The real questions mums of teens actually ask me.

“My teens eat pasta, pizza and everything in the fridge. How am I supposed to lose weight when I’m cooking for them every night?”

You don’t need to cook one meal for them and a separate “diet” dinner for yourself. Use one base and two plates: the same family meal, with your teenagers taking more rice, pasta or wraps and you building your plate around protein and vegetables. Plate up first, have a leftover rule and let pizza night be pizza night.

“I eat well all day, then the teens go to their rooms and I end up in the snack cupboard. Why do I keep doing this?”

It usually isn’t a willpower problem. Under-eating earlier in the day, a dinner that doesn’t really fill you, poor sleep and the relief of finally having some time to yourself all make the evenings harder. Eat properly earlier, plan a snack you enjoy and give yourself other ways to switch off, and the 9pm pattern starts to change.

“How much protein do I actually need to lose fat in my 40s — and how do I fit it in around feeding a house full of teenagers?”

You don’t need to live on chicken breasts and protein shakes. For most active women in their 40s, a realistic target is around 1.4–2.0g of protein per kg of body weight, spread across breakfast, lunch and the family dinner you’re already cooking. It helps protect your muscle, keeps you fuller and makes fat loss far more sustainable.

“I’m exhausted from teen life — how much rest do I actually need to see results?”

When you’re running on broken sleep and a household full of teenage schedules, recovery is not optional — it’s the difference between progress and burnout. Quality sleep, active rest days and proper hydration all help your body actually absorb the benefit of your workouts, especially as hormones shift in your 40s.