Latest / Midlife Glow Up: Simplifying Fitness, Nutrition and Healthy Habits for Women over 40 / 12: The Foundation for Lasting Change in Midlife

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12: The Foundation for Lasting Change in Midlife · Midlife Glow Up: Simplifying Fitness, Nutrition and Healthy Habits for Women over 40

• 0:01
  SPEAKER_00: I'd love to invite you to think about yourself for a moment.
• 0:05
  SPEAKER_00: How would you describe yourself when it comes to your health?
• 0:09
  SPEAKER_00: Do you see yourself as someone who takes care of her body?
• 0:12
  SPEAKER_00: Or do you see yourself as someone who is trying to fit in self-care?
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_00: Do you see yourself as an athlete who maybe takes a day off here and there?
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_00: Or as someone who's trying to fit in a workout?
• 0:27
  SPEAKER_00: Do you see yourself as a woman who generally nourishes herself but occasionally has a pizza and a beer?
• 0:33
  SPEAKER_00: Or do you see yourself as someone who mostly eats whatever she wants, whatever's easiest, and then sometimes has a salad?
• 0:41
  SPEAKER_00: These distinctions might seem small or insignificant, but they actually shape how you think, how you act, and how quickly you bounce back when life gets off track.
• 0:51
  SPEAKER_00: When something is part of who you are, you don't quit it, you come back to it.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_00: And that is the difference between trying to do something and being somebody.
• 1:01
  SPEAKER_00: And that distinction is built through our habits.
• 1:05
  SPEAKER_00: So today is part one of a two-part series on habits.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_00: And today is all about the why.
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_00: Why habits matter, why they matter more in midlife than they ever did before, and why habits aren't about doing more.
• 1:18
  SPEAKER_00: They're actually about becoming the next version of yourself.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_00: So in the next episode, we'll get into the how, the practical strategies that you can use to actually build habits that actually stick in your real life.
• 1:30
  SPEAKER_00: This two-part series comes from a combination of my many years of experience of coaching women and also leading myself through this journey of real life change and what actually works and what doesn't work.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_00: And second, based on many books that I've read on habits, but especially James Clear's Atomic Habits, his best-selling book.
• 1:52
  SPEAKER_00: It's been at the top of the charts for years and years.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_00: He presents the ideas about habits in such an easily understood way, even though they're complex based on psychology and science and all the things, but they have helped millions of people create lasting change in their lives.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_00: So, what I love is how closely these two things align the science and then what I actually see playing out in everyday life of the women that I work with.
• 2:16
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome back to the Midlife Glow Up Podcast, where we simplify fitness, nutrition, and healthy habits for women over 40.
• 2:22
  SPEAKER_00: I'm Joan Dandano, your midlife help and wellness coach.
• 2:25
  SPEAKER_00: And if you're ready to feel strong, consistent, and confident in this season of life, you are in the right place, my friend.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_00: So many women that I work with feel overwhelmed and pulled in a thousand different directions, and they're quietly frustrated with themselves.
• 2:39
  SPEAKER_00: And they say things like, gosh, why can't I just stay consistent?
• 2:42
  SPEAKER_00: Or always fall off the wagon, or I should be further along by now.
• 2:47
  SPEAKER_00: But the truth is, most women are not failing.
• 2:50
  SPEAKER_00: They're just using strategies that no longer work in this season of life.
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_00: Midlife does not respond well to extremes, it responds very well to steadiness, to consistency.
• 3:01
  SPEAKER_00: And how do we build steadiness and consistency?
• 3:04
  SPEAKER_00: It is through habits.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_00: So before we jump into the meat of this episode, I want to define what a habit is.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_00: So a habit is a small decision that you make, an action that you repeat without even thinking about it.
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_00: Habits are what you do by default.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_00: They're what you fall back on when life is busy.
