408: UK Fashionista Fiona Lambert is 'Invincible not Invisible' at 60+

ELLA: 00:00:03

Welcome, you're on air with Ella, where we share simple strategies and tips for living a little better every day.

If you're interested in mindset and wellness, or healthy habits and relationships, or hormone health, aging well and eating well, honestly, if you're into just living better and with more energy, then you're in the right place. We're not here for perfect. We're here for a little better every day. Let's go. Hey, you're on air with Ella. And today I am joined by Fiona Lambert.

Hey, Fiona, how are you?

Fiona: 00:00:34

I'm really good. I'm really looking forward to speaking to you.

ELLA: 00:00:36

Fiona, would you please kick us off by telling us who you are and what you do?

Fiona: 00:00:41

I had a long career in fashion, which I absolutely love doing, but recently turned author wrote my first book called Invincible Not Invisible. I wanted to use my business background to get at the fittest shape of my life at 60, and. And I ended up writing a book about it.

ELLA: 00:00:57

You have had a tenured, renowned career in fashion. Hit us with some highlights.

Fiona: 00:01:02

Oh, wow. It's all UK brands. So I, you know, I don't know if everybody knows them, but I always wanted to be a fashion designer.

I was very lucky to start work with a company called Next in the uk, which I don't know if everybody knows, but it's a big deal in the UK with the founder. And then he went off and started the first clothing brand in a supermarket, which was. His name was George and he started Georgia Asda, which is.

Was bought by Walmart actually, as well. And it sort of formed a whole new industry, actually, of clothing sold in supermarkets in the uk.

And then I went on to work with Marks and Spencer's and there's a very British heritage brand called Jaeger, which I was the managing director of. And that was my last role. But what I love is design and people, and I was known for brand transformation, so going in and transforming brands.

And I guess that was some of the mindset I used in, you know, transforming myself.

ELLA: 00:01:53

So you were busy. You had, I'm assuming, competing priorities. What was your life like in terms of how well you were able to take care of yourself?

How are you investing in your physical and mental health during the Hustle years, if you will?

Fiona: 00:02:08

Well, obviously, I mean, I've got two kids who are 28 and 31 now, and I'm sure, you know, like most people who are juggling a career and children while they were growing up, it was much harder. Probably went through all of the fad classes that everybody did. Whether it was Zumba or step aerobics, ye body pump, anything.

I kind of went and did a few of those classes at weekends, but that was probably it. Maybe one or two classes as the kids were younger.

And then as they grew up and I had a bit more time, I started to invest in myself more and started going to a personal trainer once a week and maybe doing, you know, maybe a couple of classes. But I did stumble upon, over the last sort of five years hiit training, which I found out you could do in sort of 15 minutes.

And that was a bit of a game changer and something I've become very keen on.

ELLA: 00:02:57

Okay, well, here's something that everyone listening today needs to know. And this is so shallow and not the point, but Fiona is a smoking hot hottie. Fiona, remind me how old you are, please.

Fiona: 00:03:09

I am 61. Just coming up to 62 actually.

ELLA: 00:03:13

You are like this 61 year old powerhouse. I'm not someone who personally finds that extraordinary, but I do find it exceptional. And here's what I mean by that.

I don't think it's extraordinary. I think almost everybody can have this, but I think it's exceptional because people aren't doing it.

And so I love, love, love to talk to people who are modeling the way. And I'm really interested in the impact that's had on your life and your capacity for joy and experiences and living out loud.

But I'm just gonna go ahead and address the elephant in the room and that is that Fiona is smoking hot. And I think that's fun for you.

Fiona: 00:03:54

Well, that is really, really kind of you. But actually you mentioned the word joy there. It's so funny. So I, when you're saying actually is, I do believe it's massively about choice, actually.

And you mentioned that, you know, people, people do have a choice. One of the big things for me was as I approached 60, it's very nice when people go, you don't look your age.

And I, I, you know, I never want to lie, but there was something about saying the words, I'm 60 and I was still involved in the fashion industry at the time that just felt like it was this sort of going to be this glide path into sort of old age.

And I thought, well, do you know, I want to take it as a challenge and go make it something to celebrate so that actually be a, you know, role model that, you know, you can be fit and feisty and fabulous and full of energy at 60. And I wanted to make it a beginning rather than the beginning of the end and the minute I invested in myself.

And you know, I, as you say, it's, I think I've become more me, if I'm really honest. You know, I, I'm sharing this joy that I found of, you know, investing in myself.

