Feeling flat? It's the time of year, and it isn't just you

If you've felt flat for the last few weeks, there's a reason, and it isn't you being lazy.

The end of September does this to people. It's technically still summer, so you feel like you should still be riding the highs, but the kids have gone back, the streets have gone quiet, everyone put the tools down in August and hasn't quite picked them up, and the only thing left on the calendar is Christmas, which is months off. No man's land. I see the same pattern in clients at this exact point every single year. So this one isn't really about food. Or not only about food. I'll also challenge the thing nearly everyone is about to do: get in shape for Christmas, let it all go over Christmas, start again in January. That's not a way to live, and you don't have to. In this episode: Why this stretch of the year flattens people, and why it catches you off guard The "everythingness" list, and why writing all of it down is the first move The five minute rule that starts the engine when nothing feels doable Open loops, why they wake you at 3am, and how to close them The phone habit to stop tonight, and why it wrecks your whole day rather than just your sleep Why I have no notifications on my phone at all Light, wind-down, and why your bedroom should be for two things only The minimum standard for food: plan your dinners, and never walk into a supermarket blind Why Wednesday evening is where good intentions die, and how to take that decision off your future self Where your attention is going, and who's currently in charge of it Instagram: @paulthenutritionist.