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Lifespark Nutrition At Lifespark Nutrition we create tailored nutrition plans to meet your goals and lifestyle. We create a holistic coaching programs to get you the best results.

Lifespark Nutrition provides tailored nutrition plans to those wanting nutritional advice based on their lifestyle.

07/10/2026

Is cortisol making it harder to lose belly fat? 🤔

During the menopause transition, changes in hormones can influence where we store fat, with a tendency towards more abdominal and visceral fat.

But there’s another piece of the puzzle we need to talk about…

🧠 CORTISOL + RESTRICTIVE DIETING

Cortisol is one of our essential stress hormones. We need it — it helps regulate energy, blood glucose, blood pressure and our response to stress.

But chronic stress and severe dietary restriction can activate the body's stress-response system.

This doesn't mean that:

❌ “Cortisol automatically makes you gain belly fat.”
Or that:
❌ You should never reduce calories if you want to lose weight.

Rather, it means your body doesn't necessarily respond better to “eat as little as possible.”

And this is something I see so often with women in their 40s and 50s…

➡️ Skip breakfast
➡️ Eat very little during the day
➡️ Try to survive on salads
➡️ Exercise harder because the scales aren't moving
➡️ Feel exhausted and hungry, get moody
➡️ Eventually reach for the biscuits, chocolate or w**e
➡️ Feel guilty… maybe eat abit more and start restricting again Monday!

That cycle is exhausting — physically AND mentally.

So what can you do instead?

🌿 Eat enough
Aim for a sustainable calorie deficit if weight loss is your goal — rather than an extreme one.

🥚 Prioritise protein
Include a good protein source at each meal to support muscle and satiety.

🥦 Load up on vegetables and fibre

🥑 Don't be afraid of healthy fats

🍠 Don't automatically fear quality carbohydrates

🏋️‍♀️ Keep strength training consistently and try Move regularly

😴 Prioritise sleep
🧘‍♀️ Give your nervous system some breathing space. Stress management isn't about being perfectly calm all day. Even short periods of relaxation, breathing, walking outside can be helpful.
Perimenopause isn't the time to see how little food you can survive on.
If weight loss is your goal, aim for a sustainable approach that nourishes your body while creating a modest calorie deficit — rather than constantly cutting more and more food.

Who fee

04/10/2026

The Naked Kitchen eat.well. bowls are a product I can recommend for as a good back up for a quick light meal or use it as a base to add more to it. For example you can add extra protein to it like tofu, chickpeas, cottage cheese, chicken etc.

All of the flavours are fairly similar, some are lower in sodium than others, but fairly consistent. And per 100g still meets NZ guidelines of less 400mg sodium per 100g. Just remember to keep water intake up.

Im not a fan of heating anything in plastic, so best to pop in a glass or ceramic bowl first.

Have you tried these?
Do you think having a premade meal would be helpful for some days?
Drop me a comment. :)

01/10/2026

This was gobbled down by everyone!
The great thing is you can make it in minutes and you dont have to bake anything, just needs a little time in the fridge.
Compared to the standard Ricies and marshmallow slice, we use coconut oil, peanut butter and honey to set it.
Its much higher in fiber, protein, B vitamins and healthy fats than the standard option. You can be abit creative but here is the recipe.

High Fiber Ricies Slice

2 cups Ricies
1/3 to 1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup softened coconut oil
1/4 cup honey
3Tb chia seeds
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup desiccated coconut
2Tb cocoa powder

Add all dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Melt in a small pan on low heat the honey, peanut butter and coconut oil and mix together. Add in the cocoa powder and mix well.
Mix through wet ingredients into dry ingredients and make sure well covered.
Dollop into muffin holders or press into a slice tray lined w plastic wrap and place in fridge for 20mins or freezer until set. Sprinkle over sprinkles or freeze dried berries or dark chocolate.
Once set, tip out of container and cut into 3cm squares.
Enjoy!
Let me know if your family loves it as much as mine!

