Health isn’t something you add after life calms down; it’s the foundation that makes everything else in your life work better – your energy, clarity, mood, and capacity all improve when you build a health foundation that bend with your real life. TL;DR (What to Know + What to Do + What to Avoid) What to know What to do What to avoid When You Realize Health Was Never the Goal You know that feeling when your week starts off fine and then suddenly everything collapses? Your parent needs help.Your kid calls.Your work explodes.You don’t sleep.Your hormones are having their own personal parade. And there go your “perfect” health plans. Most midlife women assume this means they’ve failed. But here’s the truth: Your plan failed because it wasn’t built for your real life. Most women treat health like a luxury or a side dish. Something you squeeze in after the Read More . . .
Holiday Pressure Is Real: Here’s How To Stay Grounded Without Dieting
Holiday pressure feels overwhelming for midlife women because the season stacks emotional labor, disrupted routines, nostalgia, food pushers, and constant decision-making on top of an already taxed nervous system—making it harder to stay connected to your needs unless you build a simple plan. TL;DR (What to Know, Do, and Avoid) What to know What to do What to avoid The Holidays Hit Midlife Women Differently If you’re a woman in your 40s, 50s, or 60s, you don’t need me to tell you that December hits harder than it used to. You’re managing aging parents, adult kids, career demands, relationship dynamics, travel logistics, emotional labor, and the cultural story that women are the holiday glue. And then we add food pressure.And social pressure.And a calendar full of events you didn’t actually agree to but somehow ended up responsible for. By the time you’re unloading the dishwasher on December 23, you’re already Read More . . .
Intuitive Eating Sounds Great – But Why is It so Hard?
When You’re Tired of Dieting But Scared to Eat Normally You want food to just be… food. You want to be able to eat a sandwich without it turning into a whole thing. You want to go on vacation without needing a spreadsheet. You want to stop thinking about food all the time, but not so much that you feel like a reckless college freshman with a credit card and zero supervision. This is the weird limbo no one talks about. You’re tired of dieting. It’s exhausting. But trying to “just listen to your body” feels like standing in the grocery store with no list, no plan, and no adult supervision. You don’t want to binge. You don’t want to restrict. You just want peace. But how the hell do you get there when your brain is screaming, “Be good!” one minute and “Screw it, eat the damn thing” the Read More . . .
How to Stop Overeating
Why You’re Overeating (Even When You Know Better) You’re not lazy.There’s nothing wrong with you And no, you don’t need another damn diet. But if you’re like most of the women I work with, you still find yourself in the kitchen most nights, rummaging through the fridge like you’re going to find answers behind the almond milk. You ate a balanced dinner.You’re not physically hungry.But you’re standing there, eyeing that chocolate or the leftover pasta like it’s a lifeline. Sound familiar? This is what emotional eating in midlife often looks like.It doesn’t always show up as a dramatic binge. Sometimes it’s quiet, just a little bite here, a few crackers there. But it adds up. Not just on the scale (although let’s be real, that’s part of it), but in how you feel. Physically heavy. Mentally foggy. Emotionally worn out. And you beat yourself up.Because you know better. You’ve read Read More . . .
Does Health in Midlife Feel Like You Just Can’t Win?
Health in midlife can feel like an endless struggle—one where no matter what you do, someone says you’re “doing it wrong.” One day, carbs are the enemy. The next, it’s dairy. And somehow, even water is up for debate. If you’re tired of the conflicting advice, the guilt, and the constant second-guessing, you’re not alone. In this post, I’ll show you why health feels so confusing in midlife—and how to reset in a way that actually works for you. Read More . . .
How to Eat to Manage Menopause Symptoms & Weight Control
Tired of unpredictable hot flashes and endless food confusion? Discover how targeted meals, simple habit tweaks, and better “menopause nutrition guidance” can finally bring calm, energy, and confidence back into your life—without giving up everything you love to eat. Read More . . .
Frustrated with Your Health? Why Your Old Habits Are Holding You Back, And How to Break Free
If you’ve ever thought, I should be able to do this—exercise more, eat better, lose weight—you’re not alone. But what if the problem isn’t your willpower? What if the real issue is the unrealistic expectations you’ve been holding onto? Instead of forcing yourself into a plan that doesn’t fit your life, it’s time to meet yourself where you are. In this post, I’ll show you how small, achievable changes can lead to big health results, without guilt, frustration, or burnout. Read More . . .
