Latest / Midlife Glow Up: Simplifying Fitness, Nutrition and Healthy Habits for Women over 40 / 3. The SIMPLER Method: How to Build Habits That Last in Midlife

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3. The SIMPLER Method: How to Build Habits That Last in Midlife · Midlife Glow Up: Simplifying Fitness, Nutrition and Healthy Habits for Women over 40

• 0:02
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome back to the Midlife Glow Up Podcast, where we simplify fitness, nutrition, and healthy habits for women in midlife.
• 0:08
  SPEAKER_00: I'm Joan Dandano, your midlife health and wellness coach.
• 0:12
  SPEAKER_00: I help women simplify fitness, nutrition, and healthy habits to find clarity, build confidence, stay consistent in midlife and beyond.
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_00: Together, we'll build habits that serve you today and create the future version of you that you know you're meant to be.
• 0:27
  SPEAKER_00: After three decades of lifting weights, prioritizing protein, and coaching hundreds of women just like you, I've learned that success isn't about the scale or the size of your genes.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_00: It's about how fully you live your life.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_00: Here you'll find strategies that actually work, systems that simplify, and a roadmap to help you turn intention into lasting change.
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_00: So if you're ready to feel strong, capable, and confident in this season, then you're in the right place.
• 0:51
  SPEAKER_00: This is the Midlife Glow Up Podcast.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_00: If you have ever set a health goal and found yourself right back where you started a few weeks later, you are not alone.
• 1:02
  SPEAKER_00: Most of us don't fail because we lack willpower.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_00: We're actually struggling because we don't have a system.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_00: In today's episode, I'm going to walk you through my simpler method, the step-by-step process to move from goal to growth and finally create habits that last.
• 1:20
  SPEAKER_00: I want you to picture yourself 10 years from now.
• 1:23
  SPEAKER_00: In a decade, you are strong, you're confident, you're full of energy.
• 1:27
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you're on the floor playing with your grandbabies, or you're lifting that suitcase into the overhead bin and you're off on your next adventure.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_00: That version of you does not happen by chance.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_00: She is built by the choices that you make today.
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_00: The habits, the routines, the rituals that support the life you want to live.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_00: When we were in our 20s and 30s, fitness and nutrition was mostly about how we looked, aesthetics.
• 1:53
  SPEAKER_00: In our 40s and 50s, it becomes more about looking good and feeling strong, like both of those together.
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_00: And by our 60s and 70s, it's less about appearance and more about maintaining our health, our mobility, and our independence.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_00: It's a shift from vanity to vitality, longevity.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_00: And how we approach that really does matter.
• 2:15
  SPEAKER_00: Midlife, where we are right now, it's a juggling act of careers and family and aging parents and all the moving pieces.
• 2:22
  SPEAKER_00: And time feels so scarce and so precious.
• 2:26
  SPEAKER_00: And without intention, our routines default to serving everyone else.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_00: But our habits are more than just tasks on a to-do list.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_00: They're reflections of who we believe ourselves to be.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_00: So if we want to step into that future identity, that version of ourself, we have to start acting like her today.
• 2:47
  SPEAKER_00: Our identity isn't something that is fixed.
• 2:50
  SPEAKER_00: It's not something that we just have.
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_00: It's something that we actually build through our beliefs and our actions.
• 2:57
  SPEAKER_00: Every choice we make, the choice to move, to nourish, to rest, is a vote for that future woman that we are becoming.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_00: So that is where the simpler method comes in.
• 3:09
  SPEAKER_00: The simpler method will help you move from goal to growth, from chasing the short-term outcomes to building long-term habits that actually align with who you want to become.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_00: It is not about trying harder.
• 3:25
  SPEAKER_00: It's not about having more willpower.
• 3:27
  SPEAKER_00: It's not about having more motivation.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_00: It's really about creating a system that makes success inevitable.
• 3:34
  SPEAKER_00: So let's walk through what the simpler method looks like.
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_00: It is an acronym.
• 3:39
  SPEAKER_00: S is for start with gratitude.
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_00: I identify room for improvement.
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_00: M, make a plan.
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_00: P adopt a positive mindset.
• 3:49
  SPEAKER_00: L, leap into action.
• 3:51
  SPEAKER_00: E establish the habit.
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_00: And R is reinforce the habit.
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so we're gonna walk through each of these kind of step by step.
