Latest / Midlife Glow Up: Simplifying Fitness, Nutrition and Healthy Habits for Women over 40 / 6. The Mindset Shifts You Need to Finally Get Consistent with Fitness in Midlife
Transcript
- 0:02SPEAKER_00: Welcome back to the Midlife Glow Up Podcast, where we simplify fitness, nutrition, and healthy habits for women in midlife.
- 0:08SPEAKER_00: I'm Joan Dandano, your midlife health and wellness coach.
- 0:12SPEAKER_00: I help women simplify fitness, nutrition, and healthy habits to find clarity, build confidence, stay consistent in midlife and beyond.
- 0:21SPEAKER_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.
- 0:27SPEAKER_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.
- 0:36SPEAKER_00: It's about how fully you live your life.
- 0:38SPEAKER_00: Here you'll find strategies that actually work, systems that simplify, and a roadmap to help you turn intention into lasting change.
- 0:46SPEAKER_00: So if you're ready to feel strong, capable, and confident in this season, then you're in the right place.
- 0:51SPEAKER_00: This is the Midlife Glow Up Podcast.
- 0:55SPEAKER_00: Here is something that I have learned after coaching women for years and years in the realm of fitness and nutrition.
- 1:02SPEAKER_00: Consistence and confidence have nothing to do with motivation, and they have everything to do with mindset.
- 1:08SPEAKER_00: Mindset is one of my most favorite topics to talk about, so I'm super excited to be here with you today.
- 1:14SPEAKER_00: So if you've ever said to yourself, I know I need to work out, but I just can't seem to get motivated, then this episode is for you.
- 1:21SPEAKER_00: Because here's the truth: motivation isn't what gets us consistency.
- 1:25SPEAKER_00: Motivation fades, it's unreliable.
- 1:27SPEAKER_00: Life gets busy, we get tired, we get distracted, we're pulled in a million directions every day.
- 1:32SPEAKER_00: What makes the real difference is commitment and the mindset shifts that help us show up even when we don't feel like it.
- 1:39SPEAKER_00: So if you've been feeling frustrated, you start off strong, but you can't seem to stay consistent with fitness, you are not broken.
- 1:45SPEAKER_00: You're just human.
- 1:46SPEAKER_00: You're busy, you've got responsibilities pulling at you that make it tough to prioritize yourself.
- 1:52SPEAKER_00: I see this in so many of the women that I coach, and I'm there too, pulled in a million different directions.
- 1:57SPEAKER_00: But I want to say to you, I see you.
- 1:59SPEAKER_00: You're at capacity already.
- 2:00SPEAKER_00: Adding a solid fitness routine on top of your already full calendar feels impossible.
- 2:05SPEAKER_00: And change itself is just hard because our brains are wired for routine.
- 2:09SPEAKER_00: So anytime we try to build in new habits, especially in midlife, we're literally rewiring decades of patterns.
- 2:17SPEAKER_00: And that is why we need to not rely on motivation, but rather rely on systems and structure and community.
- 2:25SPEAKER_00: And that is exactly what I help women create inside of Fitzone, my online live and on-demand workout membership.
- 2:32SPEAKER_00: We have structure, accountability, community, and support all built in, and those are what make consistency possible.
- 2:39SPEAKER_00: So in this episode, I'm so excited to share with you the six mindset shifts that I use with my clients all the time, the same ones that have helped hundreds of women in midlife stay consistent and rebuild their confidence and create a solid fitness routine that actually fits in their life.
- 2:54SPEAKER_00: Okay, so mindset shift number one is from motivation to commitment.
- 3:00SPEAKER_00: So let's talk about what commitment really means because it's easy to say I'm committed to my health, but commitment isn't a feeling or a promise that you make once in a while, it's a practice.
- 3:10SPEAKER_00: Motivation is emotion-based.
- 3:12SPEAKER_00: It's that little spark that gets you moving when everything lines up.
- 3:16SPEAKER_00: You slept well, your schedule's open, you feel energized, ready to go, let's work out.
- 3:21SPEAKER_00: But commitment, that's what carries you through even when life doesn't line up.
- 3:26SPEAKER_00: Commitment is saying, even when I don't feel like it, even when I'm tired, even when my day goes sideways, I'm still going to show up in some way.
