Are you a successful woman in your 50s, navigating the unpredictable waves of peri/menopause while juggling career, family, and personal aspirations? You’re not alone. Many women at this stage feel frustrated by weight fluctuations, low energy, and the constant mental chatter around food and body image. Despite trying countless diets and workout plans, sustainable results seem out of reach. But what if the solution wasn’t another quick fix or restrictive plan? What if it was about understanding you —your unique needs, emotional patterns, and lifestyle challenges—and creating lasting change from there? Read More . . .
Total Health in Midlife Episode #200: Goals Are Just Guesses
Ever fail achieving a goal and then just want to forget about it? In this episode of the Total Health in Midlife podcast, I take the traditional approach to goal-setting and turn it on its head in favor of diving into what really matters: flexibility and authenticity. I opened up about my own journey—setting big, ambitious goals, only to realize that the real growth came when I allowed myself to change course. Let me challenge you to rethink how you’re setting goals. Are they truly in line with who you are today? We’ll explore the power of behavior-based goals—where daily actions, not just outcomes, take center stage. This shift can transform your sense of accomplishment, keeping you motivated and grounded in the present. I’ll share how releasing the pressure to achieve unrealistic expectations can lead to building sustainable habits and embracing change without the weight of guilt. After all, it’s 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 . . .
Goal Setting Series #1: Setting Realistic Goals
Are your goals often oversized and unrealistic, leading to feelings of failure and disappointment when you can’t meet them? Join me as I redefine goal setting in the context of midlife, focusing on the power of achievable, behavior-focused goals that lead to lasting change. I share personal experiences and insights, shedding light on the necessity of meeting ourselves where we currently are in life. We challenge the norm, demonstrating that it’s entirely okay, and even necessary, to adjust and evolve our goals as we grow, highlighting the importance of flexibility in this process. I also talk about common goal-setting myths, debunking them one by one. I illuminate the value of adaptability and the power of taking small, deliberate steps towards your future. I invite you to journey with me, transforming your aspirations into attainable realities, and making this year a year of true growth and fulfillment. Get ready to change Read More . . .
Done with Dieting Episode #150: Setting Goals and Missing Marks: A Raw Recap
Here’s a powerful notion to consider: What if falling short of your goal was the best thing that could happen to you? In this episode, I recount the highs and lows of the past year, celebrating the podcast milestones and embracing the detours, like rebranding and unforeseen setbacks. If your expectations are tied to societal norms, let’s shake them up a bit. Personal freedom is at the core of our discussion as we wade through the waters of change and personal growth. I reassess my goals and champion the idea of embracing life’s imperfections. So, prepare yourself, the journey to personal growth isn’t about perfection but more about resilience in the face of adversity. Lastly, I have a heart-to-heart about celebrating small behavioral victories over grand end goals. It’s easy to get disheartened when we don’t meet our lofty goals, but what if we shift our focus to smaller, more Read More . . .
Done with Dieting Episode #130: The Power of Community
Are you ready to transform your life and embrace the power of community and coaching? In this uplifting episode, I’m sharing how the Feel Good Sisterhood works; an extraordinary year-long group coaching program designed specifically for women in midlife. Discover how this program fosters healthier relationships with food, exercise, and ourselves, with an emphasis on sustainable habits and skills that last a lifetime. I’ll explore the incredible benefits of group coaching, including community building, accountability, diverse perspectives, and shared wisdom. Learn how the Feel Good Sisterhood’s weekly calls, targeted pieces of training, and reflective prompts can revolutionize your relationship with food, your body, and your health. Connect with a vibrant community of women who are committed to their growth, success, and evolution, and share vulnerabilities as we navigate midlife shifts and menopausal changes together. Don’t miss this opportunity to embark on a liberating journey with the support of the Feel Read More . . .
Done with Dieting Episode #22: The Power of Visualization in Weight Loss
Do you use the power of visualization when it comes to achieving your goals? If you’re not, you’re missing out. I’ve talked about visualization on the podcast before, in a few techniques that I use within my coaching practice, but on episode 22 of the Done with DIeting Podcast, we’re talking about the power that visualization has to create your results: Visualizing what’s going to happen BEFORE it even happens. See, we often use our past experiences to determine if we’re capable of doing something in the future. (Example: I’ve made rice before, so I’m relatively confident that I can make risotto.) Because weight loss will often take several attempts before we are successful. We often use those past attempts as evidence that weight loss isn’t meant for us. When your confidence and belief that you can be successful in your goal are low, having a vision can help you Read More . . .