• 4:00
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so S is start with gratitude.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_00: Before changing anything, what can you be grateful for right now?
• 4:09
  SPEAKER_00: Your body?
• 4:10
  SPEAKER_00: What are you proud of?
• 4:11
  SPEAKER_00: Do you already go for walks?
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_00: Do you already do you have the means to buy healthy groceries?
• 4:16
  SPEAKER_00: When we try to change and we're leading with self-criticism, that will never create sustainable change.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_00: But when we start with gratitude, even for the small things that we have, like going for a walk or choosing a better breakfast, then we reinforce what's already working instead of chasing perfection.
• 4:35
  SPEAKER_00: Gratitude keeps you grounded and it opens the door for growth.
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_00: So use what's already working and then start with that as a foundation to stack new habits on top of existing ones so it feels natural, not forced.
• 4:52
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, next up is I identify room for improvement.
• 4:56
  SPEAKER_00: Typically, I don't have to spend very long on this one because most of us are so quick to judge.
• 5:02
  SPEAKER_00: But this really isn't about judgment, it's about awareness.
• 5:05
  SPEAKER_00: We can't improve what we don't identify.
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_00: So if you realize that you have room for improvement with, for example, lifting weights, then you can let go of trying to do it all and just focus on that one thing.
• 5:18
  SPEAKER_00: Awareness creates clarity, and clarity makes follow-through possible.
• 5:24
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, M is for make a plan.
• 5:27
  SPEAKER_00: This is where we get to nerd out a little bit.
• 5:30
  SPEAKER_00: Success does not happen by accident.
• 5:33
  SPEAKER_00: We need structure and systems and strategies and support.
• 5:37
  SPEAKER_00: A plan transforms intention into action.
• 5:41
  SPEAKER_00: Without it, we stay in that I should phase instead of moving into the I do phase.
• 5:47
  SPEAKER_00: So great example here.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_00: I'm telling you, I use this simpler method for myself in my real life and with all of my clients.
• 5:54
  SPEAKER_00: But for me, this podcast was in that I should phase for a few years before I decided to hire the coach, get the systems, get the strategy, get the support, so that I had a clear plan of what to do to actually realize this goal.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_00: Without a clear plan, we default to old habits.
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_00: We struggle with decision fatigue.
• 6:17
  SPEAKER_00: We get off track, we get overwhelmed.
• 6:20
  SPEAKER_00: So when we make a plan, let's keep it simple.
• 6:23
  SPEAKER_00: Instead of being vague, like I'm going to try to meal prep, or next week I'll try to fit in some exercise.
• 6:31
  SPEAKER_00: Instead, let's get really clear on the when, the where, the how.
• 6:36
  SPEAKER_00: Make it really specific.
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_00: I'm going to prep protein and veggies for the next two days.
• 6:42
  SPEAKER_00: Or I will do my strength training workouts at 6 a.m.
• 6:45
  SPEAKER_00: on Monday, Wednesday, Friday.
• 6:46
  SPEAKER_00: This is where goals become action.
• 6:50
  SPEAKER_00: And then the next step on this make a plan is get it on your calendar.
• 6:54
  SPEAKER_00: What gets scheduled gets done.
• 6:56
  SPEAKER_00: We need to make sure that we have a system.
• 7:00
  SPEAKER_00: One of my favorite quotes is from James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits: you do not rise to the level of your goals.
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_00: You fall to the level of your systems.
• 7:08
  SPEAKER_00: We all have big goals.
• 7:10
  SPEAKER_00: Eat better, move more, stress less, but without a system, these all stay wishes.
• 7:17
  SPEAKER_00: Every small action that we take is a vote for our future selves.
• 7:21
  SPEAKER_00: And when you put systems in place, those votes start adding up.
• 7:25
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, P is for a positive mindset.
• 7:28
  SPEAKER_00: I will shout this from the rooftops.
• 7:32
  SPEAKER_00: Our thoughts drive our actions.
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_00: So when we give ourselves grace, when we reframe the hard moments as lessons, when we remember that progress isn't linear, when we shift from I have to do this to I get to do this, those little mindset shifts add up over time and actually impact the way you show up, not just in the gym, not just in the kitchen, but in your life, in your relationships.
• 8:00
  SPEAKER_00: The person that you want to be in the future, right now, the thoughts that you're telling yourself are creating her.
• 8:06
  SPEAKER_00: I know it sounds woo-woo, but I promise you it is true.