- 3:34SPEAKER_00: It is the opposite of perfection.
- 3:36SPEAKER_00: It means you've decided ahead of time that your health matters too much to negotiate with yourself about it every single day.
- 3:44SPEAKER_00: When you're motivated, you rely on willpower.
- 3:47SPEAKER_00: When you're committed, you rely on systems.
- 3:50SPEAKER_00: Motivation says, I'll work out when I feel like it.
- 3:53SPEAKER_00: And commitment says it's on my calendar, so I'll be there.
- 3:56SPEAKER_00: Commitment isn't flashy, it's steady.
- 3:59SPEAKER_00: It's not about a burst of motivation.
- 4:02SPEAKER_00: It's about building momentum.
- 4:04SPEAKER_00: And sometimes commitment looks like doing something instead of everything.
- 4:08SPEAKER_00: It might be 20 minutes instead of 40, it might be a walk instead of a full strength workout, but it's still showing up for yourself.
- 4:15SPEAKER_00: It's still casting a vote for your future self.
- 4:18SPEAKER_00: And when we practice commitment, we build trust with ourselves.
- 4:23SPEAKER_00: Because every time you follow through, even in a small way, you're proving to yourself that I can count on me.
- 4:30SPEAKER_00: And that is so powerful because we all want to feel more confident.
- 4:34SPEAKER_00: And how do we become confident?
- 4:37SPEAKER_00: By building self-trust.
- 4:39SPEAKER_00: Eventually, over time, that self-trust adds up.
- 4:42SPEAKER_00: And we're like, dude, if I can do that, I can do this new thing, right?
- 4:45SPEAKER_00: Confidence doesn't come from looking different or hitting a number on the scale, although that's what everybody wants to chase, right?
- 4:53SPEAKER_00: We want to chase that smaller gene size or we want to chase that magical number that we were in our 20s and 30s.
- 4:59SPEAKER_00: But the truth is, that is not where confidence actually comes from.
- 5:03SPEAKER_00: It comes from knowing that you will do what you said that you would do, because that is what is in your control.
- 5:11SPEAKER_00: So inside FitZone, every single day, we are practicing showing up for ourselves.
- 5:18SPEAKER_00: We're practicing not being perfect, not doing the most intense workout ever, but commitment.
- 5:25SPEAKER_00: Every time we show up, every time we join the Zoom room instead of pushing snooze, every time we complete a tough set, every time we fist bump and thumbs up to each other, we are practicing commitment to ourselves today and to our future selves.
- 5:40SPEAKER_00: Okay, mindset shift number two.
- 5:42SPEAKER_00: Can you guys tell I get excited about this?
- 5:45SPEAKER_00: Mindset shift number two is from all or nothing to practice makes progress.
- 5:50SPEAKER_00: So many women live in the all or nothing zone.
- 5:53SPEAKER_00: If we can't do it perfectly, then what's the point?
- 5:55SPEAKER_00: Why even show up at all?
- 5:57SPEAKER_00: But your results come from what you do most of the time, not from what you do sometimes.
- 6:02SPEAKER_00: We all know Pareto's principle, right?
- 6:04SPEAKER_00: The 80-20 rule.
- 6:05SPEAKER_00: If 80% of the time you show up and you make decent choices and you make effort, that will always outweigh the 20% of skipped workouts or off-plan meals.
- 6:16SPEAKER_00: What compounds isn't perfection, it's consistency.
- 6:20SPEAKER_00: So if you skip 28 days out of 30 days in a month of working out, but you do three killer sessions, that still doesn't undo all the days that you took off.
- 6:30SPEAKER_00: But if you move your body most days, even if it's 15 or 20 minutes, that stacks up.
- 6:35SPEAKER_00: That is what it looks like to build momentum.
- 6:38SPEAKER_00: It's what it looks like to build consistency.
- 6:41SPEAKER_00: And consistency is what compounds over time.
- 6:45SPEAKER_00: Perfection keeps us paralyzed.
- 6:48SPEAKER_00: So we have to throw out that notion that it's gotta look right, it's gotta be perfect, right?
- 6:53SPEAKER_00: We just have to give ourselves permission to show up imperfectly because it's the showing up that actually transforms you inside and out.