Why goals might not get you to your goal
There are no shortage of memes about goals. “A goal without a plan is just a wish” “Set your goals high, and don’t stop until you get there” “Goals that are not written down are just wishes” Aaaah! They’re endless! Not only were goals a huge part of my early success with my weight, but they were a cornerstone of my health coaching business for a long time. I would teach folks about SMART Goals. How to create them, and help them through the process. But I’ve changed my attitude about goals. I don’t think they’re necessary anymore. I have a client who’s daughter is one of the most disciplined kids that I know. Every year, she’d create New Years Resolutions, and actually complete them! I Know! Who does that?!? I think they were tests of her willpower. When she was in high-school, she created a New Years Resolution to perform Read More . . .
What do you say to yourself?
Have I mentioned lately how much I love my bodybugg? I also have the display device which, when I originally got it, didn't think it was that useful. After all, I uploaded my information on a pretty consistent basis – twice or three times a day. Since it doesn't take that long to upload the data from the armband, it was really easy for me to keep track of the number of calories I was burning. Well, once I got the digital display, I realized that I didn't need to update as often as I had been doing, because the digital display allows me to see almost real time how many calories I'm burning. Yes, Exactly! It allows me to be even more anal retentive than I had been before! So anyway, I recently set a goal to burn 100 calories per hour, or 2400 calories per day. I burn Read More . . .
Holiday Health Series Episode #3: Your Holiday Bare Minimums
The holiday season has a way of turning capable, health-conscious women into overextended versions of themselves. Between travel, parties, family expectations, and endless to-do lists, it feels like you either have to be perfect or give up completely. In this episode of Total Health in Midlife, Elizabeth Sherman shows you a third option—the Bare Minimum Holiday Plan. She explains how defining your personal “minimums” for movement, food, rest, and emotional care can help you stay consistent without adding pressure or guilt. If you’ve ever started December with great intentions and ended up saying, “Forget it, I’ll start again in January,” this conversation will change how you approach the season. You’ll learn to find a rhythm that keeps you grounded and proud—no perfection required. This is Episode 3 in the 4-part Holiday Health Series, designed to help midlife women feel strong, calm, and in control from Thanksgiving through the New Year. Read More . . .
Stop Starting Over: How to Build a Health Foundation That Survives Real Life
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 . . .
The Night Time Eating Playbook
Your Nights Don’t Have to Undo Your DaysNight Time Eating PlaybookA system that unwinds your nighttime eating — by working with your brain, not against it.A flexible, neuroscience-backed process that bends with real life — instead of another rigid plan that breaks the moment life gets hard. Get the Night Time Eating Playbook: Only $19 Do You Feel Like…Like nighttime is when everything unravels — even after a “good” day?Like you’re strong, capable, disciplined… until 8pm hits?Like you promise yourself you’ll stop snacking at night, but the habit just keeps winning?Like you eat for reasons that have nothing to do with hunger — stress, boredom, loneliness, the need for a break?Like your nighttime eating makes you feel guilty, frustrated, or out of control?If you’ve tried stopping through willpower, only to end up in the same loop again, nothing has gone wrong. Nighttime eating isn’t about discipline. It’s about wiring. And the Read More . . .
Total Health in Midlife Episode #247: What My Hair Taught Me About Midlife Health
What do curly hair and your midlife health journey have in common? More than you’d think. In Episode 247 of Total Health in Midlife, Elizabeth Sherman shares a personal story about ditching the flat iron—and discovering that the path to healthier hair was eerily similar to the path so many midlife women take toward better health. The endless trial-and-error, the frustration, the belief that there must be one perfect product (or plan) out there if you could just find it. This episode is for every woman who’s ever said “Just tell me what to do” and still ended up feeling stuck, exhausted, or like her body just doesn’t respond the way it used to. Elizabeth dives into the mindset traps, the false promises of quick fixes, and the deeply empowering truth about what actually works. The Biggest Problem Midlife Women Face Regarding Midlife Health Habits The biggest problem women in Read More . . .
Total Health in Midlife Episode #243: High Functioning Codependency with Sara Fisk
What happens when you’re so good at keeping everything together… that you forget to take care of yourself? In this episode of The Total Health in Midlife Podcast, I’m joined by Master Certified Coach and people-pleasing expert Sara Fisk to explore a surprising culprit behind so many women’s exhaustion, resentment, and stalled health goals: high-functioning codependency. We’re not talking about the kind of codependency tied to addiction. This is the polished, over-performing version that shows up in moms, partners, daughters, and leaders—the women who hold everything and everyone together… and quietly fall apart in the process. Sara shares how people-pleasing, perfectionism, and control patterns drain your energy, chip away at your physical and emotional health, and keep you stuck in a cycle of doing for others while ignoring your own needs. If you’ve ever found yourself running ragged fixing other people’s problems, this episode will help you come back to Read More . . .
