Joanne Bolter
- Apr 27, 2022
- 2 min read

Food & exercise have always been a big part of my life…

I wasn’t expecting how big an impact my body could have on my approach to both of these!

As a kid I always loved food, even sandwiches and vegetables but I had my share of bumpy rides especially during my teen years with finding the balance of food, low self-esteem and over exercising. I cannot change my shape and I work with that now, whether with exercise or clothes.

But what I am really talking about is the love of great food whether home-cooked or eating out in restaurants. In my adult years I have always loved balance, regularly exercising three or more days per week alongside a mostly healthy diet including plenty of wholegrains and fruit/vegetables plus proteins at every meal with the occasional cake or biscuit.

As I approach 50, what, when and how much I eat has changed dramatically, even though my diet is considered pretty healthy, but I am still trying to find the perfect balance as life continues to evolve….even started an allergy friendly food business.

Seven years ago I was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease, been up & down with perimenopause for almost as long although was unaware and managed to tear two ligaments in my ankle during lockdown, all which really impacted my mental health bringing up anxiety much like when I was a teen and even the odd panic attack.

I worked hard at getting back to running, keeping fit and well. I do not deny myself any food (other than those I can’t physically eat) but I look at how I can nurture my body with food to get the best from it. As a keen runner I balance my meals so they are packed with veg, protein and carbs…my fave breakfast being cavolo nero (black kale) or broccoli tender stems with scrambled eggs and homemade buckwheat bread with butter.

Satisfaction is the key. If I fancy a slice of cake, I would eat it and really enjoy it then move on…invariably if you fancy the cake but squash your desire with an apple, which then becomes a handful of nuts and a rice cake with a banana but still dream of the cake what have you achieved? I am not saying I eat cake everyday but denying creates a craving so I work with it…

Feeling well is paramount so packing in the goodness and keeping fit gives me less rise to think about weight although with less focus and stress my trousers have become a little looser.

I urge everyone to take control positively and nurture you from the inside.

Jo x