30/09/2026

DID YOU KNOW YOUR BODY HAS NUTRIENT SENSORS?

Your body isn't just counting calories when you eat…

Your cells are constantly “checking in” on what nutrients are available.

Think of it like an internal communication system.

When nutrients arrive, different cells and tissues can sense things like:

🥚 Amino acids from protein
🥑 Fatty acids from fats
🥦 Glucose and other carbohydrates
🌱 Fibre and plant compounds
⚡ Overall energy availability

These signals help your body regulate things like appetite, insulin, energy production, metabolism and whether the body is in more of a “build” or “conserve” state.

And this is one reason I don't believe nutrition should simply be about “eat less and exercise more.”

Food is information as well as energy. 🧠

For women in perimenopause, this becomes particularly interesting because supporting your body with enough protein, fibre, colourful vegetables, healthy fats and nutrient-dense foods can help support satiety, muscle maintenance, blood-glucose regulation and overall nutritional adequacy.

So rather than asking:

❌ “How few calories can I eat?”

Try asking:

✅ “What nutrients can I give my body today?”

Because your body is listening to what you eat. 💚

Nutrition is more than calories — it's communication.

𝗞𝗮𝗹𝗲 &𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗱
2-3 cups of kale, removed from stalk
1Tb olive oil
50g feta cheese
Juice of a lime
Handful of walnuts
1 apple finely sliced or chopped.

Massage kale really well with the olive oil (kale is quite tough but a nice change to spinach and also low in oxalates compared to spinach, which is better for osteoporosis and bone density).
Add feta cheese and massage that into the leaves too.
Pour lime juice through it as the dressing and extra vitamin C source.
Toss through apple as extra fiber and gives a lovely sweetness
Sprinkle over walnuts or toasted seeds for healthy fats, fiber, protein, B Vitamins.

Here is the link to my Guide on Nutrition Sensing cells and Perimenopause in the comments.
Follow me for more perimenopause and womens health nutrition support. :)

Happy Friday everyone! A little update from Wendy- she kindly let me share her story a few months back but we weren't ou...
25/09/2026

Happy Friday everyone!
A little update from Wendy- she kindly let me share her story a few months back but we weren't out of the redzone just yet. Just got her recent bloods and wow! Amazing results!
If you know some one struggling with health concerns and may need some extra support, kindly share this with them. You can see more Google Reviews on Lifespark Nutrition. Full review below...

"I can’t recommend my Kate highly enough. Over the past six months, she has gently and supportively helped me make changes that have had a huge impact on my health and wellbeing.

When I started working with her, I was dealing with a number of medical issues, particularly with my kidneys, and was also seeing a kidney specialist. The changes we’ve made together have been incredible. My blood results are now looking great, and I’m out of the red zone on all of my readings.

Just as importantly, I feel so much stronger mentally and have a much better understanding of what my body actually needs. My diet is now mainly plant-based, which works really well for me, and I finally feel like I understand how to nourish my body rather than simply following a generic diet.

What I particularly love is that the programme is completely individual. It is my programme, and it evolves as I do. Kate listens, makes adjustments when needed, and has always made me feel supported rather than judged or pressured.

Kate is also incredibly caring and accessible. She’s always easy to get in touch with. On one occasion I spoke with her just before she was getting on a plane, and she told me she would call me when she landed — and she did. That level of care really says a lot about her.

Six months ago I didn’t feel as though I truly understood my health or what my body needed. Now I feel healthier, stronger and much more confident in looking after myself.

I’m incredibly grateful for all the support and guidance she has given me.

Wendy x "

25/09/2026

Happy Friday everyone! :)
I just wanted to share a win from Wendy (she kindly let me share her story a few months back but we weren't quite out of the redzone just yet). We got her last set of bloods this week and amazing results! You can also view more of my reviews on Google. If you know someone struggling with health concerns, kindly share this with them if they need support.

