Okay. I am going to be really honest with you today.
I have tried to lose weight before. Multiple times. I have done different approaches, started with great intentions, made progress, and then slowly drifted back to where I started. And for a long time I thought the problem was the plan I was following. The food I was eating. The workout routine.
But here is what I finally understood: the problem was never the plan. The problem was what was happening in my head before, during, and after the plan.
This time I did something completely different. I started with my mind before I touched my food or my movement routine. I built the inside first. And the outside has been following.
In the last two and a half weeks, I have lost ten pounds. And I want to share the exact foundation practices that I believe are making the difference — not because I think everyone should do exactly what I am doing, but because I think some of these ideas might spark something for you on your own journey.
These are my fourteen foundation practices. They are all about mindset, planning, and emotional work. And I genuinely believe they are the most important part of any sustainable wellness change.
The very first thing I did was sit down and write out my real, deeply personal reasons for wanting to change. Not surface-level reasons. Not just fitting into a smaller size. The reasons tied to my health, my energy, my future, my sense of self.
I wrote them on a physical index card. And I read that card three to five times every day. Morning. Before a meal. Whenever I feel pulled toward something off-plan.
Here is why this works. Your brain needs repetition to believe something. When your reasons stay in the background, they are easy to override in a hard moment. When you read them multiple times every day, they start to feel non-negotiable. They become stronger than the impulse to give in.
Your why is your anchor. Build it strong. Read it often.
I have an accountability partner and we time-block our check-ins. We schedule them like real appointments and we actually show up for them consistently.
When you are only accountable to yourself, it is too easy to let yourself slide. You can negotiate with yourself all day. But when someone else knows your plan and is expecting to hear from you — the stakes feel different. Your choices feel more real.
Your accountability partner should be someone who is genuinely supportive and also willing to be honest with you. Someone who celebrates your wins and holds space when things are hard without just telling you what you want to hear.
3. Set a Big Goal — Then Break It All the Way Down
I have a big goal. I know where I am going. And I wrote it down.
But a big goal by itself can feel so far away that it loses its pull. So I broke it into monthly goals, weekly goals, and daily goals — daily goals being the most important.
Because you cannot fully control what any given day shows you. But you can absolutely control whether you followed your plan today. Whether you showed up. Stack enough good days together and the bigger goals take care of themselves. Focus on what you can actually control right now.
I now have scheduled, time-blocked slots on my calendar for grocery shopping, meal prep, and movement. These are not things I try to fit in when I happen to have a spare moment.
Because here is the truth: wellness does not fit in around everything else. It gets pushed out by whatever feels most urgent in the moment. When you treat your health like a meeting you cannot miss, it actually happens. When you treat it like something you will get to eventually — it does not.
Go open your calendar after reading this and put at least one grocery run, one prep window, and one movement slot in for this week. Protect those spots.
Every Sunday I plan my food for the entire week. I decide what I am eating and make sure I have what I need. I do not leave those decisions up to busy weekday me who is tired and rushed.
And then every evening, the night before, I look at the next day and confirm the plan. Any adjustments? Any prep needed tonight?
Planning the night before is especially powerful because morning decisions are affected by how tired you are and how full your plate already is. When the decision is already made — when you wake up knowing exactly what you are eating, there is no debate. You just execute.
A food protocol is not a diet. A diet is something you go on and go off. A protocol is a clear set of commitments you make to yourself about how you eat — what is on your plan, what your portions look like, what your eating window is.
But the deeper piece here is keeping promises to yourself. And I think this is where a lot of us quietly struggle. We are great at keeping promises to other people. We show up for our kids, our partners, our bosses, our friends.
But we cancel on ourselves constantly. And every time we do, we chip away a little at the trust we have in ourselves.
Keeping your word to yourself, even when no one is watching — is one of the most powerful things you can do for your confidence and your results.
This is one of my favorite practices because it is honest and realistic. Life has celebrations. Special moments. And you do not have to be a robot.
But here is the rule I follow: if I am going to have something outside my usual plan, I decide that ahead of time. The night before or the morning of. What it is, how much, and when.
The difference between a planned exception and an impulsive choice is everything. One is a conscious decision you made with a clear head. The other is a craving that caught you off guard. Planning your exceptions keeps you in the driver’s seat.
There is a real difference between kind of wanting to change and actually being committed to it. And I have been on both sides of that line.