• 8:10
  SPEAKER_00: So mind your mind.
• 8:13
  SPEAKER_00: L is leap into action.
• 8:15
  SPEAKER_00: If you have read Mel Robin's five-second rule, this is it in action right here.
• 8:21
  SPEAKER_00: Do not wait to feel ready.
• 8:24
  SPEAKER_00: Don't wait to feel motivated.
• 8:26
  SPEAKER_00: Motivation actually comes once you already start acting.
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_00: Once you take one small step today, and then tomorrow you take the same small step.
• 8:36
  SPEAKER_00: Momentum begins to build once you're in motion.
• 8:39
  SPEAKER_00: And then the motivation to continue is much stronger than the motivation to ever start.
• 8:46
  SPEAKER_00: So we have to just leap into action.
• 8:49
  SPEAKER_00: Do it now, do it scared, do it unprepared.
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_00: Just do it.
• 8:54
  SPEAKER_00: E is for establish the habit.
• 8:56
  SPEAKER_00: Consistency compounds.
• 8:58
  SPEAKER_00: So when we have simple, repeatable actions, over time, those actually compound to create our reality.
• 9:08
  SPEAKER_00: So if we start small, again, walk 10 minutes after dinner, do it today, do it tomorrow, do it the next day, skip a day, it doesn't matter because you are already in a routine.
• 9:18
  SPEAKER_00: Add protein to your breakfast or lift weights twice a week.
• 9:22
  SPEAKER_00: When you start to create the compound effect with this consistency, then you can start to stack new habits or swap old ones for better ones.
• 9:32
  SPEAKER_00: This is where change actually starts to stick.
• 9:35
  SPEAKER_00: And then R is reinforce that habit.
• 9:39
  SPEAKER_00: Track your wins.
• 9:41
  SPEAKER_00: Celebrate every small step.
• 9:43
  SPEAKER_00: Use a journal or a checklist or a tracker.
• 9:46
  SPEAKER_00: When we see progress, it actually builds our confidence.
• 9:51
  SPEAKER_00: When we celebrate the little wins along the way, it reminds us that we are showing up, that we are building self-trust, that we're doing what we said we were going to do.
• 10:03
  SPEAKER_00: When we move from gratitude through all of these steps to reinforcement, we're building not just better habits, but a stronger sense of self.
• 10:13
  SPEAKER_00: And that's what it means to go from goal to growth.
• 10:18
  SPEAKER_00: Do you remember from episode two, our future self, 10 years in the future?
• 10:24
  SPEAKER_00: I want to remind you that she is counting on you.
• 10:27
  SPEAKER_00: And the simpler method is how you can build her one small aligned habit at a time.
• 10:33
  SPEAKER_00: So now that you have the system, the next two episodes are going to give you the tools to plug into that system.
• 10:40
  SPEAKER_00: So in the next episode, I'll be teaching you my two by five strong method.
• 10:44
  SPEAKER_00: How in two strength workouts per week minimum, including the five types of movement that we women in midlife need in order to stay injury free and to feel confident, I'm going to show you how that actually works and how you can fit it into your real life.
• 10:58
  SPEAKER_00: In episode number five, I'm going to break down my four by four fist method.
• 11:03
  SPEAKER_00: It is the simplest way to prioritize protein and fuel your body without tracking or stress or restriction or dieting.
• 11:12
  SPEAKER_00: So simpler is the system.
• 11:14
  SPEAKER_00: And then the next episodes are your tools.
• 11:17
  SPEAKER_00: This is the good news.
• 11:18
  SPEAKER_00: You don't have to rely on motivation anymore.
• 11:21
  SPEAKER_00: With this framework, you have a roadmap to turn your goals into habits that actually fit your life.
• 11:27
  SPEAKER_00: So I encourage you, I challenge you, take that first small step today.
• 11:31
  SPEAKER_00: Start with gratitude, pick one thing to focus on, and then cast your vote for the woman that you are becoming.
• 11:38
  SPEAKER_00: You've got this.
• 11:39
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for listening, my friend.
• 11:41
  SPEAKER_00: Remember, progress over perfection and consistency over intensity.
• 11:46
  SPEAKER_00: Follow or subscribe so that you don't miss next week's episode.
• 11:49
  SPEAKER_00: And share this one with a friend who's glowing up right alongside you.
• 11:52
  SPEAKER_00: Until next time, keep growing, keep glowing, and bye for now.