#105: Catriona Kirwan: Training for confidence, endurance and a balanced lifestyle

Struggling to balance fat loss, muscle building, and endurance training?

In this episode of The Kate Hamilton Health Podcast, I sit down with Catriona Kirwan, online fitness coach and owner of Recreate Coaching. We chat about what it truly means to achieve body composition goals while maintaining performance, confidence, and a sustainable lifestyle.

Catriona shares her journey from yo-yo dieting to coaching, breaking down common misconceptions around training, nutrition, and mindset. We tackle the challenges of losing fat while training for a marathon, the realities of photo shoot prep, and why lifting weights is essential for long-term health.

If you're looking for real, practical strategies to build strength, fuel performance, and create a balanced approach to fitness, this episode is for you.

Episode Highlights:

[00:00] – Welcome to The Kate Hamilton Health Podcast
[01:36] – Meet Catriona Kirwan: Online Coach & Fitness Enthusiast
[02:21] – From Yo-Yo Dieting to Coaching: Catriona’s Transformation
[04:44] – Balancing Sports Performance & Nutrition
[07:11] – Fat Loss vs. Endurance Training: Can You Do Both?
[11:09] – Why Enjoying the Process is Key
[18:18] – Behind the Scenes of Body Composition Coaching & Photo Shoots
[27:21] – Setting Realistic & Fulfilling Fitness Goals
[36:47] – Client Weight, Body Composition & the Bigger Picture
[37:43] – Building Confidence Through Small, Consistent Habits
[38:47] – Time Constraints & the Pressure to See Results
[39:04] – The Long-Term Approach to Sustainable Fitness
[43:07] – How Stress Affects Body Recomposition
[43:43] – Biggest Myths About Body Composition & Fat Loss
[44:16] – Why Lifting Weights is a Non-Negotiable for Women
[45:58] – The Role of Diet Breaks & Maintenance Phases
[47:49] – Muscle Building Benefits You Didn’t Know About
[51:25] – Reversing Out of a Diet & The Power of Food Quality
[55:20] – Improvement Phases & Why They Matter
[01:01:49] – Balancing Flexibility & Nutrition for Long-Term Success
[01:07:50] – Defining Health & Finding True Balance

Links & Resources:

Connect with Catriona on Instagram here

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with friends who might benefit. For more health and fitness tips, follow me on Instagram and TikTok @katehamiltonhealth.

Music b LiQWYD Free download: hypeddit.com/link/xxtopb [http://hypeddit.com/link/xxtopb] Promoted by FreeMusicPromo   [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbycji-eySnM3WD8mbxPUSQ] / @freemusicpromo

Welcome to the Kate Hamilton Health podcast. I’m your host, Kate Hamilton.

In this podcast I discuss all aspects of living a healthy lifestyle and achieving sustainable fat loss and fitness.

As a busy working mum of 3, I understand just how challenging it can be to make time for you, to prioritise yourself. We will dig deep into issues and obstacles that we all face, and discuss useful strategies to overcome them.

By taking small steps in self-care, we can open a door to a whole new world for ourselves. A world of empowerment, vitality and strength. Your journey starts here…

Follow me on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook @katehamiltonhealth

• No. of episodes: 127
• Latest episode: 2025-07-01
• Health & Fitness Fitness Nutrition

Where can you listen?