How to Overcome Relapse and Get Back on Track Faster
You don’t fail because you mess up—you fail when you let a mistake turn into a month-long spiral. The truth is, relapse is a normal part of habit change. It’s not an “if,” it’s a “when.” The key isn’t avoiding it—it’s knowing how to get back into action faster. In this post, I’ll break down why relapse happens, why frustration is actually a sign of progress, and how to stop letting one bad day turn into weeks of quitting. If you’ve ever struggled to get back on track, this is for you. Let’s talk about what actually works. Read More . . .
Liking Your Reasons vs. Believing Your Excuses: How to Spot the Difference
Are You Holding Yourself Back? We all know that moderation is important, but sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference between a real reason for changing your plan and an excuse that keeps you stuck. That’s where things get tricky. Here’s an example: You blow off your workout to get some extra sleep. Or you decide to go out for lunch instead of eating the meal you packed. On the surface, both of these decisions might look like you can’t be trusted to follow through on your commitments. But when we look under the hood at why you made that choice, things start to shift. If you skipped your workout because your partner was up all night sick and you needed rest to function, that’s a thoughtful decision, not an excuse. If you went out to lunch because a good friend—one you rarely get to see—had a last-minute opening in Read More . . .
Why You’re Not Losing Weight Anymore: The Truth About Weight Loss Plateaus
If you’ve been trying to lose weight and suddenly the scale won’t budge, you’re not alone. It’s frustrating, and it can feel like all your hard work isn’t paying off. You’re eating better, moving more, and doing everything “right,” yet nothing is changing. Here’s the thing—weight loss plateaus are normal. They happen to everyone. Your body isn’t broken, and you’re not failing. A plateau doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong; it means your body is adjusting. But if you’re not prepared, a plateau can feel discouraging. You might start second-guessing yourself—Am I eating too much? Should I work out more? Is this even worth it? That kind of thinking can push you to make drastic changes that aren’t sustainable or even make you want to give up altogether. The good news? You don’t have to stay stuck. There are smart, simple strategies you can use to push through plateaus without Read More . . .
Why You Feel So Alive on Vacation (And How to Keep That Feeling at Home)
“How do I feel like I’m on vacation when I’m at home?” Have you ever asked yourself that question? Maybe it was a different form of the question: Living in Mexico for the past eight years has shown me something about American culture I couldn’t see when I was in it. Like a fish doesn’t know it’s in water, I didn’t realize how the constant pressure to achieve & do more was affecting my health and happiness. From my quiet beach town, I watch Americans & Canadians alike arrive for vacation. Their success markers are clear: the designer luggage, the scheduled activities, the need to make every moment “count.” Even on vacation, they’re measuring, achieving, optimizing. What Success Looks Like Here But Mexico measures success differently. Here, a good day isn’t about what you accomplish. It’s about how present you are. How deeply you connect. How much joy you find Read More . . .
The Power of ‘Half-Assing’ Your Health: Why Perfection Isn’t Necessary for Progress
This article was written for and originally published on Sixty and Me Here Ever feel like you need to overhaul your entire life to get healthy? Have you ever found yourself putting off making changes because you can’t do it all perfectly? If this resonates, you’re not alone and many women just like you feel overwhelmed by health advice that seems to demand perfection. But what if I told you that you don’t need to be perfect to make real progress? In fact, embracing a ‘half-assed’ approach to your health might be the key to lasting change. Half-assing your health isn’t about lowering your standards. It’s about making consistent, manageable improvements that add up over time. Half-assing your health is about making progress, not striving for perfection. And it’s an approach that can lead to better health, more energy, and yes, even weight loss if that’s your goal. In this Read More . . .
Achieving Optimal Health in Midlife
Dive into the world of personalized wellness and discover how achieving optimal health in midlife is not just a dream but a tangible reality. Through the power of health coaching and a holistic approach to well-being, learn how to craft a health journey that respects your individuality, embraces life’s changes, and guides you towards sustainable, fulfilling health habits. This journey is about finding balance, vitality, and joy in your wellness journey, tailored exclusively for you. Read More . . .
Redefining Failure: 3 Steps to Overcoming Fear
I was a young bride. 24 years old. And ‘Everyday Cooking’ by Dr. Dean Ornish was all the rage. I mean, Everyday cooking? That means it’s something that I can do. Right? I don’t recall why – maybe it was because I desired to be healthier, or if I felt like it was my role as a wife to cook – but I chose a recipe from the book, bought all of the ingredients, and started following the recipe. That was 1/2 of my lifetime ago – but I still recall standing in that kitchen, looking in the pot of food, wondering where I went wrong?!? It did not look like the picture. And as the end result started to get more and more away from the picture in the cookbook, I started course correcting, however as a new cook, I ended up with a soupy mess that tasted just Read More . . .