- 7:03SPEAKER_00: And here's something that I see all the time inside of FitZone, inside of our online workout membership.
- 7:09SPEAKER_00: Women modifying their workouts for where their body is today, right?
- 7:14SPEAKER_00: Often, like I would say probably half my class participants that are on live with me are dealing with injuries or tight joints or sore knees or limited mobility.
- 7:26SPEAKER_00: We all have something.
- 7:27SPEAKER_00: Like we are in midlife.
- 7:29SPEAKER_00: This is inevitable that our body is gonna start breaking down in some way, right?
- 7:33SPEAKER_00: But the problem is a lot of times that becomes an obstacle, and we're like, oh, I just I guess I can't work out this week.
- 7:40SPEAKER_00: I've got a bum knee.
- 7:41SPEAKER_00: It's like, well, your knee is only part of your body.
- 7:44SPEAKER_00: Like you could still lift weights with your upper body.
- 7:46SPEAKER_00: You could still maybe do some sit-ups, right?
- 7:49SPEAKER_00: It's about still showing up.
- 7:51SPEAKER_00: It's not about doing it all, it's not about doing it exactly right.
- 7:54SPEAKER_00: There is no right, it's not about doing it perfectly.
- 7:56SPEAKER_00: It's about showing up, making yourself proud and doing what you can, what your body allows, with your limitations, right?
- 8:04SPEAKER_00: With your injuries and illnesses, whatever it looks like, right?
- 8:08SPEAKER_00: You're still showing up for yourself.
- 8:10SPEAKER_00: That is strength.
- 8:11SPEAKER_00: That is progress.
- 8:13SPEAKER_00: That's what I mean when I say we're here to practice and we're here to create progress because we don't ever arrive.
- 8:20SPEAKER_00: The weights don't ever get lighter.
- 8:22SPEAKER_00: We get stronger.
- 8:24SPEAKER_00: If you think about playing an instrument or learning a new language, it's all about practicing over and over until it becomes not just something that you do, but part of who you are.
- 8:35SPEAKER_00: And inside FitZone, we celebrate every single practice, every rep, every session, every I showed up anyway moment is what builds strength that lasts.
- 8:45SPEAKER_00: It's sustainable.
- 8:47SPEAKER_00: Okay, mindset shift number three from I have to to I get to.
- 8:52SPEAKER_00: So how many times have you caught yourself saying, oh, I've got to work out today?
- 8:56SPEAKER_00: It sounds like a chore, something that's just on your to-do list.
- 8:59SPEAKER_00: But what if you shifted that language to I get to move my body today?
- 9:04SPEAKER_00: That one simple word changes the energy completely and it turns an obligation into an opportunity.
- 9:10SPEAKER_00: Movement is a gift.
- 9:12SPEAKER_00: Our bodies are made to move, to stretch, to breathe, to lift, to dance, to hug.
- 9:17SPEAKER_00: So what if we looked at our workouts as an opportunity to play?
- 9:22SPEAKER_00: Remember when we were kids and we had recess built into our day.
- 9:26SPEAKER_00: We don't have that anymore, but playful movement is still vital.
- 9:29SPEAKER_00: And when we move, we release stress, we boost our creativity, we reconnect with joy.
- 9:35SPEAKER_00: And the best part is we don't have to do it alone.
- 9:38SPEAKER_00: Inside FitZone, we get to move together.
- 9:41SPEAKER_00: Real women in real life, cheering each other on, showing each other what is possible.
- 9:47SPEAKER_00: Community adds accountability.
- 9:49SPEAKER_00: Yes, absolutely, but it also brings fun.
- 9:52SPEAKER_00: My workout studio is in my basement, and you better believe I would not be waking up at five o'clock in the morning by myself to go be by myself in my basement with the energy and enthusiasm that I do when I know I'm gonna be meeting you on the other side of that Zoom screen.
- 10:08SPEAKER_00: Because it's not just a workout, it's an opportunity to feel alive, to move, to breathe, and then also to feel connected to this community.
- 10:19SPEAKER_00: Mindset shift number four from just a workout to mindset training.
- 10:25SPEAKER_00: This is something that I don't feel like gets talked about enough.