• 3:23
  SPEAKER_00: They're what you do when you're tired or stressed or overwhelmed or short on time.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_00: Your life right now is largely the result of your habits, not your intentions.
• 3:33
  SPEAKER_00: Most of us have really, really good intentions, but there's a disconnect between our intentions and our actual actions that we take day in and day out.
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_00: Most days are ordinary in our lives.
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_00: And so it is your ordinary habits that shape who you are today and who you're becoming in the future.
• 3:49
  SPEAKER_00: So midlife is a unique season.
• 3:52
  SPEAKER_00: Your body is asking for a different approach than you have taken in your 20s, your 30s, your early 40s.
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_00: In earlier decades, intensity could sometimes mask inconsistency.
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_00: So you would maybe work out really hard for a couple of weeks and then skip the gym for a whole month.
• 4:07
  SPEAKER_00: And then when you jump back in, your body still responds and as you get results.
• 4:11
  SPEAKER_00: Or you might have eaten whatever you wanted most of the time and then cleaned it up for a few weeks and you saw really quick changes.
• 4:18
  SPEAKER_00: Those intense bursts might have felt like you were being consistent, but you weren't.
• 4:23
  SPEAKER_00: That strategy doesn't work anymore.
• 4:25
  SPEAKER_00: You can't crush a few hard workouts and expect that to cancel out weeks or months of inactivity.
• 4:31
  SPEAKER_00: What matters now is showing up regularly, even if it's less intense, even if it's a shorter workout.
• 4:37
  SPEAKER_00: You can't aggressively diet for weeks and then undo months of under-eating or over-restricting or skipping meals.
• 4:45
  SPEAKER_00: Your body really doesn't respond to that anymore.
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_00: It responds best to consistency, not quick fixes.
• 4:51
  SPEAKER_00: Staying up late and pushing through exhaustion or ignoring recovery might have worked before, but in midlife, it catches up with you fast.
• 5:00
  SPEAKER_00: Your body doesn't have the same margin for error it once did.
• 5:03
  SPEAKER_00: Recovery matters more because your body needs more time to adapt and your muscles need more time to rebuild.
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_00: Your hormonal shifts affect how you use energy and how you recover and how your body responds to stress.
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_00: And stress matters more because chronic stress can override even good habits, affecting your sleep, your cravings, giving you more inflammation, less energy.
• 5:26
  SPEAKER_00: What this means is you can't outwork or out-restrict what your body actually needs anymore.
• 5:32
  SPEAKER_00: Midlife exposes what motivation can no longer carry.
• 5:36
  SPEAKER_00: I like to think of midlife as an as an invitation to stop swinging between extremes and start building steadiness.
• 5:45
  SPEAKER_00: This is the season where systems matter way more than willpower.
• 5:50
  SPEAKER_00: And our habits are the systems.
• 5:53
  SPEAKER_00: So once you understand that midlife requires this different approach, then you'll stop hitting your head up against the wall because you're not getting the same results from what used to work, right?
• 6:03
  SPEAKER_00: And the next piece is understanding how small actions like habits can actually create big change.
• 6:10
  SPEAKER_00: So James Clear says that habits are the compound interest of self-improvement.
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_00: So what that means is that over time, tiny little actions create huge results.
• 6:21
  SPEAKER_00: One single habit does not change your life.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_00: One workout is not going to change your body.
• 6:27
  SPEAKER_00: One healthy meal isn't going to change your internal health.
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_00: One early bedtime is not going to just all of a sudden fix your energy, but the accumulation of those small actions does.
• 6:39
  SPEAKER_00: Small changes compound over time will create remarkable results.
• 6:44
  SPEAKER_00: It's the accumulation of the tiny little decisions repeated over time that creates big impact.
• 6:50
  SPEAKER_00: And whatever you, whatever you repeat, you reinforce to your body and to your brain.
• 6:56
  SPEAKER_00: And it's really remarkable what you can build if you just don't stop.
