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sarahlizking

🤸‍♀️ Trainer | Coach | Speaker
🎧 Holistic Health Radio Podcast
🚫 No BS approach to health & fitness
🤓 Science, not trends

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NEW PODCAST: Overcoming exercise addiction🏃‍♀️
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Plug those headphones in and get listening! In this episode I dive into my own personal experience with compulsive exercise and how I broke the cycle and rebuilt a healthy movement habit during and after recovery.
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There’s heaps of tips for anyone who’s currently working on their mindset towards movement with personal anecdotes from yours truly.
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Link to the episode is in my bio!
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Be sure to screen shot and tag me if you listen❤️
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📸 @marceauphotography

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One of the things I hate most about cookie-cutter diet plans is that no cookies are actually involved😔
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And I feel like that's false advertising
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Because there's more to healthy eating than the chicken and broccoli diet that guy with abs is trying to sell you because it worked for him
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And look, it might work for you too, but it's not sustainable
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Or fun for that matter! Nobody wants to be deprived of their favourite foods for extended periods of time. Food is one of life's simple pleasures and is not only there to nourish our cells, but also our souls
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Because I've been that girl who was so damn scared of every single food group, and it was not a good time. Nor was it remotely healthy physically or mentally
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Having a good relationship with food is a fundamental aspect to healthy eating, and including some fun and slightly less nutrient dense foods is actually so normal and something I definitely advocate for when working with clients
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I've had days where I've eaten like an unsupervised child in a candy store, but I also know that these things have a way of balancing out
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One hot day does not make a summer just like one salad does not make you a health god/goddess just like one chocolate bar or day of slightly less nutritious foods does not make you unhealthy.
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What we repeatedly do over time is what counts, and when we focus on a variety of nutrient dense foods with a dash of fun foods thrown in, we keep our bodies and our minds happy, healthy and feeling good❤️

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Body image is stored in your brain cells, not your fat cells. Sometimes this is hard to hear, but the truth often is.
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If the noise of diet culture and summer detoxes is getting to you, here’s a gentle reminder that:
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🚫 Dieting may not be the answer for the inner turmoil you’re experiencing
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🥵 Exercising purely for energy expenditure may not help you build a healthy movement habit that lasts for a lifetime
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🙅‍♀️ Restricting yourself of all your favourite foods will only lead to you wanting them more and potentially a binge.
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🧠 Your mental health matters and is just as important (if not more so) than your physical health
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I don’t believe in one-size fits all for anything.
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Which is why I offer 1 to 1 coaching, PTs and a 6-week guided intuitive eating course, all done either online or in person.
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It’s all about what works for you, which means doing not what is easiest or instant, but what is right.
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If this sounds like something you need help with feel free to get in touch for a chat! I’m here to guide you every step of the way ❤️

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Netflix is great for entertainment, but IT’S NOT A HEALTH RESOURCE
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And the same usually goes for YouTube videos, 'articles' from The Daily Mail, Tabloid magazines, personal anecdotes, and unqualified health gurus making outrageous claims about certain foods or telling you to follow an alkaline diet (your body monitors and regulates its pH very well)
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This isn't to negate anyone's personal experience about what has worked for THEM, but simply to say we can't take this as gospel and apply it to the wider general public.
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For that we need evidence, and good evidence at that (see second photo)
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But problems arise with evidence as well, mostly because of confirmation bias, which is a strong tendency to latch onto anything that supports our position while blindly ignoring anything that doesn't. It's especially common in the health, fitness and nutrition realms and often comes from people who have a vested interest in selling you something aligned with their ideals/beliefs.
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However, you need to be aware of the QUALITY of evidence being used to support such claims instead of taking things at face value.
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Citing scientific literature CAN be a very good thing, but the study must be robust, and applicable to humans
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This is something I see very often in the health world. We get initial health information from animal studies, which can create some interesting hypotheses, but it's often misinterpreted by the media.
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The whole point of this post is to remind you to be aware and skeptical of health advice you see or read on the internet! If you need advice for your particular health situation seek out care from an appropriately trained professional and for the love of god do NOT send them a DM.
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When it comes to your wellbeing you deserve quality advice tailored to your situation, needs and goals.
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Remember, humans are not rats. Netflix docos are not scientific research. Unqualified Instagram influencers are not health professionals❤️

