Ask the expert: Nutrition that works with your life, not against it.

Most of us know roughly how we’re “meant” to eat.

And yet, somewhere between busy mornings, mid-afternoon slumps, family dinners, social plans and everything else life throws at us, nutrition can start to feel like just another thing we’re getting wrong.

There’s a lot of noise around food rules to follow, foods to avoid, trends to keep up with but not much that reflects how real life actually looks.

For many women, (definitely us too) eating well can slip from something supportive into something stressful, leaving us tired, frustrated, and quietly wondering why it feels so hard to get right.

That’s why this conversation matters. Because nutrition shouldn’t feel like a battle of willpower or perfection. It should support your energy, your mood and your day-to-day life - not work against it.

Our Expert

So for this edition of Ask the Expert, we sat down with Amy Emery, nutritional therapist and founder of Nutrition for Joy. Amy’s approach is grounded, practical and refreshingly realistic, focusing on how women can nourish themselves in a way that fits around real routines, real bodies and real lives.

We spoke to Amy about letting go of unrealistic expectations and making nutrition feel supportive and natural again - not another thing on the to-do list.

The Deep Dive

Let’s start simple (ish).

1. How much does nutrition really shape how we feel every day? And why do you think so many of us brush it off until we’re exhausted, low, or just surviving on caffeine?

Nutrition shapes far more than just our physical health, it influences our mood, energy, focus, sleep and how resilient we feel to stress day to day.

I often describe food as information for the body. What we eat, when we eat and how we eat sends signals to our brain, our hormones, our gut and our nervous system, shaping how supported or stretched we feel.

I think many of us brush this off because we’re busy. When life is full eating becomes practical, whatever is quickest, whatever keeps us going. We don’t always recognise that the way we’re eating is shaping how we feel, we just notice the tiredness, irritability or constant need for caffeine.

2. You focus on tiny habits rather than big, dramatic life overhauls. Why do the small things actually make the biggest difference?

Because the body responds to what we do most often not what we do occasionally. Big overhauls usually ask too much of people who are already stretched and that’s why they rarely stick.

Tiny habits work because they’re achievable on hard days. When something feels manageable, it gets done again and again and over time those small, repeatable actions compound and genuinely change how someone feels. It’s not about willpower, it’s about meeting yourself where you are and building from there.

3. If someone is reading this thinking, “I don’t even know where to begin”… what’s one tiny habit they could try this week that they’d actually feel?

Try taking three slow belly breaths before you eat.

It sounds simple but that brief pause gives the nervous system a chance to calm which can support digestion and help you feel more satisfied by your meal.

4. There’s so much ‘information’ out there, podcasts, TikToks, articles, everyone with a different opinion, not always backed by science. How do we find a way of eating that feels good without getting sucked into trends?

I hear this all the time, there is a lot of conflicting information out there. It is so hard to navigate and can feel very overwhelming.

I encourage people to step back from trends and come back to three simple questions: does this feel supportive, does it fit my real life and do I actually feel better when I do it? If something increases stress, guilt or rigidity around food, it’s rarely helpful no matter how popular it is.

And as a general rule, if something sounds too good to be true like a quick fix, a miracle food or a promise to solve everything, it usually is. A way of eating that truly supports you should feel grounding, flexible and sustainable.

5. The mid-afternoon slump is becoming a personality trait at this point for us.  What usually causes that dip, and what could help steady our energy?

That mid-afternoon dip is incredibly common and it’s not a personal failing. For many people it’s a sign they haven’t eaten enough and that something needs supporting rather than being ignored.

Eating a proper lunch, having something mid-afternoon before you’re completely drained, drinking enough water and taking a few minutes away from screens or outside if you can. Supporting energy earlier in the day usually reduces the slump far more than another coffee ever will.

6. Snacks. We love them. What makes a snack better?

I love snacks too! What matters is choosing ones that work for you, support your energy and leave you feeling satisfied rather than searching for the next thing.

