Renee McGregor is a world-renowned sports dietitian, ultra-runner, and advocate for women in sport. With over 20 years of experience working with elite athletes, she’s passionate about helping individuals fuel their adventures, align with their core values, and thrive in both sport and life. As a trustee of Black Trail Runners, Renee is also dedicated to making the outdoors more inclusive.

In this episode, we dive deep into Renee’s journey—both professionally and personally—since we last spoke in 2016. From launching her own consultancy and leading a team of eight, to navigating life changes, an autoimmune diagnosis, and the challenges of peri-menopause, Renee shares her honest and insightful perspective on resilience, performance, and wellbeing.

What to Expect in This Episode:
 How Renee’s career has evolved over the years
 The truth about carbs, sugar, and fuelling for endurance
 The impact of running on mental resilience and stress management
 Her latest book, Fuel for Thought, and why nutrition should be accessible for all
 Unfiltered—a powerful and deeply personal film following Renee’s journey through endurance sports, advocacy, and resilience.

 Why trusting your body is key and the myths around glucose monitoring
Creating a supportive community in sport and beyond

Whether you're an athlete, outdoor enthusiast, or just looking for inspiration on navigating life’s challenges, this conversation is packed with wisdom, practical advice, and powerful storytelling.

Listen now and get inspired!

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Catch the latest episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast, dropping every Tuesday at 7 am UK time! Don’t forget to subscribe so you won’t miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women.

 Want to play a part in uplifting female representation in the media? Support the Tough Girl Podcast on Patreon! Your generosity helps shine a spotlight on female role models in the world of adventure and physical challenges. Join us in making a positive impact by visiting www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.

Thank you for your amazing support!

***

Previous TGP episodes with Renee

Jul 26, 2016 - A Leading sports and eating disorder specialist dietitian with over 15 years experience working in nutrition. Renee works with elite athletes, coaches and sports science teams to provide nutritional strategies to enhance sports performance. 

Dec 1, 2016 - Talking about how to get the balance right between periods, health, and performance.  

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Show notes

• Who is Renee
• Being known for her work and how it has changed over the years
• Living in Cumbria 
• When we first spoke back in July 2016 and then in Dec 2016
• Book: Fast Fuel Food for Triathlon Success 
• Book: Fast Fuel Food for Running Success
• What’s being going on over the past 9 years?
• Carbs and sugar
• How her life has changed since 2016 
• Starting up her own consultancy and working with a team of 8 people
• Going through a divorce and focusing on her girls
• Continuing to build on her running
• Writing 2 more books
• Her adult daughters
• Working with different types of teams
• Wanting to help athletes
• Wanting to align with her core values
• Having a high tolerance for distress
• How her running has helped her to manage stressful situations
• The running community and feeling supported
• Being diagnosed with an auto immune condition 
• Creating a strong community on social media and using her platform to educate
• Wanting people to find the joy in running and eating 
• NEW Book: Fuel for Thought A practical guide to fuelling for your adventures 
• Wanting food to be accessible for everyone
• Her personal journey and what she’s learnt along the way
• Wanting people to thrive 
• Wearing a personalised glucose monitor?
• Why food is not the only thing that affects glucose levels
• Why there can be false reading
• Having a shot of cider vinegar before a meal…. 
• The fear of glucose spiking 
• Being able to trust your body and losing site of that
• Our genetic blueprint
• Tracking periods and training 
• Her journey with peri-menopause
• Changes in mood and dealing with anxiety
• HRT?
• New film - Unfiltered 
• How the film came about
• Jenny Tough - SOLO film
• Wanting to make a film about women and mothers
• Suffering from racial abuse and not feeling welcomed
• Wanting to help women to stop feeling so much pressure
• Going on tour with the film
• Kendal Mountain Film Festival 
• Fort Williams Mountain Film Festival 
• London Mountain Festival - 15th March 2025 - Riverside Studios, Hammersmith
• How you can connect with Renee
• Thinking about starting a substack?
• Final words of advice - “There will be something to learn even from the pain”

Social Media

Instagram @r_mcgregor

Unfiltered website - to find out where you can see the film

www.unfilteredfilm.com

Book:  Fuel for Thought A practical guide to fuelling for your adventures: 

Fuel for Thought by leading sports dietitian Renee McGregor is a practical guide to sports nutrition. Cutting through the jargon and misinformation, Renee draws on over twenty years’ experience of working with sportspeople from a range of disciplines to provide straightforward, accessible advice about how you can fuel your adventures.

Stephanie Boon, also known as Stephie, is a solo hiker, backpacker, and writer based in Cornwall, UK. 

