The You Lounge

The You Lounge

The You Lounge - Unfiltered Conversations on Weight Loss and Wellness Welcome to The You Lounge - your new favourite space for honest chats, expert insights, and zero fluff. Hosted by Nicole McKee and Marianne Bell, two down-to-earth coaches who are here to strip back the noise and talk openly about weight loss, wellness, GLP-1 medications, and what it really takes to feel good in your body. We’re done with diet culture, shame, and one-size-fits-all advice. Instead, expect empowering episodes that explore the science, mindset, and messy middle of sustainable weight loss and living well - especially for women navigating modern life, hormones, and healing. Whether you’re curious about GLP-1 meds, stuck in a binge-restrict cycle, or just want to feel more like you again - pull up a seat. You’re not alone here. 💬 Raw. Real. Relatable. 💫 New episodes every week. 📍Find your power. Redefine your path. It’s time to live life on YOUR terms! Welcome to The You Lounge.

  1. FEB 6

    Coming Off GLP-1 - The Hormone Storm Nobody Warned Me About

    In this deeply honest episode, I share what it actually feels like to come off GLP-1 while navigating perimenopause - not as a horror story, but as a real-time case study in how complex female hormones can be. This isn’t an anti-medication conversation. It’s an exploration of physiology, adjustment and support. I talk openly about the hormonal storm that hit when I removed a stabilising medication: night sweats, cortisol spikes, migraines, palpitations, returning food noise and emotional overwhelm - and why these symptoms don’t mean failure. They mean recalibration. But no everyone is ready for that. We unpack the difference between situational obesity and biological obesity, why weight regulation isn’t a moral issue, and how environment, hormones and neurochemistry interact. For some people the body is under pressure. For others the brain is defending a higher weight set point. Most of us sit somewhere in between. The goal of this episode isn’t to scare you. It’s to give context. Because information doesn’t frighten people - confusion does. I also share what responsible transition looks like: working with prescribers, GPs, blood tests and clinical support, and why coming off any medication requires time and structure. The anchor message throughout this episode is simple: Your body isn’t broken - it’s adapting. If you’re on GLP-1, thinking about coming off, navigating perimenopause, or trying to understand your weight and hormones without shame, this episode gives language to an experience many people are having quietly. You are not failing. You are adjusting. And adjustment is part of healing. Staying on medication isn't failing. Coming off isn't abandoning yourself. Let's open the conversation.   **Disclaimer - this is not intended a medical advice. Please work closely with your prescriber for any medication changes**

    20 min
  2. JAN 16

    Starting GLP-1 This January - The Mistakes We Made So You Don't Have to

    The Foundations for Sustainable Weight Loss Starting GLP-1 medication can be life-changing - but only if it’s built on the right foundations. Let this be the last January you "start again". In this episode of The You Lounge Podcast, Nicole McKee and Marianne Bell have an honest, grounded conversation about what actually supports long-term success on GLP-1. Beyond the injection, they explore the real pillars that matter: hydration, nutrition, nervous system regulation, mindset, and community support. This isn’t about quick fixes or perfection. It’s about mastering the basics, calming the body, reducing shame, and creating a lifestyle that supports your mental and physical health - during GLP-1 and beyond. You’ll hear practical guidance, relatable insights, and reassurance that you’re not failing if things feel harder than expected. Weight loss isn’t just biological - it’s behavioural, emotional, and deeply human. If you’re starting GLP-1, considering it, or planning for life after it, this episode will help you slow down, build strong foundations, and do this in a way that actually lasts. Key topics covered: • Why hydration matters before you even start GLP-1 • The role of mindset, beliefs, and food noise • How nervous system regulation reduces cravings and overwhelm • Why community support changes everything • Planning for maintenance and life after GLP-1 • Why sustainable weight loss is a lifestyle, not a phase Keywords: GLP-1, weight loss, hydration, nutrition, nervous system, community support, lifestyle change, mental health, foundations, self-care

