Sinead MacCana

27/01/2026

What happens when the line between health & addiction becomes blurred?

An uncomfortable subject for some - me included - perhaps it might make you angry, feisty, defensive - I get it. I was the same too.

Despite the emotions - it’s important to have.
Without awareness, we can’t change. And eating disorders (which Orthorexia is a part of) have the highest mortality rate of mental illness.

It’s tricky to navigate when someone’s hobby/love/passion then dips into their only lifeline; but this doesn’t mean it should be ignored.

With the right conversations, awareness, education & support -> we can all have an impact on turning someone’s life around.

Because a starved life, is not a life well-lived.

This post isn’t shaming hard training or a focus on healthy food. It’s bringing awareness to the darker sign of health & fitness communities, & an invited to reflect on your own relationship.

Disordered eating in nuanced; everyone’s experience is different & within competing, endurance sports, body building… there’s common behaviours that could overlap with ‘disordered’ behaviours.

At the end of the day - if you have no end insight on your current diet/behaviour patterns, if your self worth is centred solely on your rigidity, if it causes you to self isolate, restrict further & become inflexible… then this is where I would urge you to speak up, seek help.

There’s SO much more to life than exercise & diet, & our health is meant to GIVE to us, not take away or keep us hidden. ❤️

23/01/2026

Yes. You can take a break, enjoy rest, sleep in without having the background noise of ‘how many calories have I eaten?’, ‘what’s my step count?’, ‘maybe I could make up for this by XYZ’

In my most recent trip to Canada, I had so many low activity days. I’m talking SLOW mornings. 300 steps by midday. Lots of couch time & cuddles with kids. Exercise was family walks, a few gym sessions here & there & snowy slow hogs.

Me 5 years ago? 2 years ago even? No way.
I would’ve worked out in my room or woken up at 4am to get to the gym before the house wakes up.
I would’ve controlled my calories as much as possible. High protein only. Minimal portions of family deserts & shared meals.

And I would’ve been secretly jealous the whole time of everyone else, who could seem to just ENJOY the time. Embrace it. Just BE.

“I’m just dedicated, disciplined, health focused”
I would tell myself.

But is it healthy if it consumes your entire mind?
If it means no period? Constant anxiety? No ability to adapt? A breakdown if you can’t go for a walk or track every single meal?

Don’t forget, athlete have off seasons & I hate to break it to you… but your fitness levels most likely aren’t your career, & nothing ruins progress like a broken bone or heart attack (which is high in over-training & under eating individuals)

If you relate to this, asked yourself.
What do you want to be described as on your deathbed? (Dramatic, but it does hone the point home)

“Sinead was such a dedicated, disciplined everyday average athlete”

Or “Sinead was so loving, fun, creative to a fault, had a hilarious laugh & was a little too sensitive, but wouldn’t give up & new how to make people feel included & supported. Empathic, honest & always willing to make a yoghurt bowl”

Yes. Health is important. But if your ‘dedication’ with exercise or nutrition is the DETERMINANT of your mental health, your gut is ruined, you have no period or s*x drive, anxiety is through the roof…

Perhaps ita time for an evaluation of your relationship with fitness.

Need support? I’m here. I get it. I understand. You don’t have to do this alone ❤️🫶 Dm ‘coaching’ to learn more.

18/01/2026

❤️ one for the active girls, because I wish I knew this, (like REALLY knew this to the point I took it seriously & didn’t think my body was immune to prolonged stress response)

The reason why I’m talking about my experience with a missing period & an almost obsessive like relationship with exercise - is because I’ve been there, & I see it daily & whilst you’re in it… it’s hard to get out, & nicer to ignore.

You’ll worry about your missing period later - babies aren’t front of mind & tbh it’s kind of convenient - right?

Your sleep problems are just WHO YOU ARE.

Your anxiety & cycles of mood swings? You’re just a sensitive person.

Your gut issues? Probably because you’re not eating clean enough. Blame gluten. Blame a parasite. Blame everything but over-consuming low calories, high volume.

It’s nice to ignore. Until it isn’t. Until you see how much it’s disrupting your life, your health, your relationships & your sense of self.

I’ve been there. I’ve fallen in & out. I get it.
& I’m here; whether that’s to help or just listen.

And you can still train hard, you can still be strong, you can still run, lift, sweat -> you just don’t have to do it to the brink of exhaustion, or because you feel forced, or because you’ll feel purposeless without it.

My DM’s are always open 🫶

12/01/2026

Shocked? I was too.
Last month, when I got my period again (after years of irregular periods) I was so happy! Then, after getting two ultra sounds at different times of my period, the results came that I was not ovulating, despite ‘having a period’.

And I was devastated.

I felt angry that my hard work is yet to be paid off;
I felt disappointed that so many woman didn’t know what I was learning about my body;
I felt broken for not still not being ‘fertile’;
I felt a little relief for more understanding on the symptoms of anxiety that I was feeling (low progesterone? Low ability to regulate emotions !)