- 10:27SPEAKER_00: In fact, I have brought this up in several different capacities, and people are like, whoa, really?
- 10:32SPEAKER_00: I didn't even know that.
- 10:33SPEAKER_00: So we think of workouts often as just physical.
- 10:36SPEAKER_00: And I'm telling you, obviously, we need to be lifting weights in order to strengthen our muscles and protect our bones.
- 10:42SPEAKER_00: We need to be getting our heart rates up and going out for walks, getting fresh air, um, working out our heart muscle.
- 10:48SPEAKER_00: But exercise is more than just physical, it is very mental as well.
- 10:53SPEAKER_00: So every workout is actually an opportunity to train your brain.
- 10:57SPEAKER_00: And there's lots of different ways that we can think about this.
- 10:59SPEAKER_00: But if you are thinking about when you're exercising and you're doing a pattern, like a sequence of movements, that's actually mental exercise.
- 11:08SPEAKER_00: And that is so good for our aging brains to remember, like, okay, we'll do left bicep curl, then right bicep curl, then left lunge, then right lunge, right?
- 11:17SPEAKER_00: Like that's remembering a pattern, a sequence.
- 11:20SPEAKER_00: And that repetition is so good for our brains to be like, wait, what am I supposed to do next?
- 11:24SPEAKER_00: Right.
- 11:25SPEAKER_00: The other thing is when we're focusing on that, we are forgetting about the to-do list and maybe the drama in our lives, and we are focusing on breath and movement, and we're being mindful.
- 11:34SPEAKER_00: That's part of the mental training as well.
- 11:37SPEAKER_00: When you stay aware of your body in space, like your balance, your posture, your form, that's called proprioception.
- 11:44SPEAKER_00: And that's also one of the best ways to keep your brain sharp as you age is realizing like where you are in space.
- 11:51SPEAKER_00: It's actually great for preventing injuries as well.
- 11:55SPEAKER_00: So when you're building muscle and endurance, you're also building focus and coordination and brain health.
- 12:03SPEAKER_00: It's truly mind-body connection.
- 12:07SPEAKER_00: And then there's the little piece, which is actually a big piece about self-talk that happens when we exercise as well.
- 12:14SPEAKER_00: Often, when we're not aware, when we're not mindful or intentional with the language that we're using inside of our own brain to talk to ourselves, we tend to say things like, oh, I can't do this.
- 12:28SPEAKER_00: I'm less fit than everybody here inside this gym.
- 12:31SPEAKER_00: I just, I don't even know what I'm doing.
- 12:32SPEAKER_00: Like, why am I even here?
- 12:34SPEAKER_00: Or even worse, like you're not showing up and then you're reminding yourself, I said I would work out and I didn't work out again today, right?
- 12:39SPEAKER_00: That that talking to yourself, that is the most influential voice that we listen to day in and day out.
- 12:46SPEAKER_00: And if we are not intentional with those words and we're tearing ourselves down instead of building ourselves up, we are doing ourselves a huge, gigantic disservice.
- 12:57SPEAKER_00: But when we say to ourselves, yes, you can, yes, I can, and then you prove yourself right, that is so, so, so powerful.
- 13:04SPEAKER_00: So, mindset shift number four from just a workout to mindset training.
- 13:08SPEAKER_00: So we're thinking about mental exercise.
- 13:11SPEAKER_00: We're thinking about mindfulness, proprioception, but also that self-talk.
- 13:15SPEAKER_00: Okay, mindset shift number five from physical strength to grit and resilience.
- 13:22SPEAKER_00: So again, physical strength, super important.
- 13:25SPEAKER_00: We're building our muscles, we're strengthening our bones, we're strengthening our heart, we're moving, we're breathing, we're getting our blood flowing.
- 13:32SPEAKER_00: All of those physical benefits are obviously super important.
- 13:36SPEAKER_00: But what is actually also happening when you are building physical strength is you are building resilience.
- 13:43SPEAKER_00: When you want to quit, but you don't, that is building mental toughness.
- 13:49SPEAKER_00: When you dig deep for that last rep or those final 10 seconds of a plank or a wall sit and you don't give up, that is proving to yourself that you can do hard things.
- 13:59SPEAKER_00: It's not just physical strength, it is a grit.