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Simple rules to live by (that I swear by)
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1. Smile more
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2. Be a nice human. It costs nothing and means everything
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3. Your happiness is your responsibility. Things won’t always be sunshine and lollipops but make an effort to find out what lights up your soul and do more of that
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4. Don’t take health advice from an influencer. Get help from someone with proper qualifications (who also does lots of their own professional development)
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5. A dip in the sea is good for the soul
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6. Sometimes the fear won’t go away, so you’ll have to do it afraid
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7. Find and live by your values
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8. Practice gratitude more often
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9. Watch the sunrise or sunset at least once a week
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10. Speak to the people you love often if you can’t see them in person. Text messages don’t count
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11. Create a morning ritual you love and stick to it. Mine is my favourite cafe, tea, journaling, work and a delicious avo toast brekkie
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12. If you fuck up practice self-compassion, apologise if that’s relevant, then move the hell on. We’re all human and make mistakes
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13. Smell good always. You’re never fully dressed without a scent. Spray on a perfume you love or essential oil that makes you feel good
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14. Eat the damn chocolate. Or whatever the heck it is you’re really craving. The more you resist, the more it persists.
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15. Be authentically you. The person you are when nobody is watching.
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16. Dance. In the streets, in the kitchen, in the shower, wherever. It’ll instantly brighten your mood
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17. Ask for help. Just because you CAN do something on your own doesn’t mean you need to. Get support
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18. Read more books (or listen to audio books). Fill your mind with interesting thoughts, stories and ideas
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19. Start journaling. It’ll help untangle that web of thoughts in your mind and help you acknowledge how you’re really feeling
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20. Move your body, in ways that feel good, often
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21. Rest, don’t quit. You’ll hit roadblocks throughout life and some super hard times. Rest, get your energy, make a plan and execute
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22. Travel solo. You’ll learn a lot about yourself
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23. The most important relationship you’ll ever have is the one you have with yourself. Work on that one first and always❤️

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Compliments are bloody great! Let’s just take the ones about physical appearance off the table - especially weight loss
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And here's why:
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1️⃣ You don't know if the person is ill, or experiencing severe stress or crisis: weight loss isn't always intentional or healthful. Unintended weight loss may be an early sign of cancer, or a side effect from chemotherapy.
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Additionally those going through really stressful times such as loss of a loved one, divorce, or custody battles may lose their appetite and some weight. You commenting on that as something positive might not be exactly how they feel about it.
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2️⃣ They may have an eating disorder - and no someone doesn't have to be thin to have an eating disorder, but weight loss may be a sign of some diagnoses of this mental illness. When we reinforce this as a positive behaviour we may, unknowingly, be reinforcing a habit that could potentially kill someone (FYI eating disorders have the highest rate of mortality of any mental illness)
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3️⃣ It reinforces the idea that weight gain is inherently bad - which again, could be incredibly harmful for someone trying to physically gain weight for any reason they see fit. Weight gain can also occur from life saving treatments and medications. So let’s take a moment to celebrate that and realise health is so much more than a number on the scale
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So yeah - compliments are awesome - just leave someone's weight out of the equation.
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If you or someone you know HAS been engaging in healthful behaviours and feel kick ass because of it - compliment THAT.
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Ask them how they feel, what their mood is like, or how much you've noticed their energy has improved.
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And for everyone else - grab a compliment off the list above to tell your partner, bestie, or colleague this week.
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We could all use a few more compliments in our life, and the non-appearance based ones will really leave a lasting positive impact❤️

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NEW PODCAST OUT: How to keep going when you feel like giving up🙏
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How many of you have ever faced a situation where you just wanted to give up?
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Throw in the towel?
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Quit because it all felt so hard and you’ve had enough?
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You are not alone.
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Recovering from an eating disorder or any mental illness is a really difficult journey.
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And I can’t help feel sometimes that it gets sugar coated.
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Mostly because nobody wants to show their ugly crying face and the days they don’t want to get out of bed.
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But those happen.
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So today I wanted to let you into what my world was really like when I was going through recovery and how I almost gave up.
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But what I did instead to turn it around - which was this - cultivate more mental happiness at the same time as working on my mental health.
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This is probably one of my most personal episodes with a whole lot of insight plus some very personal stories.
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Hit the link in my bio to listen to listen on Spotify and iTunes and watch my stories for a sneak preview❤️

