Helping Women Heal Their Relationship with Food, Their Bodies and Themselves

We’re so excited to welcome Naomi Holbrook—The Unconventional Weightloss Coach and newest member of our Connected100 Business Club. In this deeply honest and inspiring blog, Naomi shares the personal story behind her mission: helping women heal their relationship with food, their bodies, and themselves. From burnout in corporate life to bestselling author and coach, Naomi’s journey is a testament to the power of real transformation. If you’ve ever felt stuck, struggled with self-worth, or wondered what true wellbeing looks like, Naomi’s story will speak to you.

A Personal Introduction from Naomi Holbrook, The Unconventional Weightloss Coach

Hi Connected Brighton! I’m Naomi Holbrook, also known as The Unconventional Weightloss Coach, and I’m thrilled to be joining this vibrant and inspiring business community.

I’m here because I believe in real connection, deep transformation, and the kind of change that lasts - not just in body, but in mind, heart, and life. I’ve been asked to introduce myself to you through this blog, and I thought: What better way than to share the truth of how I got here?

Because I haven’t always been a coach, speaker, or bestselling author.

I was a woman in corporate. A woman in pain. A woman in burnout.

And everything I do now was born from that journey.

The Moment Everything Changed

At 41, I walked away from a successful corporate career that I had spent over two decades building. From the outside, everything looked shiny - title, salary, status but on the inside, I was drowning.

What I didn’t realise at the time was that I was also deep in the thick fog of menopause - something 42% of women consider leaving their jobs over, yet hardly anyone talks about.

I was exhausted, inflamed, overwhelmed and medicated to the hilt. I was also emotionally brittle, silently ashamed of the way I looked and felt, and stuck in a lifelong battle with food and self-worth.

I didn’t recognise myself anymore.

I looked in the mirror one morning - pale, puffy-eyed, breathless after climbing the stairs and said, “This can’t be it. Not for the next 40 years.”

I had no master plan. Just a gut feeling that something had to change.

And that decision - to stop surviving and start living - led to a total transformation. Not just in my body, but in my entire identity.

I Was a Yo-Yo Dieter for nearly 30 Years

Let’s rewind for a moment. 

Because the truth is, my relationship with food has never been simple.

I started dieting at 14, not because I was overweight, but because I thought I had to shrink myself to be accepted. I grew up around diet culture, in a high-pressure all-girls school, and in a household that was navigating serious health trauma. My mum was diagnosed with a chronic illness when I was just 12, and after a long and painful battle, she passed away.

I didn’t have the tools to process that grief. No one around me did either. And so, like many of us do, I turned to what felt soothing and predictable: food. Later, it was alcohol too.

My twenties and thirties were a blur of fad diets, extreme restriction, weight gain, emotional eating, binge cycles, chronic illness, prescription meds, and shame.

I tried everything. Slimming clubs. Bootcamps. Detox teas. You name it, I did it - usually with a big dose of self-loathing and a spreadsheet to track how much I’d "failed" by the weekend.

I was functioning... but only just. Beneath the surface was a woman constantly second-guessing herself. A woman living with scoliosis and degenerative disc disease, depression, fatigue, and the silent expectation to “keep it all together.”

Until I simply couldn’t anymore.

The Turning Point

I didn’t want to turn 40 feeling like a shadow of myself. So I stopped dieting. I stopped trying to “fix” myself.

And I started listening instead.

Little by little, I built a way of eating, moving, and thinking that wasn’t about punishment, but about nourishment. No more fads. No more extremes. No more outsourcing my worth to the scales.

I created space to feel again. To rest. To walk in nature. To unlearn decades of conditioning and finally ask: What does my body need to feel safe, strong, and free?

In just over a year I had lost five stone. But more importantly, I had gained back my confidence, strength, and joy. I came off all of my medications. I healed longstanding health issues. And I became someone I actually liked being.

That was the real win.

And it was only the beginning.

From Rock Bottom to Revolutionary

I trained as a nutrition and weight management coach, but I knew that helping women lose weight wasn’t enough. Because it had never been about the weight for me - or for the thousands of women I would come into contact with.

What it is about is power.

Power to make decisions from a place of self-respect, not self-punishment. Power to reclaim your health and wellbeing, even after years of burnout, illness, or emotional eating. Power to say, I deserve more than survival.

That’s why I created the SMART formula - my signature framework that helps women heal their relationship with food, rebuild trust with their bodies, and reclaim the life they deserve. 

It’s simple, powerful, and life-changing. Not because it tells women what to eat or how to move - but because it gives them the tools to finally listen to themselves again.

Why I’m So Passionate About Supporting Women in Business

Being part of Connected Brighton matters to me because I believe that the workplace can (and should) be a space where women thrive - not just survive.

But right now, we’re seeing far too many talented, brilliant women burn out or break down because of unspoken pressures around body image, productivity, menopause, and self-worth.

I know this because I was her.

And I know that if we want to create healthier workplaces, we need to start having more honest conversations about what women are navigating behind the scenes.

Whether it’s supporting employees through perimenopause, tackling the culture of "doing it all", or simply offering a compassionate space to talk about mental health and wellbeing - I’m here for that.

I now speak on stages, host corporate workshops, and consult with forward-thinking businesses that want to empower their female staff in a meaningful way - not with fruit baskets and gym discounts, but with real, human-first support.

What I Offer

I work with individuals, groups, and organisations in a variety of ways:

• Online programmes & self-study courses

• 1:1 coaching for deeper transformation

• Corporate wellbeing talks & workshops

• Retreats, group events & panel discussions

• Guest speaking & media contributions

Whether it’s a team of execs quietly battling burnout, or a group of women stuck in diet culture and ready to break free - I meet people where they’re at, with compassion and clarity.

And if you’re local to Brighton & Hove, don’t be surprised if I invite you for a cold water dip one morning too 😉

Outside the Office

When I’m not coaching or creating content, you’ll usually find me outside - walking along the coast, hiking hills, or swimming in the sea (yes, even in January!).

In 2023, I climbed seven mountains, paraglided off the French Alps, in 2024 I reignited my love for life through music and festivals. Movement is no longer a punishment - it’s a celebration of everything my body has survived and achieved.

I also love deep conversations over coffee, and the kind of honesty that makes you feel seen. So if you’re a hugger, a real talker, or someone who’s done with surface-level stuff - we’re probably going to get along.

A Message for You (and Your Team)

If you’re reading this and thinking, “this sounds like me” - then please know this:

You are not broken. You are not weak. You are not failing.

You’re just carrying things that were never yours to hold.

I’m here to help you put them down.

And if you’re a business owner or HR lead wondering how to better support the women on your team, I’d love to connect. Because women don’t need more pressure to “bounce back” or fit into boxes - we need permission to breathe, heal, and be whole.

Let’s Connect

Whether you’re a fellow Connected Brighton member, a local business, or a woman ready to finally feel free - I’d love to hear from you.

🌐 Website: The Unconventional Weightloss Coach

📸 Instagram: @naomiholbrookcoach

📚 Amazon Bestseller: Your Weight Is Not The Problem

🎤 Speaker | Workshop Host | Corporate Consultant

📍 Based in Hove, East Sussex

Ready to explore how I can support you or your business? 

Drop me a message or connect on socials. 

Let’s create a life and workplace where women feel free, well, and truly seen.

See you soon,

Naomi x