Wool Goddess

Now that I’m more settled into the Zoe Plan, I feel ready to share my progress. It’s been a tough little journey so far, but one I’m determined to continue.

First, let me say this clearly: I’m not on this plan to lose weight.

Yes, over the years I’ve gained a lot, and right now I’m at my heaviest. But here’s the truth, I have never felt more content with myself as a woman. If weight loss happens, I’m sure I’ll feel more confident in some ways, but thinness is not my goal. My goal is simply to be the best version of myself.

Life, trauma, and chronic stress have taken their toll on my health. As Bessel van der Kolk (the Dutch-American psychiatrist, author, and researcher) highlights in his work, trauma can profoundly impact physical health, contributing to disease and chronic conditions. That truth has echoed through my own body.

I’d been stuck in a cycle of mental exhaustion, chronic pain, and a sedentary lifestyle. My eating patterns were messy and inconsistent. And although I told myself I ate “healthy foods,” I was ignoring how much I leaned on cake, butter, milky coffees, or those “flare day” beige meals of scrambled eggs or peanut butter on toast.

When the test results came back, the reality hit me harder than expected.

My Results

Blood sugar control: 47 (poor range)

This means I’m prone to spikes and dips after carb-rich meals. My body doesn’t manage blood sugar as efficiently.

Blood fat score: 10 (bad range)

This showed I was prone to large rises in blood fat after eating fat-rich foods, and my body struggles to clear them efficiently.

Microbiome score: 46

I had 30 “good” gut bacteria and 7 “bad” ones, meaning my balance was slightly off.

Of these, the blood fat score scared me the most. But it was also the wake-up call I needed.

Since my pancreatitis and gallbladder removal, I’ve known I process fats differently. Without a gallbladder, you can still digest fats, but your body is less efficient, especially after heavy or fatty meals. Smaller, balanced meals with moderate healthy fats are key, something I had been ignoring.

My Eating Window

Another big eye-opener was the timing of my eating window. Zoe helps you track when you eat, and it turns out I had been grazing across a very long day. For example:

Morning coffee with milk at 7am (already breaking my fast).

Meals and snacks scattered through the day.

A late-night tea with milk and sugar before bed.

This meant my “eating window” stretched out over many hours, giving my body very little chance to rest and process fats.

To explain:

If you have breakfast at 8am and finish dinner by 6pm, your eating window is 10 hours.

The shorter the window, the more time your body has to repair, reset, and regulate things like fat clearance, blood sugar, and metabolism.

So is this just intermittent fasting?

This is not exactly intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting often involves calorie restriction alongside fasting, whereas Zoe’s approach focuses more on timing, fitting your natural eating into a healthier rhythm.

The Science Bit: Circadian Rhythm & Chrononutrition

This is where things get fascinating. Your circadian rhythm (your internal body clock) regulates so much more than sleep:

• Sleep-wake cycles
• Hormone production (cortisol, melatonin)
• Body temperature
• Metabolism

Researchers in chrononutrition are exploring how meal timing interacts with this rhythm. Key findings include:

Meal timing: Eating in sync with your body clock optimises digestion and energy use.

Nutrient distribution: More carbs earlier in the day, protein and healthy fats later, seems to suit our natural rhythms.

Health impact: Poorly timed eating is linked to blood sugar spikes, fat storage, and cardiovascular risks.

Why Eating Windows Matter

Scientific studies suggest that shorter eating windows (10 hours or less) may offer:

• Weight management benefits – even without calorie restriction.
• Improved metabolic health – better glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity, and lipid profiles.
• Reduced cardiovascular risk – improved cholesterol and blood pressure.
•  Better circadian alignment – supporting sleep and recovery.
• Possible gut microbiome benefits – though research here is still emerging.

All of this was so eye-opening for me. I realised my body wasn’t just asking for “healthier foods” it was asking for a different rhythm.

This is only the beginning of my Zoe journey. In my next blog, I’ll explain more about how the app works in daily life, and the changes I’ve already made that are helping me feel stronger and more in tune with myself.

Love & healing hugs