So when you are able to step into that place of allowing your body to be nourished, to be strong, to build more muscle, you can have the metabolism that you had in your 20s, but in a much better way. And then you get to turn those dials. Like when you say like, now you're in a place where if you want to trim some body fat, you know exactly how to do it. You can turn the dial back, drop a few pounds of fat, and then you know how to reverse back into maintenance so that you're sustaining that fat loss. And there isn't this big pendulum shift of activity where you're maybe you've dropped 20 pounds because you were eating one meal a day.

19:26But now anytime you you vary from that, the weight comes piling back on and you're you're losing body fat and you're increasing muscle tone. So that's that's much different. Improving body composition is so much different than just scale loss weight. It's very different. Your body is going to look very different because I I'm sure you've done this, too, where I've lost weight before, but only to look kind of like a smaller version of what I had. I was still soft, not toned, not feeling strong. And so it's a very different, like you said, the workouts are different. Like your effort looks different.

19:57I mean, you're still pushing in the gym, but you're not beating yourself into the ground where you're sweaty, just like, you know, total tired mess. It's, it's effort, but it's different effort. And it's a matter of being consistent with those things over time. And it almost sounds too simple to be effective. And I think that's another like mindset barrier. It's like, no, it has to be harder than there. There must be some other trick. Like there's got to be something else to it, you know? Absolutely right. And I think you're spot on. I think because my body was in such a, it was almost like deprived, you know, state.

20:32Because of that situation, I could eat a chocolate bar and I swear I would put on like two pounds because my poor body was saying, well, you've basically starved us for like, you know, however long or starved me for however long. and now you're giving me this, I'm just going to add it on. We're just going to store it. And when you start to eat more, as I said earlier, it is really scary. It is. There's no point lying about it. It is. It's a scary, but you have to bite the bullet because I am telling you it works. Like I have tried it. I've done it. And as I said, I've tried every diet under the sun.

21:05Suddenly I'm in a situation where I'm like, right, I'm going to just try and increase my calories. I'm going to have fun with it now. Now I'm in a position where I'm like, I'm just going to see if I can go to 2000 because I know exactly what I can do if if I get to the point where I'm like okay I feel a little bit like maybe the clothes are a little bit snug I know exactly what to do and only cut very few like a couple of hundred to get back to the point that I wanted to be and it's that's so liberating because I know exactly which buttons to press to get the right results and I haven't had that for years yeah well I've never had it I've never had it ever.

21:41Like, I can't tell you how full my heart is. Like when you messaged me and told me like all of the, you know, before we just decided to do this podcast, you messaged me and just filled me in on everything. And you were so excited that you wanted to kind of share your story to inspire other women to, to maybe take that leap of faith into, to something similar. But I just can't tell you how full my heart is because I know what that's like. I've been through that journey where you just you mentally free yourself from like I said this prison and and you're just like oh my gosh what you know it's almost it's it's amazing it's beautiful but you're almost like gosh if I knew this you know 10 years ago 20 years ago I could have saved myself this this is the thing so I I feel is it's like a bit of a mix I feel sort of sad that it's taken me 44 years because it feels like there's this magical secret that has been you shared that that's that's how I got that knowledge because I found your Instagram page I listened to your podcast that's how I got that knowledge but I feel like it's so sad that it's taken me this many years to get to the point but then also I'm incredibly grateful that I've had the information because I could have gone my whole life and and never known you know so for that I mean I'm so thankful to you I'm so thankful to your content and as I say because you make it it's so accessible because you are a normal woman I I mean, you look like a supermodel, but I'm just saying you're a normal woman.

23:04You know, you have a child, you have a life. You're not sitting there like some sort of Instagram kind of model that, you know, without disrespecting them, but who's in their 20s telling me as a 44 year old what I should be doing because I'm thinking, well, you've got no clue. You've not really experienced it. Wait until you hit perimenopause and then talk to me.

