Flexible Health

31/08/2026

If you ask most people how often they need to train to see results, they'll usually guess higher than the actual answer. And no, that's not me being lazy with the truth — training to genuine muscle failure just 1-3 times per body part each week is enough to build real strength, provided you're actually consistent about it.

Here's the thing though — there are three factors that actually drive results in the gym, and none of them are about finding some perfect exercise or program:

Progressive overload. Consistent growth over time — more weight, more reps, or both. Without it, you can train hard forever and still plateau.

A plan. Know exactly what you're training before you walk in. No wandering from machine to machine hoping something works.

Intensity. Training close to mechanical failure — the point you genuinely can't do another rep with safe form. This is where most people leave results on the table, because it's uncomfortable, and most of us are conditioned to stop before we actually need to.

If you're new to the gym, don't stress about chasing numbers in your first few weeks. Focus on learning your body, your limits, and what real effort actually feels like. That foundation matters more than any spreadsheet.

I write full training plans around exactly this — structured, sustainable, and built for your actual life rather than a generic template. Full breakdown of everything above (plus what a session actually looks like, and how this shifts as you get older) is on the blog: https://www.flexiblehealth.co.nz/journal/how-often-should-you-train?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=glp1-launch

Think you need to train every day to see results? You don't. Here's the three things that actually drive progress — and why most people overcomplicate it.

18/08/2026

It isn't the drug that costs you muscle and bone. It's the speed.

If you're on Ozempic, Wegovy or Mounjaro — or thinking about it — this one's for you, and there's no lecture in it.

I'm not anti-medication. These things quiet the food noise, and if you've spent twenty years being told your appetite was a character flaw, that's a relief, not a shortcut.

But there's a number worth knowing. Lose 14% of your bodyweight or more in three to four months and bone loss stops being minor. Take the same weight off slower and you keep considerably more of it. That isn't the drug doing damage — it's what happens to any skeleton when the load comes off faster than the bone can adjust.

Muscle's the same story. Without strength training, muscle accounts for 10–15% of what women lose and 20–25% for men. Guys lose more, not less.

The bit that surprised me most: protein and lifting aren't interchangeable. Protein protects muscle. Load protects bone. You can't out-protein your skeleton.

And one honest thing before you read it. Up to two thirds of the weight comes back within a year of stopping — and that happened to people who had counselling alongside them. Nobody has proven anything prevents that, and I'm not going to pretend I can. What you can protect is the muscle and bone underneath it, and that's yours either way.

Full write-up with the research linked below.

Wegovy and other GLP-1s can cause muscle and bone loss alongside fat loss. Learn what causes it, and how to protect your results long-term.

16/08/2026

I paid for every six-week challenge going. None of them worked.

Not because I didn't try hard enough — I tried plenty hard. They failed because that's what fixed-term plans are built to do. Your body doesn't get long enough to actually adjust before the countdown runs out, and the second it's over you go straight back to your normal life. The same life that put you there in the first place. Nothing about those six weeks touched that.

Here's what nobody selling you the next challenge says out loud: your body doesn't want to be in a diet. But it doesn't want to be overweight either. Finding the bit in between takes longer than six weeks — it takes habits that hold up on an ordinary Tuesday, not just during a countdown you happen to be motivated for.

That's why I don't run countdowns. No end date, no lock-in, book when you need to.

None of us are perfect at anything else in life. Expecting perfection out of a diet was always the wrong ask.

Nutritionist based in Hamilton, coaching online across NZ. If you want a hand building something that actually lasts, there's a link in the comments.

04/08/2026

The mistake was never cardio. It was thinking cardio was the plan.

I get it — the second you decide to lose weight, cardio's the obvious move. It burns calories in the moment, it feels productive, and it's what we've all been told fat loss looks like. I'm a natural runner; even at my heaviest I could knock out a 5km. But it was always when I was trying to lose weight — and if you've read my story, you know how that went.

Here's what nobody mentions: your body is annoyingly efficient. The more you repeat the same cardio, the better it gets at it, and the fewer calories it costs you to do the same work. Stack that on top of an aggressive calorie cut and you start burning through muscle, not just fat. Less muscle means a lower resting burn — so the very thing you're doing to lose weight quietly makes it harder. That's the trap.

Muscle is the part everyone skips. It's active tissue — it costs energy to maintain all day, whether you're training or flat out on the couch. More muscle, higher resting burn. It's also where your food goes to work instead of into storage: better insulin sensitivity, steadier energy, and more room to actually enjoy your food without it working against you.

Build it consistently and something quietly brilliant happens — the scales barely move, but you've dropped a dress size or two. That's body recomposition, and it's the whole point.

Cardio isn't pointless. A brisk walk or easy jog is great for recovery and heart health — it just belongs in a supporting role, not the lead. Cardio supports. Muscle carries you.

Full article — including where progressive overload and protein come in.

Cardio alone rarely delivers lasting fat loss. Here's why resistance training — not more running — is the real key to sustainable, long-term results.

31/07/2026

I started Karl Tatterson Nutrition just over a year ago. It went ok — but something was missing. I never really connected with it as a brand, or with the message I was trying to get across.

So over the past several months — through some big changes in my personal life, a lot of brainstorming, and a lot of swearing at a website that refused to behave — I rebuilt it. And it came down to three things I needed the brand to stand for.