• 7:01
  SPEAKER_00: And this is where patience matters because there is a fine line between impatience and patience.
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_00: And most of us quit on the wrong side of that line.
• 7:09
  SPEAKER_00: We want to see results now.
• 7:11
  SPEAKER_00: We want proof that what we're doing actually matters is going to make a difference.
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_00: And when we don't see proof or results quick enough, we assume it's not working and then we want to throw in the towel.
• 7:21
  SPEAKER_00: But habits don't reward urgency, they reward consistency.
• 7:25
  SPEAKER_00: So we have to be patient.
• 7:27
  SPEAKER_00: Too often we start out to create change and we set these really big, lofty goals and we try to overhaul our entire lives.
• 7:35
  SPEAKER_00: But that usually ends in frustration and quitting.
• 7:39
  SPEAKER_00: Because success isn't built through dramatic transformations.
• 7:42
  SPEAKER_00: Success is built through daily habits, getting 1% better, showing up again even when you don't feel like it, staying in the game instead of quitting.
• 7:51
  SPEAKER_00: What matters most right now is not where you are today, but it's your trajectory.
• 7:58
  SPEAKER_00: So if your habits are moving you towards a better future and you don't quit, then time becomes your ally.
• 8:05
  SPEAKER_00: But if you if your habits would add up over time to create a worse future, then time becomes your enemy.
• 8:14
  SPEAKER_00: This is why this time of life is so crucial that we get clear on these habits.
• 8:20
  SPEAKER_00: When you procrastinate, prioritizing your health or improving your strength or gaining more energy, you're not just delaying those specific actions.
• 8:30
  SPEAKER_00: You're actually delaying a better future.
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_00: The older we get, the more ingrained our habits become.
• 8:35
  SPEAKER_00: That doesn't mean that change isn't possible.
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_00: It just means it takes intention and it takes proaction and it takes serious thought and focus.
• 8:46
  SPEAKER_00: And I want to be really clear.
• 8:48
  SPEAKER_00: My goal is not to tell you which habits to do.
• 8:51
  SPEAKER_00: My goal is to equip you and empower you to choose the habits that will make the biggest difference in your personal life based on your struggles, your challenges, your lifestyle, your identity that you've got today.
• 9:04
  SPEAKER_00: Because ultimately you are the driver of your life.
• 9:07
  SPEAKER_00: And you're either on autopilot with habits that don't serve you and you don't even know it, or you're intentionally choosing to repeat the habits that over time will create the life that you dream of.
• 9:20
  SPEAKER_00: So up until this point, we've talked about habits conceptually, like your identity wrapped up in habits, how consistency really matters, the compound effect really matters.
• 9:30
  SPEAKER_00: But I want to stop talking about just theory, and I want to give you an example of how this actually plays out in many of the lives that I see in my clients.
• 9:40
  SPEAKER_00: So let's use the example of strength training.
• 9:43
  SPEAKER_00: So many women that I talk to are like, I am just not in a good routine of strength training.
• 9:48
  SPEAKER_00: I know it's something that I should be doing, but I haven't lifted weights in years.
• 9:51
  SPEAKER_00: I definitely feel out of shape.
• 9:53
  SPEAKER_00: I don't even know where to begin.
• 9:55
  SPEAKER_00: The gym feels super intimidating and unfamiliar.
• 9:58
  SPEAKER_00: And so maybe you're telling yourself, I'm behind.
• 10:01
  SPEAKER_00: What's the point?
• 10:02
  SPEAKER_00: It's already too late.
• 10:03
  SPEAKER_00: I don't even know where to begin.
• 10:04
  SPEAKER_00: And the idea of becoming someone who strength trains feels huge and overwhelming.
• 10:10
  SPEAKER_00: And this is where most women get stuck because they think that the habit starts with confidence or motivation or the perfect plan, but it really doesn't.
• 10:18
  SPEAKER_00: It starts showing up as the version of you are today.