I try to make it fun for people watching it and you know, make exercise fun and make exercise attainable. I get such lovely messages back that it does bring me joy and maybe that reflects back.

There's a famous author that if you think happy thoughts, it shines through your eyes like sunbeams, actually. And I think that's very true.

ELLA: 00:05:10

Well, not just blowing smoke up your skirt. Like you have such vitality and such shine to you. And I have what this day and age almost a controversial take.

And that is that we all deserve to see what it's like to experience life in the best, healthiest body we can create for ourselves. And it's a sliding scale. We all start with different material and we all are in different circumstances and we have different resources.

I could go on and on, on, but here's the thing. I'm talking about the best you, whatever that is.

Fiona: 00:05:40

Well, I very much, when I'm talking to people, I recognize there's a lot of people probably as they're, you know, their children have grown up or, you know, that whether they've stopped working, they think it's too late. And I keep muttering, never, you're never too old and it's never too late and you can start small. You know, there is no magic bullet.

And you know, I exercise consistently, which, you know, sadly, that is, you do need to do that, you know, it's not something that you can do and then stop and everything just stays the same. So that, you know, I am always considered talking about, and I very much talk about the fact that, you know, do not compare yourself.

You know, I like you. I said you want to be the very best version of you.

But I want to make sure that nobody ever feels intimidated by it, you know, so I do, you know, if you see me jumping around in my kitchen, you know, I want people to go, you haven't got to go to the gym. You know, I haven't get, haven't got to get all of the gear.

You know, actually small things like boiling the kettle and I'll do a five minute little workout while you're boiling the kettle and it's a few push ups off the kitchen, work tops or a few squats, but it all adds up. So you know, those tiny little steps and you can Build on them and hopefully overcome feeling it's too late for you. It's not too late.

ELLA: 00:06:49

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Grab a friend, grab a colleague, bring your team and we'll see you there. Masteryouragame.com Fiona this is not meant to just be motivation and inspiration though far from it.

I want to really talk brass tacks with you and you've said a couple of things that we need to highlight. And then I want to ask you some really specific questions, but about the how, you know what I mean, and what it looks like every day.

Because so many people treat, especially when it comes like physical fitness, as one example.

So many people sort of approach that arena with, well, I don't have what she has, or I'm starting from a different place than she does, or like she has something I don't have access to and in many nuanced ways. And I love that what you're saying is you're just blowing a hole in that. And I.

Oh, I'm constantly saying, start where you are, use what you have, do what you can. And you'll be shocked by how just consistency can yield extremely powerful results. By the way, that's an Arthur Ashe quote.

I use it all the time and I didn't come up with it. That's Arthur Ashe. Fiona, talk to me a little bit about consistency. What does that mean to you?

Fiona: 00:10:07

Well, actually, something you just said actually resonated there about people looking at the finished article and, you know, they think you've been gifted it.

And I had a conversation about work actually quite recently that, you know, a lot of people who've worked with me and, you know, I was a board director in the last few years of my career when I started life as a designer. And I would sit and I would sketch in a meeting and I could still draw a design and people go, you can draw, can you?

And of course they forget, you know, I did start off, you know, actually day four, computers. You know, you were on a fax machine and filing papers and, you know, I was the person that drew the.

Drew the dresses and then cut the pattern on how to make them know I wasn't this fully formed director. And it took a long time of learning and developing and making mistakes and learning from them to get to me there.

So, hey, on a fitness journey, it's probably similar as well. And you mentioned this consistency.

I talk about mindset and I'm very lucky that I had a lot of coaching through business and I learned life coaching myself. And I do talk about the five Ps, about your mindset, which is purpose, preparation, perseverance, people and positivity.

I talk about perseverance because, like I said, it's not a silver bullet, it's not a one off.

And the reason that, you know, I've talked about 90 days is it takes 21 days to break a habit, but it takes 90 days to create a lifestyle, and then it's sustainable. And it is about perseverance.

You know, you're going to choose healthier foods, you're going to choose more, you know, more nutritious, healthier foods, and it becomes your new lifestyle. You're going to do 10,000 steps a day. You're going to try to do that, and it's consistent, you know, and it.

And so all of these things are, you know, it can be slightly boring, and I do lots of things to try and stop it being boring, whether it's great music or making it fun or doing it with friends. But that consistency and that perseverance is something you are going to have to accept and make work, I guess, in your lifestyle.

ELLA: 00:12:01

Yeah, I think that the language that I use around this to build on what you're saying is until it becomes a part of your identity, then it just feels like something. It feels like efforting all the time. But you clearly have had an identity shift.