When I was kind of wanting to, I would start and stop, drift, and slowly slide back. This time I made a real commitment. I said, I am doing this. Even when it is hard. Even when I am tired. Even when no one would know if I quietly let it slide.
Commitment comes before motivation. Motivation comes and goes with your mood and your energy. Commitment stays. Decide you are doing this. Then act like someone who has already decided.
I had to genuinely change my relationship with food. Stop treating it as entertainment, comfort, reward, or escape — and start asking: what does my body actually need right now to feel good and function well?
This does not mean food has to be joyless. I still enjoy my meals. But food is no longer my primary source of emotional relief.
When I want to reach for something and I am not actually hungry, I have a list of other things I turn to instead. Moving my body. A walk. A podcast. Music. Reading. Journaling. A bath. Being outside. Things that fill me up without creating a cycle I am trying to break.
Every day I do a thought download, I get everything out of my head and onto the page. And specifically around my wellness journey, I pay attention to what thoughts are coming up around food, my body, and my progress.
Because your thoughts about yourself are often the biggest obstacle between you and your goal. Not the food. Not the plan. The story running in your head.
When you journal, you bring those stories into the light. You see them. You can question them. And slowly, you start writing new ones.
Your thoughts create your feelings. Your feelings drive your actions. Your actions create your results. Start with the thoughts.
Every week I look back at my patterns. Where did I stay on track? Where did I slip? What triggered my harder moments? What time of day am I most vulnerable?
And then I make a real plan to address those patterns. Not just notice them and feel bad. Actually think about what I can do differently next time.
Your patterns are not your personality. They are habits. And habits can be changed when you become curious about them and intentionally put something better in their place.
I cut out alcohol completely during this season of my journey. And I want to explain why, because I think it matters beyond just the calories.
Alcohol affects sleep quality. It raises cortisol. It lowers inhibitions around food, which makes staying on plan much harder afterward. For women in midlife, whose hormones are already shifting, those effects are amplified.
It was also an emotional habit for me. A way to wind down. A way to cope. And when I removed it, I had to actually sit with those moments instead of smoothing them over. That was uncomfortable. And also exactly where growth was waiting.
This is a personal choice I made for my own journey. Only you know what is right for yours.
I have a daily checklist in my phone notes app. Every day I go through it. Did I follow my plan today? Did I move? Did I drink my water? Did I journal? Did I plan tomorrow?
This checklist keeps me from drifting. It keeps me honest with myself. And it gives me a real picture at the end of each week of how I am actually doing, not how I think I am doing.
I am dropping my personal checklist as a free PDF in the show notes of the podcast episode this post is based on. Go grab it if you want a starting point.
And this last one is the thread running through everything else. Stay awake to your choices. Do not go through your day on autopilot.
Notice your thoughts. Notice your feelings. Notice your choices. Ask yoursel, is this aligned with where I am going? Is this the woman I am becoming?
Weight loss in midlife is not just a physical process. It is a practice of becoming more intentional and more present in your own life. And when you do that, everything gets better. Not just your health. Everything.
Where to Start
Please do not try to start all fourteen of these tomorrow. Pick two or three that feel most doable for you right now. Let those settle in. Then layer in more.
Progress over perfection. Always. Every single time.
If you’ve ever wondered why the old rules stopped working, read why weight loss programs fail women over 40. And if you want real support building mindset practices like these into your own life, that’s exactly what we work on inside The Midlife GlowGetter 6-Week Strategy Session.
Age 49, Down 200 lbs naturally.
90 more pounds to loose.
My early 6am Saturday morning routine including stretching, strength training, quick breakfast and walking.
Wake 5am
Hydrate
Wash Face
Brush Teeth
Check Emails
Dress
Stretch
Vibration Plate
Gym 6am
Weight Machines
Sauna
Breakfast-Cold Brew Black & Egg Bites
Home
News
Walk Outside
Then 8am ready for the day 👟♥️😘
Come follow and join the party for real life midlife motivation and inspiration in wellness, weight loss, mindset and lifestyle.
Soon to come a midlife women`s glow-up online community and glow-up retreats in Charleston SC.
Podcast - The Midlife Glowgetter
Website: www.jaxstys.com
Free Newsletter & Guides in link in bio.
Soon to come glowgetter retreats in SC & CO.
Oh and remember it is never too late to create a life and lifestyle you love.
Live a life you’d want to live twice.
Love, Jax
#womenover40
#midlifereinvention
#weightlossjourney
#transformyourlife
#midlifewomen
I have lost 200 lbs naturally.