• 10:22
  SPEAKER_00: Right now, the belief might be I'm not strong, I'm inconsistent, I'm not someone who lifts weights.
• 10:27
  SPEAKER_00: So every time you don't strength train, you are quietly reinforcing that belief.
• 10:34
  SPEAKER_00: But imagine instead that you decide for this next season, you're simply someone who strength trains twice a week, maybe 20 minutes at a time.
• 10:43
  SPEAKER_00: Not five days a week, not an hour in the gym.
• 10:46
  SPEAKER_00: It's not perfect.
• 10:47
  SPEAKER_00: We're not having to think about forever.
• 10:49
  SPEAKER_00: We're just thinking about twice a week.
• 10:51
  SPEAKER_00: And the first few weeks do not feel impressive.
• 10:54
  SPEAKER_00: You feel awkward, you feel sore.
• 10:57
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe, you know, you're not even using dumbbells, you're just using body weight.
• 11:02
  SPEAKER_00: There's no visible change in your body, but something important is happening.
• 11:07
  SPEAKER_00: Every time you show up for those two sessions, you're casting a vote for your new identity.
• 11:14
  SPEAKER_00: You're telling yourself, I'm someone who commits to myself.
• 11:18
  SPEAKER_00: I'm someone who trains my body.
• 11:20
  SPEAKER_00: I don't quit when it feels uncomfortable.
• 11:23
  SPEAKER_00: And here's the key part the identity shift is happening before you see the actual physical results.
• 11:32
  SPEAKER_00: And after a few weeks and a few months of this, you stop negotiating with yourself.
• 11:36
  SPEAKER_00: Am I gonna work out today?
• 11:38
  SPEAKER_00: And you start asking, well, which days and what time?
• 11:41
  SPEAKER_00: And you're getting it on your calendar.
• 11:43
  SPEAKER_00: And that is the powerful shift.
• 11:45
  SPEAKER_00: Because after a few months of doing this, strength training is no longer something you're trying to do.
• 11:51
  SPEAKER_00: It's something that you do.
• 11:53
  SPEAKER_00: And you don't feel confident because your body looks different.
• 11:57
  SPEAKER_00: You feel confident because you're proving to yourself that you follow through with what you say you're going to do.
• 12:03
  SPEAKER_00: And months or years down the line, your posture improves.
• 12:07
  SPEAKER_00: You feel yourself stronger.
• 12:09
  SPEAKER_00: You feel carrying groceries is easier.
• 12:11
  SPEAKER_00: Lifting the laundry basket up onto the shelf is easier.
• 12:16
  SPEAKER_00: Getting up off the floor is easier.
• 12:19
  SPEAKER_00: Your energy is steadier, you're sleeping better, your body feels more resilient.
• 12:24
  SPEAKER_00: But the biggest change isn't physical, it's how you see yourself.
• 12:28
  SPEAKER_00: You now see yourself as someone who takes care of her body.
• 12:32
  SPEAKER_00: And when life gets busy, because it always does, you don't quit strength training.
• 12:37
  SPEAKER_00: You might adjust, you might shorten it, you might reschedule it, but you bounce back.
• 12:43
  SPEAKER_00: Because when something becomes part of who you are, you don't quit it.
• 12:47
  SPEAKER_00: You come back to it.
• 12:48
  SPEAKER_00: And that is the power of habits.
• 12:51
  SPEAKER_00: The same identity shift so shows up just as powerfully with nutrition.
• 12:56
  SPEAKER_00: So let's look at a nutrition example because this is another place where I see habits and identity as deeply connected.
• 13:03
  SPEAKER_00: So right now, maybe you don't feel great about how you eat.
• 13:07
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe your meals feel rushed or random.
• 13:09
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you skip breakfast or grab whatever's convenient.
• 13:13
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe your nutrition is an afterthought after you have planned out everybody else's food.
