Ruth Mac Fit Podcast

You’re over the worst of a virus, you’re starting to feel more human again, and part of you is already wondering when you can get back to exercising. That’s exactly where I’ve found myself this week.In this episode, I talk about:how I’m deciding whether my body still needs more restwhy I use things like resting heart rate as information, rather than letting my watch make the decisionwhat can happen when you add exercise back before you’re ready how much fitness and strength you’re really likely to lose from a short breakwhat returning to running, strength training and everyday movement might actually look likewhy illness might be a time to pause the fat-loss focus and concentrate on recovery insteadThe plan is to notice how you're feeling rather than finding a set of rigid rules to apply and ultimately to get back to full health and start doing all the things we love.www.ruthmacfit.com Instagram: @ruthmacfit

In this episode, I'm joined by Lauren Chiren, founder of Women of a Certain Stage, to talk about perimenopause, menopause and the workplace.We chat about Lauren's own experience of menopause, why so many women struggle in silence, the connection between ADHD and hormonal changes, and what employers can do to offer better support.We also explore your rights at work, how to advocate for yourself and why menopause doesn't have to mean the beginning of the end. It can be the start of something new.Connect with Lauren:- Instagram: @themenopausecoachWebsite: www.womenofacertainstage.comLinkedIn: Lauren ChirenPodcast: Women of a Certain StageConnect with Ruth:Instagram: @ruthmacfitWebsite: www.ruthmacfit.com

In this episode, I’m talking about the space between diet culture and the anti-diet world, and why I think there’s a useful middle ground.We cover:why I don’t want women to become really good at dietingwhy I still think calorie and macro awareness can be usefulthe difference between knowledge and obsessive trackinghow health and fitness rules can create unnecessary frictionwhy “optimal” isn’t always necessaryhow to borrow the useful bits from both sides and make them work with your lifeFind me on Instagram: @ruthmacfit

Perimenopause: What Can Help You Feel More Like Yourself?A member asked whether we could hear something positive about perimenopause, and I thought that was a conversation worth having.In this episode, I’m sharing some changes I’ve noticed myself, what’s happening with our hormones, and how we can understand this stage without expecting the worst. We’ll also talk about practical ways to support ourselves through sleep, movement, strength training and food, alongside getting help when we need it.You don’t need to change everything. Take one or two ideas that feel realistic for you, and remember there’s still plenty to look forward to.The eye-movement and breathing exerciseA little correction: it was Jimmy Fallon, rather than Jimmy Kimmel, who Andrew Huberman was speaking to.For those nights when you wake up and your mind starts racing, this is the exercise he suggested:Close your eyes and keep them closed throughout.Slowly move your eyes to one side, then to the other.Look up, then down.Move your eyes in a circle anticlockwise, then clockwise.Breathe in, then let out a long exhale.I haven’t tried this myself, but if you give it a go, let me know how you get on.Join the Ruth Mac Fit waitlistIf you’d like support making changes that fit around your life, join the membership waitlist to be first to hear when doors open again:https://ruthmacfit.com/wait-listCome and find meInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ruthmacfit/Website: https://ruthmacfit.com/

How useful is your smartwatch, and when does all that data start getting in the way?In this episode, I’m looking at my own relationship with tracking, from my first very chunky Garmin back in 2007 to watches and rings that now track our steps, sleep, recovery and readiness to train.I talk about where tracking can be useful, particularly when it helps us understand how much we’re actually moving, but also what can happen when a number starts to define what “enough” looks like.I share some of my own experiences with step targets, running without tracking, Polar telling me I was “detraining” after taking an easier day, and checking my Oura Ring before I’d even stopped to think about how I actually felt. I also look at some interesting research around activity trackers, sleep tracking and recovery scores.This isn’t about getting rid of your smartwatch. It’s about asking whether the information is helping you make decisions, or whether it’s becoming another thing to pass, fail or stress about.Find me onlineInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ruthmacfit/Website: https://www.ruthmacfit.com/Join the Ruth Mac Fit membership waitlist: https://www.ruthmacfit.com/wait-list