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Welcome to "No F**ks Given," where we redefine menopause as a superpower. Hosted by Holly Lamb, a women's health coach, who is navigating early menopause. This podcast offers empowering guidance on women's health and navigating perimenopause with confidence. From nutrition tips to fitness advice and mindfulness practices, we cover it all. But here's the twist: it's all about embracing your most authentic, unapologetic self. We're here to help you reclaim your power, say goodbye to societal norms, and live life on your own terms—no f**ks given. Welcome to the revolution!
Holly Lamb (00:01.152)
Hello and welcome to this week's episode of the No Fucks Given podcast with me, your host Holly Lamb. This week, I wanted to discuss how we can keep up with our good habits as the seasons change and the dark nights start to draw in. So this is us in the UK, the clocks have gone back and it's darker by four o'clock.
and the sun's not getting up till gone seven. So it's dark mornings, dark evenings, and it can be a real struggle to stay in the routine that you had when you were in the summer. You know, it can be harder for us to stay consistent with our good habits. The days are shorter, it's getting colder, it's dark, you feel like you've got low energy, you don't feel motivated, and...
It can be a difficult transition. And I actually found it this time, a difficult transition to the darker nights. So, you know, we're all human. We're all going to struggle sometimes with this transition. So in this episode, I wanted to dive into some tips, some tricks, some things that may help just a way that you can not feel guilty if you start to slow down a bit, which is what
happens in our seasons anyway, this is the season where we do start to slow. So things can change and your exercise routine or whatever it is may look slightly, slightly different and that's okay. It's not about been disappointed or frustrated. It's about adapting it to suit, to suit you. So.
You know, it's a completely natural shift that happens as we start to head into autumn and winter, things start to change. our energy levels are definitely going to drop and that's what I found. And it's normal to feel more inclined to slow down. So if you feel like your workouts have changed or you are struggling to get up in the mornings, then just know that this is normal.
Holly Lamb (02:19.534)
And what can we do in order to make this transition easier? So it's about embracing the cyclical nature. And if you follow me, you should be tracking your cycle anyway in living cyclically. So as the seasons change, it's completely normal to have this cyclical approach and we can look at sustaining habits without burning out or giving into that frustration.
So maybe it's time to reframe your goals. know, good habits don't have to look the same all year round. Maybe winter is the time to focus on smaller, more manageable goals. Maybe going to the gym four or five times a week is just not on the cards anymore. Maybe going two to three times a week is better and incorporating some maybe Pilates or some yoga or more of that into your week rather than the other.
You know, I like to run, I like to run outside, but as it's getting colder, I'm like, I don't want to run outside. So is it, I go for a 20 minute run at the gym, you know, things like that, that is just going to help you to transition into this next phase, this next season. So maybe revisit your intentions, your goals, make them more achievable during the season. So.
As I said, switch up maybe the high intensity for some more gentle movement, or maybe just get out in nature, wrap up warm, know, hats, scarf, a big coat, and just go and enjoy the autumn that we're in now and the changes of the colors and the leaves. And it's so beautiful. So enjoy that now while you can. And just adjust your expectations of how you honor your body's natural rhythms.
You know, this is going to help you to be consistent and it's going to help you to feel supported as well. And maybe think about habits that suit more of this time of year. So like more cozy vibes, like warm evening routines, journaling, reading, maybe finding someone who's doing an online yoga practice.
Holly Lamb (04:44.97)
in the mornings or the evenings so that you don't have to go out after work or go to the gym before work. Maybe you can find something online that's going to suit you because you're able to then get up and do it straight away. Or you can come home and do it from the comfort of your own home rather than having to go anywhere. Because sometimes once we've, you know, driven back from work and it's cold and it's dark, the last thing you want to do is then get your gym gear on and go out to a class or.
go out to the gym. So maybe finding something online that's gonna help support you.
Holly Lamb (05:28.236)
So creating these kind of little cozy rituals can help it.
Holly Lamb (05:37.196)
So creating these kind of cozy rituals can make it easier for you to stick with these habits. So for example, if you want to journal more, then maybe create a calming space with like warm blankets or if you've got a fire and some tea and some candles and just something really cozy that's gonna really nourish your soul and not just.
Holly Lamb (06:14.412)
You know, by embracing the comfort of this time of year and the coziness, it can make it easier to stay consistent with your routines, even if they are different from what you're used to doing. And it's a time to really prioritize rest and recovery. And as we know, we use our cycle to do this. We use our autumn and our winter to slow down and go inwards and our winter to prioritize rest and ourselves.
So this is what we can do in this time of the year as well. know, winter is a time for hibernation. It's a time to go inwards for rest, for recovery. And remember that good habits aren't just about productivity. They're also about nurturing your wellbeing as well. So building habits that promote rest, that you're getting enough sleep, you know, having a set bedtime and wake time.
making sure your evenings are relaxing. Cause I definitely find because it goes darker sooner that I may want to get into bed earlier or just wind down earlier. But if I'm going to bed at like nine o'clock, I'm probably up at six because that's just my natural rhythm. And yes, it might be dark when I wake up, but there are things you can do. You can have those, sunrise alarm clocks. If you're really struggling to get out of bed or just have a really good morning routine.
set up in order to help you get out of bed. And at this time, this winter time, taking the time to rest in these months can lead to more energy and motivation when spring arrives. And that's setting you up for success. Just like with our cycle, when we rest in winter and we honor our body, then when we start heading into our spring energy, we're able to embrace all of that and put ourselves out there again.
So it's no different with the seasons and our cycle.