• 13:18
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you've tried diets before and they just don't last.
• 13:22
  SPEAKER_00: And so food becomes confusing or even emotionally charged.
• 13:27
  SPEAKER_00: And so you might tell yourself, I'm just not good at nutrition.
• 13:30
  SPEAKER_00: I always fall off the wagon.
• 13:32
  SPEAKER_00: I do great for a while and then I end up right back where I started.
• 13:36
  SPEAKER_00: I just want to throw in the towel.
• 13:38
  SPEAKER_00: So the idea of eating well becomes overwhelming, like it has to be perfect or it doesn't count.
• 13:44
  SPEAKER_00: But the habit doesn't start with perfection, it starts with one repeatable, simple action.
• 13:52
  SPEAKER_00: So imagine instead of trying to overhaul your entire diet, you just decide on one simple habit, prioritizing protein at breakfast.
• 14:00
  SPEAKER_00: That is it.
• 14:01
  SPEAKER_00: We're not tracking, we're not bringing a food scale to every meal, we're not tracking every calorie and every macro, we're not restricting, we're not changing everything else.
• 14:12
  SPEAKER_00: We're just focusing on protein at breakfast.
• 14:15
  SPEAKER_00: And at first it almost feels too simple.
• 14:17
  SPEAKER_00: Like, is this gonna even make a difference?
• 14:19
  SPEAKER_00: But you're still eating foods that you enjoy.
• 14:22
  SPEAKER_00: Lunch and dinner still aren't perfect.
• 14:24
  SPEAKER_00: Some days the full day goes sideways, but every morning you choose protein.
• 14:29
  SPEAKER_00: Something important is happening.
• 14:32
  SPEAKER_00: You're casting a vote for that new identity.
• 14:34
  SPEAKER_00: You're telling yourself, I nourish my body.
• 14:38
  SPEAKER_00: I make choices that support my energy.
• 14:40
  SPEAKER_00: I don't have to be perfect to be consistent.
• 14:43
  SPEAKER_00: And after a few weeks, breakfast stops becoming a question or a negotiation.
• 14:47
  SPEAKER_00: You don't ask, should I eat protein?
• 14:50
  SPEAKER_00: You ask, what protein am I having today?
• 14:53
  SPEAKER_00: And that is an important identity shift.
• 14:56
  SPEAKER_00: And over time, what you notice is you have fewer energy crashes, you have less mindless snacking throughout the day, you have more stable blood sugar, your workouts are better, you can think clearer, you sleep better, you see a difference in your skin.
• 15:12
  SPEAKER_00: All this happens.
• 15:14
  SPEAKER_00: But the biggest change still isn't physical.
• 15:17
  SPEAKER_00: The biggest change is that you no longer see yourself as someone who can't get nutrition right.
• 15:22
  SPEAKER_00: You see yourself as someone who fuels herself, maybe imperfectly, but intentionally.
• 15:28
  SPEAKER_00: And when travel happens or stress hits or life gets busy, you don't abandon that habit.
• 15:35
  SPEAKER_00: You return to it.
• 15:36
  SPEAKER_00: Because when something becomes part of who you are, returning back to it just feels natural.
• 15:43
  SPEAKER_00: And this is what I really want you to hear from this.
• 15:46
  SPEAKER_00: Both of these examples, the results did not come first.
• 15:49
  SPEAKER_00: The identity came first.
• 15:52
  SPEAKER_00: Confidence didn't create the habit.
• 15:54
  SPEAKER_00: The habit created the confidence.
• 15:56
  SPEAKER_00: And that's why habits work even when motivation isn't there.
• 16:00
  SPEAKER_00: Because we all know motivation is unreliable.
• 16:04
  SPEAKER_00: This is where habits stop being about a behavior and they start being about a belief.
• 16:10
  SPEAKER_00: One of the most powerful ideas from Atomic Habits is that every action that you take is a vote for the type of person that you wish to become.