    32 min
  3. JAN 2

    Why Change Feels Impossible: The Brain, Obesity & the Survival Hierarchy

    Why does change feel so hard - even when you want it badly? In this episode, we’re having a grown-up conversation about change, weight loss, and why self-discipline is rarely the real issue. Most women aren’t stuck because they’re lazy, unmotivated, or lacking willpower. They’re stuck because change threatens survival - not just habits. And when obesity enters the picture, biology turns the volume all the way up. In this episode, you’ll learn: The four real blockers to change (and why mindset alone doesn’t fix them) How the obese brain complicates weight loss through hunger, food noise, and biological defence Why so many women are asked to change while unknowingly going against Maslow’s hierarchy of needs Why restriction, shame, and “try harder” approaches backfire And how sustainable change starts by working with the brain, not against it We explore how food, safety, belonging, identity, and nervous system regulation all sit at the core of weight struggles - and why self-blame stops making sense once you understand the science. If change has felt impossible, this episode will help you see why - and more importantly, what actually creates lasting freedom. Want support putting this into practice? If this episode resonated and you’re ready to stop fighting yourself, Become HER is our 6-week programme designed to help you rebuild safety, structure, confidence, and consistency - whether you’re on a GLP-1 or not. This isn’t about forcing change. It’s about creating it in a way your brain and body can actually sustain. You can find the Become HER link here - https://stan.store/Nicolemckeecoaching/p/become-her-in-6-online-only

    22 min
  4. 12/19/2025

    Vision Boarding That Works: The Brain Science Behind It

    Vision boarding has been sold to us as magic for years. Stick pictures on a board, hope the universe does the rest… and then wonder why nothing actually changes. In this episode of The You Lounge, we reframe vision boarding for what it really is: neural training. This conversation strips away the “woo woo” and breaks down the real brain science behind why vision boards can work - and why most don’t. We explore how attention, identity, emotional safety and behaviour change all play a role in whether your vision becomes reality… or just another forgotten January ritual. You’ll learn: The neuroscience behind vision boards and the Reticular Activating System (RAS) Why most vision boards activate fantasy, not follow-through How emotional distance and pressure quietly sabotage motivation The difference between wishing for change and training your brain for it Evidence-based approaches used in elite performance psychology How to build a vision board that supports identity, safety and action Simple ways to bridge vision into real-world behaviour This episode draws on: ✔️ Mental imagery from elite sport ✔️ Mental contrasting (Gabriele Oettingen) ✔️ Implementation intentions (Peter Gollwitzer) ✔️ Identity-based behavioural psychology Because vision boards don’t change your life. Your brain does. If you want support turning vision into follow-through, this is exactly the work we do inside Become HER - focusing on identity, habits, nervous system regulation and real, sustainable action. ✨ Become HER VIP (in-person experience with Empowerment Photoshoot) - https://stan.store/Nicolemckeecoaching/p/become-her-in-6-vip ✨ Become HER Online Only - https://stan.store/Nicolemckeecoaching/p/become-her-in-6-online-only We kick off 2nd January. And if you’d like my 10-step Future Self Vision Board process, I’ll give it to you completely free - but you have to ask for it. 📧 Email me at nicole@nicolemckeecoaching.com with the subject Vision Board and I’ll send it straight to you. No magic. No fluff. Just neuroscience, clarity, and follow-through.

    24 min

About

The You Lounge - Unfiltered Conversations on Weight Loss and Wellness Welcome to The You Lounge - your new favourite space for honest chats, expert insights, and zero fluff. Hosted by Nicole McKee and Marianne Bell, two down-to-earth coaches who are here to strip back the noise and talk openly about weight loss, wellness, GLP-1 medications, and what it really takes to feel good in your body. We’re done with diet culture, shame, and one-size-fits-all advice. Instead, expect empowering episodes that explore the science, mindset, and messy middle of sustainable weight loss and living well - especially for women navigating modern life, hormones, and healing. Whether you’re curious about GLP-1 meds, stuck in a binge-restrict cycle, or just want to feel more like you again - pull up a seat. You’re not alone here. 💬 Raw. Real. Relatable. 💫 New episodes every week. 📍Find your power. Redefine your path. It’s time to live life on YOUR terms! Welcome to The You Lounge.

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