"I can’t recommend my Kate highly enough. Over the past six months, she has gently and supportively helped me make changes that have had a huge impact on my health and wellbeing.

When I started working with her, I was dealing with a number of medical issues, particularly with my kidneys, and was also seeing a kidney specialist. The changes we’ve made together have been incredible. My blood results are now looking great, and I’m out of the red zone on all of my readings.

Just as importantly, I feel so much stronger mentally and have a much better understanding of what my body actually needs. My diet is now mainly plant-based, which works really well for me, and I finally feel like I understand how to nourish my body rather than simply following a generic diet.

What I particularly love is that the programme is completely individual. It is my programme, and it evolves as I do. Kate listens, makes adjustments when needed, and has always made me feel supported rather than judged or pressured.

Kate is also incredibly caring and accessible. She’s always easy to get in touch with. On one occasion I spoke with her just before she was getting on a plane, and she told me she would call me when she landed — and she did. That level of care really says a lot about her.

Six months ago I didn’t feel as though I truly understood my health or what my body needed. Now I feel healthier, stronger and much more confident in looking after myself.

I’m incredibly grateful for all the support and guidance she has given me.

Wendy x

22/09/2026

🍝 Perimenopause + weight loss… does that mean giving up family pasta nights?

Absolutely not! ❤️

One of the biggest things I see with mums in perimenopause is the feeling that they have to eat completely differently from the rest of the family if they want to lose weight.

But you don’t need to miss out on the lasagna, pasta or family dinner (unless its really something you don't feel like eating).

It can be more about how you build your plate and the amount you eat.

🥦 Try this simple approach:

👉 Load up ½ your plate with low-starch vegetables — broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, courgette, salad, spinach, cabbage or other colourful veggies.

👉 Add a good palm-sized portion of protein.

👉 Then enjoy your palm-sized portion of pasta, lasagna or other carbohydrate-rich family meal.

And here’s a little trick I love:

🥗 Eat your vegetables first, then your lasagna or pasta.
Why? Starting your meal with fibre-rich vegetables can help slow the rate at which carbohydrates are digested and absorbed, which can lead to a smaller rise in blood glucose compared with eating the carbohydrate portion first. Lower insulin means less fat storage.

Plus, filling up on those beautiful, nutrient-rich vegetables means you’re more likely to feel satisfied — and less likely to go back for another big helping of pasta. 😉

Also a little trick is move around after a pasta meal, maybe a 5 mins walk around the house, dancing or taking the dog for a walk. This also blunts the glucose spike.

✨ The goal isn't to eat perfectly.

It’s to learn how to enjoy the foods you love while creating a balanced plate that supports your energy, fullness and weight-management goals. Rather than an all or nothing approach.

So next time the family is having pasta…

Don’t make yourself a separate “diet dinner.”

🥦 Add more veggies.
🍗 Include protein (or lasagna will have it in it)
🍝 Enjoy a sensible portion of lasagna/pasta
❤️ Eat it with the family — and enjoy it without the guilt.

Because healthy eating in perimenopause needs to work with your family life, not against it.

Balance > restriction.

— Kate, Registered Nutritionist �

20/09/2026

Supermarket Sunday!
While single use packaging isn't great, there are times where its very convenient and having options like higher protein brown rice that you can whip up fast, is helpful.
The positives is that uses collagen (but is not vegan or vegetarian friendly because of bovine collagen source. )
It will have a greater satiety and less glucose spike.
Its good for those like older adults, children or teenagers that dont often get enough protein but can put something in a microwave.
A good addition even if you already add tuna or chicken to your rice.
This product does have a very good fibre content too with 5g per serve and no added salt.

Downside... why you just need to be aware of not relying on too much processed foods is that it does contain stabilizer 471.
Major food safety groups consider it safe to eat in normal amounts. However, recent large-scale observational studies have suggested a potential statistical correlation between high consumption of ultra-processed foods containing additives like E471 and certain health risks like gut disorders.
But this stabilizers is found in margarine, ice cream, breads, baked goods, pastries. So just be aware of how much you may be consuming in a week or a day!

