What are the opening hours?

Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm Saturday 9am - 2pm 5:30pm - 6pm

Optimal with Dr Liz

Home
Australia
Brisbane, QLD
Optimal with Dr Liz

Optimal with Dr Liz

A bespoke, science-led retreat for midlife renewal.

Combining nutrition, movement, and meaningful travel - guided by science, soul, and strategy. 🌿

28/12/2025

Holiday schedules often mean late nights, travel and disrupted routines.
Energy can dip quickly.

Three simple resets:
☀️ Morning light - supports circadian rhythm
💧 Hydrate - heat, travel and alcohol drain energy
😴 Keep sleep timing consistent - our body clock likes rhythm

Studies show that even small shifts in light exposure and sleep timing improve energy and mood.
Enjoy the season - and protect your energy.

23/12/2025

Grazing tables are a holiday favourite - and small adjustments can make a big difference in how you feel.

Include:
🥕 Vegie sticks + dips
🫛 Hummus, baba ganoush
🍓 Berries + yoghurt
🧀 Cheese + nuts

Swap:
🍪 Pastries → fruit + dark chocolate
⚪ Crackers → wholegrain options
🥤 Sugary drinks → sparkling water with citrus

These choices support energy, gut health and satiety - without losing flavour or enjoyment.
Festive + nutritious can coexist beautifully.

21/12/2025

The holidays can challenge gut health - but they can also support it.

Add these to grazing tables:
🥗 Salads with leafy greens
🥒 Hummus, dips, veggie sticks, berries, kiwi fruit
🍓 Yoghurt + berries
🥬 Fermented foods and drinks (sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha)

A diverse microbiome is associated with better digestion, immune function and mood.

Food can be festive and gut-friendly at the same time.

18/12/2025

The goal isn’t to avoid alcohol…
It’s to feel good the next day.

A few helpful swaps:
🍋 Soda + lime + mint
🥒 Tonic + cucumber
🌸 Cold-brew herbal tea spritz
🥂 Non-alcoholic options like kombucha, mocktails and spritzers

Hydration matters more than we realise.
Many people find better sleep and energy with just 1-2 fewer drinks.
Small shifts, big impact.

17/12/2025

Healthy eating during the holidays isn’t about strict rules.
It’s about enjoyment with intention.

Try this framework:
🥗 Protein first - supports satiety and energy
🌈 Add colour - vegetables, salads, berries
🌾 Include fibre - slows glucose spikes and helps with good gut bacteria diversity
🎉 Plan your enjoyment – Christmas lunch then back on track or dessert or wine, not both every day during the hols

Evidence consistently shows that flexible, balanced eating leads to better outcomes than restrictive approaches.

Holidays are for connection, not guilt.
Healthy, not perfect.

12/12/2025

“You can enjoy your weekend without undoing your week 💃.”

It’s not about restriction,it’s about strategy.

➡️ Friday 5-min plan: book one active catch-up + choose your treat (dessert or wine).
➡️ 80/20 rule: Most meals aligned, one indulgence planned.
➡️ Reset Sunday: protein-rich dinner + hydration + sleep.

🧠 Science: setting if–then plans reduces lapses (Psych Bull, 2011).

👉 Your move: What’s one small shift that keeps your weekends aligned?

10/12/2025

Many adults over 45 report lower daytime energy.
Rather than simply “getting older,” research suggests several overlapping causes, changes in hormones, circadian rhythm, sleep quality, and nutrient intake.

Three areas make a measurable difference:
1️⃣ Balanced meals (protein + fibre + colour) helps to stabilise blood glucose.
2️⃣ Regular light activity supports circulation and alertness.
3️⃣ Sleep hygiene (consistent timing, reduced evening light exposure) improves recovery.

Energy comes from alignment, not intensity.

08/12/2025

You don’t need a full hour to move your body.
Try the “10x3 rule”: 10 minutes, 3 times a day.

Whether it’s a brisk walk, light stretch, or stair climb, micro-movement adds up.

Research shows even 2 minutes of light walking after meals improves blood sugar and energy.

It’s not always about intensity, it’s about consistency.

💡 Your body rewards what you repeat.

05/12/2025

“The best diet? It’s the one you can sustain - and actually enjoy ❤️.”

Forget extremes. The evidence points to whole-food, plant-predominant, protein-adequate eating. Food as found in nature

Mediterranean patterns → lower heart & diabetes risk (Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr, 2020).

Carnivore diets → although some may find these helpful in the short term (often because of cutting out processed and/or irritating foods) long term they lead to low fibre, microbiome shrinkage, and rising LDL-C.

Optimal Tip: Build around the 3 Ms:
🥗 Menu: plants first + quality protein (30g per main meal suits many)
🧠 Mindset: progress > perfection
🚶‍♀️ Movement: daily dose

Fibre = 25–35 g /day
Protein = 25–35 g / meal.

👉 Your move: What eating style helps you feel your best?

03/12/2025

From around age 40, the body’s ability to build and repair muscle (known as muscle protein synthesis) begins to decline.

Research shows that adults over 45 may need a higher protein intake to maintain muscle mass and metabolic health compared with younger adults. As we age, our muscles don’t respond as well so we need more protein to stay toned and strong. This appears to be due to a combination of anabolic resistance, inflammation, and less optimal digestion.

Balanced intake through the day supports this process:

🍳 Aim for 20–30 g of protein per meal (roughly a palm-sized portion).

🥛 Include diverse sources – eggs, fish, lean meat, legumes, tofu, dairy, or Greek yoghurt.

Evidence also links adequate protein to better satiety, blood sugar control, and bone health.

Small adjustments here can have long-term benefits for strength and vitality.

28/11/2025

“If veggies had an Olympics, broccoli and kale would both take gold 🥇.”

Both belong to the cruciferous family - famous for detox and defence.

Broccoli → rich in sulforaphane, supports your cells’ natural clean-up system.
Kale → packed with vitamin K1 + lutein for vascular and eye health.

Optimal Tip:
Aim for 2–3 cruciferous servings each week and then build to 1 serve a day if you can tolerate 🌱.
Remember 1 vegetable serve = 1 c raw or ½ cup cooked.

Drink plenty of water and increase gradually if you don’t regularly eat these powerhouses – it takes your gut microbiome a few days to weeks to adjust.

🧠 Science says: sulforaphane supports Nrf2-mediated antioxidant pathways (Proc Nutr Soc, 2015) – great for helping to neutralise the nasties.

👉 Your move: Which team are you on - or ? Or another cruciferous veggie like cauliflower?

26/11/2025

Severely restricting food intake can actually reduce resting metabolic rate.

Clinical studies show that the body adapts to prolonged calorie restriction by conserving energy, a process called adaptive thermogenesis.

For mature adults, the combination of reduced muscle mass and restrictive dieting can make fatigue and nutrient deficiencies more likely.

What works better:
✅ Moderate, sustainable calorie adjustments
✅ Adequate protein to preserve muscle
✅ Strength training and daily movement

Metabolism responds to nourishment, not deprivation. Small windows of fasting can work for some, but remember, we’re all individuals.

Always good to get an assessment and an appropriate tailored plan from a nutrition professional.

Address

Brisbane, QLD

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm
Saturday	9am - 2pm
	5:30pm - 6pm

Website

http://www.drliznutrition.com/optimal-retreats-dr-liz

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Optimal with Dr Liz posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.