23:27it's been life-changing like utterly life-changing I think that's the theme that's the theme of the podcast yeah life-changing which which is just it's beautiful it's a beautiful story and one that I cannot get enough of because to see the joy in your face I could just see the confidence like really oozing from you it's just again it makes my heart so so happy so what what has like I know you talked about a little bit about kind of what has changed for you like you you've obviously been able to improve your body composition you have a better relationship with your with your probably your confidence with food in general with your outlook on what the future holds so what else if there's anything else that changed for you what is it and then what's your next goal now what what's next for you i think from from my perspective kind of how it's changed my i guess like my my my experience my life it is from like exactly what we talked about you know being liberated you know I prioritize protein, but I don't avoid anything.

24:21I don't avoid anything, everything in moderation now. You know, this knowledge that you can nourish yourself with the right sorts of foods and the right sorts of exercise has freed up so much time for me. Because instead of doing an hour and a half every day of cardio, you know, I'm doing probably 45 minutes, maybe maybe up to an hour maximum a day in the gym. And then I just walk around my daily life. Like, you know, I take the stairs at work I do a walk at lunchtime I do a walk in the evening but that's not that's for me is not a chore it's not like oh you know I've got to do 10 ,000 steps a day it's just like you just in you know sort of put it in your life and just carry on doing it it's brilliant so that in itself I've got more time I've got two two boys that you know one's at university one will be off to university in September so I will have from September all this time and now I feel kind of I'm not sitting there stressing about, oh, well, I've got to go to the gym and I've got to do this and I've got to do that.

25:20It's like actually time that I can put into myself to develop what I want to do. You know, and I don't know what I want to do. I think I have a feeling that it's going to be linked with helping women like learn this magic secret because I just know how you're influenced, how much you've influenced me. And it has changed my life. So therefore, if I can further that knowledge with other women, absolutely I will do I don't know how that you know will look but it's it's not only it sounds like a cliche but not only you know like you said it is wonderful to be able to wear sort of cropped tops and have abs and you know defined arms and defined legs that's amazing and that probably initially was the goal you know I want to look great I want to I want to look amazing I want to be able to wear that dress and whatever but when you finally kind of get to the point you're like actually like exactly like you said that's the cherry on the Kate, that's a cherry on the top because you've gained confidence.

26:18You start to sort of value yourself more because, yeah, it's an effort. You know, you put that effort in, you've achieved that goal. But I'm like, actually, I did that. I did get the advice from you, but I did that. So if I've done this, what else can I do? There is nothing that I can't do. And honestly, I feel like a bit of a badass at the moment. I really do, like genuinely, I feel the most confident I've ever felt. I have also, I should say, actually, I've stopped drinking so completely. I was never a massive drinker, but I probably have like once a month, you know, sort of go out and have probably more than, you know, my quota for that week.

26:56But I just, it wasn't serving me. I didn't feel like it was giving me any benefit. And with the perimenopause as well, I was getting migraines. So I completely cut that out. So as a combination of this, you know, I just, I feel like I can achieve, I feel like I can achieve anything. but more than that I feel like now is my time and I'm you know I'm 44 a lot of women will be oh but you know that's to do in your 20s and that's you should have that plan in your 30s I'm like absolutely not like this is my life and I'm going to take it in my hands I'm going to take charge and I will change the world in some capacity I don't know how I'll do it but I will do it and I'm confident that I will it started with you I love that I honestly it's like I keep getting chills as you're speaking, because just, I relate so much.

27:40And I just, I think it's going to resonate with so many women who are in this place of like, the best is over. It's not over. It's just, it isn't just beginning. And you really do hold that potential in your very own hands. And it is about number one, it's about having the, you know, that, that bravery to lean into something new and to, to trust something different. Um, and to, to kind of pour into yourself and, and understand that like, Like you don't have to consider the best years behind you. One of the best things, like I said, at 40 is we know ourselves better. Internally, we know who we are.

28:15We know what we value. And it's about kind of leaning into that even more. Like you naturally on this journey to becoming your best are understanding what pours into you and what does not. And the more you do that, the more you recognize what things, people's places are helping or harming you. And so little by little, you are becoming that woman who is building her best self. Like you're leaning into the activities that are helping to make you strong. I'm becoming her, right? I'm becoming her. We're becoming her, that badass, that best version of yourself who just, you know, taking charge, you know, who's really just taking charge and ownership of her own life.