- 14:02SPEAKER_00: It's the practice of pushing through discomfort and proving to yourself that you can handle hard things.
- 14:08SPEAKER_00: Dude, if I can do this, I can do anything my day throws at me, right?
- 14:12SPEAKER_00: And when we realize that we can do hard things, it carries far beyond the workout.
- 14:17SPEAKER_00: When you practice this kind of resilience over and over again through your workout, through lifting heavy things, you start to see yourself differently.
- 14:26SPEAKER_00: You realize if I can do hard things here in the gym or in my basement, I can do hard things anywhere.
- 14:32SPEAKER_00: So inside Fitzone, that's one of my favorite transformations to witness when women who have once doubted themselves start realizing how strong they actually are.
- 14:41SPEAKER_00: And not just they're stronger lifting their weights or squatting, they're stronger because their workouts are making them tougher, right?
- 14:50SPEAKER_00: I always say this in class: this is tough, but so am I.
- 14:54SPEAKER_00: We have to remind ourselves that we are showing up, we're doing this hard work day in and day out so that we can practice being gritty, being resilient out in the real world.
- 15:04SPEAKER_00: Okay, finally, mindset shift number six from outcome goals to identity goals.
- 15:10SPEAKER_00: So we spend so much of our lives chasing outcomes.
- 15:13SPEAKER_00: The number on the scale, the size of the genes, the before and after pictures, but those results are just byproducts of the daily actions, the actual important things for us to be focusing on.
- 15:25SPEAKER_00: And those daily actions are actually flowing from your identity.
- 15:31SPEAKER_00: We cannot control the outcome.
- 15:32SPEAKER_00: We have literally zero control over the number on the scale.
- 15:36SPEAKER_00: We have zero control over our pant size, but we do have control of the little decisions that we're making day in and day out to push snooze or to show up for that workout.
- 15:46SPEAKER_00: When we realize that it's not just about doing the things to do them, to check it off a to-do list, but when we realize that these things that we're doing are actually helping us become that identity that we want, that's when we realize the true power of this.
- 16:03SPEAKER_00: Who do I want to become?
- 16:05SPEAKER_00: I want to be strong and confident and grounded.
- 16:09SPEAKER_00: So I better start acting like her today.
- 16:12SPEAKER_00: That woman that I want to become, that identity, is the version of myself who schedules her workouts because I'm worth it.
- 16:20SPEAKER_00: She is the woman who fuels her body.
- 16:22SPEAKER_00: So she does some food prep ahead of time.
- 16:24SPEAKER_00: So she's not caught off guard skipping another meal because she's worth it.
- 16:29SPEAKER_00: My future self, my identity that I'm becoming, she speaks to herself kindly.
- 16:35SPEAKER_00: She builds herself up instead of breaking herself down.
- 16:39SPEAKER_00: She talks to herself like she would her best friend or her daughter.
- 16:43SPEAKER_00: She keeps promises to herself.
- 16:47SPEAKER_00: So I'm gonna encourage you, when you think thoughts like, well, when I get in shape, I'll feel confident.
- 16:53SPEAKER_00: I would strongly encourage you to start saying instead, I am a woman who takes care of herself.
- 17:00SPEAKER_00: That confidence piece will follow.
- 17:02SPEAKER_00: No matter what size or shape I am, I am worth it.
- 17:07SPEAKER_00: When fitness becomes part of who you are, not just something that you do, quote unquote, when you're being good, you stop having to start over all the time.
- 17:15SPEAKER_00: It becomes part of who you are.
- 17:17SPEAKER_00: It goes with you wherever you go.
- 17:18SPEAKER_00: It becomes your rhythm, your anchor.
- 17:21SPEAKER_00: It grounds you.
- 17:24SPEAKER_00: So when you bring all of these mindset shifts that we've gone over today, commitment, practice, gratitude, mindset, grit, identity, movement stops being something that is just a thing on your to-do list and it becomes part of your identity.
- 17:41SPEAKER_00: That is exactly what we do inside of FitZone.
- 17:44SPEAKER_00: It's not just a workout membership, it's a coaching community designed for you, the woman in midlife, to finally get consistent with strength training and also training your brain.