And I didn't know you 20 years ago, so I'm making an assumption here, but I'll also share with you that when I was in my busiest of busiest years running this consulting firm and growing a podcast on the side, I also put this extreme pressure on myself to be as physically ideal as I could according to somebody else's ideals. And that meant I wasn't taking care of myself. I wondered how that compared and contrasted to you letting yourself off the hook in some way.

As we get older and we mature and we want to feel a certain way more than we want to look a certain way, I mean, you know.

Fiona: 00:12:56

I talk about the turning 60 thing. That was a big. It was a big driver to feel like, actually I did it as a challenge to myself.

You know, I didn't want to feel, as I said, I didn't want to feel like I was in this glide path to sort of, you know, old age. I thought we all live longer, you know. You know, I'm 60, so actually, hopefully I've got another third, if not more of my life still to live.

And, gosh, I want it to be fun, you know, and I want to be fit for it, and I want to keep learning.

And I saw a fabulous thing the other day which said, you should plan one big adventure a year, six mini adventures, and learn a new habit every quarter into your life. And I thought, so I bought this big wall chart, and I've.

It's made me go, right, I'm going to Plan lots of adventures in there because, you know, I'm going to make sure, you know, this period of my life, 60 up is going to be the best third of my life.

ELLA: 00:13:47

So many people attribute sort of their degradation in cognition and mood and physical wellness and mental wellness and we attribute that to aging when the truth is it just is essential, a sign that we have some cleaning out to do.

It just makes me so happy to be able to showcase your life as a, as an example of what is possible when you decide, and this is language you used earlier in our conversation, you decided to invest in yourself in a way that you had not yet done before. Tell me a few of the adventures you would never have had in recent years had you not taken on that attitude.

Fiona: 00:14:24

Well, gosh, I mean, writing a book is one of them. You know, I had this sort of, you know, gauntlet thrown down to be, you know, at my fittest and my healthiest for 60.

It ended up being reported in the press and, you know, it went into the Times newspaper. So I was thrust suddenly into being, whether you call it an influencer or content creator. So that was a whole new experience for me.

And because of that learning how to create videos and, you know, I've spent all my creative background, I'm enjoying doing it for that, you know, I was approached to write a book. So I ended up, you know, becoming an author.

So, you know, and if you'd have asked me two years ago after a 37 year career in fashion, are you going to become an author? You know, completely and completely new.

Unrelated, I climbed Kilimanjaro, I was going to say 18 months ago, part of a thing for charity, but that's now kind of set the benchmark quite high when I'm trying to find adventures, you know, climbing the sort of highest mountain in Africa was, you know, it's quite a hard one to beat, but I think there's still plenty of ventures to be had.

ELLA: 00:15:21

Yeah, I'd say. And it's funny, you, you just pointed out that you're, that you're just a touch over 60 and that you hope that you have at least another third to go.

And I'm, I'm doing quick bad math in my head and I'm realizing how terribly young 60 is because 50% of 60 is 30. You easily, easily have 50% more to go.

Fiona: 00:15:42

I've dragged, I've dragged my. Well, drag sounds awful. Actually. No, I might, They've joined me willingly.

Both my daughter and my mum joined me on some oled workouts and my mum's 82 and she' incredibly fit. She walks two or three miles a day with her dog. She swims three times a week.

So, you know, she's a living example as well, of, you know, if you invest in your health. There's a bit in the book, actually, when I talk about planning as one of the. One of the P's. And I was saying we.

We are very disciplined about, you know, you've got a hair appointment, you'll have a nail appointment, or you'll have a doctor's appointment, and you keep those appointments. And I was just saying, actually, your future self, gosh, aren't they worth.

You're keeping that appointment with your future self and, you know, planning time in your diary to exercise because that is the best appointment you will have. And your older self will thank you for that appointment.

ELLA: 00:16:32

Can I ask you a personal question that you definitely do not have to answer, and we can cut it out?

Fiona: 00:16:38

Okay.

ELLA: 00:16:38

Have you already had the menopausal transition?

Fiona: 00:16:42

So I. I was still having periods at 58, actually, and I went on hormone patches, though, because the main symptom I got was night sweat, actually.

It was really disturbing my sleep. I had, you know, probably had some of the minor. Didn't notice them as much. But I started HRT patches at 58.

ELLA: 00:16:59

The reason I ask is because we.

I've interviewed, I mean, dozens at this point, dozens of experts on women's health and perimenopause and menopause, and we've talked about hormone replacement therapy. We've talked about the hormonal swing. We've talked about what happens to your anatomy. We've talked and talked and talked and talked.