• 16:19
  SPEAKER_00: So every walk that you take becomes a vote for the woman who prioritizes movement.
• 16:25
  SPEAKER_00: And every balanced meal is a vote for the woman who nourishes her body.
• 16:29
  SPEAKER_00: And every time you return, after falling off, you're voting for the type of woman who trusts herself and who is resilient.
• 16:37
  SPEAKER_00: Your habits aren't just changing the actions that you do, they're shaping how you see yourself.
• 16:43
  SPEAKER_00: So, what do you think you're believing about yourself currently when you quit?
• 16:49
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe the belief is, oh, I just can't stick to anything.
• 16:52
  SPEAKER_00: I always fall off.
• 16:54
  SPEAKER_00: Why even try?
• 16:55
  SPEAKER_00: Those beliefs don't come from one big failure.
• 16:58
  SPEAKER_00: They come from patterns that we repeat often unconsciously.
• 17:02
  SPEAKER_00: These stories that we tell ourselves about ourselves, our identity have come from our childhood, our family of origin, our life experience.
• 17:10
  SPEAKER_00: It's not our fault.
• 17:11
  SPEAKER_00: We we truly believe these things, but we have the power to shift that.
• 17:16
  SPEAKER_00: So let's flip it.
• 17:18
  SPEAKER_00: So, what are you believing about yourself when you do show up, even if it's imperfect?
• 17:23
  SPEAKER_00: When you walk instead of do the full workout, or when you choose protein, even if the rest of the day goes sideways.
• 17:30
  SPEAKER_00: And when you come back after sickness or travel or stress to your healthy habits, you're telling yourself, now I follow through.
• 17:37
  SPEAKER_00: I don't quit on myself.
• 17:38
  SPEAKER_00: I can trust myself.
• 17:40
  SPEAKER_00: And over time, those beliefs change how you act.
• 17:44
  SPEAKER_00: It's like a big loop.
• 17:46
  SPEAKER_00: The habit reinforces your belief, and your belief reinforces the habit.
• 17:51
  SPEAKER_00: Because once you see yourself as someone who shows up, showing up starts to feel natural.
• 17:57
  SPEAKER_00: It stops feeling like some big hurdle that you have to jump over, and it's just something that you do.
• 18:03
  SPEAKER_00: Habits rebuild or build for the first time self-trust.
• 18:09
  SPEAKER_00: So this is why habits matter so much.
• 18:13
  SPEAKER_00: And it really doesn't matter where you are today, whether you're successful or unsuccessful at any of these things today doesn't matter.
• 18:21
  SPEAKER_00: But where you're going does.
• 18:23
  SPEAKER_00: So focus on if your current habits repeated over time would create a positive trajectory in your future, awesome job.
• 18:31
  SPEAKER_00: But if not, that's your invitation to flip the script that you're telling yourself and then take the next best action to create that future that you dream of.
• 18:43
  SPEAKER_00: If you don't quit and you keep taking actions that create a better future, that's what determines eventual success.
• 18:51
  SPEAKER_00: If your habits are moving you towards a better future than and you don't quit, time becomes your ally.
• 18:59
  SPEAKER_00: But if your habits are working against you, bad habits, then time becomes your enemy.
• 19:05
  SPEAKER_00: And midlife is such a powerful time to take this seriously.
• 19:10
  SPEAKER_00: One reason midlife feels so different is because we're not starting from scratch anymore.
• 19:14
  SPEAKER_00: At this point, the compound effect has actually been running in our lives for decades.
• 19:20
  SPEAKER_00: And whether that's filled with good habits or bad habits, it doesn't really matter.
• 19:24
  SPEAKER_00: We're not trying to undo 40 years of bad habits right now.
• 19:29
  SPEAKER_00: We're trying to redirect the trajectory of the second half of our life one habit at a time.
