You’ve tried cutting out sugar. Eating smaller portions. Maybe skipping breakfast altogether. And for a while, it seemed to work—until the cravings hit, energy dropped, and the “all or nothing” cycle started again. You began wondering if this just gets harder with age.

Sound familiar?

If you're over 45, you’ve probably seen your body respond differently than it did in your 20s. What used to work doesn’t anymore. The rules have changed, but no one gave you the new playbook.

That’s one of the most frustrating parts of trying to eat better as you get older. The same foods. The same workouts. Even more discipline. And somehow, you still hit a wall.

If you’ve ever thought, “Why can’t I just stay consistent?” or “I know I should eat better, but I don’t know where to start,”—you’re not alone.

Most people think nutrition success comes from eating less. But here’s the truth: one of the most powerful habits for fat loss, energy, and performance doesn’t involve cutting anything out.

It involves adding.

Your body doesn’t need less food—it needs better nourishment.

At Pharos Fitness, we teach our clients to build a simple habit that quietly transforms the way they eat, train, and feel: Eat 800 grams of fruit and vegetables per day.

Not a diet. Not a cleanse. Just a proven strategy.

It doesn’t sound radical—and that’s the point. When you do this consistently (and correctly), everything else starts to fall into place. Cravings go down. Energy goes up. Recovery improves. You feel fuller, longer. And your body composition begins to change without extreme rules or constant tracking.

This habit is rooted in research showing that eating around 800 grams of fruit and vegetables a day (about 6–8 servings) is linked with improved energy, digestion, and reduced risk of chronic disease.

Let us show you how it works—and why our clients who adopt this habit get better, faster, and more sustainable results than ever before.

Why This Habit Matters Even More After 45

Your body changes as you age, but that doesn’t mean decline is inevitable. It simply means the strategies that worked in your twenties or thirties may no longer deliver the same results.

Many of our members over 45 come to us feeling frustrated. They’re eating “healthy,” watching their portions, maybe even exercising more—but still gaining weight, recovering more slowly, and feeling more tired than they used to. Digestion often feels off. They wake up stiff, feel bloated after meals, and struggle to stay full without snacking.

These aren’t just random symptoms. They’re signs that your body’s needs are shifting. And nutrition plays a central role.

This is where the 800g habit becomes a game-changer.

Adding a wide variety of fruit and vegetables each day supports your metabolism, stabilises blood sugar, and reduces cravings without relying on willpower. It improves digestion, boosts energy, and provides the fibre, micronutrients, and antioxidants your body needs—not just to function, but to thrive.

When combined with strength training and enough protein, this habit also helps preserve lean muscle mass. That becomes increasingly important for maintaining mobility, strength, and vitality as you age.

At this stage of life, nutrition isn’t just about how you look. It’s about how you move, how you feel, and how well your body supports the life you want to live.

You’re not trying to be 25 again. You’re trying to feel your best now. This habit helps you do exactly that.

One Member’s Story: Alejandro

One of our members, Alejandro, had tried every kind of diet before he joined us. Cut carbs. Tried intermittent fasting. Even went through a no-sugar phase that left him feeling tired, frustrated, and eventually back where he started.

At first, he was surprised we weren’t focused on restriction. We didn’t ask him to cut anything out. We simply asked him to track, just for one week, how much fruit and veg he was actually eating. It turned out that, most days, he barely hit 150g—a banana and the occasional side salad.

Instead of demanding radical change, we helped Alejandro focus on small additions. He started prepping fruit in the morning while making coffee. He kept washed grapes, chopped melon, or sliced oranges in a container at eye level in the fridge. At lunch, he added half a plate of cooked veg—nothing fancy, just what he liked. He stopped trying to “force” vegetables into breakfast and simply added more to the meals he was already eating.

After a few weeks of consistently eating closer to 800 grams a day, things began to shift. His energy improved. He felt fuller after meals. He stopped craving sweets mid-afternoon. He dropped a few kilos—not by dieting, but by fuelling better.

“I didn’t think eating more was the answer,” he told us. “But I feel completely different now.”

Alejandro’s story isn’t rare. It’s just the result of having a clear strategy, consistent support, and a coach who helped him adapt—not overhaul—his lifestyle.

Not at 800g Yet? That’s Exactly Where We Start

Most people we work with start below 300 grams a day. And that’s fine. This isn’t a test. It’s a process. We don’t expect perfection—we help you build awareness and then make the habit easier to maintain.

In theory, eating more fruit and vegetables sounds easy. In practice? It can get messy. Busy mornings, batch-cooked dinners, family meals, supermarket budgets, or simply not knowing where to begin. That’s why our coaching isn’t just about information: it’s about solving real-life friction.

Here are some of the most common barriers we help clients overcome—without turning their life upside down:

“I don’t want to weigh everything.” That’s completely normal. We recommend weighing once or twice a day at most, then teaching you how to eyeball portions. Measure what you can. Eyeball the rest. Once a month, double-check your estimates to make sure you are on track.

“What if I batch cook or make soups?” Track ingredients once, divide the recipe into portions, and move on. Rough is fine. Progress beats precision.

“Buying produce is expensive.” Not necessarily. Seasonal fruit, frozen options, and smart planning actually reduce waste and cut down on snack spending.

“I don’t like vegetables.” That’s more common than you think. We start with what you do like—even if it’s just fruit, corn, or roasted carrots. Then we explore seasonings and cooking methods that make veg more enjoyable over time. Taste buds adapt. So does your routine.

“I get bored of eating the same thing.” Most people cycle through the same two or three veg. We help you rotate seasonally, try different textures and flavours, and prep food in ways that keep things interesting without overwhelming your routine.

The habit becomes easier when it becomes visible. That’s why we often recommend prepping your fruit in the morning, as your day gets started. That 2–3 minutes can change your whole day.

We Coach Behaviour, Not Just Meals

Most coaches hand out food lists or calorie targets. We build strategies that actually last.

That means starting from where you are now. Helping you see what’s missing. Designing small actions you can repeat without stress, even on the busiest days.

We don’t expect you to track forever. We teach you to understand food well enough to trust your instincts. We guide you until it feels like second nature.

Ready to Build a Nutrition Strategy That Works for You?

Whether your goal is to lose weight, move better, or simply feel more in control of your nutrition as your body changes, we can help.

We offer a free 30-minute strategy meeting where we talk through:

• Where you’ve been with nutrition

• What you’ve tried (and how it worked)

• Where you want to go—and how to get there sustainably

From there, we’ll build a plan tailored to you. Because nutrition is complex, and your plan should be personal.

You’ve spent years trying to eat less. What if the solution is learning to eat more of the right things, in the right way? Let’s talk. No pressure, just a plan that’s built around you.