PHF Nutrition Consultancy, Derby (2025)

12/11/2025

I’ve seen it again this week…

Coaches on social media preaching that eating carbs at night is going to stop fat loss, cause insulin resistance, or somehow make your metabolism collapse overnight.

And I can't put it any other way...

It's just complete bo****ks 🙄

This kind of misinformation winds me right up.

Because if some of these people spent half as much time learning basic physiology as they do filming TikToks...

We’d all be better off.

Let's talk some science...

Researchers looked at trained individuals following three diets:

1️⃣ No carbs after training

2️⃣ 40% of their carbs after training (low-GI)

3️⃣ 40% of their carbs after training (high-GI)

All diets had the same calories and macros.

The only difference was when those carbs were eaten.

After four weeks?

✅ No difference in fat loss

✅ No difference in lean mass

✅ No difference in performance

That’s because timing isn’t the issue...

Total intake is.

People who gain weight from “late-night eating” don’t do so because of the time on the clock.

They do it because those calories usually come from snacks, junk, and extras that tip them over their energy needs.

You could eat all your carbs before 5pm and still gain weight if your calories are too high.

Or you could eat your last meal at 9:30pm and lose fat perfectly fine if your nutrition is managed correctly.

Carbs don’t ruin fat loss.

They don’t block progress.

And they don’t magically turn into fat after dark.

No matter what the idiots in their skintight leggings are telling you while squatting provocatively in front of a well-positioned camera 🫣

Don't get me started ☝🏻

At PHF, we don’t do food fear or bro-science.

We do education, structure, and results that are not recycled internet myths.

So if you’ve been avoiding carbs at night thinking it’s the secret to fat loss.

Relax.

Focus on your calories, protein, movement, and consistency.

That’s what moves the needle.

And if you’re confused about carbs, calories, or timing and want clarity without the TikTok BS...

Drop me a DM.

I’ll show you how to get results without starving yourself 🤓

09/11/2025

Genes vs Lifestyle & Choices… 🧬

DM me the word “PHF” now for more information… 📝

06/11/2025

If you’ve been coached by me, you’ll already know how much I go on about this topic.

And it's for a good reason.

Sleep sits right up there with nutrition and training when it comes to overall health, focus, and appetite regulation.

When sleep’s off, everything’s off.

Your hunger hormones go rogue, your cravings spike, your focus tanks...

And fat loss becomes a much bigger grind than it needs to be.

That’s why sleep structure and sleep hygiene are non-negotiables here inside my consultancy.

We’re not just about fat loss, we’re about health, because health is what makes fat loss sustainable.

Now, let’s get into something that’s worth knowing.

A lot of people think that a drink before bed helps them “wind down” and sleep better.

And yes, alcohol can make you fall asleep faster...

But that’s where the benefits stop.

Research shows that even after just a couple of drinks, alcohol starts messing with your sleep architecture.

Meaning less deep, restorative sleep and a big hit to your REM sleep...

The part responsible for memory, cognitive function, and emotional regulation.

Basically, the more you drink, the less your body and brain recover.

And when REM sleep is disrupted, you’re not just tired...

You’re foggy, irritable, and craving half the contents of the fridge by midday 👀

Using alcohol as a “sleep aid” simply doesn’t work.

It might knock you out faster, but it destroys sleep quality...

And quality sleep is where recovery, focus, and fat loss are actually built.

Inside PHF, we’re big on real wellness strategies that really move the needle.

Not quick fixes that sound good but backfire hard.

And if you’re serious about improving how you feel, perform, and recover...

Getting your sleep right is one of the smartest moves you can make.

If you’ve got questions, drop me a message.

I’ll happily talk you through it 🙂

05/11/2025

We all know creatine’s been the gym staple for decades.

It’s one of the most researched supplements in the world for performance, recovery, and strength.

But there’s a growing body of research showing that creatine might not just help you lift heavier...

It might also help you think clearer.

Creatine isn’t only stored in your muscles.

It’s stored in your brain too, and it plays a key role in how your cells produce energy.

Not just for physical work, but for cognitive function as well.

In one study, a group of 100 individuals with clinical depression were given either 5g of creatine a day or a placebo, alongside therapy.

After 8 weeks, the creatine group showed a significantly greater reduction in depression scores compared to the placebo group.

Now, before anyone gets carried away...

It’s not a happiness pill.

But when we’re talking about something that’s low-cost, low-risk, and potentially high-reward...