A good rule of thumb is to think protein plus fat or fibre or a bit of both. That combination helps a snack actually sustain you rather than just giving a quick hit.

So things like apple and peanut butter, yoghurt with nuts or seeds, cheese and crackers, hummus and oatcakes, dates with nut butter or hard-boiled eggs with cherry tomatoes + pepper sticks. It doesn’t need to be perfectly balanced, just satisfying enough that you can get on with your day without immediately thinking about the next snack.

7. Hormones have a huge say in how we feel, particularly as women, are there any small, everyday tweaks that can help support hormone balance without feeling like a diet or a “plan”?

I think one of the most supportive things we can do for our hormones is move away from deprivation and diet culture altogether.

Instead of focusing on what to cut out, it’s often far more helpful to think about what you can add in. That might be protein at each meal, a bit more colour on your plate, more fibre or simply eating regularly. It doesn’t need to feel like a plan, just small, consistent ways of giving your body what it needs.

8. For women constantly juggling work, home, kids, life, invisible admin… what are three habits that don’t cost a fortune or require an extra hour in the day?

As a working mum who feels the weight of the juggle, I like to keep my selfcare pretty simple.

Three things I try to do most days that don’t add pressure are getting some natural light within the first 20 minutes of the day, staying hydrated and being mindful of screen time. I’ll often just step outside and sip my first glass of water on the back step; this helps set your body clock and can support your energy and mood. Hydration is often overlooked but it can have a big impact on things like focus, fatigue and headaches. And even small breaks from screens, particularly in the evening can help the nervous system wind down and support better sleep. I’ve found setting timers on my phone really helpful and more recently I’ve set my phone to greyscale which reduces stimulation and mindless scrolling.

9. What’s one thing you wish every woman understood about food, their body, or the pressure to “get it right”?

That you really are doing your best even on the days it doesn’t feel like it.

So many women assume they need more discipline or a better plan when often what’s missing is kindness towards themselves. That’s why I centre my work around the idea of joy, not perfection.

Start where you are, see what shifts and let it build from there.

10. The Monday-morning-reset cycle seems to be ingrained in us. How can we break out of the all-or-nothing pattern and find something that sticks?

A lot of all-or-nothing thinking comes from setting ourselves up with expectations that real life can’t sustain.

Big resets feel motivating in the moment but they often rely on willpower and high energy and both are limited resources when we’re busy and stressed.

From a nervous system and behaviour-change point of view, progress sticks when it feels achievable and safe not when it feels demanding. Motivation isn’t something we have or don’t have, it’s something that builds after we take small, doable actions and feel the benefit of them.

Rather than constantly starting over, it can help to focus on staying connected to yourself and tuning in to what you need in the moment.

11. Our bodies tend to whisper before they shout. What are some early signs that our nutrition might need a bit more attention?

If you’re constantly tired (even when you think you’ve slept well), dealing with bloating or digestive discomfort, struggling with PMS, feeling foggy, anxious, irritable or snapping at people you care about, these are all signs. And the important thing to remember is, these are not flaws, they are your body asking you for more support.

12. And for anyone reading this thinking, “I actually need some proper support with this…” what do you usually help clients with, and what might working with you look like?

I usually work with women who feel exhausted, overwhelmed or stuck in a cycle of stress and anxiety that never quite seems to ease. Many are dealing with low energy, unpredictable moods, PMS that affects daily life or a sense that they want to feel better but just don’t know where to start.

Working with me is about personalised, realistic support. We look at food, habits and mindset together with a strong focus on calming the nervous system and helping you feel more like yourself again. There’s no rigid plan or one size fits all approach, just steady, compassionate support and small changes that fit into real life. The aim is to build something that supports you, even when life feels full.

For even more

If you would love to more know or if you feel overwhelmed just reading this, Amy will be there to help and advise, her packages range from £95 for a Mini Joy Review through to her longer term 1:1 programmes. Visit her website for more information.

She’d love to hear from you so please reach out via email at amy@nutritionforjoy.co.uk or Instragam @nutrition_for_joy