Why can't I stop eating at night even though I have great willpower during the day?

You're not losing willpower at 9:30 p.m. – your brain is exhausted and following a well-practiced habit loop.

Is nighttime eating always emotional eating, or can it be real hunger?

It can be both. Sometimes you are genuinely under-fueled... and other times it is for comfort.

What does it mean for health to be the "foundation" of my life?

It means your health habits are the base that supports everything else—your mood, decisions, productivity, energy, and emotional resilience. When the base is steady, everything else becomes easier.

How do I build a health routine that fits my real schedule?

Use flexible time blocks instead of rigid schedules, anchor habits to things you already do, and include Plan A, B, and C versions so your routine survives busy weeks.

What are the most important habits for women in midlife?

Focus on simple habits in three categories: food, movement, and energy. Choose habits that help you feel grounded and steady during real life.

How do I stay consistent when life gets busy?

Use 'good enough' versions of each habit—your Rescue Map—so you are never starting from zero. Choose the smallest version of your habit and keep going.

What's the first step to creating a flexible, sustainable health plan?

Start by tracking your natural energy rhythm for 2–3 days. Build your habits where they fit the easiest instead of forcing them into your hardest part of the day.

How do I get back on track after falling off my routine?

Don't start over. Start again. Choose a tiny version of your habit and resume from where you are rather than waiting for the perfect time.

How can I take care of my health without dieting?

Focus on nourishment rather than restriction. Prioritize protein and produce, movement for vitality, and small consistent habits rather than calorie counting or weight-loss rules.

Why are the holidays especially triggering for midlife women?

The holidays are triggering for midlife women because the season layers emotional labor, disrupted routines, nostalgia, family expectations, and social pressure on top of a nervous system that is already managing stress, hormone shifts, and decision fatigue.

How do I handle holiday food pushers without feeling rude?

Use warm, clear scripts such as: 'Everything looks wonderful—I am all set for now,' or 'I am pacing myself tonight so I can feel good tomorrow.' Kindness plus clarity preserves your boundaries and the relationship.

What causes me to lose my healthy habits during the holidays?

Stress, irregular schedules, poor sleep, travel, alcohol, emotional labor, and the belief that 'it is the holidays, I will fix it in January' all make habits harder to maintain. It is not a discipline issue—it is the environment.

How can I enjoy holiday food without going overboard?

Use the Worth It? tool: enjoy the foods you truly love and skip the filler items. This is discernment, not restriction. Combine that with bare minimum habits—water, sleep, protein, movement—to stay grounded.

What is the first step to staying grounded during holiday stress?

Decide how you want to feel tomorrow. When you set an intention for the morning-after, you make more aligned decisions in the moment—without dieting or restricting.

How do I recover after a holiday binge without dieting?

Hydrate, move gently, eat a normal balanced meal, and return to your bare minimum habits. Avoid overcorrecting or punishing yourself. Your body benefits more from rhythm than restriction.

What are simple habits I can keep during chaotic holiday weeks?

Choose three: drink water before coffee, eat a vegetable daily, take a 10-minute walk, have a protein-rich breakfast, or go to bed 30 minutes earlier. These small habits regulate energy and stress.

How do I stop using food to cope with holiday emotions?

Pause, name the emotion, and meet the underlying need—rest, connection, quiet, or space. Food is a coping mechanism, not a character flaw. When you attend to the real need, the urge softens.

How do I set boundaries with family around food or alcohol?

Use kind, concise scripts such as: 'That looks wonderful—I am all set,' or 'I am being intentional with alcohol this year.' Practice them ahead of time to reduce social pressure in the moment.

How do I stay consistent when traveling or hosting?

Anchor to your bare minimums: water, sleep, simple movement, and one grounding moment of choice. Perfection is unnecessary; rhythm is what keeps you steady.

You Can't Fool Mother Nature • Total Health by Elizabeth

Last night I saw this commercial for the Jenny Craig weight loss system. It's Valerie Bertinelli stating that for the first year in 20 years that she will not be making a new year's resolution for weight loss, because she has hit her goal & maintained it.

The commercial kind of hit a chord with me because I feel very similarly. For the first time since I've been on my nutrition journey, I feel like I'm not 'white knuckling' it.

People who know me probably want to smack me right now. They'd probably say, "What the h*ll are you talking about? You're not fat."

I was over-fat 10 years ago & came to my smaller resting size about 6-7 years ago. To the unobserving eye, although my weight has shifted in small increments (maybe not even enough to notice), I haven't had huge fluctuations; I am at a good size for my height. I seem to have my weight under control.

Over that time though, a LOT has been happening inside my head.

I went from knowing nothing about calories, or nutrition & eating anything I wanted
to becoming a lacto-ovo-pesco vegetarian because I knew that I wasn't eating the right things, but I didn't really know how to make those right choices.
to food journaling & counting calories. I severely reduced my calories to sub-healthy levels.
to following the Body-for-Life way of eating with a cheat-day. Okay – so this program is actually very good. However, with my mindset, I went waaaay overboard with the cheat-day; I would go to bed sick from eating too much crap.
to taking endless fat burning supplements & spending way too much money on them in hopes that this one would make me thin.
to becoming a bodybuilder & following a VERY strict diet & loving what I saw in the mirror only to be disappointed with my social life. What I did learn here though was that I could go to a party & not have to eat & drink to have fun; AND that no one was paying attention to or cared what I was eating or drinking. Very Valuable!
to eating whole foods, but not pre-portioning my servings.
to eating intuitively, but backing that up with a food journal & the bodybugg just to make sure that I'm on moving enough & eating enough (not too much) to support my activity.

All of the early techniques were ways that I thought I could fool the system. But the body knows. I was trying to short cut the inevitable; eating fake food (protein bars, shakes, & other 'healthy marketed' food substitutes), or cheat days where I would take in an excess of 5000 calories. I would just have to make good choices & move more.

What it comes down to is making sensible food choices & being active. Yes, there's room for treats, in fact life is about enjoyment. What would life be without a few cookies? The difference that this year makes is that I feel like I finally have my head on straight.

I've also come to appreciate … what was that margarine commercial from the 1970's? You can't fool Mother Nature.

Elizabeth Sherman

Elizabeth is a Master Certified Life and Health Coach with over 18 years of experience, dedicated to helping women in midlife thrive through holistic health and wellness. Her personal journey began with a desire to reduce her own breast cancer risk, which evolved into a mission to guide women through the complexities of midlife health, from hormonal changes to mental clarity and emotional resilience.

Elizabeth holds certifications from prestigious institutions such as The Life Coach School, Precision Nutrition, and the American Council on Exercise, as well as specialized training in Feminist Coaching and Women’s Hormonal Health. Her approach is deeply empathetic, blending her extensive knowledge with real-life experience to empower women in their 50s and 60s to build sustainable health habits that last a lifetime.

Recognized as a top voice in women’s health, Elizabeth speaks regularly on stages, podcasts, and webinars, inspiring women to embrace midlife with energy, confidence, and joy. Her passion is helping women regain control of their health, so they can fully engage in the things that matter most to them—whether that’s pursuing new passions, maintaining strong relationships, or simply feeling great in their own skin.