It’s definitely something worth paying attention to.

It makes sense too...

Energy production in the brain is a huge part of mental and emotional wellbeing.

And when your brain is functioning better, you function better.

I talk to my clients a lot about creatine, and not just for training performance.

It’s the hidden gem in supplementation that benefits everyone.

Not just lifters chasing PBs.

It’s one of the most underrated tools out there.

We’re at a point where the science around creatine’s impact on the mind is starting to catch up to what we already know about its impact on the body.

And I’m fascinated by it.

If there’s even a small chance it boosts my mood and focus and helps me train harder?

That’s one scoop I’ll happily keep taking.

Remember this...

Science over coaches talking s**t with their tops off or their arse out, who have just watched a TikTok video, every single time.

Drop me a message if you have any questions 🙂

31/10/2025

Have you ever wondered why you can demolish half a pack of biscuits before the end of one episode of Netflix?

It’s not just because the show’s good.

It’s because your brain wasn’t paying attention.

When you eat while distracted, scrolling your phone, watching TV, answering emails...

Your brain doesn’t fully process the signals that tell you you’ve eaten enough.

You’d think hunger was purely about how much food you’ve had, right?

It’s not.

Hunger is psychological.

Your body doesn’t have a built-in calorie tracker that says, “Right, that’s 2,000 calories, we’re full now.”

If it did, we wouldn’t have an obesity problem.

Your brain estimates fullness based on a mix of cues.

Stomach pressure, portion size, how the food looks.

And even how many calories you think are in the meal.

But when your attention’s elsewhere?

Those signals don’t get through properly.

Your brain misses the memo...

And that means you don’t feel as satisfied, so you eat more.

Researchers reviewed 23 studies looking at what happens when people eat while watching TV.

Across the board, those who ate distracted ate significantly more.

Not just during that meal, but later in the day too.

It’s not even the meal you’re distracted during that causes the real problem...

It’s the one after.

Because your brain never “logged” the earlier meal, it doesn’t count it later.

So, you end up hungrier and eat more than you realise.

It’s small, subtle, but over time?

It adds up fast.

To help this?

Think a bit more mindfully when you're eating.

No phone.

No screens.

And no multitasking.

Just you, your plate, and a few minutes of focus.

You’ll eat less, feel fuller, and actually taste your food.

Which, if you ask me, sounds like a decent deal.

And yes, that includes scrolling TikTok between bites.

Put the fork down, enjoy, and be present in the moment.

You'll be amazed at how much this can help.

Drop me a message if you have any questions 🙂

30/10/2025

Why do people end up regaining the fat they lost?

It’s not hormones.

It’s not “metabolic damage.”

And it’s definitely not because your body is “broken.”

This is the part people don’t like to hear...

It's because they didn’t change their lifestyle.

A study has shown (again) that so-called “metabolic damage” isn’t real.

Even in extreme cases like bodybuilders, people with anorexia, even starvation scenarios...

The body doesn’t stay “damaged.”

It adapts.

And it recovers.

Because your body is built to survive.

Your body just wants normality.

It doesn't want chaos.

So if you go back to the same habits that caused weight gain in the first place...

Guess what happens?

You go back to the same result.

And that’s where so many people using tools like GLP-1s are walking a fine line.

If you don’t work on the behaviours behind your choices...

The moment the medication, diet, or “plan” stops doing the heavy lifting...

The weight comes back.

That’s not failure.

That’s just physics.

Here inside PHF, we talk a lot about sustainability.

Not because it sounds sexy.

But because it’s the only thing that works long term.

You can’t out-supplement or out-inject a lifestyle that doesn’t serve you.

(Let's park the subject of morbid obesity here for a second)

You can’t expect a quick-fix to rewrite years of learned habits.

And you can’t call it “metabolic damage” just because you’ve fallen back into old patterns.

You’re not broken.

You just haven’t rebuilt properly yet.

So stop chasing hacks, hormones, or whatever new trend the internet’s selling this week.

And start working on the real stuff.

Like your environment, your behaviours, your daily decisions.

That’s where the magic happens.

That’s where fat loss stops being temporary and starts becoming who you are.

A tough pill to swallow for some.

But if your coach or favourite "hormone healer" is talking to you about cortisol levels and not drinking coffee...

In place of the real stuff that actually moves the needle of sustainable fat loss...

You're being blagged.

If you want a real conversation about fat loss...

You know where I am 🫡

29/10/2025

Let’s talk about what really happens inside the PHF Nutrition Consultancy.

