Hello,
I want to share something personal with you today.
In 2023, I hit burnout at the exact same time I entered perimenopause.
I'd spent over 11 years as a chef specialising in plant-forward, functional food. I knew more about nutrition than most. I was eating well. But I was also juggling a new business, endless hours, and the daily demands of raising my little ones putting everyone before myself without even realising it.
Until my body sent me a bill I couldn't ignore.
In less than a year, I gained 16kg. My cortisol was through the roof. I was exhausted, sleeping badly, and completely out of rhythm with myself. It was humbling. And it was the most important turning point of my career.
Instead of pushing through, I stopped. I started listening to what my body was actually asking for not what the trends were saying, not what I thought I should be doing. And I began focusing on the foundations I'd somehow been overlooking for myself, even while teaching them to others.
Blood sugar rhythm. Adequate protein. Stress and sleep regulation. Consistent daily structure.
The difference was significant. And it made me realise something I now believe deeply — that so many women are doing everything right on paper, and still feeling off. Not because they're failing, but because nobody has helped them connect the dots between their hormones, their food, and the way they actually live.
That's what I set out to change.
I completed formal training with the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and became a certified health coach — so I could support women not just through meals, but through the full picture that hormones require. And I built a programme that brings everything together.
That programme is opening on 11th May. And I'd love for you to be part of it.
What it is
This is a three-month, structured coaching experience for women who want to restore steady energy by strengthening the foundations their hormones rely on. It's designed for busy professionals, women in perimenopause, and anyone who has tried to eat well and still feels like something is missing.
We move through three intentional phases.
Month one — Stabilize
We begin by understanding your full picture. Your meals, your routine, your stress load, your sleep, your cycle patterns. Then we gently put the basics in place — balanced, protein-forward meals, blood sugar awareness, consistent nourishment, and simple daily structure.
The goal isn't perfection. It's stability. Fewer crashes. Steadier mornings. Reduced cravings.
Month two — Strengthen
Once your energy feels more consistent, we refine. Smart carbohydrate balance, fibre and micronutrient support, nervous system regulation, sleep rhythm. Energy becomes more predictable. Mood and focus begin to feel calmer and more like yours again.
Month three — Personalize
This is where we make it fully yours. Cycle-aware or perimenopause-specific adjustments, movement integration, strategies for travel and real life, and sustainable routines you can maintain entirely on your own.
You leave with clarity about your patterns and the confidence to manage them. The goal is your independence, not your reliance on me.
What's included
Every week we have a private coaching session together. Between sessions you have weekday accountability check-ins, personalised nutrition guidance, practical tools and resources, and direct access to me when questions come up.
This is not a programme you do alone.
This is for you if
You're tired of feeling tired. You've been eating well but your energy, mood, or sleep still feels off. You're in perimenopause or approaching it and want to feel steady rather than reactive. You're a busy professional a mother, a business owner, a woman who gives a lot and you need something that works in real life, not just in theory.
Spots are limited and the cohort launches 11th May.
I keep this intentionally small so every woman inside gets real, personal attention. When it's full, it's full.
Any questions before you decide just hit reply. I'm happy to talk it through personally.
Warmly
Marilyne DEFER
Certified Hormone Nutrition Coach · IIN Graduate Hormone-Informed Nutrition · Perimenopause Support