• 19:36
  SPEAKER_00: So at this point, you might be thinking, okay, I get it, I understand why habits matter, but how do I actually begin?
• 19:41
  SPEAKER_00: This still seems daunting.
• 19:43
  SPEAKER_00: And that's exactly what we're gonna cover in the next episode, part two of our two-part habit series.
• 19:50
  SPEAKER_00: Most women are not struggling with the desire to change or the discipline.
• 19:56
  SPEAKER_00: They're actually struggling with how to turn intention into something repeatable.
• 20:00
  SPEAKER_00: And that's exactly what we're gonna talk through step by step in part two.
• 20:05
  SPEAKER_00: But first, let's recap what we covered today.
• 20:08
  SPEAKER_00: First, we started with identity, the difference between someone who is trying to take care of her body and someone who sees caring for her body as a non-negotiable part of who she is.
• 20:18
  SPEAKER_00: Then we defined what habits are: small decisions and actions that you repeat, often without even thinking about them.
• 20:24
  SPEAKER_00: They're what you fall back on when life gets busy.
• 20:28
  SPEAKER_00: Next, we talked about why midlife is different, because in earlier decades, intensity could sometimes mask inconsistency.
• 20:35
  SPEAKER_00: But in midlife, that strategy stops working.
• 20:38
  SPEAKER_00: Midlife responds better to steadiness.
• 20:42
  SPEAKER_00: Your body responds better to consistency, not quick quick fixes.
• 20:46
  SPEAKER_00: And that's where habits come into effect.
• 20:49
  SPEAKER_00: Then we talked about the compound effect.
• 20:51
  SPEAKER_00: Small changes compound over time create remarkable results.
• 20:55
  SPEAKER_00: And whatever you repeat, you reinforce to your brain and your body.
• 21:00
  SPEAKER_00: Success is daily habits, getting 1% better and continuing even when progress feels slow or like it's not even working at all.
• 21:08
  SPEAKER_00: And then we brought it to life with those two examples, one for fitness and one for nutrition.
• 21:13
  SPEAKER_00: The strength training example was the identity shift happens before the results, and that habits build confidence, not the other way around.
• 21:21
  SPEAKER_00: You become someone who follows through.
• 21:24
  SPEAKER_00: And the nutrition example, instead of overhauling everything, just pick one repeatable habit.
• 21:30
  SPEAKER_00: And doing that over time can shift your identity, can improve your energy, build trust with yourself over time.
• 21:39
  SPEAKER_00: And then we talked about that deeper layer how habits shape your belief.
• 21:43
  SPEAKER_00: So when you quit, you re you reinforce beliefs that you don't want.
• 21:48
  SPEAKER_00: But when you show up, you reinforce self trust and resilience, even if you show up imperfectly.
• 21:54
  SPEAKER_00: In the next episode, we're getting practical.
• 21:56
  SPEAKER_00: Part two is about the how, the strategies that you can use to build.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_00: Habits that stick, including habit stacking and then simple ways to design your life for consistency.
• 22:05
  SPEAKER_00: So make sure you stay tuned for part two.
• 22:07
  SPEAKER_00: And if you're anxious to put these strategies to work in your real life, I would love to invite you to sign up for your midlife reset, a 21-day habit challenge designed for you, the woman over 40 who wants to take back control of her health in 2026, so that you can have better energy, stronger routines, and simple habits that you can finally stick to.
• 22:26
  SPEAKER_00: It's your perfect jumpstart to kick off the new year with confidence.
• 22:29
  SPEAKER_00: And the best part is that you don't have to do it alone.
• 22:31
  SPEAKER_00: You'll have a real step by step plan, the support of a community and other women in a similar stage of life, and a coach in your corner who truly cares.
• 22:39
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for listening, my friend.
• 22:41
  SPEAKER_00: Remember, progress over perfection and consistency over intensity.
• 22:44
  SPEAKER_00: Until next time, keep growing, keep glowing, and bye for now.