Emma Harrison Strength & Fitness Coach

❤️ I’ve had two days off training whilst we celebrated my husbands 50th

Ate more than usual
Didn’t hit my protein targets

And you know what? I’m not spiraling about it

I’m choosing to see it differently, that food wasn’t off plan. It was fuel. It was energy. It was recovery. It was my body getting what it needed

This morning’s HIIT sessions? Powered 🔥
Strong. Sweaty. Grateful!

Progress isn’t about perfection. It’s about consistency over time. Two days don’t undo the work. If anything, they’ve filled the tank.

Let’s go 💪🏼

Calories aren’t on my radar today 🙂

❤️ Two years between these photos

Same me, but two years older

The only real changes?

• I cut out about 98% of alcohol 🍸
• I added HIIT workouts 🏃🏽‍♀️

To make that work, I actually reduced how much strength training I was doing each week from 5 days to around 3 days

That’s it!

No extreme diet
No magic program
No starting over

What changed most wasn’t just my body, it was inflammation, recovery, sleep, and consistency

❤️ Less alcohol meant:
– Less puffiness around my face
– Better sleep
– Better recovery
– More stable energy
– A clearer head

💪🏼 Adding HIIT improved my conditioning and helped shift body composition (less fat, more muscle) even though I was technically lifting less

It’s easy to think we need to do more, when sometimes the answer is actually doing less of the thing that’s quietly holding you back 🍷😏

This wasn’t about shrinking myself.
It was about feeling stronger, clearer, and more in control of my choices

Whatever mood I’m in…gym always makes it better 💯

❤️ Roses are red
❤️ My biceps are swell
❤️ The love of my life
❤️ Is this shiny dumbbell

❤️ STRENGTH TRAINING IS HARD…BUT WEAKNESS IS HARDER ❤️

Strength training isn’t the enemy…inactivity is!

It’s hard to walk into the gym when you’re tired.
Hard to add one more kg when your brain is begging you not to.
Hard to sit with the discomfort of shaking muscles and slow progress.
Hard to be a beginner. Hard to fail reps. Hard to be sore

🤨 But being weak is harder

It’s harder to throw out your back picking up a laundry basket.
Harder to feel winded carrying groceries.
Harder to say “I can’t” when your kids or grandkids ask you to play.
Harder to watch your confidence shrink as your body does 😔

Training asks you for effort now
Weakness charges you interest later

Strength training is a chosen discomfort
Weakness is an unchosen limitation

One builds resilience
The other builds regret

You don’t lift weights because it’s easy.
You lift because future you deserves a body that can carry you through life, literally and emotionally

Strong doesn’t mean perfect
It means capable 💪🏼

Strength is earned
But so is weakness

Choose your hard 👊🏼

❤️ Day off, no rushing and no time curfews

Back and biceps in the gym, feeling strong. Spa after to unwind. Protein shake in the café with nowhere else to be

Today is simple, powerful, and completely mine ❤️

The perfect day ❤️

❤️ Over the past few weeks I’ve put on a couple of pounds.

Old me would have spiralled.
This version of me? Not even slightly bothered!

Have I been as consistent with my diet as usual? No 😬
Have I still hit my protein and kept up my strength training? Yes 💪🏼

And here’s the thing…when you’re lifting weights and fueling your body properly, a small calorie surplus isn’t a disaster. It’s fuel. It’s growth

I’ve used it to my advantage 💪🏼 Some of the weights I’m lifting in the gym have gone up over the past few weeks. That doesn’t happen by accident. Being in a slight calorie surplus has supported that, better recovery, more energy, and more power in my sessions 👊🏼

Food is not the enemy. Food is fuel

Because I’ve continued to train hard, those extra calories haven’t just turned into fat. They’ve supported performance. Recovery. Muscle. Strength.

And after so many years of training and learning my body, I also know this: a couple of weeks back on my usual consistent, balanced diet and I’ll be right back to where I was. No drama. No extremes. Just consistency

Weight fluctuates. That’s normal.
Your goals dictate your focus

Are you dieting for a holiday? 👙
Are you building muscle? 💪🏼
Are you maintaining and getting stronger? ❤️

Different goals require different approaches

Strength training gives you flexibility. It means you don’t have to live in a constant calorie deficit or obsess over every single number. You can eat, train, recover, and trust the process

So yes, the scale is up slightly.
But so are my lifts.
So is my strength.
So is my confidence.

And that’s a win 🥇

❤️ MY FAVOURITE POST WORKOUT MEAL ❤️

This is an excellent post workout meal because it hits all the recovery basics without being heavy

The eggs provide high quality protein to support muscle repair and satiety. The sourdough bread offers easily digestible carbs to help replenish glycogen and restore energy. A little butter adds fat for flavor and helps slow digestion just enough to keep blood sugar steady. The tomato brings hydration, antioxidants, and micronutrients that support recovery and overall health

Simple, balanced, and nourishing, exactly what your body needs after training 💪🥚🍞🍅

🔢 Total for the meal (approximate)
• Calories: ~385 kcal
• Protein: ~23 g
• Fat: ~20 g
• Carbs: ~29 g

❤️ BAD KNEES ❤️

If you’ve ever said “I can’t do that, I have bad knees,” you’re not alone. Knee pain is incredibly common and it can be frustrating, scary, and limiting. But the good news is that for many people, strength training is one of the best things you can do for your knees, not something to avoid

Knees often get blamed, but the knee joint itself is mostly a hinge. It relies heavily on the muscles around it for support. When those muscles are weak or not firing well, the knee takes more stress than it should and that’s when pain shows up

❤️ WHY STRENGTH TRAINING HELPS KNEES

Strong muscles act like shock absorbers and stabilizers for your knees. When you build strength in the right areas, you can:
🔥 Reduce stress on the knee joint
🔥 Improve alignment and tracking of the kneecap
🔥 Increase stability and balance
🔥 Make everyday movements like walking up stairs, getting up from a chair and walking feel easier and safer

❤️ KEY MUSCLES TO FOCUS ON

👍🏼 Quads
👍🏼 Hamstrings
👍🏼 Glutes
👍🏼 Calves
👍🏼 Hip stabalisers

❤️ KNEE FRIENDLY EXERCISES

Start with controlled, pain-free movements like:

• Sit-to-stands or box squats
• Step-ups (low height at first)
• Glute bridges
• Hamstring curls
• Wall sits
• Straight leg raises
• Band-assisted knee extensions
• Calf raises

In other words: stronger muscles = happier knees

Bad knees usually don’t need less movement, they need better support. Strength training, done smartly, can help you move with less pain and more confidence