Marielle Menzel RNutr

07/04/2025

Losing your temper with your children can feel distressing and leave us feeling so guilty - but it’s important to acknowledge why this might be happening. Your baseline stress is typically much higher if you have young children, especially if you’re dealing with a postpartum mental health concern like anxiety, depression etc. This is not a solution - just some validation.

29/03/2025

Some important things to be aware of that may be signalling you need some support. While experiencing these things is common, it’s not normal - they are usually signs you’re struggling and every mum deserves to feel better than this! ❤️

07/03/2025

Can you imagine a life where you don’t think about calories? Instead trusting your body to let you know when it’s full or hungry, reaching for more food despite the calorific value or taking less because you know you’ve had enough.

A life where when you see what someone else eats in their day, you scroll on by because that should have no impact on you. Or when you fancy dessert after dinner you have it without guilt, because what makes dessert better than anything else you eat?

It’s possible ❤️

27/02/2025

There’s a reason this is a multi-billion pound industry.
Restrictive diets don’t work, and we’re left feeling defeated and frustrated - as if we are the problem.

Here’s a reminder that the real problem is being made to feel like our bodies are directly tied to our worth - they are not - and the dieting industry thrives on this.

Can we make changes that might feel good for our health, and also result in weight loss? Of course. But there are SO many determinants of health, and focusing on weight loss as the only one can be so severely damaging to mental and physical wellbeing.

What’s your experience with dieting?

22/02/2025

Bounce back culture is huge, and extremely problematic.
You have grown a whole human (or multiple) and the idea that we should return to our pre-baby size or appearance within a short time frame - or ever - is insane.
There are so many other, more achievable things we can do for ourselves (as busy and tired mums) that have nothing to do with weight loss. Things will make us feel like we are prioritising bodies in different ways - because for a long time we might not be able to get enough rest, exercise regularly, or eat a balanced diet.
Is there something that you do like this that makes you feel good?

19/02/2025

Being a mum in modern day times is challenging, and there is no shame in admitting that.

We are the generation of women who have been encouraged to be ambitious, study hard and work hard to achieve our goals - but when children come along, we either need to turn all of our focus to them, or face the impossible task of doing it all.

Combine this with a lack of community - the support systems of past times are just not there - and you have one toxic recipe for maternal burnout.

The more we speak about this and normalise it, the better. What’s your experience been with this??

04/02/2025

Going out to eat with children can be anxiety provoking, and I’m always so pleasantly surprised when restaurants don’t bat an eyelid when you arrive with a buggy and two kids. It can take a while to feel confident in public spaces and own that your children are allowed to take up space just as much as the next person. we’ll be back!

22/01/2025

In real need of a coffee right now but i’m a little stuck somewhere - what else to do while the baby sleeps but look through thousands of photos of all the flat whites I’ve had over the last two years? Where’s the best place for coffee in Munich now? ☕️

18/01/2025

This past week has really tested me. Being at home with two children (at the ages they are) and little sleep is a tough combination and I’m not sure how well I’ve coped with it.

I also find myself questioning what I want to do with my time DAILY. Aside from look after my children, of course. I’m sure other mums can resonate - identity postpartum can feel like a maze with no way out.

I spent almost eight years working as a Public Health Nutritionist, in which time I also did an MSc in Psychology and further studies in Counselling Psychology. I’m now able to apply for the doctorate - but we’ve moved countries, which also means that all of that work and effort has come to a dead end (or so it feels). I’m fiercely passionate about maternal mental health and identity, but I don’t know what integrating that into my life professionally can look like over here.

Right now the things that bring me joy are baking bread, mentally styling outfits that I probably won’t wear for months or years 😂

There’s no conclusive ending to this post. I’m sharing to normalise that, post-children, life can feel confusing, unstructured, and with no clear plan. And you’re not alone in this.

31/12/2024

Bye 2024 👋

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30/11/2024

My long overdue post on friendships in motherhood. I would LOVE to hear your thoughts and experiences on this one!

31/10/2024