Because on the surface, sure...

It looks like we do nutrition and fat loss.

And we absolutely do.

But that’s only the starting point.

The real work?

That happens when we start changing how people think and feel about food.

I had a check-in call yesterday with one of the girls who has recently joined the consultancy.

She’s been through years of restrictive diets.

Constantly trying to be “good,” then ending up feeling like a failure when things didn’t go perfectly.

Those cycles of restricting, overeating, and guilt…

They take a toll.

But inside PHF, that’s exactly the kind of work we do.

We strip all that noise away.

We look at what’s actually happening in their real life...

Not just on paper.

This client’s had a few “bigger than expected” days recently...

(We don’t call them bad days here)

And instead of spiralling into guilt like before...

We’ve used those moments as feedback.

We've built strategies.

Added tools to her toolbox, and reframed the entire way she looks at food and progress.

Now she’s not beating herself up for being human.

She’s learning how to handle life while still moving forward.

And that’s the difference.

We don’t just hand out calories and wave you off, hoping it all clicks.

We work in real life with real people...

With real structures that fit your world...

Not someone else’s highlight reel.

Because when you fix your relationship with food...

Your body starts to follow.

Fat loss becomes easier.

Confidence builds.

And the pressure finally lifts.

This client came to me for fat loss.

But what she will walk away with is freedom...

And that, to me, is where real coaching lives.

Not with all the fake daily affirmations and highlight reel recipes that coaches expect you to follow 🙄

That's not where the real work in nutrition is.

If this sounds like you...

If you’ve spent too long at war with food...

Then maybe it’s time you found a different way.

Drop me a message today.

Let’s talk 🙂

28/10/2025

I started digging into some research after a check-in call with a client yesterday.

We got onto the topic of caffeine.

How much, when to have it, and whether it actually helps performance…

So, naturally, I went down the rabbit hole.

And this study was too good not to share.

Apparently, your morning brew doesn’t just wake you up...

It can actually make you stronger.

Researchers had trained lifters perform bench presses and squats at 9am and 6pm with and without caffeine.

3mg/kg, roughly the equivalent of three Red Bulls.

Normally, people perform better in the afternoon or evening.

Thanks to natural biorhythms and higher body temperature later in the day.

But here’s where it gets interesting…

When caffeine was introduced, it completely flipped the script.

In the morning sessions, caffeine boosted strength, power, and endurance significantly.

Basically wiping out the usual performance disadvantage of early workouts.

Basically, caffeine literally reverses your body’s natural “I’m not awake yet” setting.

It fast-tracks your biorhythm, raises alertness, and fires up your performance engine earlier in the day.

So while social media might tell you caffeine “doesn’t work” in the morning because you’re not tired yet…

The data says otherwise.

Here is where it's at...

If you train early, caffeine is your best mate.

If you train later, it still helps...

Just maybe don’t double scoop pre-workout at 7pm unless you plan on counting ceiling tiles till 2am in the morning.

And for me?

Well, I train in the evenings…

But let’s be honest...

I was always going to find a study that justifies another coffee 😬👌🏻

Oh, and if any idiot coach tries to bang on about "cortisol" and how it's bad for fat loss...

Just ignore them...

They literally haven't got a clue.

And should stick to watching TikTok and recording their leg day sessions from thirsty iPhone camera angles 🙃

26/10/2025

Drop me a message now to find out more about what we do here or simply DM me the word “PHF” and I’ll take it from there 🙂

25/10/2025

It’s that time of year again.

The nights are darker, the weather’s colder, and motivation for a lot of people starts to slide.

But inside my consultancy, we’re still full steam ahead.

My clients and my team are pushing hard into Christmas...

And we’re still producing some unbelievable results every single week.

And this week, I received a message from one of my clients that really hit home for me.

This person has one of the most intense jobs you could imagine.

Their shift pattern alone would make most people throw the towel in before we even start.

But they took the plunge, trusted the process, and trusted me to coach them through it.

Now, they’re not only seeing the physical changes…

They’re feeling better about themselves.

That’s the real win here.

Yes, fat loss happens, that’s a given when you do things right.

But what I really care about is when clients tell me they’re more confident...

More comfortable in their own skin, and finally walking into rooms feeling like they belong there.

That’s what this is about.

And as a consultancy, we drive ridiculously high standards.

I’m constantly reviewing, challenging, and pushing our processes.