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Truth bomb💣: there are no shortcuts to getting or staying fit. There are no pills to take or potions that will magically make your muscles stronger or your heart more aerobically fit.
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It also doesn't happen by throwing yourself into an 8 week challenge only to end up with exhaustion and injuries that make it difficult and uncomfortable to move🤕
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Nor does it come from punishing your body for food you've eaten🥵
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To me being fit is just as much about having a healthy body as it is a healthy mind, and taking a long-term approach to staying active🤸‍♂️
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This is because in order to reap the many benefits of physical activity, we have to KEEP DOING IT🏃‍♀️🏊‍♀️🏄‍♀️🏋️‍♀️🚴‍♀️
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I'm sure you've all heard the saying "if you don't use it, you lose it"?
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Well it's actually very true.
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A lot of us accept the fate that age brings with it aches and pains that are unavoidable and muscle loss that is just "part of life" when in reality we simply are not moving enough.
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On the flip side there are also some that may have spent too many years moving too aggressively without sufficient nutrition.
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The secret sauce is finding that middle ground where movement comes from a place of respect in support of our physical and mental wellbeing, and is done often and in appropriate amounts for your situation and any health conditions you're dealing with.
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For general health - 30 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise plus 2 strength sessions a week will set you up well, and slowly progressing the volume, type, or intensity will ensure your body becomes fitter and stronger over time.
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Create a movement habit that lasts for life. Choose exercise you enjoy, be consistent and patient and you'll reap the rewards.

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That moment when the caffeine kicks in and you can officially start the day☕️
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I’m actually such a morning person and spring out of bed the second my eyes open.
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But I feel like my brain only really kicks into gear once I’ve had that first sip of coffee or tea.
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Going to cafe and sitting with a cup of tea and checking things off my to do list is my all time favourite morning routine. It puts me in the best mood and sets me up to have a really great day.
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It’s honestly the little things in life that bring me the greatest joy, and this is something I practice as much as I preach by doing daily gratitude.
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Mental happiness is just as important as mental health which I’m going to be talking about more in this weeks episode of my podcast Holistic Health Radio.
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Who else has a sacred morning routine? What is it and how does it make you feel?

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I've said it before, but I'll say it again:
If it's not your body, it's not your business.
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What works for you, what YOU enjoy in life choices or food choices isn't what everyone else needs to be doing.
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And for the love of carbs, please leave bread alone!
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You don't have to love it or eat it, but don't make others feel bad if it works for them and they actually enjoy a delicious sandwich🥪, avo on toast🥑, or my personal childhood fave a class PB&J🥜
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There's a lot of things in life we don't NEED and could potentially go without, but that doesn't mean we have to. Let's respect each other's personal preferences, take food morality off the table, and just be cool being kind to our bodies and each other.
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Love you❤️
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#teambread 🍞

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Hey you
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Yeah you.
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The one that keeps endlessly scrolling.
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I want you to slow down.
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Give yourself a break.
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Take a deep breath.
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You don’t have to have it all figured out right now.
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If you’re single and all your friends are married that’s cool.
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If you still don’t know what you want to do with your career, keep trying new things.
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If things have fallen apart, there’s still plenty of time to put them back together again.
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There’s no perfect timeline.
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Don’t rush the important things.
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This isn’t a competition.
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This is your life.
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Your happiness.
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Your well-being.
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Nobody is keeping score.
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Be slow and gentle, but keep going.
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And find love in the little things along the way.
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Your story is your own to write.
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What does the next chapter have in store?

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The ones on the left aren’t inherently bad, however if they are the only ones you turn to in times of stress, then it can be a problem.
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Stress is something we all have to deal with in our lives. From finances to work, relationships to family, and then the pressure we put on ourselves to perform and hit our own goals.
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Sometimes it gets overwhelming.
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This is why having a metaphorical toolbox of different healthy coping mechanisms can be helpful. Here are a few you might try practicing:
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1️⃣ Having a day off - yep that’s right. Have a mental health day. Do less. Create space and calm for tackling the problem the next day.
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2️⃣ Listen to upbeat music - it can change your mood around seriously fast.
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3️⃣ Problem solving - use your thinking skills and tackle the issue head on. Write out an action plan for solving it if possible
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4️⃣ Nourish mindfully - appetite cues may be off so try to eat at regular intervals throughout the day choosing a variety of foods
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5️⃣ Joyful movement - go for a walk, play a game, or go for a dip in the sea (salt water cures everything in my opinion)
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6️⃣ Talk to someone about it - a problem shared is a problem halved.
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One of the activities I do with my younger clients working on rebuilding a health relationship with food & exercise is building a ‘healthy coping mechanism bingo’ which is essentially a fun sheet they can turn to when things are feeling hard so they can cope in proactive healthy ways.
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Because the truth is regardless of age, gender or background we all have hard days!
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And times when we eat our feelings (myself included🙋‍♀️)
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So ask yourself “is this really what I need right now? Will this add to or take away from my overall health?”
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If the answer is no I invite you to experiment with something new and see how it makes you feel.
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What’s your experience coping with stress? What works best for you?

