THE WEEKLY CORE ~

THE WEEKLY CORE ~

Week 5: Energy

"I am grateful for the energy that flows through me, allowing me to live my life to the fullest." 

Grateful for your energy? Living life to the fullest? 

On an average day of work, house work, childcare etc you may not feel like you’re flowing with energy, living life to the full. Right? As much as I would love to feel perpetually energetic - I don’t - but I’ve started to recognise that I do have the power to cultivate a lifestyle that lifts me. 

In this last week together - let’s look at the tools that you can take forward to energise and lift you, both physically and mentally. 

Mindset

Ever heard the phrase, where the mind goes the body follows? The state of your mind will significantly affect your energy levels. Overwhelm, anxiety, stress - all rob your energy and make it difficult to do all the other things that boost you (think eat well, sleep, exercise, prioritise). As someone who contends with anxiety, I highly recommend learning to manage your mind. Affirmations, meditations, journalling and even the support of a therapist are proven to boost energy levels by actually rewiring your brain, helping you to approach life more positively and in turn restoring your energy. 

Nutrition

The obvious one - feed your body a nutritious, balanced diet for the win - but conversely our diet is often compromised by lack of energy. 4pm biscuit anyone? Scroll down to Food for Thought, for a more in depth look at how we can get onto a good footing with our nutrition for energy. 

Sleep

As the mum of two children who have kept me up over roughly the last 2000 nights (but who’s counting), I am well aware that this can be a contentious one. However, we have to work with what we’ve got! Can you go phone free for an hour before bed? Switch off Married at First Sight (guilty) 30 minutes earlier and wind down with some gentle movement or a meditation. Take a nap on a Saturday. There are always small ways we can get a little more shut eye.

Movement

There are times when a hard and fast workout won’t serve you - on those days opt for something more gentle (think Mobility!) But other days, even when you don’t feel like it, an invigorating 20 minutes exercise can give you a real boost. When it comes to energy, choose something that you enjoy - that way you feed body and soul. 

Introvert or Extrovert

Which are you? If you are on the border between introvert and extrovert, you may not be fully in tune with whether your energy is recharged with people or in solitude. Consider how you best reboot your energy reserves - and see if you can build in some time for that this week? 

Workout Menu

Welcome Back to your final week of Core Club 💪🏼 Get ready for fresh new workouts that put everything you’ve built into action. It’s time to feel just how strong you’ve become.

Session Focus

💖 Mobility Release: restorative exercises designed to release tension, increase range of movement and open the body up. A great one to start off the week!

🔥 Dynamic Strength: challenging full body flowing routines targeting abs, obliques, back and glutes.

🌊 Mobility Flow: flowing movement to unlock the spine from head to tail and improve flexibility in your hips & shoulders.

💪🏼 Mindful Strength: strength done slowly - holding poses and moving at half speed to focus on excellent form while we build strength

Food for Thought

Ultra-Processed Food

If ever there was a lifestyle change to be made, in order to enhance your energy levels, reducing your intake of UPFs is going to make a big impact.

What Are Ultra-Processed Foods (UPFs)?

Products made mostly or entirely from substances extracted from foods or synthesised in the labs. These include things like packaged snacks, sugary cereals, fast food, ready meals, fizzy drinks, and many processed meats. They often contain additives like preservatives, sweeteners, flavour enhancers, and artificial colours that make them tasty and convenient—but, lacking nutritional value and potentially harmful.

Why Should We Limit UPFs?

Research increasingly links overconsumption of UPFs to a range of health issues, including:

  • Mental Health: Diets high in UPFs have been associated with higher rates of depression and anxiety. These foods can cause inflammation and disrupt gut health, which plays a key role in mood regulation.

  • Hormone Disruption: Many UPFs contain chemicals like phthalates and BPA (from packaging), which can interfere with hormone function, potentially impacting metabolism, reproductive health, and energy levels.

  • Nutritional Deficiency: UPFs are typically low in essential nutrients but high in added sugars, unhealthy fats, and salt, leading to poor nutrition despite high calorie intake.

  • Weight Gain and Chronic Disease: Their hyper-palatable nature encourages overeating, contributing to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

Easy Tips to Cut Back on UPFs

  1. Choose Whole Foods: I always keep in mind the phrase “eat from the earth”: think fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs & spices for flavour, whole grains, nuts, and lean proteins.

  2. Read Labels: If an ingredient list looks like a chemistry set, it’s probably ultra-processed. Stick to foods with fewer, and more recognisable ingredients. To save time, download the Yuka app which rates packaged goods based on what nasties they contain.

  3. Make grab-and-go options readily available (dried fruit & nuts, boiled eggs, fruit, hummus, veggie sticks)

  4. Plan Ahead: Basic meal planning and prepping snacks can reduce the temptation to grab convenience foods when you’re busy or tired.

  5. Don’t aim for 100% clean—the 80/20 approach works really well here. Start making small changes, and before you know it, you’ll have dramatically reduced your UPF intake.

This week’s recipe is one my all time favourite energy boosters. 
Perfect for a post workout treat or a mid afternoon slump pick me up!

5 Minute Moments

A ready-made library of micro-workouts awaits…

Each with a different focus, these Moments are designed to add a little extra mobility and relaxation to your day.

Included:

  • Wake Up Stretches

  • Midday Mobilisations

  • Essential Tutorials

  • Bedtime Wind-down

Perfect for busy days when you need quick reset - or as additional tool to release tension at the beginning or end of your workouts.