Podcast Summary: Women & ADHD

Host: Katy Weber
Episode: Lisa Dee: Yes, you can be happy and healthy with ADHD (Ep. 196)
Date: March 3, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Katy Weber interviews Lisa Dee, a health and fitness coach from Ireland based in London, who was diagnosed with ADHD at age 31. Lisa is the founder of "Healthy Happy ADHD" and author of the new book Happy Healthy ADHD, which challenges rigid wellness advice and offers compassionate, adaptable strategies for women with ADHD. The discussion centers on late diagnosis, self-compassion, breaking unhealthy cycles, and finding sustainable, joyful approaches to health and fitness that work with ADHD brains.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Lisa’s ADHD Discovery and Life Before Diagnosis

• Late Diagnosis and Self-Understanding
  • Lisa realized she might have ADHD in late 2020, sparked by an Instagram post ([05:05]).
  • Like many, her deep-dive included podcasts and online resources, leading to a powerful period of self-discovery.
  • Childhood and early adult signs included job-hopping, school difficulties, chronic daydreaming, procrastination, and emotional challenges ([06:37]).
  • Powerful feelings of regret and grief over what was misinterpreted in her youth ([10:04]).

Quote:
"I feel like my entire life made sense in that moment."
— Lisa Dee ([06:37])

Navigating Grief, Identity, and Empowerment

• Emotional Challenges Post-Diagnosis
  • The post-diagnosis period brought sadness ("I just felt so sad for that version, that little girl...") and the struggle to integrate forgiveness for herself and others ([11:48]).
  • Both host and guest emphasize the transformative power of self-knowledge and reframing ADHD not as a “superpower,” but a complex life experience ([12:24]).

Academic and Career Pivots

• A Pattern of Burnout, Change, and Achievement
  • Lisa left university, became a personal trainer, later pursued (then left) a law degree, each time chasing new interests or relief from burnout ([12:43]).
  • Difficulty with structures, routines, and traditional academia; needed flexibility and autonomy to thrive.
  • The diagnosis illuminated these patterns in hindsight, reframing them as manifestations of ADHD rather than personal failings.

Quote:
"Now as an adult you have responsibility. So that became really overwhelming... I felt like something just wasn't right... why can't I handle this?"
— Lisa Dee ([12:43])

Mental Health Journeys: From PTSD to ADHD

• Misdiagnosis and Therapy Struggles
  • Lisa was diagnosed with PTSD before her ADHD diagnosis ([18:05]).
  • Her therapy experience was challenging, sometimes leaving her more dysregulated.
  • Ultimately, realizing PTSD didn’t explain all her struggles, the ADHD diagnosis finally made sense and was deeply validating ([21:27]).

Quote:
"Getting that [PTSD] diagnosis hasn't actually changed how I understand myself. There's something else that's not right. And then when I learned about ADHD, that just made sense. It just clicked."
— Lisa Dee ([21:27])

Rethinking Health, Consistency, and Compassion

• Health Coach Perspective Shift
  • Lisa had built a successful fitness business but after her diagnosis, her approach to wellness shifted from rigidity and self-criticism to adaptability and compassion ([22:33]).
  • She recognized patterns of all-or-nothing thinking and burnout in herself and clients—a cycle of “new year, new me” intensity followed by overwhelm and guilt ([31:29]).
  • Central message: Health and happiness are possible for ADHD women, but only through self-compassion and honoring individual needs and rhythms.

Quote:
"It's not about fixing yourself, it's wanting to take care of yourself. It's loving yourself enough to look after yourself and it's doing the best that you can."
— Lisa Dee ([31:29])

Practical Strategies: Building Sustainable Habits

• Permission to Pivot & Flexibility
  • It’s OK to lose interest in activities and move on (“If you get really obsessed with Reformer Pilates... and get really bored after two months, it's ok to move on to something else...”). The key is to keep trying new things that feel good ([31:29]).
  • Habit-building works best with emotional anchoring ("future-feeling") rather than rigid logic or external pressure ([35:23]).
  • Streaks work when minimums are low enough to be sustainable—even two minutes of activity counts ([39:28]).