But I so rarely get to talk to a layperson in this on this topic and just ask, like, how'd you do it? Like, were you okay? Do you have any tips for us? Like, can I. Can you big sister me here?

Because I gotta honest with you, Fiona, and I know I'm taking us on a left turn, so thank you. But I'm scared, so I'm not there yet. But it's coming just like it's coming for everybody.

And as much as I've educated myself and my podcast family, we have really, like, indoctrinated oursel into the new research, into the new information. Like, we. We got the facts. I don't know what it's like. And I'm scared.

I'm scared of that unknown, and I'm worried that everything I'm working toward now is just gonna crash and burn. And I Don't like to approach life that way.

Fiona: 00:17:58

So what can you tell me as the layperson? Nobody really talked about the perimenopause actually when I.

ELLA: 00:18:06

The word wasn't. I mean had you even heard that word?

Fiona: 00:18:09

No, never had.

So I, I remember at the time being, you know, board executive and hearing conversations and things that were sort of, you know, building them stressful and feeling quite anxious and a bit tearful. And I was thinking where, where has this come from?

And probably started to get a bit of insomnia and you know, found out it was this perimenopause I'd never heard of. And I think I remember taking just some over the counter medication that was to help.

And then as it progressed and as I, you know, hit I sort of late, late 50s and I was still having periods, I started to get a few hot flushes and that's when I went on HRT patches and they definitely have helped. But I think there's an increasing number of, you know, I take quite a lot of supplements now that are based on natural ingredients that help.

I do passionately believe exercise helps.

I really do, you know, from point of view of certainly manage some of the weight gain that happens naturally with menopause because you do get more just by the nature of your hormones you get them get more fat around your waist.

So if you're doing fat burning exercise that is going to help you reduce your body fat percentage and help with that, I do think it helps your energy levels. I did quite a bit of research for writing the book and you know, exercise is good for it.

It's not going to be the cure all I'm sure for people who need more. But as something that supplements taking h, I think it's worth, you know, worth going for it.

ELLA: 00:19:32

Yeah, I'm, I'm a big advocate for at least knowing whether you do it or not knowing the information and the current information. So we talk a great deal about that here. Fiona, did you give up alcohol entirely?

Fiona: 00:19:44

For the nine weeks leading up to my birthday, which was the beginning of March and I wanted to do this.

I actually, I booked a photo shoot and I do think having, if anybody actually wants to treat themselves and have a bit of an incentive to, you know, whether it is trying to, you know, stick to healthier exercise or nutrition plan, having a photo shoot where you're so right, I created a mood board and in the same way in fashion, you know, I used to, we used to have, you know, boards that said the trends that you wanted to be represented when you develop the ranges, having that vision of what you want to look like. And I, you know, I knew what dresses I wanted to wear, I knew I wanted a white background. I booked it with a photographer.

And that kept me on this, that did keep me on the straight and narrow actually, to have this sort of vision and of what I wanted to look like for this photo shoot as a celebration of being 60, rather than this sort of commiseration. It was going to be a celebration.

ELLA: 00:20:37

That is such a good life hack. So. So a couple things there. First of all, if you're having a birthday come up, that just feels weird in your mouth to say, schedule a photo shoot.

There is nothing more motivating. That is so true.

Fiona: 00:20:50

Also, like I said, yeah, make it something to celebrate, you know, do it in style. Do it in style.

ELLA: 00:20:54

And do you find that since working out and being physically strong and capable has become a part of your identity and it's become a part of your.

Not something you think about that you should do, or you're negotiating with yourself on a regular basis, have you found that you can be a little bit more relaxed with your choices or.

Fiona: 00:21:13

No, I think you're right. Well, it has become a lifestyle, so I do enjoy it. And probably if I don't exercise, I feel like something's, you know, something's missing.

Because you do release fabulous, feel good hormones, you know. You know, you release these endorphins and dopamine, you know, so you do feel good.

You know, I don't, like I said, I'm not really living this sort of puritanical life. You know, I will have a glass of wine with friends now, but I'm sort of conscious.

I think for anybody, it's the: 8020

ime, but, you know, now it is: 8020

So if you have a bad day, you don't go, oh, it's all gone wrong now. And that's it. I've, you know, I've given up now. You just start again the next day.

ELLA: 00:22:07

I ask you, partially because I think it's so important to recognize two things you took some drastic measures when you were really making change. And that is a really great way to kick off transformation.

But then once you metabolized it and it became a part of your DNA and who you are, you can live your life. Hey, it's Ella. If you've been listening for a while, then you know that I often get discount codes and promotional discounts.