Because what we do here matters to me.

If you’ve ever been a fly on the wall during a PHF team meeting, you’ll know exactly what I mean.

Last Thursday’s meeting at Tim Hortons?

Heated debates, strong opinions, and, as usual...

Me being told by Sanj to get back in my box.

But that’s the thing...

We care.

We’re passionate.

And we argue because we give a damn.

We don’t settle for “good enough.”

So when feedback like this comes in, it makes me proud.

Because it shows that what we deliver is exactly what we say we do.

And it also keeps Sanj off my back for at least a day, which is a bonus 🙄

If you’re ready to turn the tide before the festive chaos kicks in and want to feel better, look better, and perform better...

Drop me a message.

Let’s talk about how we can make it happen before 2025 is out 🙂

24/10/2025

You’re not imagining it.

As the cold, wet, and dark nights roll in...

Moods dip, motivation drops, and suddenly even getting off the sofa feels like a full workout.

And it’s not just the weather.

It’s what the lack of sunlight does to your body.

Your body makes most of its vitamin D from sunlight, not food.

There’s very little of it naturally in what we eat.

And unless you’re living on a beach in the Bahamas...

Chances are your levels are dropping fast.

And that’s a problem.

Because Vitamin D plays a huge role in mood regulation.

It’s directly involved in serotonin production (that “feel-good” chemical)

A major meta-analysis of 31 studies found that vitamin D supplementation was effective in treating depression.

And even people who weren’t clinically depressed experienced mood improvements.

The effect was even stronger in women.

Why?

Because Vitamin D helps reduce inflammation in the brain.

It supports neurotransmitter function, and essentially keeps your mental and physical energy systems firing.

And here’s the important bit...

Even in summer, most people in the UK are deficient, because we simply don’t get enough strong sunlight.

Even outdoor athletes struggle.

That’s why, inside my coaching, Vitamin D supplementation is something I hammer home.

Especially at this time of year.

It’s one of the simplest, cheapest, and most effective ways to protect your mood, immune system, and long-term health.

Now, before you start throwing back handfuls of tablets like Smarties...

The right dosage is individual.

It depends on your skin tone, environment, and how much sunlight you actually get.

But it’s safe to say that the current “recommended” doses are way too low for most people.

So as we slide into the darker months, don’t just look after your training and nutrition...

Look after your light levels too.

Get outside when you can.

Consider supplementing.

And keep your energy high.

Because winter doesn’t have to feel flat.

Even as these cold and dark nights start to roll in 🥶

Drop me a DM if you have any questions.

23/10/2025

If you’ve been following me lately...

You’ll know I’ve been on a bit of a sweetener streak...

And for good reason.

Everywhere you look, some influencer or coach is claiming sweeteners “ruin your gut,” “mess up your hormones,” or “stop fat loss.”

Apparently, one can of Diet Coke is now responsible for everything from bloating to the downfall of civilisation 🙄

But most of them haven’t got a clue what they’re talking about.

Gut microbiota is a complex science.

Not something you can learn from a two-minute online exam or a few “gut reset” reels.

But that hasn’t stopped the self-proclaimed experts from trying.

Let’s get to the real science...

A large EU-funded study tracked 225 overweight people across four countries for a year.

Half avoided sweeteners completely.

The other half used them freely to replace sugary foods and drinks.

Here’s what actually happened...

✅ The sweetener group lost more body fat and kept it off

✅ They had better gut health with more bacteria producing short-chain fatty acids

✅ Improved cholesterol levels at six months

✅ And absolutely zero negative effects on glucose or metabolism.

The researchers concluded:

“Prolonged consumption of sweeteners in a healthy diet is a safe strategy for obesity management.”

So, you can relax...

Your Coke Zero isn’t destroying your gut.

Sweeteners, when used within a balanced diet, can actually help people manage their weight long-term.

So next time someone online starts fear-mongering over Diet Coke, remember this...

Science > social media.

Every single time.

No matter how good they look in a pair of skin-tight leggings or muscle tee 🫠

Stay smart, stay balanced, and don’t fall for the noise.

PHF Nutrition Consultancy...

Where science meets common sense (and a bit of sarcasm 😬)

Drop me a DM if you have any questions.

PHF Nutrition Consultancy

12/11/2025

09/11/2025

06/11/2025

05/11/2025

31/10/2025

30/10/2025

29/10/2025

28/10/2025

26/10/2025

25/10/2025

24/10/2025

23/10/2025

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