4 Wheels of Health

30/05/2026

Professor Grant Prof Grant Schofield

29/05/2026

Dr Louise Schofield from Prekure NZ

01/05/2026

This from Simon Squibb really landed with us.

There’s something powerful about saying your health goal out loud. It stops being just another thought in your head and starts to feel like something you might actually do.

Sometimes that’s the first step to getting things moving.

17/04/2026

A Fantastic bunch of Live Events, Tauranga, Christchurch, Queenstown and Auckland

Join the Future of Medicine leaders for an epic 2-hour dive into the very latest evidence-based science and practice in lifestyle medicine.

07/04/2026

Everyone’s talking about GLP-1 right now.

But almost no one’s asking the real question.

Is it fixing the problem
or just turning the noise down?

You can lose weight
and get relief from food noise

But when you stop, most people put it back on
often with less muscle

That’s the bit no one’s talking about

So the real question is
what’s driving it in the first place?

Stress
environment
ultra-processed food
or something deeper

Because if that doesn’t change, nothing sticks

We unpacked both sides in the latest Forkin Good episode
with Prof Grant Schofield , Kylie White, Waste-Ed With Kate Fenwick and Simon Gault

Full episode’s up now on the Forkin Good podcast, easy to find on YouTube or Spotify

Have a look, then tell me where you land

Shortcut or trap?

04/02/2026

Protein intake becomes increasingly important as we age because it plays a central role in preserving lean body mass and preventing sarcopenia. Sarcopenia is the progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass, strength, and function that occurs with ageing, and it is associated with reduced mobility, increased injury risk, poorer metabolic health, and loss of independence.

Lean body mass is often described as our “metabolic currency” because muscle tissue is a key driver of resting metabolic rate, glucose disposal, and insulin sensitivity, meaning it helps regulate blood sugar, appetite, and long-term weight maintenance. Adequate protein intake, distributed evenly across meals and paired with resistance training, is one of the most evidence-based strategies to support muscle protein synthesis, protect metabolic health, and maintain strength, vitality, and longevity over time.

Protein sources include eggs, Greek yoghurt/cottage cheese, chicken, fish, lean meat, tofu/tempeh, legumes, protein powder , aiming for around 30 g protein with your first meal to support satiety, stable blood sugar, and lean muscle maintenance.

20/01/2026

The Bristol Stool Chart is an easy tool that helps you understand what your bowel movements may be indicating about your gut health. It can be especially useful if you’re experiencing symptoms such as bloating, constipation, diarrhoea, or irregular bowel habits.

How to use it:
Check the chart after a bowel motion and identify which type best matches what you see. Tracking patterns over time can provide helpful insight into digestion, hydration, fibre intake, stress, and overall gut function.

What’s considered ideal?

Type 3–4 is generally the goal for most people:

• easy to pass

• well-formed but soft

• reflects healthy stool consistency and transit time

If you’re seeing Type 1–2 more often:
This may suggest constipation or slowed gut motility, commonly linked with low fibre intake, dehydration, insufficient dietary fats, stress, or changes in routine.

If you’re seeing Type 5–7 more often:
This may indicate faster transit time, reduced absorption, or digestive irritation. It can be associated with food intolerances, gut infections, high stress, inflammation, or poor digestive function.

Digestive health and hormone health are closely connected

Gut health plays an important role in hormone regulation. A well-functioning digestive system supports:

• elimination of excess hormones (including oestrogen)

• stable blood sugar levels

• reduced inflammation

• effective nutrient absorption (including iron, zinc, magnesium and B vitamins)

When digestion is disrupted, it can contribute to symptoms such as PMS, acne, fatigue, mood changes, or cycle irregularities - particularly when paired with ongoing stress or nutrient depletion.

Simple ways to support healthy stool consistency

Helpful habits to support Type 3–4 include:

• consistent hydration

• fibre-rich foods (vegetables, fruit, legumes, whole grains, chia/flax)

• adequate protein and healthy fats

• regular meals and a steady routine

• stress management and quality sleep

• mindful eating and chewing thoroughly

Digestive health does not need to be perfect to improve - small consistent changes often make the biggest difference over time.

09/12/2025

GLP-1: What Is It And Why Is Everyone Talking About It?

Everywhere I go at the moment someone whispers to me about “that weight loss jab”.
“Simon, what do you think of GLP-1?”
“Is it safe?”
“Is it cheating?”

So I thought it was time to sit down and actually talk about it properly, without the drama.

What on earth is GLP-1?

GLP-1 is not some alien chemical cooked up in a lab. It is a hormone your own body already makes. Its main jobs are to help control appetite, slow digestion, balance blood sugar and tell your brain, “Mate, you have had enough now.”

Drug companies have created medicines that mimic this hormone. You will have seen names like liraglutide, semaglutide and tirzepatide floating around. They were first used for type 2 diabetes. Then researchers noticed something big. People were losing a serious amount of weight, and their heart and kidney risk markers were improving as well.

So this is not just about jeans fitting better. It is about health.

Who has actually approved it?

This is not some influencer trend. The big global bodies are now weighing in.

