A bit about me

After more than 20 years as a family law solicitor, I made the life-changing decision to retrain as a Lifestyle and Nutrition Coach. My journey to this new career was born out of my own struggles and discoveries about health, fitness, and nutrition.

When I started my relationship with my second husband, Gary, we celebrated our new chapter by indulging in meals out and drinking more than was good for us. Although I had always enjoyed running, I began training for half and full marathons, thinking it was the perfect way to offset our lifestyle habits. Looking back, I realise I was misguidedly using running to try to ‘burn off’ the extra calories from unhealthy foods and excessive alcohol. I also fell into a cycle of overly restricting my food intake during the week to justify overindulging at weekends. While this approach helped me lose weight, it wasn’t healthy or sustainable.

Despite doing well in my races, my body paid the price. Without understanding how to properly fuel my workouts or recover effectively, I faced repeated injuries. My lack of strength training compounded the problem, as I hadn’t appreciated how essential it is to support running and prevent injuries.

After completing my last marathon in 2019, I decided enough was enough. I began learning about strength training and the importance of nourishing my body with the right foods and nutrients. I broke free from the restrict-and-indulge cycle, replacing it with a balanced approach to eating and training. My journey also coincided with my experience of peri and menopause, which led me to become a specialist in Menopause Coaching. This expertise has deepened my understanding of how to adapt training and recovery to meet the body’s changing needs.

In 2023, I finally mustered the courage to join CrossFit Leyland after growing bored with training on my own. If you’ve attended the 9.30am classes, you may have spotted me arriving "fashionably late" - my apologies, I’m trying - and wearing my signature loud shorts! Discovering CrossFit at 52 has been a wonderfully challenging experience. It has pushed me out of my comfort zone and brought a much-needed shake-up to my training routine. Along the way, I’ve met an incredible group of people who have become friends. Thanks to their expert and patient coaching, I’ve improved my form and strength, and I’m thoroughly enjoying learning new skills and different lifts.

My love of food and cooking played a key role in my decision to change careers, allowing me to combine my passion for fitness and nutrition. Fortunately, Gary has been incredibly supportive of my new path and happily enjoys the benefits of having a cook, nutritionist, and lifestyle coach in the family!

Now, I’m thrilled to be working in partnership with CrossFit Leyland as their dedicated Lifestyle and Nutrition Coach. This new chapter allows me to share my expertise and personal experience to help others find balance in their own lives.