28:57And listen, it's fun. All of this is fun. It's not easy all of the time, especially when you have to, some of those processes is like a hurry up and wait kind of thing and trusting the process and realizing that the quick fixes, the fads, like the diets and the programs that are promising four-week changes, six-week changes, like that's not where it's at. We've all been there and done that. And we understand that those just don't work. So we have to understand that this is a lock-in for the long haul kind of process, but it will give you so much in return. and then you're going to live in this place where you are transformed forever it's not going to be something quick and then it goes just as fast you're going to transform forever inside and out and that's my favorite part is that yes you transform like what people see is has changed but what you feel i mean the outside pales into in comparison to the internal transformation which you know absolutely right worth its weight in gold it's just a blessing beyond words I feel very emotional I still feel very emotional I know me too I I think it's so important I think it's so important that you know and I'm so thankful that you wanted to share this story because I know that there are women that need to hear it and need to feel that encouragement and that empowerment and so I think it's also beautiful that not only did you want to share it here but to hear you mentioned that you want to pay it forward because I get that.

30:26That was me. And I'm like, I have to go out and help other women. My favorite thing in the world is to see a woman who feels stuck, who I can see has that look in her eyes that she is just lost and lost her confidence, lost touch with who she is. And to see that fire come back, I can see it in your face and your, like I said, your posture, how you're speaking about yourself and your journey. I can't even put into words how beautiful it is to witness that, to be on the other side and see, like I could hear in your voice immediately when you DM'd me. And I just am so thankful that number one, that we connected and number two, that you wanted to share this story because it's such an inspiring one.

31:09And I know that you're going to change lives. You know, I cannot, I cannot thank you enough, but I do think, and I think there is a really big distinction, you know, there is, there are the women in in sort of our cohort who know that they're probably eating the wrong food and that they know that they're not getting enough exercise and they know that they're not doing the right things but there's a massive cohort that is is or does feel like that they're exercising and does feel like they're eating the right sort of stuff but that's I think the area where as I said people wouldn't look at me and say oh but she needs to lose weight she needs to you know she needs to cut down or whatever they wouldn't think that but I knew that I was stuck and and it affected every part of my life you know it affects your life at home it affects your work it affects everything and actually when you feel more confident in yourself the biggest win is that you you kind of go out and you exude this confidence everywhere with every facet of your life and I just I I would just encourage women to everywhere who are listening I mean that people are listening to this podcast they've obviously got got hold of your content that way follow your instagram join your programs do whatever you can to get that information because yeah it's life changing so I want to thank you I want to thank you for giving me this opportunity but also I want to thank you for honestly like changing my life I've said that five times this episode but I just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart genuinely you are a badass and now I'm a badass.

32:37Thank you. I mean, that's what I'm here for. I mean, that really, that is what lights my soul on fire is to hear someone say what you just said, you know, is that they, they found their spark again, and that they are empowered and that they are confident. It's, it really sets my soul on fire and makes me want to share even more. So I appreciate, I appreciate you so much for, for doing this. If you had one little last piece of advice to give to women, because you've already given so much but what would your last what would your last be i would just say look don't be scared that you're going to get bulky do not be scared i know there's so there's so many misconceptions that people think but if i lift heavy at the gym i'm going to come out and i'll be like arnie you know massive arms and i'm trying to be like arnie it takes an effort you know it's not going to happen overnight but if you're just lifting light weights and you're not coming out and you're not you know you're not struggling on that last set you are gonna you're basically doing cardio like you need to lift heavy so don't be scared of it that's that's all I would say just you know and really quickly you mentioned you don't deprive yourself of carbs you're eating enough to nourish yourself and you're preparing meals but I think sometimes we get so wrapped up in like how perfect that has to look walk me through a little bit just really quickly like what are what do your meals look like and how do they like what do they consist of honestly like if i average i'll tell you i've got to see these meals i eat on repeat and i love them so breakfast i have i'll have some berries like a combination of raspberries blueberries some fiber which i have just you know you can get like all brand cereal fiber in that and then a protein yogurt that in itself is about 35 grams of protein and it takes me 30 seconds to prepare i buy frozen frozen berries so again you They're just in the freezer.