In December 2025, the World Health Organization released its first global guideline on GLP-1 therapies for obesity. It gives a conditional recommendation for using GLP-1 medicines like semaglutide and liraglutide as long term treatment for obesity in adults, as long as they are combined with intensive lifestyle and behavioural support, not used on their own.

Large trials have shown things like:

Meaningful, sustained weight loss when GLP-1 medicines are used alongside diet and exercise

Fewer major cardiovascular events, such as heart attack, stroke and cardiovascular death, in high risk people with obesity and existing heart disease, even when they do not have diabetes

Promising reductions in kidney events and slower decline in kidney function in people with diabetes or obesity in several trials and pooled analyses

So no, this is not a fad. It has moved into mainstream medicine, with the usual scientific caution around cost, access and long term data.

Can you get GLP-1 in New Zealand?

Yes, you can, but the details really matter.

In New Zealand right now:

Semaglutide is approved as Ozempic for type 2 diabetes

Medsafe has also approved semaglutide as Wegovy for weight loss in people with obesity

Wegovy is not funded by Pharmac for weight loss, so people who use it for obesity currently pay privately, and the monthly cost puts it out of reach for many

You will see more clinics and pharmacy based weight management services in New Zealand offering GLP-1 medicines under prescription as part of their programmes. The important bit is that the medicine must be prescribed and monitored by an authorised prescriber, and it should sit inside a proper health plan, not as a quick “jab and hope for the best”.

These medicines work best when they are wrapped in proper support. That means things like:

Hitting a decent protein target

Doing strength training to protect muscle

Slowing down the way you eat and live, not just shrinking portions

If you do not protect your muscle, you can lose too much of it along with the fat, which can make you weaker and knock your metabolism around. That is the bit almost no one on social media talks about, but it is showing up clearly in the body composition studies.

Where the 4 Wheels of Health fits in

Kylie and I have been getting questions about GLP-1 from people on our 4 Wheels of Health programme. Some are already on these meds, others are thinking about it and feel a bit lost in the noise.

We have now added a full GLP-1 Support section to our automated course, because the questions were coming. People want to understand how to use these medicines safely, how to keep muscle while losing fat, and how to navigate side effects without feeling miserable.

Just to be very clear:

We do not supply the medication

We do not prescribe it

We do not get a clip of the ticket if someone goes on it

What we do is help people understand how to live well around it. Inside the course we cover things like:

How GLP-1 actually works in your body, in plain English

Why protein and strength work become non negotiable if you are using it

How to protect your muscle, energy and everyday functioning while the weight is coming off

How to adjust your eating patterns so the jab is a tool, not the whole strategy

What the latest research is saying about long term outcomes and why lifestyle still matters

Think of it like this. The medication is the car. We are just trying to hand you a decent driver’s manual so you do not bin it on the first corner.

Why Kylie and I care about this

New Zealand has a massive load of metabolic disease. Diabetes, heart disease and kidney problems are hitting a lot of families. GLP-1 medicines give some people a genuine chance to change direction. The international data on weight loss, heart health and kidney outcomes is promising and getting stronger, but it is not magic, and it is not perfect.

I have cooked for enough people and talked to enough doctors to know this: a medicine is not a lifestyle. Just like buying a gym membership does not magically get you fit. You still have to show up.

Used well, GLP-1 can be a powerful reset button. Used badly, it can create new problems and leave you tired, weaker and confused, especially if muscle and nutrition are ignored.

Kylie and my goal is simply to help people understand the science, the risks and the habits that make these medications safe and effective. If you are thinking about GLP-1, start with a proper chat with your GP or specialist. And if you are already on it and want some structure around what you eat and how you move, that is exactly why we built the GLP-1 section into our course.

No hype. Just tools to help you look after yourself.

Simon Gault

08/12/2025

I’ve had a few people ask lately, “What actually is inside 4 Wheels of Health once you join?”

So here is a peek under the bonnet.

When you log in, you will find a whole library of stuff you can dip in and out of, including

49 on demand course videos from Sean and me

An Ageing and Longevity section

A Power of Movement section

5 lessons on Neuro linguistic Programming

A Holistic Approach to High Cholesterol module

A GLP 1 medication support section

An Optimise Your Gut Health guide

A WOOP Goals workbook

A Defining Core Values workbook

A Mindset Tools guide

The full 4 Wheels of Health framework, with loads of recipes

VIP member perks

Guided meditations and mental wellbeing videos

30 plus blog articles

4 Wheels cheat sheets to make good choices easier

A Town Square Chat space to connect with others on the same journey

Accountability, values and goal setting tools

A live stream section where you can join us for Q and As

Bonus Growth Mindset videos

Forkin Good Podcast episodes we recommend if you like learning while you walk, drive or cook

So that is what sits behind the login. No magic wand, just a whole lot of good tools, ideas and support you can lean on when you need it.

If you are curious or feel like you need a bit of direction heading into the new year, you are always welcome to jump in with us. It is a genuinely good bunch of people, and we would love to have you along for the ride.

Simon Gault

01/11/2025

Treat your plate like a plan.
If you don’t plan for health, illness will plan for you.