The good news?
With the right data, information, support team, patience - there’s solutions to a missing period and/or missing ovulation & I am so much closer to optimal health than I was a year ago.

2026 is my year for achieving optimal health, not just ‘fitness’ and I’m taking you all along with me!

If you’re looking for a coach that understands your NEED to exercise but the deep desire to be able to rest without the mental battle, no more gut issues & more stable emotions - I’m here.

Because we ALL deserve health for LIFE & to feel confident in our body at all stages.

09/01/2026

CANADA ROUND 2 DONE! If the idea of a holiday gives you ANXIETY because you CANNOT REST OR RISK RUINING YOUR PROGRAM!!! Read on ❤️👀

This trip was so different in so many ways compared to the last, but the biggest was the mental shift with movement & slowing down.

The first time I came to Canada, I was under a lot of pressure workwise & at the very start of ultra-training. I used running to cope with the stress of work, & I used the excuse of ultra training to be very forceful with my run program. We didn’t go to many gyms, so running was my main source of movement & I think I ran every day on the holiday 😂

You could call it committed, or you could call it rigid.
This trip, I’d like to think I have matured emotionally as a runner (and a woman) & was able to slow down, sleep in & spend valuable time with family without constant head noise in the background of ‘OMG my step count isn’t at 10k’

Those thoughts did pop up, but were easily manageable with a dose of reality & a walk outside and/or cuddle!

Id tell myself “Sinead, you won’t be here forever”

A lot of woman struggle with resting.
A lot of woman struggle with adapting the plan (despite the plan slowly ruining gut health, bone health, mental health & fertility)
A lot of women think the head noise & feelings of never-enough won’t quieten.
A lot of women come to me because they want to stop thinking it’s impossible to rest, or have a sub 10k step count day without having a total meltdown.

I’m here to tell you they will.They’ll become more manageable. You’ll be able to zoom out. You’ll be able to be okay with eating 3 meals without a run between any. You’ll be able to accept & respect the moments of rest. You’ll be able to make memories that won’t be ruined by calculating calories, mileage or steps.

It won’t happen overnight, but it will happen.
It just takes dedicated, & delicate action.

For a coach that understands how important movement is to you & can teach you how to train without sacrifice be - DM ‘COACHING’ ✨

I’d love to help you have the strength you deserve, without the battle that comes with it. ❤️

02/01/2026

What I’m leaving behind in 2025 in no particular order of importance 💃👋🏻👋🏻

1. Over-prioritising mileage (👀👀 I know I’m not the only one who does this and ends up stressed out and burned out)

2. Scrolling between sets 🚫📵 NO MORE! A huge time waster & takes my mind away from my workout & prioritise work

3. Not countering my macros & micros - controversial perhaps in a time where everyone is going to intuitive eating or only eating steak 🥩 but I’m motivated to fix my gut health, optimise my nutrient intake to support my strength & hormones

4. Skipping rest days. Ugh. Bali life and makes this TRICKY! But not only can I do it, I have to do it in order for my goals of gut health, fertility and building lean muscle mass.

5. Taking personal offence when I don’t train well 🥲 toughen up sis. It’s not personal. Move on - there’s more to life than fitness.

6. Overusing caffeine ☕️ I love my a little too much. I’m starting this year with a 12 day coffee detox & will implement mini detoxes each month. I’m currently day 2. Yes thank you, I’m also very proud of me.

This is what I am leaving behind, what about you?! Share below!

02/01/2026

28/12/2025

Is it really a dedication to your health if you can’t adapt? 👀 Are you really committed if the moment you stop, you self criticise & downward spiral 👀

I get it. Your lack of consistency right now may FEEL big & frustrating…

The comparison of the you & the habits you held last month this vs this month keeping interrupting your thoughts…

The fatigue & ‘puffy’ feeling from food outside your normal diet…

The slower days & morning when you’re used to getting up & GO GO GO-ing…

Your inner critic will tell you that you’re just not prioritising your health enough.

You’ll compare your self to the fitness influencers online who have their own gym or a business based around fitness to publicly portray.

But what I’d like to tell you is that it’s a part of the time period: these are the memories made we’ll look back on & date fondly.

And wouldn’t it be tragically sad, at 80 years old, you find yourself regretting all the moments you isolated yourself & restricted yourself because you prioritised perfection & dedication masked as ‘health’ over a slow morning with your parents, or baby-sitting your cousin, eating one last roast made by Grandma & taste testing your nieces cookies.

It’s okay if right now feels uncomfortable; it’s not forever (& that’s the good & sad thing.

Don’t let your inner critic ruin your future stories to share ✨🫶

Need support? DM ‘coaching’ to work together to learn how you can become a women who doesn’t have to sacrifice health & enjoyment for lifelong strength & fitness.