3 Tips for Staying Fit When You’re On the Road
For folks who love traveling, or who travel for their job, it’s one of the downfalls that goes along with the luxury of going to wonderful new places: traveling is disruptive to even the best intentioned person, when it comes to their health. I recall when I started my first job where I would be traveling 100% of my time; I knew that business travelers often gained weight. I was already bigger than I felt comfortable with, and didn’t want to gain more. I was young – in my late 20’s. I had never exercised before in my life and my diet was sh*t. I knew my diet was bad. I loved bloomin’ onions, burgers, fries, and beer. I knew that I should be eating more vegetables, but I didn’t know how to do that – so I did it the only way I knew how – I became a Read More . . .
Why you’re not Losing Belly Fat
It seems to happen without our even noticing it. Seemingly all of a sudden one day, your pants seem a little bit more snug around the waist although not in the hips and thighs. Huh. I wonder why? So, you set out to lose that belly fat: go low carb, and wake up earlier so that you can dedicate more time at the end of your workout for ab exercises. Running! That’ll do it! Move more & eat less! But it doesn’t seem to be working. Nothing you do seems to be working! As we age, the calories in versus calories out approach doesn’t work like it used to. Gone are the days of just working a little harder at the gym to drop a few lbs. Here are the top reasons why you might be having trouble getting that belly fat to budge. You’re getting older This is especially Read More . . .
6 Basic Movement Patterns
We all have exercises that we like, and therefore do a lot; and there are exercises that we dislike, and don’t do, unless we’re forced. I have them too. We tend to gravitate towards those bodyparts that we enjoy training, and steer clear from those that we don’t. The problem with doing the same exercises over and over again (and not doing others ever) is that you risk injury. When one group of muscles is significantly stronger than another group, you will move differently than if your muscles are balanced in strength. Strong muscles pull on other muscles in the body, and weaker muscles stretch out. An example of that might be if you have weak lower back, the stronger muscles in the glutes and hamstrings will pull on your lower back muscles. That could pull your pelvis out of alignment, and cause pain not only in your lower back, but also Read More . . .
Eat the Freakin Banana
So, here’s the scene: It’s after dinner, and you want something. A banana. But you don’t eat it. Because you heard that it’s got a lot of starch in it. And sugar. And they can also have a lot of calories! And all of that is bad to have before you go to bed. So you eat a handful of almonds. Because even though they can be higher in calories, at least they don’t have any starch or sugar. And that’s good because you’ve heard that at least it won’t raise your blood sugar before bed. But the almonds don’t really hit the spot. So you find some fat free Greek yogurt. And you put a touch of honey in it to sweeten it a little. But that’s okay because you read that you should always eat carbohydrates with protein – because protein slows down the spike in blood sugar. And Read More . . .
Should you hire an overweight personal trainer?
There are hundreds upon hundreds of personal trainers in your city – let alone the US or the world. Have you ever had one? How did you pick him/her? What do you look for when you hire a personal trainer? Certification? Years of experience? Did you stalk her, watch her train other clients to see how she interacted with them? Or did you select her because of her body? Choosing a trainer based on looks is a bad idea. Deciding on a trainer based solely on appearance is as bad of an idea as picking a life partner out of a magazine. I don’t need to explain that. Do I? Most people have a disconnect about what a trainer can do for them. They hire a trainer with the idea that they’re going to lose weight and look toned, and so they hire a trainer who has the body style that they, themselves, desire. There Read More . . .
Why the scale isn’t a good tool for weight loss
When clients come to me saying that they want to lose weight, I understand what they mean. If I were to be snarky, I could say, ‘oh, you want to lose 10 lbs? Let’s just chop off your right arm. Would that make you happy?’ …but that probably wouldn’t make a good first impression now, would it? When folks say that they want to lose weight, what they mean is that they want to lose body fat. We want to look ‘toned’ – like our muscles are flexing even when we’re sitting on the couch. The degree of muscularity desired, however is different depending on the individual, and what they perceive to be an ideal physique. What’s counter-intuitive, though is we say that we want to lose weight, even though we want to lose fat, but we’re measuring that success with a tool that only measures our gravitational pull to the earth – the scale. Read More . . .