As the creator of the blog Ten Mile Hike, she shares practical and candid guides to hiking trails, offering inspiration for anyone looking to explore the outdoors on a tight budget. Hiking has been a lifeline for Stephie, helping her build resilience while managing lifelong bouts of depression.

Now 60, Stephie continues to challenge herself and inspire others, recently fulfilling a bucket-list goal by hiking the iconic West Highland Way. Through her honest storytelling, she encourages women of all ages and abilities to embrace solo adventures, proving that lack of money or experience should never be a barrier to exploring the beauty of nature.

In this episode, Stephie shares her journey, the challenges she faced on the West Highland Way, and her advice for anyone dreaming of their own solo adventure. Listen now to be inspired by her story!

***

Catch the latest episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast, dropping every Tuesday at 7 am UK time! Don’t forget to subscribe so you won’t miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women.

 Want to play a part in uplifting female representation in the media? Support the Tough Girl Podcast on Patreon! Your generosity helps shine a spotlight on female role models in the world of adventure and physical challenges. Join us in making a positive impact by visiting www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.

Thank you for your amazing support!

Show notes

• Stephanie Boon also know as Stephie 
• Being based in Cornwall, UK close to the South West Coast Path
• Qualified Lowland Leader
• Having a blog - called “Ten Mile Hike” that is an inspiring and practical resource for anyone who wants to get into hiking in the UK 
• Honest articles about how nature, being outside, hiking and backpacking has helped her with her mental health
• Suffering with long periods of depression since 23
• Now 60 years old
• Wanting to inspire other people of a similar age to get outside and go hiking
• Growing up in North London 
• Moving to Cornwall when she was 19 to go to art school
• Why Cornwall is home and has been for 40+ years!
• How walking became a much larger part of her life
• Going to the South Downs and doing Youth Hostelling at 16 and how it changed her perspective on what she could do 
• Getting into solo hiking 
• The end of a long term relationship   
• The experience of being alone in nature
• Creating the blog (Ten Mile Hike) and website and sharing more of her journey 
• How hiking has helped her mental health
• Wanting to show women that it is possible to hike and go outside solo and why lack of money and experience shouldn’t hold you back  
• Turning 60 and wanting to walk the West Highland Way (a bucket list hike)
• Not having a lot of money available to go hiking 
• Doing the hike with her son who had never done a backpacking trip before 
• Why turning 60 has been terrifying 
• Losing a good friend 
• Don’t waste a day, and enjoy every moment. 
• What if I’ve only got 10 years of good health?
• Being stuck for years and wanting to unstick herself 
• Needing to book things in and make a commitment to yourself 
• Challenges on the West Highland Way
• Starting walking at 1pm and walking into the dark
• Cold, rain, mice and dealing with a broken tent!
• How to connect with Stephie
• Starting her Youtube Channel
• Final words of advice and wisdom
• Don’t be afraid to take small steps
• Don’t compare yourself to anyone else

Social Media

Website: www.10milehike.com

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@stephie_10milehike

Instagram: @tenmilehike

Sami Sauri is a multi-sport athlete, creative director, and storyteller who blends her passion for adventure with her artistic vision. Originally from Barcelona and now based in Chamonix, France, Sami has built a career as a full-time athlete, brand ambassador, and filmmaker, exploring the world on two wheels and beyond.

From skateboarding and downhill longboarding at 14 to cycling across Route 66 and tackling gravel races, Sami’s journey has been fuelled by her love for endurance challenges and discovery. Her creative talents shine through photography and film, where she’s produced feature documentaries and projects in some of the world’s most remote locations, including Yemen and Bolivia.

In this episode, Sami shares stories of her extraordinary travels, from navigating tough roads and altitude challenges to connecting with cultures and people in meaningful ways. She also opens up about her move to Chamonix to expand her mountain skills, her “1-2-3 PLAN” tactic for tough decisions, and how she’s encouraging women to embrace new challenges through her platform, The W Collective.

Tune in for an inspiring conversation about adventure, creativity, and pushing boundaries—no matter who you are or where you’re from. 

***

Catch the latest episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast, dropping every Tuesday at 7 am UK time! Don’t forget to subscribe so you won’t miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women.

 Want to play a part in uplifting female representation in the media? Support the Tough Girl Podcast on Patreon! Your generosity helps shine a spotlight on female role models in the world of adventure and physical challenges. Join us in making a positive impact by visiting www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.

Thank you for your amazing support!

