If you’ve ever felt “all in” Monday and “off the rails” by Friday, this one’s for you. Leanne and Susie unpack why behaviour change feels hard — and a practical self-coaching framework that actually survives busy seasons, social weekends, and end-of-year chaos.

What’s inside:
Self-coaching that works: accept that hard is normal, aim for small wins over perfection, and laser in on controllables (planning, portions, swaps, timing).


New research spotlight: how improving diet quality can reduce chronic musculoskeletal pain — benefits that aren’t explained by weight loss alone, from a UniSA study of 104 adults on a 3-month program. We cover the promise and the caveats. 


Product review: Nice & Natural Protein Whole Seed Bars (seed-led, ~20% protein via soy crisps; sunflower and pumpkin seeds up front). Where they fit, when to use them, and our stance on additives vs real-world convenience. 


Listener Q — “Fakeaway” weekend ideas: build-your-own burgers, taco/fajita boards, dumplings, deconstructed sushi bowls, thin-base pizzas, and portion-controlled desserts so you keep the fun, not the calorie hangover. Why the fakeaway trend is booming with cost-of-living pressures. 


Quick tip from the lab: lighter-calorie days and occasional fasts can nudge inflammatory markers in the right direction — what the evidence does and doesn’t say. 

If this episode helped, follow the show, tap 5⭐, and send to a friend who’s “starting again on Monday.” Questions or product requests? DM us on Instagram @the_nutrition_couch_podcast.

If you&rsquo;ve ever felt &ldquo;all in&rdquo; Monday and &ldquo;off the rails&rdquo; by Friday, this one&rsquo;s for you. Leanne and Susie unpack why behaviour change feels hard &mdash; and a practical self-coaching framework that actually survives busy seasons, social weekends, and end-of-year chaos.
What&rsquo;s inside:
<ul>
<li>Self-coaching that works: accept that hard is normal, aim for small wins over perfection, and laser in on controllables (planning, portions, swaps, timing).</li>
<li>
New research spotlight: how improving diet quality can reduce chronic musculoskeletal pain &mdash; benefits that aren&rsquo;t explained by weight loss alone, from a UniSA study of 104 adults on a 3-month program. We cover the promise and the caveats.&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
Product review: Nice &amp; Natural Protein Whole Seed Bars (seed-led, ~20% protein via soy crisps; sunflower and pumpkin seeds up front). Where they fit, when to use them, and our stance on additives vs real-world convenience.&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
Listener Q &mdash; &ldquo;Fakeaway&rdquo; weekend ideas: build-your-own burgers, taco/fajita boards, dumplings, deconstructed sushi bowls, thin-base pizzas, and portion-controlled desserts so you keep the fun, not the calorie hangover. Why the fakeaway trend is booming with cost-of-living pressures.&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
Quick tip from the lab: lighter-calorie days and occasional fasts can nudge inflammatory markers in the right direction &mdash; what the evidence does and doesn&rsquo;t say.&nbsp;
</li>
</ul>
If this episode helped, follow the show, tap 5⭐, and send to a friend who&rsquo;s &ldquo;starting again on Monday.&rdquo; Questions or product requests? DM us on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/the_nutrition_couch_podcast/">@the_nutrition_couch_podcast</a>.

Unlock your best health in just 30 minutes a week. Join the thousands of listeners who’ve transformed their lives with The Nutrition Couch, Australia’s top-ranked nutrition podcast. Each Wednesday at 6am AEST, dietitians Leanne Ward and Susie Burrell deliver powerful, bite-sized advice that’s easy to implement and designed to make healthy living simple and enjoyable.

Ready for a healthier you? Subscribe now and start your journey with actionable tips that fit seamlessly into your busy life. Don’t wait—your path to better health begins here with The Nutrition Couch.

Unlock your best health in just 30 minutes a week. Join the thousands of listeners who’ve transformed their lives with The Nutrition Couch, Australia’s top-ranked nutrition podcast. Each Wednesday at 6am AEST, dietitians Leanne Ward and Susie Burrell deliver powerful, bite-sized advice that’s easy to implement and designed to make healthy living simple and enjoyable.
Ready for a healthier you? Subscribe now and start your journey with actionable tips that fit seamlessly into your busy life. Don’t wait—your path to better health begins here with The Nutrition Couch.

The Nutrition Couch

Welcome to The Nutrition Couch, a weekly podcast from two of Australia’s leading dietitians & nutritionists, Susie Burrell & Leanne Ward. This is the first nutrition podcast that looks at weekly food & health trends. Every Sunday at 7am AEST, we will be uploading an episode that covers nutrition news, trending food products, case studies and we will also be answering our listener questions. Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode and follow us on social media @the_nutrition_couch_podcast to ask us questions & see our food product reviews.

Why change feels hard — and a self-coaching framework that sticks — plus new UniSA research linking better diet quality with less chronic pain, a review of Nice & Natural Protein Whole Seed Bars, and our best “fakeaway” weekend food swaps. Keywords: weight loss mindset, chronic pain diet, behaviour change, fakeaway meals, snack bar review.

Change That Sticks: Self-Coaching, Diet & Chronic Pain Relief

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/fa326977-3de5-4283-9b8b-af3500c58607/clips/113eb960-a029-43a7-a5f2-b36f00b43b13/transcript