Holly Lamb (08:18.076)
And in the mornings, you definitely want to be making the most of daylight because we need the daylight in the morning to reset our circadian rhythm. And it becomes like key to maintaining positive and healthy habits and a really good mindset. know, good morning routine. If you're getting up and it's still dark, then obviously you're not going to get the sunlight in your eyes straight away. But as it, as it starts to
starts to rise, get those curtains open, get your face in sunlight if there is sun or just the light into your eyes because that's going to help, like I said, to reset your circadian rhythm. And you could maybe do some stretching or bit of yoga or a quick 30 minute workout, journaling, maybe you're going to go for a walk as soon as the sun comes up.
something that's gonna help to bring a nice morning routine in for you if you don't have it already. And your morning routine may look slightly different from the one that you've been doing already. Maybe this one is a little bit slower and it does involve more stretching, more yoga, just more introspection and more being with yourself. Because even if the mornings are darker, building that morning ritual can set that positive tone.
for the day and that's gonna help you stay on track with your habits as well. But if you think, fuckin' hell, is hard, I'm really struggling. Like these dark mornings, these dark nights, like I don't know what to do, then, you know, finding somebody, I mean, obviously if you live with someone then that's great, you can do this together. Finding someone for accountability.
that shares your goals and you can keep each other motivated because it's really easy for us to just go, nah, I'm not going to bother. It's cold. Especially if you are going out to the gym and you definitely don't want to, then having that accountability partner is really going to help you stay on track and help them stay on track as well. And tracking your progress as well. So even like the small check-ins, if you're not working with a coach, can, you can do this yourself.
Holly Lamb (10:37.132)
tracking your progress, having a habit app or even like a Google doc that you can write your habits and you can just tick them off daily. And that's gonna bring you that sense of accomplishment and encourage consistency throughout these darker months, these colder months. And remember to celebrate yourself. Celebrate every little achievement. Acknowledge that it's okay to...
modify whatever is happening in your life, whether that's your exercise, your nutrition, and give yourself credit for staying committed, even if these things are looking different. Because we have to take that pressure off that we are gonna be doing the same thing every day, every week, every month, when the seasons are changing. That's not realistic, unless you live in a lovely warm country where it's...
nice most of the time, but if you live in the UK or somewhere where there are seasons, then it's completely normal that we would adapt our lifestyle and our routine to suit that season. know, animals go and hibernate. So why wouldn't we do some form of hibernation ourselves? So it may look different. It may feel different. You may feel different at this time of the month.
this time of the year and just know that it's okay. This is your permission slip. This is okay to feel this way and for things to look different. So maybe a few practical things might help as well for staying consistent in winter. like warming up before exercise. I mean, we should be doing that anyway, but definitely more of a warmup. So maybe you're doing another five minutes on the treadmill to warm up. You're doing some...
sets from your workout, really, really light weights just to warm your body up more because we can be more susceptible to pulling muscles and just not feeling great. So make sure you're super, super warmed up, especially if you're going to be running outside, then a really good warmup beforehand so that we're not going to pull anything in and ruin our bodies. And then things like prepping meals. So
Holly Lamb (13:00.098)
Sometimes when it's dark, like the last thing you want to do, you've been at work all day, you don't want to come home and then cook. Or if you're in your, a winter, I know this, try and prep or have things that are in the freezer or things that I don't really have to cook. I'm just kind of like warming up nutritious meals. So eating well becomes harder because we're going to reach for the carbs, the comfort food, things that are going to like fill us up.
So batch cooking and making things easy and as simple as possible so that you stay consistent. And batch cooking is great because I mean, I made a spaghetti bolognese the other day. It's done three meals and then there's still some in the freezer that'll probably do another two meals. So that's in there ready to go when I can't be asked to cook one of the days or if I'm in my inner winter, then I'm going to not want to cook.
I just want to lay down. then limiting screen time before bed because the dark nights make it more tempting for us to spend more time watching TV or scrolling. So this can affect your sleep as well. So reducing that screen time in the evening is going to help to make sure that you are properly rested and you're properly getting enough sleep.
because it is so easy when like you're home and it's like seven o'clock and it's, I mean, it's dark by five o'clock, but by seven and it feels like the nights are longer and then you're just there and you're scrolling or you're watching television and binging things, maybe that hour or two before bed, go to bed, up to bed and you take time to journal, to read, just more, like I said, more like cozy introspection things. So.
You know, as the dark nights draw in and winter approaches, it's about embracing the seasons natural rhythms. So adjust your goals, adjust your expectations and focus on creating that cozy supportive routine. That's going to really nourish you at this time of year and listen to your body and self-compassion here is absolute key. You know, staying consistent doesn't mean being
Holly Lamb (15:23.306)
really hard on yourself. It means working with your body and your mind as well in a way that feels really good for you. So with just like a few adjustments, this season can be a time of comfort, of self-care, of habit building in a different way, but it's still gonna be really supporting you in what you need. And if you ground,
into these habits, into the seasons energy, you're gonna find ways to make them feel nurturing rather than draining. So you are still able to maintain your routine and stay aligned through these colder months if you just tap into your body more and listen and give it what it needs. So I hope this has been helpful. As always.
please let me know what your biggest takeaways were and if you've got any questions and if you'd love some information on how to embrace this time of year and live cyclically in this time of year, then reach out to me because the cyclical power program would be perfect for you because you can.
learn to tap into the inner wisdom within your body and live cyclically and that's going to really help to embrace these colder months and for you to adjust to them. So if you'd like more information, there's details in the show notes or just reach out to me on Instagram, Hormone Harmony Coach and please subscribe to the pod because it helps me massively. And as always, thanks for joining and I will see you all next time.