#176 - Coached by Swifty: Eating More, Lifting Heavy & Ditching Diet Culture with Vicky Swift

This week I'm joined by Vicky Swift, founder of Coached by Swifty, and we're getting into all the things — eating more (not less), why "smaller and skinnier" isn't the goal, and how to finally step away from diet culture for good. Vicky opens up about her own turning point after post-pregnancy weight gain, and how that experience shaped everything she now teaches her clients. We talk about the language of diet culture — "cheat meals," "detox," "shred" — and why words like that quietly wreck your relationship with food and your self-belief long before you notice it happening. We get into the real mechanics of sustainable fat loss: phased dieting, calorie deficits followed by maintenance blocks, tracking for awareness rather than restriction, and why strength training does so much more than change your body — it changes how you show up in every other part of your life too. Vicky also shares the honest, unfiltered story of building her coaching business — parenting through the early grind, her dad's cancer diagnosis, and the reality of trying to balance business, home, and health as a woman. We talk about what it means to model healthy habits for your kids, and why waiting for the "right time" to start is the biggest trap of all. If you needed a reminder to eat more, lift heavier, and build real confidence — this episode is it. Timestamps: 00:00 Meet Vicky Swift 02:49 Vicky's Story 04:02 Diet Culture Roots 06:11 Social Media vs Magazines 13:11 Crash Diet Myths 15:44 Slow and Steady Wins 18:21 Deficit and Maintenance Phases 24:09 Mindset and Habit Awareness 28:03 Strong Not Skinny 31:59 Confidence Beyond Fitness 35:04 Find Your Inner Fire 37:40 Job Loss to New Path 38:44 Lockdown Workouts Spark 39:34 Launching PT Business Fast 41:12 Burnout and Going All In 43:28 From In Person to Online 46:09 Laptop Life Reality Check 47:49 Dad's Cancer Wake Up 51:00 Women and Work Life Balance 56:47 Kids Learn by Watching 01:05:38 Stop Waiting Start Now 01:07:51 Mission and Meaning of Health 01:11:30 Where to Find Vicky Links & Resources: * Instagram - Vicky Swift here [https://www.instagram.com/vickiswiftcoaching/] * Apply for LeadHer business mentorship here [https://www.katehamiltonhealth.com/business] * Apply for NourisHer health & fitness coaching here [https://www.katehamiltonhealth.com/coaching] * Subscribe to my weekly coaching newsletter here [http://eepurl.com/imxLs6] * Access my FREE calorie calculator here [https://app.calorieleads.io/tdee/580aed5b-9ee7-4a50-b6d9-df887d4480d1] * Connect with my Kate Hamilton Business Instagram here [https://www.instagram.com/katehamiltonbusiness/] * Connect with Kate Hamilton Business Facebook here [https://www.facebook.com/katehamiltonhealthpt] * Connect with my Kate Hamilton Health Instagram here [https://www.instagram.com/katehamiltonhealth/?hl=en] * Connect with Kate Hamilton Health Facebook here [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61590825177123] * Connect with me on TikTok here [https://www.tiktok.com/@katehamiltonhealth?_r=1&_t=ZN-93tVRjSnedi] * Connect with me on YouTube here [https://www.youtube.com/@KateHamiltonHealth] If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with friends who might benefit. 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