Nutrition. It's not set-and-forget. It's choices, every single day. But it's also not something to be rigid about — we have to learn to be flexible, and to know it's ok not to be perfect.

Training. I can't overstate how important resistance training is for your health, now and decades from now. We reach for the running shoes the second we want to "lose a bit of weight" — but it's rarely consistent, and we massively overestimate it. Exercise is only about 10–15% of the calories you burn in a day. Muscle is the part that carries you.

Kitchen. Here's the irony: I'm a qualified chef, and at my biggest I still had no idea how to use that to actually fuel my body. Flexible Kitchen is under construction, but it's where I'll share my own recipes and tips to make the whole thing easier.

Three big changes — and one more, in how I coach. You won't find a locked-in plan here. Every plan except Foundations (that one's by design) is cancel-anytime. I'm not here to put you on something rigid and walk away. My own journey has taken years, and it's still going — so why would I run a formula on you that never once worked on me?

Flexible Health. Same me, different approach.

Come see what we're building →

Habit-led nutrition and training coaching for real, lasting change — no restriction, no lock-in contracts. Built by a coach who's lived it.

20/02/2026

Not a bad pace today, best ive run in a while. If you're on Garmin, feel free to join my contacts!
Hi! Join me on the Garmin Connect app. You can track your health and fitness data, and we can follow each other’s activities. Click to join: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/profile/f6d7f747-a4cb-4a83-8dd1-8c1a7f71b422

18/02/2026

I have one non-negotiable habit that has impacted my health more than almost anything else. 👇

I make my lunch in the evening, while I’m making dinner.

It sounds simple, but it’s the ultimate cheat code for staying consistent. Here’s why this 10-minute overlap is a game-changer:

✅ The Plan is Set: I wake up knowing exactly how I’m fueling my body. No decision fatigue or midday guessing.
✅ Strategic Fueling: It allows me to plan my intake around my training (High vs. Low days).
✅ Morning Freedom: It gives me back precious time in the morning to focus on getting the kids sorted or smashing out a session in the gym.
✅ Mental Clarity: I start the day "switched on" and ready to go, rather than being bogged down by what I’m going to eat.
✅ No More Crashes: I’m guaranteed stable energy all day. That means no 3 PM energy slumps and no "binge eating" at night because I under-fueled during the day.

If you feel like you’re constantly driving on reserve or making poor food choices because you’re rushed, start here. Make your lunch tonight.

Not sure what to put in the container?

That’s where the guesswork stops. My Flexible Kitchen Framework gives you the personalized blueprint, the macro numbers, and the meal ideas you need to fuel correctly.

Click the link in my bio to get started.

08/12/2025

I THOUGHT I WAS LIVING THE DREAM.

🧠My man cave is gone. My garage is now a fully functional gym where I train clients who are starting their own health journey. I went from being a consumer to a creator. I'm a qualified Health and Nutrition Coach now, still studying, and the healthiest I've ever been.

💪 It’s not the way I look, but the consistent energy I have for my kids. I stopped fueling my body with guesswork and processed food, and started mastering my nutrition to ensure I'm present and setting a healthy example. I replaced the pool table with weights, and the dartboard with a sustainable nutritional plan.

If you're still stuck feeding your body the wrong fuel and feeling unmotivated, I created the exact foundation I needed 8 years ago.

My Flexible Kitchen Framework cuts through the nutrition confusion and gives you the exact personalized blueprint for mastering your nutrition —not just your fitness. It’s the simple roadmap to change your habits, not just your diet.

Click the link in bio to learn how I can build your personalized fuel plan and reclaim your energy.

28/11/2025

It has been a full-on week, and honestly, the calendar had me scheduled to train this morning. But I just didn't have it in me, and you know what? That is okay.

It took me a long time to accept that knowing your body well enough to recognize when you need a "chill pill"—even just for the morning—is essential. I used to think that achieving health goals meant relentlessly pushing myself every moment of the day.

Here's the truth:

You won't derail your entire diet or health goals in one moment or one weekend of bad eating or missed exercise.

But if you repeat that pattern every weekend, the lack of consistency will stop your results over time.

What's just as important as giving yourself permission to rest is understanding why you needed it.

Take a moment to reflect: Was it a lack of sleep? Did you under-fuel the day before? Is stress high? Knowing the reason helps you stay kind to yourself, but also puts you in a position to put a plan in place if it happens again.

I'll still get a session in today, but I'll make sure I look after myself throughout the day to put myself in a good mental and physical space to smash a good one later. 💪

Happy Saturday! Enjoy the reset.

27/11/2025

Have you guys tried Kumara Toast?

It's such a simple, delicious game-changer:

Slice kumara (sweet potato) lengthways about half a centimetre thick.

Give it a very light coating of olive oil and season both sides.

Toast it in your toaster on high—you might need to run it a couple of times until it starts to blister and soften in the middle.

It's a great alternative to bread, giving you additional fibre and nutrients to go with your eggs or avocado at breakfast!

Food ideas like these, along with personalized portion sizes and macro-calculated meal swaps, are what The Flexible Kitchen is all about.

Ready to stop guessing and start fueling smarter?

Check out The Flexible Kitchen Program on my website, or message below "KumaraToast" and I'll send you the direct link.