The latest edition of Courtside Convos welcomed Emily English - known to millions as Em The Nutritionist - for a conversation that blended nutrition, sport, recovery and the realities of modern wellness culture. 

After a morning around the padel court, we sat down with Em to discuss food trends, pre-game snacks, comfort meals and why healthy eating doesn’t need to feel complicated.

Looking at the Bigger Picture

One of the strongest themes throughout the conversation was Em’s frustration with the way wellness culture often magnifies tiny dietary details while ignoring overall lifestyle habits.

“People get too obsessed with the tiny details and they don’t actually look at nutrition as the bigger picture.”

For Em, health is about consistency and balance rather than obsessing over individual ingredients or trends.

“It’s not the oat milk in your coffee that is making you feel rubbish. It’s the overall pattern of your diet.”

She believes nutrition has become unnecessarily intimidating, when in reality it should fit naturally into everyday life.

“Nutrition is normal… it should fit realistically and comfortably into your life.”

Fuel for the Court

When it comes to food before exercise, Em’s approach is simple: choose something satisfying, balanced and realistic.

Her go-to snack before rushing from work to the padel court?

“I can’t keep on saying cottage cheese all the time… but I’m gonna have to say cottage cheese again.”

Her ideal combination is crisp bread topped with cottage cheese and hot honey - a mix of protein, carbohydrates and flavour that keeps her energised without overthinking it.

She’s equally passionate about savoury breakfasts, believing they help create a more balanced day overall.

“If you start with something savoury, you actually set yourself up and anchor yourself down for a much more balanced day.”

Comfort Food and “Vitamin Joy”

Despite working in nutrition, Em is refreshingly honest about loving comfort food.

Her ultimate order? Sweet and sour chicken, egg fried rice, duck pancakes and chicken curry - proof that healthy eating and enjoyment can absolutely coexist.

She also spoke about the importance of what she calls “vitamin joy,” rejecting the idea that wellbeing has to come from restriction alone. That same philosophy appears in the meals she cooks for friends, including her signature chicken lasagne, which she jokingly describes as “an icon for a reason.”

And while some food trends dominate social media, Em admits there are a few she simply doesn’t understand.

“I don’t love croissants. I think they’re a bit overhyped.”

“The cookie hype… I just don’t get it.”

Rest, Recovery and Slowing Down

After long days, Em’s ideal recovery routine is intentionally simple: shower, pyjamas, a nourishing meal and an early night.

“Take the time to make something that tastes good and also nourishes my body, and try and be in bed by 9.”

Beyond food, she also reflected on the communal power of sport - particularly her love for watching the Olympics.

“There’s something really beautiful about the United Kingdom just coming together around sport.”

While her husband may be the true padel obsessive in the household, Em appreciates the sense of connection and community that sport creates both on and off the court.

Throughout this edition of Courtside Convos, Em The Nutritionist offered a perspective on wellbeing that feels increasingly rare: balanced, realistic and free from perfectionism.

Her message was clear - nutrition doesn’t need to be extreme to be effective. It should support your life, not take it over.

And sometimes, that means cottage cheese before padel and Chinese takeaway afterwards.