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I have one more question for you, and it is arguably irresponsible of me to ask. And let me tell you why we are not two practitioners having a conversation about how to achieve your healthiest, best life. We are two women.

I want to ask, as my mate, Fiona, I want to ask you this question. What supplements are you taking?

Fiona: 00:23:56

Okay, I will start because I take a lot for my joints, so I take glucosamine and chondroitin. I take collagen. I take hyaluric acid. And what's the last one? Oh, I take Omega 3 free oil.

Those things also look after your hair and your skin and your nails. So there's, you know, there's a big tick on all of those ones. I take magnesium. It's great for sleep, actually.

So that's, I think, one of the main reasons I'm taking magnesium.

ELLA: 00:24:21

And it's so good for so many biological processes. And I, I very rarely say, everybody needs x Because everybody's different. Everybody needs magnesium and vitamin D. Everybody.

Fiona: 00:24:31

Yes. Yeah. So I take vitamin D. Vitamin. Or vitamin D and K and B. So I take. I take those vitamins. I take a supplement which I found about called L Carnitine.

No. L. Carnitine.

ELLA: 00:24:46

L. Carnitine.

Fiona: 00:24:47

L. Carnitine. Sorry. So L. Carnitine is something that is actually naturally occurring in your body, but when you're exercising, it sends your.

The mitochondria to fat for the energy. So I take it as a supplement. So while I'm exercising, I take. And it makes sure that if you're exercising, exercising, it's a fat burning supplement.

ELLA: 00:25:08

Okay, I'm gonna read this. I just looked this up right this very second, so I'm gonna read this. L. Carnitine helps preserve muscle glycogen and promote fat oxidation.

It also spares the use of amino acids as energy sources during exercise, making them potentially available for new protein synthesis. And it goes on. Okay, wow.

Fiona: 00:25:27

This is why I asked you.

ELLA: 00:25:28

Because when I'm just talking to my girlfriends, not practitioners, we're just chatting, we are not telling everybody that they should go take the stuff. But I always learn something.

Fiona: 00:25:36

And yeah, no L.

Carnitine, I read about it when I was learning about fitness and I thought anything that creates more energy and you know, as I say it for me, I did notice myself getting leaner on taking it.

ELLA: 00:25:51

Okay, I'm filing that one away, you guys.

Again, I'm not here telling us we need to take everything that Fiona takes, but Fiona, I take literally everything you said, except for one thing, and then the L carnitine. So I'm going to be looking into that. If you guys want me to do a deep dive into that, you let me know. Okay? I appreciate you sharing that with me.

Just unofficially, low key sharing information. I appreciate that so much.

Fiona: 00:26:17

Well, I'm glad you read the official description out because I probably didn't describe it as well in my head. I know what it does.

ELLA: 00:26:23

Listen, you should hear me explain why I take certain things and when to take them. So, for example, collagen, I've learned, should not be taken at the same time as caffeine. And I was putting collagen in my coffee and so it.

It inhibits the effectiveness. But the way I talk about things as though we are all in primary school, if you want to understand it at a PhD level, I'm not your girl.

I'll interview someone for that. No, you are speaking my language and I appreciate that so much.

I might do a deep dive on some of the things that you mentioned if, if folks ask for it. Okay, last question. For real. I think I said that already.

But this is the one thing I really want to know before I let you go, Fiona, and that is, is this. You are just over 60. You are enjoying your life, arguably more than other seasons.

You have a vitality about you, an energy about you, and importantly, an unwillingness to buy into culture's narrative about whatever the hell 60 is supposed to look like and feel like. What would you tell you at 30?

Fiona: 00:27:25

Oh, gosh. So one of, one of the joys I think of getting older and actually genuinely leaving it is, is no to more.

And I think you spend your younger years worrying far too much what other people think of you.

And actually they're probably thinking about what they have for breakfast and, you know, some other disaster they've got to manage when they get home. Really appreciating yourself and loving yourself and worrying far less what you look like, what other people think of you.

You know, what have you done wrong?

And actually celebrating, celebrating yourself, actually, because I think, you know, you know, probably I'd look back, you know, I'd be very proud of my 30 year old self, but you probably don't feel it there.

ELLA: 00:28:05

You guys go follow Fiona on Instagram. I'll make it easy for you to find her and her book. And I want to say the title of your book again, Invincible, Not Invisible. Fiona, thank you.

Fiona: 00:28:17

It's been a pleasure.

ELLA: 00:28:19

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