Quote:
"It's knowing how to like, talk to yourself and have compassion for yourself and forgive yourself and then move forward. And you can do that within a minute."
— Lisa Dee ([35:23])

The Science & Hacks: Movement, Bilateral Stimulation, and the Brain

• Why Movement Matters
  • Exercise is arguably the best non-pharmaceutical intervention for ADHD.
  • Lisa highlights the power of walking, particularly the bilateral stimulation from swinging arms, which can balance the brain and calm the nervous system ([42:14]).
  • Incorporates simple grounding techniques, such as “legs up the wall” or arm-tracking exercises, to shift from anxious states to calm quickly ([45:28]).

Quote:
"A lot of the time, that antsiness, that anxiety... is your body pleading with you to go move a little bit."
— Katy Weber ([47:25])

• Connection to Identity
  • If someone’s self-image is “I’m not fit/I don’t work out,” it’s doubly hard to break the cycle—hence, Lisa’s emphasis on starting with identity work ([49:07]).
  • Lisa’s advice: Try to avoid always listening to audiobooks/podcasts while moving; sometimes, reconnecting with the environment and body is more restorative ([51:52]).

Making Boring Workouts Fun (Weight Training Advice)

• Creativity Over Convention
  • Acknowledge that standard gym weight routines can be boring for ADHD brains ([54:49]).
  • Suggests giant sets, tri-sets, supersets, or playful movement, experimenting with different weights and machines in non-traditional ways.
  • Prioritize what keeps you coming back over “perfect” technique.

Quote:
"It doesn't have to look how it looks for other people. You could be in the gym doing something that looks a bit... why is she doing that? That’s not really hitting a specific muscle, but maybe it's really helping your brain."
— Lisa Dee ([55:43])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Life happens. Things happen. Life changes. Routines change. It's holding that future in your mind and knowing, no matter what, that that is possible and that's going to happen. That little slip up today does not mean that that future isn't going to happen."
  — Lisa Dee ([01:27], repeated in [35:23])

• Lisa on burnout and misdiagnosis:
  "When I look back over my life and how I felt... very obvious signs of ADHD." ([09:03])

• Katy reflecting on compassion and cycles:
  "We spend so much time in that in-between where we've lost interest, but we want to stay consistent. It's learning to give ourselves permission to pivot." ([33:38])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [05:05] — Lisa’s self-discovery and journey to diagnosis
• [06:37] — Childhood patterns and educational struggles
• [10:04] — Emotional aftermath and the grief of late diagnosis
• [12:43] — Higher education, burnout, and career pivots
• [18:05] — PTSD diagnosis and therapy experiences
• [22:33] — Health coaching before and after ADHD diagnosis
• [27:45] — Launching “Healthy Happy ADHD” on TikTok
• [31:29] — The role of self-compassion in health and fitness
• [35:23] — Habit formation, mental movies, and anchoring motivation
• [39:28] — Permission for micro-habits and sustainable streaks
• [42:14] — The science of movement and bilateral stimulation
• [45:28] — Simple nervous system/calming hacks
• [49:07] — Identity work and reframing “distress signals”
• [54:49] — Making weight training ADHD-friendly
• [55:43] — Playful movement and gym creativity

Key Takeaways

• Late ADHD diagnosis can reframe an entire life narrative, bringing clarity, relief, and grief.
• Self-compassion and flexible, interest-driven goals are essential for sustainable health and fitness with ADHD.
• Identity work—seeing yourself as someone who “deserves and can be healthy and happy”—is foundational.
• It’s OK to start small, pivot activities as interest wanes, and use emotion (not logic) as a motivator.
• Incorporating regular, enjoyable movement (especially walking, bilateral activities) is powerful for mood regulation and executive function.
• Traditional advice and “all or nothing” routines rarely work for ADHD brains—prioritize adaptability and self-forgiveness.

How to Connect with Lisa Dee

• Instagram: @healthyhappyadhd
• TikTok: @bylisadee or search “Healthy Happy ADHD”
• Book: Happy Healthy ADHD (available February 4th in US/Canada/Australia/Europe; UK/Ireland in May)
• Masterclass: Linked in episode show notes

Closing Thought

Lisa’s story is a hopeful, compassionate look at both the struggles and possibilities of ADHD. Her approach is about breaking the shame cycle, leaning into strengths, and creating health on your own terms—proof that yes, you can be healthy and happy with ADHD.