- 17:54SPEAKER_00: You get structure and accountability and support to stop starting over.
- 17:58SPEAKER_00: So if everything we talked about to you resonates and you're tired of feeling like you just can't stick with it, FitZone was literally built for you.
- 18:06SPEAKER_00: I would love to invite you to come join a live class or check out the on-demand library so you can work out whenever it fits in your day.
- 18:13SPEAKER_00: You'll get expert coaching and encouragement from other women, but also a framework that helps you build strength from the inside out.
- 18:20SPEAKER_00: And just for you, my podcast listeners, I have a special offer.
- 18:24SPEAKER_00: You can use the code Strong S-T-R-O-N-G for$20 off your first month of FitZone.
- 18:29SPEAKER_00: So just head to the link in the show notes and learn more about how to join us inside.
- 18:33SPEAKER_00: And make sure you tune in next week because I'll walk you through exactly how FitZone works, what makes it different from anything you've ever tried before, and why this could be the answer you have been seeking to finally stay consistent with fitness for good.
- 18:45SPEAKER_00: So, in closing, I want to go over the six mindset shifts that we covered today.
- 18:50SPEAKER_00: And I want to encourage you to pick one and practice it this week.
- 18:54SPEAKER_00: So the first one was from motivation to commitment.
- 18:58SPEAKER_00: Stop waiting to feel ready and build systems instead that make showing up a no-brainer, make showing up a non-negotiable.
- 19:07SPEAKER_00: Number two, from all or nothing to practice makes perfect.
- 19:10SPEAKER_00: I urge you to let go of perfection.
- 19:13SPEAKER_00: It doesn't even exist anyway.
- 19:14SPEAKER_00: So stop striving for it and just instead get into practice.
- 19:18SPEAKER_00: Every rep is practice.
- 19:20SPEAKER_00: The weights don't get lighter, you get stronger.
- 19:24SPEAKER_00: Number three, from I have to to I get to.
- 19:28SPEAKER_00: Movement is not punishment.
- 19:29SPEAKER_00: It's actually a privilege.
- 19:30SPEAKER_00: There are people who are not able to move, who would give anything to be able to move.
- 19:34SPEAKER_00: So I encourage you to look at movement as play, not as a chore.
- 19:39SPEAKER_00: Number four, from just a workout to mindset training.
- 19:43SPEAKER_00: Every workout is mental fitness as well as physical fitness.
- 19:46SPEAKER_00: So we have focus and coordination and mindfulness and growth for your brain and for your body.
- 19:52SPEAKER_00: Number five, from physical strength to grit and resilience, like emotional strength.
- 19:58SPEAKER_00: You're not just building muscle, but you're training your mind to do hard things and to finish strong.
- 20:04SPEAKER_00: And then finally, from outcome goals to identity goals, stop chasing those results and start embodying the woman you want to become.
- 20:12SPEAKER_00: So this week, pick one mindset shift and practice it.
- 20:15SPEAKER_00: Maybe it's putting your workouts into your calendar, maybe it's letting something count rather than just being okay with nothing.
- 20:21SPEAKER_00: And maybe it's catching your self-talk before it spirals.
- 20:25SPEAKER_00: Your workouts are more than movement.
- 20:27SPEAKER_00: They're a mirror for how you show up in every other area of life.
- 20:31SPEAKER_00: So remember, we are building strong, capable, and consistent future selves.
- 20:36SPEAKER_00: And every single time you show up for yourself, you're casting a vote for her.
- 20:41SPEAKER_00: Motivation fades.
- 20:42SPEAKER_00: Motivation is unreliable.
- 20:44SPEAKER_00: Momentum is what builds over time to create consistency, which eventually equals confidence.
- 20:53SPEAKER_00: So keep showing up.
- 20:54SPEAKER_00: You are stronger than you think.
- 20:57SPEAKER_00: Thanks for listening, my friend.
- 20:59SPEAKER_00: Remember, progress over perfection and consistency over intensity.
- 21:04SPEAKER_00: Follow or subscribe so that you don't miss next week's episode.
- 21:07SPEAKER_00: And share this one with a friend who's glowing up right alongside you.
- 21:10SPEAKER_00: Until next time, keep growing, keep glowing, and bye for now.