Total Health in Midlife Episode #241: Making and Keeping Friends with Nina Badzin
Making—and keeping—friends in midlife can feel surprisingly hard. In this episode of the Total Health in Midlife podcast, I’m joined by Nina Badzin, writer and host of the Dear Nina podcast, to talk about the real stuff that comes up in adult friendships—like feeling left out, keeping score, and what to do when your once-close friends just… fade. Whether you’ve ever wondered, “Is it just me?” or you’ve found yourself ghosted or burned out from being the one who always initiates, you’re not alone—and you’re not doing it wrong. This episode is full of validation, fresh perspective, and practical tips to help you build stronger, more satisfying friendships, even if it’s been a while. ABOUT NINA BADZIN Nina Badzin is the host of the podcast, Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship. She’s a writer, teacher, and mom of four in Minneapolis who has been writing about friendship for over a decade. Read More . . .
Total Health in Midlife Episode #240: How to Start
Why is it so hard to start something you already know you want to do? In this episode of Total Health in Midlife, we’re pulling back the curtain on one of the most frustrating patterns women face when trying to improve their health: knowing what to do… but not actually doing it. If you’ve ever found yourself stuck in prep mode, endlessly planning, researching, tweaking your routine without ever taking action, this one’s for you. We’ll explore why planning feels safer than doing, how perfectionism keeps you spinning, and the powerful mindset shift that turns overwhelming change into small, doable steps. With relatable stories, gentle humor, and practical takeaways, this episode will help you move from “I’m getting ready to start” to actually making progress, with less pressure and more self-trust. What You’ll Learn from this Episode Listen to the Full Episode: Featured on the Show: Full Episode Transcript: 240 Read More . . .
Total Health in Midlife Episode #235: “Food Is Fuel” Is a Lie
“Food is fuel”. It sounds so clean and logical, doesn’t it? Like if we could just stick to that belief, everything would fall into place. We’d stop craving sweets when we’re stressed. We’d stop emotionally eating after a hard day. We’d finally be “in control.” But here’s the truth no one talks about: food isn’t just fuel. It’s comfort, connection, culture, memory, and celebration. And trying to pretend otherwise? That’s often what keeps us stuck. In this episode of Total Health in Midlife, I’m sharing why the “food is fuel” narrative might be doing more harm than good—and why giving yourself permission to enjoy food can actually lead to more peace, not less. If you’ve ever wondered why you can’t seem to stick to your “plan” or why you feel shame around emotional eating, this episode will help you see things in a whole new light. What You’ll Learn from Read More . . .
Total Health in Midlife Episode #231: Why Eating with Others Feels So Hard
You’ve committed to eating better. Maybe you’ve even started feeling more like yourself again—more energy, fewer cravings, pants that fit the way you want them to. But then you go to dinner with friends… and suddenly, you’re halfway through a basket of fries you didn’t even want, wondering how you got there. If you’ve ever felt like changing how you eat starts messing with your relationships, you are not alone. In fact, the pressure to eat a certain way around others is one of the biggest hidden reasons women struggle to stick with new habits. In this episode of Total Health in Midlife, we’re exploring what happens when food is more than just fuel—it’s friendship, tradition, and connection. And what it means when you start making different choices. Because it’s not about discipline. It’s about belonging. And if you’ve ever felt torn between doing what’s right for your body and Read More . . .
Total Health in Midlife Episode #230: Imagine Yourself with Lanee Blaise
What if the key to better health in midlife isn’t a new diet… but a new way of thinking? In this episode of the Total Health in Midlife Podcast, I’m joined by former client and fellow podcaster Lanee Blaise. Lanee shares what it actually looked like to change her habits—not just for a season, but in a way that feels good and lasts. From navigating vacations without guilt to letting go of all-or-nothing thinking, this conversation is full of relatable moments, real struggles, and practical wins. We talk about what it means to become the woman who can keep the results she creates—and why slowing down and thinking things through is the most underrated health habit of all. Lanee brings wisdom, humor, and honesty to everything she touches. If you’ve ever felt like you “should know better” but still struggle to follow through, this one’s for you. What You’ll Learn Read More . . .
Total Health in Midlife Episode #229: When Food is Friendship
You’ve committed to eating better. Maybe you’ve even started feeling more like yourself again—more energy, fewer cravings, pants that fit the way you want them to. But then you go to dinner with friends… and suddenly, you’re halfway through a basket of fries you didn’t even want, wondering how you got there. If you’ve ever felt like changing how you eat starts messing with your relationships, you are not alone. In fact, the pressure to eat a certain way around others is one of the biggest hidden reasons women struggle to stick with new habits. In this episode of Total Health in Midlife, we’re exploring what happens when food is more than just fuel—it’s friendship, tradition, and connection. And what it means when you start making different choices. Because it’s not about discipline. It’s about belonging. And if you’ve ever felt torn between doing what’s right for your body and Read More . . .