The product tastes the same as standard version.

#

Savoury Lunchbox Muffins! A great meal prep option :) Packed full of nutrition to keep you full and on point for the day...
15/09/2026

Savoury Lunchbox Muffins! A great meal prep option :)
Packed full of nutrition to keep you full and on point for the day!
You can mix the seeds ups, you can swap the spelt flour with standard wholemeal flour and use standard milk or any milk instead of soymilk.

Ingredients:
• 1 ¾ cup White Spelt Flour
• 2 tbsp Nutritional Yeast Seasoning
• ½ tsp Baking Powder
• ¼ tsp Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Onion Powder
• ½ Tbsp Garlic Powder
• ¼ Tbsp Dried Mixed Herbs
• ¾ cup Soy Milk (Lite)
• 2 ½ Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• ½ Tbsp Apple C***r Vinegar
• ¾ med Courgette
• 1 med Red Capsicum
• ¼ cup Baby Spinach
• 2 Tbsp Sunflower Seeds
• 2 Tbsp Pumpkin Seeds
• 1 Tbsp Poppy Seeds

Serves: 10

Instructions:
• Preheat the oven to 180ºC.
• Add the flour, nutritional yeast, baking powder, baking soda, onion powder, garlic powder and mixed herbs to a bowl and whisk to combine.
• Grate the courgette and capsicum, and roughly chop the baby spinach.
• Add the soy milk, olive oil, apple c***r vinegar and prepared vegetables to the bowl with the dry ingredients. Mix to just combine.
• Line a muffin tin with paper cases or baking paper, and fill with batter to the top. In a ramekin, combine the sunflower seeds, poppy seeds and pumpkin seeds, then sprinkle on top of the muffin batter.
• Bake in the oven for 25-35 minutes until golden and cooked through. Cool slightly then serve warm and enjoy!

✈️🌴 Travelling? You don’t have to leave your healthy habits at home!One of the biggest mistakes I see women make when th...
13/09/2026

✈️🌴 Travelling? You don’t have to leave your healthy habits at home!

One of the biggest mistakes I see women make when they go away is thinking they have to choose between “being healthy” and actually enjoying their holiday.

You really can have both. ❤️

Perimenopause is a time when keeping your body strong and nourished becomes even more important — and a holiday doesn't mean you need to stop everything.

You don't need to follow your normal routine perfectly. Just keep moving where you can.

🚶‍♀️ Go for a walk and explore your surroundings
🏊‍♀️ Have a swim
🏋️‍♀️ Use the hotel gym if you feel like it and to keep up your strength training or do a few exercises in your hotel room.
🥾 Go for a hike
🧘‍♀️ Stretch after a long day of travelling

Even a little movement can help you maintain your strength, energy, mobility and mood.

And when it comes to food… relax!

Enjoy the local food. Have the dessert. Try the cocktail. 🍹🍰

You don't need to count every calorie or feel guilty about enjoying yourself.

Instead, aim to make some nourishing choices along the way — plenty of protein, vegetables, fruit, water and fibre — and then enjoy the treats that make your holiday special.

It's what you do most of the time that matters, not what you do for a week or two while you're away.

And here's the best part…if you keep these things in mind...

You don't need to “get back on track” when you return.

Just keep looking after yourself throughout your trip, enjoy the experience, and when you get home, simply return to your usual routine. 🌸

Perimenopause isn't about being perfect.

It's about keeping your body strong, energised and well nourished while still enjoying your life.

So go explore, enjoy the food, move your body and make the memories. ❤️

Healthy doesn't have to mean missing out.

— Kate
Registered Nutritionist

Address

14 Drabble Crescent, Papamoa
Tauranga
3118

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Monday 10:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 10:30am - 5:30pm
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Thursday 10am - 7pm
Friday 10:30am - 5pm

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