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NEW PODCAST JUST DROPPED 🥳 In today’s episode @tcnutrition and I answer the question “Is it ever safe to lose weight after full recovery from an eating disorder?”
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You guys know I’m never one to shy away from difficult topics.
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From mental health to hormone imbalances and everything in between, I’m willing to dive in and uncover what’s helpful and unhelpful when it comes to our health.
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I totally stand by my no BS approach as I have seen SO many people struggle after following crappy fad diets and hardcore workout programs.
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So today’s topic is one that @tcnutrition and I definitely handled with great care because we only want the best for our respective communities.
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Listen to the full episode by clicking the link in my bio and be sure to leave a review as it makes a HUGE difference in supporting how many people we reach through the podcast.
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Happy listening✌️❤️

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To all those amazing fitness professionals fighting against fad diets and unrealistic body expectations - just wanna say you are rare like a unicorn🦄 and I love you❤️
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Creating a culture of fitness without obsession, where how we feel has more importance than how we look is a message I feel is slowly infiltrating the industry
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One where fitness or appearance related goals are totally cool, but not at the expense of having a good relationship with food, exercise and your body.
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It's a movement that I'm so on board with and I know I'm not alone! Some of my favourite fellow trainers spreading the good word are:
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@tallyrye
@lucymountain
@beyoubefreecoogee
@bloomfittraining
@thephitcoach
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Who are some of your favourites? Tag them below!

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2 TRUTHS AND A LIE...
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The other day on my stories I asked you guys some fun questions about myself to see how well you truly know me. And while you guys got some questions so right, you also got some questions so wrong.
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And seeing as I consider we're all friends here, and especially because I've seen some new faces following me, I thought I'd do a post to firstly welcome all you amazing new people on board👋
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And secondly set the record straight for those questions I asked you the other day. So here we go:
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Am I an only child? This one is a NO! I don't talk about my siblings too much on here, but I have 2 sisters. I just respect their privacy and also - they're not on Insta and don't live in the same place as me. Nevertheless, I love them and they are an important part of my life.
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I've lived most of my life in AUSTRALIA. Although I was born in the states, I've now officially lived in Australia for longer than America. If you've ever watched my stories and tilted your head going "that's a weird mixed accent" it's because I was born in California, but moved to Australia as a teenager. Thus the delightful mixed accent.
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Before I go to bed I always LISTEN TO A PODCAST. Or an audio book. My eyes honestly need a rest at the end of the day because a lot of my work involves being on my laptop. At the moment I'm going between "Everything is Figureoutable" by @marieforleo , "The Body Keeps the Score" by Bessel van der Kolk and one of my fave podcasts which is called Real, Raw, Relatable by @kat.john
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And last but not least.
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My favourite holiday of the year is THANKSGIVING! Honestly I miss American Thanksgiving so much. In my opinion the food is so much better than Christmas food. Pumpkin spice everything, delicious roast turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, and my favourite - homemade apple pie.
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Who thinks I should throw a big Thanksgiving feast this year and invite you all along?🥧🍁😋

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No supplement can match the power of harnessing your menstrual cycle💁‍♀️
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Talking with @drstacysims on this weeks episode of my podcast Holistic Health Radio (out now 👉 link in bio👆) was an absolute delight and made me realise that our menstraual cycle is really the ultimate ergogenic aid.
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If you really want to understand your body and exercise to your potential as a female (or as a male coach/trainer working with women) here is a great place to start:
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1. Track your cycles using an app and monitoring your basal body temperature upon waking to know when you’ve hit ovulation and gone from the low hormone phase (menstruation + follicular) to the high hormone phase
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2. Understand the exercise best suited to each part of your cycle and design your training to match if possible. Higher intensity work and more strength gains can be made in the first half of your cycle while the second half is better suited to maintenance and technique work
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3. Adjust your nutrition to ensure you get the maximum physiological adaptations from the work that you’ve done. This may mean different approaches with carbohydrate intake and an adequate protein intake
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I’m honestly SO fascinated by the female body and think it’s absolutely incredible how hormones can help us hit our goals and at other times tell us to take it easy.
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To listen to the full podcast episode with @drstacysims hit the link in my bio and be sure to check out her book ROAR for an in-depth insight into female physiology and training.
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Would love to know your thoughts and if you have any questions leave them in the comments below!
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📸 Original graphic from @becthomaswellness recreated with permission. Be sure to check out her post in my stories and follow her account for a wealth of health information❤️

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