***

Show notes

• Who is Sami: Originally from Barcelona, Spain, now living in Chamonix, France.
• Lives as a full-time athlete and brand ambassador (cycling, skiing, and surfing).
• Was very sporty growing up and discovered skateboarding and downhill longboarding at 14.
• Traveled around the world surfing and worked in a surf shop.
• Got her first fixed-gear bike at 17.
• Developed a passion for photography and film, which became central to her career.
• Took on Route 66 as her first big endurance challenge (in a group of four).
• Discovered her knack for endurance events through gravel racing.
• Embraces a “go with the flow” mindset, leaving space for spontaneity in her adventures.
• Plans to participate in five races/events in 2025.
• Spent time in Yemen and found it an incredible and eye-opening experience.
• Faced unique challenges as a woman cycling in Yemen.
• Started studying Arabic and got a tattoo as a memory of the trip.
• Adventured in Bolivia, planning a six-day loop through challenging terrain.
• Dealt with altitude, humidity, and long cycling days, while experiencing the kindness of strangers.
• Learned about new trails being created for mountain biking in Bolivia.
• Faced tough conditions in Turkey, including closed roads, landslips, tunnels, detours, wind, and cold.
• Had to navigate challenges without phone reception and developed a “1-2-3 PLAN” tactic for decision-making.
• Moved to Chamonix in February 2024 to take courses on surviving and thriving in mountainous conditions.
• Founded The W Talks on Instagram during the pandemic, which later grew into The W Collective 
• Final advice for women: “Be willing to ask questions, be willing to try new things, and don’t let anyone stop you.”

Social Media

Website - www.samisauri.com 

Instagram @samisauri 

The W collective - With the purpose to get every woman into the outdoors and to discover a way to explore through your own power and create awareness! 

Website - www.thewcollectivee.com

Instagram @thewcollectivee 

Fredi Chohan is a sports enthusiast and advocate for embracing new challenges, proving it’s never too late to take on something extraordinary. At 54, she became an Adventure Queen Grant winner, using the support to embark on her first-ever multi-day hike: the 268-mile Pennine Way.

Growing up with a passion for sports like hockey and football, Fredi carried her love for physical activity into adulthood, playing hockey at the club level and coaching under-7s football. After losing her mother and finding herself at a crossroads in life, she was inspired by a friend to step into the world of long-distance walking. 

The Adventure Queen Grant gave her the push she needed to train, plan, and undertake this life-changing journey.

Starting from Kirk Yetholm and walking south, Fredi faced both triumphs and challenges, including overpacking, embracing her slow pace, and navigating the outdoors solo as an Asian woman. While a family emergency initially prevented her from completing the final two days, Fredi later returned to the trail with friends to finish her Pennine Way journey and celebrated her 55th birthday with a renewed sense of purpose and accomplishment.

In this episode, Fredi reflects on her Pennine Way experience, how she captured it in a documentary with Frit Films, and her advice for women—of any age or background—who are dreaming of taking their first steps toward adventure.

***

Catch the latest episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast, dropping every Tuesday at 7 am UK time! Don’t forget to subscribe so you won’t miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women.

 Want to play a part in uplifting female representation in the media? Support the Tough Girl Podcast on Patreon! Your generosity helps shine a spotlight on female role models in the world of adventure and physical challenges. Join us in making a positive impact by visiting www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.

Thank you for your amazing support!

***

Show notes

• Who is Fredi?
• Growing up and being into sports (hockey, football) from a young age
• Going walking with her friends 
• Wanting to do a challenge for herself 
• Carrying on sports into adulthood 
• Playing hockey to club level
• Her passion for cricket and football
• Being encouraged to play sports by her family 
• Being a football coach and working with the under 7s
• Thinking about the Pennine Way and wanting to take it on as a walk  
• Being at a crossroads in her life
• Losing her motivation 
• Loosing her mum and working a zero hour contract job, with no direction
• Being inspired by a friend to do a long walk
• Learning about the Adventure Queen Grant 
• Meeting the filmmaker and the sponsors from Sprayway
• 54 years young
• Planning to finish on her 55th birthday
• Getting £500 plus other benefits from the grant
• Gaining new skills and starting to train
• Starting from Kirk Yetholm walking from the North, down to the South 
• Being a very slow walker 
• Wanting to be out in nature and seeing the beauty 
• Overpacking at the start!
• Filming the challenge and making it into a documentary 
• Frit Films 
• The difficult parts of filming 
• Dealing with a challenging family situation and needing to leave the walk 2 days before the end
• Sharing her adventure with friends
• The Pennine Way - Step by Step, Side by Side 
• Finishing the walk 
• Highlights and magical moments from the walk
• Being an Asian woman and walking alone in nature
• Advice for Asian women who want to take on a solo adventure 
• Starting small, with baby steps
• Walking on a regular basis 
• Watch the film on Youtube 
• Being new to social media
• Why age is a number
• Make it your adventure

Social Media

Instagram @fchohan66