Teachers OFF DUTY!

This week I’m joined by Ronan Kennedy, host of Both Sides of It, for a conversation about the things we keep saying we want to change, while another month, year or sometimes several years pass without us actually doing it.Ronan and I have both lost significant amounts of weight, and we’ve both experienced the cycle of knowing what we should be doing, starting again, falling away from it and promising ourselves we’ll do better next time. Now, as coaches, we see the same patterns playing out with the people we work with every day.We talk about what repeatedly breaking promises to yourself does to your confidence, when being busy becomes a reason to keep putting yourself off, why consuming more advice doesn’t necessarily lead to more action, the fear of trying again after previous attempts haven’t worked, and why waiting until life calms down can quietly turn into years of waiting.But we don’t just talk about why it happens. For every topic, we share practical ways to start approaching it differently in your own life, so you finish this episode with something you can actually do rather than another hour of information you agree with and never use.Ronan Kennedy Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronan_kennedy88?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==Both Sides Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/033LWf4LMjGUiEiRL2pL3f?si=d32b6bd532744a24

Every August, thousands of teachers promise themselves that September will be different. They’ll eat better, exercise more, drink more water and finally lose the weight. I used to make exactly the same promises.In this episode, I share why I now believe I was trying to solve the wrong problem. Teaching is one of the most demanding professions there is, but I was also asking my body to get through those days on coffee, a light lunch and good intentions. I blamed myself for eating everything in sight after work, when in reality my body was simply asking for the fuel it had been missing all day.This episode isn’t about another diet before school goes back. It’s about understanding why so many teachers feel exhausted, why evenings feel so difficult and why the goal this September shouldn’t just be losing weight, it should be having enough energy to enjoy both teaching and your life outside the classroom.

Carbohydrates have become one of the most debated topics in nutrition. One coach tells you to eat more of them, another tells you to cut them out completely, and somewhere in the middle are the people who just want to know what will actually help them feel and perform better.In this episode, I’m joined by performance nutritionist Callum Walker to cut through the noise. We discuss why nutrition has become so confusing on social media, whether carbohydrates could be holding some people back, what insulin actually does, and why there is no one-size-fits-all approach to fat loss.Finally, we talk about the challenge most people face every day: how do you apply good nutrition when you’re busy, overwhelmed and surrounded by conflicting advice? If you’ve ever felt like nutrition is becoming more complicated instead of simpler, this conversation will help you understand what really matters and where to focus your attention.

Everyone has heard the phrase “calorie deficit.”Eat less. Move more.But what does that actually mean?In this episode, I’m breaking down calorie deficits in the simplest way I’ve ever explained them. We look at why so many women genuinely believe they’re in a calorie deficit when they’re not, why maintenance isn’t just a calorie number, and how your movement, exercise and lifestyle all change the amount of energy your body needs.I also share exactly how I coach my clients. We don’t jump straight into changing everything overnight. We start by understanding what normal looks like, remove the guesswork and then build from there.Because you can’t expect yourself to make confident decisions around food when nobody has ever taught you how your body actually works.If you’ve spent years following calorie targets without really understanding them, this episode will make everything click.

Walking into the gym for the first time can feel overwhelming, but confidence isn’t something you’re born with, it’s something you build. In this episode, Leanne and I talk honestly about what it’s really like to start strength training, from gym etiquette and asking to use equipment, to dealing with intimidating situations and learning to take up space without apologising for it. We also explore why strength training goes far beyond changing your body, and how becoming physically stronger often helps you become more confident in every area of your life. Whether you’re thinking about joining a gym or you’ve been going for a while but still feel like you don’t belong, this conversation is here to remind you that you have every right to be there.Marina's instagram: @coachmarinahardimanLeanne's instagram: @leannekeanecoaching

Are you living a life you "should" live and constantly feeling like a failure? If you cannot pivot in your season of life right now then we need to talk. DM me " COACHING" @coachmarinahardiman on instagram!

Yesterday I turned 39, and it made me stop and think about what the first six months of this year have actually given me.For years, I measured my progress by one thing: the scales. Every birthday, every holiday and every Monday became another opportunity to promise myself that this time would be different. I spent years losing weight, feeling good for a while, losing motivation and starting all over again.In this episode, I reflect on one of the hardest personal years of my life, why I’m stronger and fitter than I’ve ever been despite not being the smallest I’ve ever been, and how my relationship with health, training and food has completely changed.I also talk about why so many teachers and busy women fall into the trap of waiting for the “right time”, why fat loss alone isn’t enough to keep you going, and why finding a goal that’s bigger than the scales changes everything.If you’ve spent the first half of this year promising yourself you’ll start next Monday, next month or after the holidays, I hope this episode helps you think differently about what you want the next six months to look like.

In this episode, I sit down with fellow coach and former teacher Suzie to talk about the side of teaching that rarely gets discussed.We explore why teachers often make incredible coaches, how years spent educating, supporting and understanding others shape the way we work today, and the transferable skills that followed us out of the classroom and into coaching.But we also dive into the hidden cost of teaching.The skipped lunches. The coffee-for-breakfast culture. The constant pressure to do more. The endless scrutiny, observations and expectations. The staffroom food culture. The comparison. The perfectionism.We discuss why so many teachers know exactly what they should be doing for their health but still struggle to prioritise themselves, and how years of putting everyone else first can quietly impact confidence, wellbeing and self-care.This is an honest conversation about what teaching gives us, what it takes from us, and why so many teachers feel exhausted trying to meet impossible standards both inside and outside the classroom.