Thrive With Sharon

A little reminder that food is allowed to be about more than calories and protein.

Tonight was dinner at my absolute favourite restaurant - Mediterranea in Stirling.

A tiny, family-run restaurant that’s been here for years, serving the most incredible freshly made Mediterranean food. We shared a table full of mezze to start, followed by their gyros… and it was absolutely delicious.

And this is part of what I mean when I talk about building a lifestyle rather than constantly being “on a diet”.

Most of the time I’m thinking about things like getting enough protein, eating well, fuelling my training and looking after my health.

But sometimes food is about sitting round a table, sharing dishes, ordering the thing you really fancy and enjoying every mouthful of it.

You don’t need to earn it.
You don’t need to compensate for it tomorrow.
And one gorgeous meal doesn’t undo everything else you do.

Health isn’t built from one meal.

It’s built from what you do consistently over time, and there should absolutely be room in there for mezze and a massive plate of gyros.

When Seb started training with me six months ago, he wasn’t someone who already lived in the gym.

He has a job that involves sitting for most of the day and, before starting, most of his exercise came from a short walk in the evening.

He simply wanted to move more after work.

Six months later, he’s stronger than he ever expected to be, including hitting a 100kg deadlift

But as Seb says:

“The hardest part is just beginning.”

Because starting exercise can feel like a massive step when you’ve never really trained before.

You might think you’re not strong enough.
You might worry you won’t know what you’re doing.
You might look at other people lifting weights and think, I could never do that.

You don’t have to walk into the gym on day one and be able to do everything.

You start where you are.

You learn. You build up gradually. You get stronger.

And sometimes you end up doing things you never thought you’d be capable of.

Six months down, Seb. I reckon there are a few more “I never thought I could do that” moments still to come.

57 years young. Lifting 80kg. And stronger than she ever imagined.

When Margo first came to me almost four years ago, her goal was simple: she wanted to get strong.

She was thinking about getting older, looking after her bones, staying physically capable and having the accountability to keep showing up.

Fast forward four years… and I think it’s safe to say she’s done exactly that.

But what I love most about Margo’s story isn’t just the 80kg she can now lift.

It’s the confidence in what her body can do.
It’s feeling more flexible and physically capable.
It’s training consistently for almost four years.
And it’s being part of a community where fitness is about so much more than what happens during an hour in the gym.

This is exactly why I’m so passionate about helping women build strength as they get older.

You don’t need to already be fit.
You don’t need to know your way around a gym.
And you definitely don’t need to think you’ve “left it too late”.

As Margo says herself…

“Do it now. Don’t delay.”

Thank you Margo for trusting me with your training for almost four years, and for sharing your story.

IGNITE: online coaching with Thrive

You don’t need to have it all figured out before you start.

You don’t need to already be fit, confident in the gym, or have the “perfect” routine.

You just need to be ready to make a change, and you don’t have to do it alone.

Ignite is my online coaching package designed to give you the structure, support and accountability to build habits that actually work around your life.

No quick fixes. No all-or-nothing approach. Just realistic, sustainable progress towards feeling stronger, healthier and more confident.

Have a watch to find out what’s included.

If Ignite sounds like it could be for you, drop me a message and we can have a chat.