I have obtained a new corporate position make $35k more per year in project management and this is what I`m implementing at my in person job for wellness, longevity and weight loss.
✅ stand-up desk
✅ elliptical under the desk
I am going to search for a stand-up desk on facebook marketplace to save money. I am going to get a life pro elliptical from Amazon.
Hope this helps anyone looking to improve their health while having a sedentary job.
I have another 90 lbs to lose and hopefully this will help some to get me there.
Follow me for real life midlife, women over 40 motivation and inspiration in wellness, weight loss, mindset and lifestyle.
Podcast - The Midlife Glowgetter
Website: www.jaxstys.com
Free Newsletter & Guides in link in bio.
Soon to come glowgetter retreats in SC & CO.
Oh and remember it is never too late to create a life and lifestyle you love.
Live a life you’d want to live twice.
Love, Jax
#womenover40
#midlifereinvention
#wellnessjourney
#healthylifestyle
#midlifewomen
Please answer the poll, I need your help.
If you could create your dream life in midlife what would you focus on the most?
Age 49, Down 200 lbs naturally, paid down $45k in debt, new career in project management, life coach certified. This is by far my best, highest and most productive season of my life.
Midlife-My best season yet...
Come follow and join the party for real life motivation and inspiration in wellness, weight loss, mindset and lifestyle.
Soon to come a midlife women`s glow-up online community and glow-up retreats in Charleston SC.
Podcast - The Midlife Glowgetter
Website: www.jaxstys.com
Free Newsletter & Guides in link in bio.
Soon to come glowgetter retreats in SC & CO.
Oh and remember it is never too late to create a life and lifestyle you love.
Live a life you’d want to live twice.
Love, Jax
#womenover40
#midlifereinvention
#weightlossjourney
#healthylifestyle
#midlifewomen
Age 49, Down 200 lbs naturally, paid down $45k in debt, new career in project management, life coach certified. This is by far my best, highest and most productive season of my life.
Midlife-My best season yet...
Come follow and join the party for real life motivation and inspiration in wellness, weight loss, mindset and lifestyle.
Soon to come a midlife women`s glow-up online community and glow-up retreats in Charleston SC.
Podcast - The Midlife Glowgetter
Website: www.jaxstys.com
Free Newsletter & Guides in link in bio.
Soon to come glowgetter retreats in SC & CO.
Oh and remember it is never too late to create a life and lifestyle you love.
Live a life you’d want to live twice.
Love, Jax
#womenover40
#midlifereinvention
#glowupafter40
#transformyourlife
#midlifewomen
Starting to plan a trip solo to Charleston SC in January or February.
Flying this time.
Now is my time and I`m going to make each moment count.
Follow me for real life motivation and inspiration in wellness, weight loss, mindset and lifestyle.
I hope you have an amazing day today and I look forward to meeting you in my future community, retreats or here online in the comments.
Podcast - The Midlife Glowgetter
Website: www.jaxstys.com
Free Newsletter & Guides in link in bio.
Soon to come glowgetter retreats in SC & CO.
Oh and remember it is never too late to create a life and lifestyle you love.
Live a life you’d want to live twice.
Love, Jax
#womenover40
#midlifereinvention
#glowupafter40
#transformyourlife
#midlifewomen
Midlife awakening and midlife reinvention I a real thing.
I did not have a midlife crisis…I had a midlife glow-up.
I have lost nearly 200 lbs mostly naturally.
I have paid off over $45K in debt as a single mom, single income household with a son away in college.
I have obtained a new corporate position make $35k more per year.
I have become a certified life coach by The Life Coach School.
All of these milestones the last 4 years have completely upgraded my confidence and mindset and growth as a woman over 40.
I feel like I have really come to my own and created my dream life. I am still working and creating my dream life everyday.
I have another 90 more pounds to loose. I want to work on certifications for my career and here online. Nutrition and Wellness Certifications I am working on with NASM. I want to become a Master Certified Life Coach.
I want to continue to help women over 40 all over the world to create the life of their dreams with support and a strong community. I want to create a monthly paid online community and app and in-person midlife glow-up retreats. I want to reach more women on my free podcast and free weekly newsletter.
I want to help you, my friend.
Follow me for real life motivation and inspiration in wellness, weight loss, mindset and lifestyle.
I hope you have an amazing day today and I look forward to meeting you in my future community, retreats or here online in the comments.
Podcast - The Midlife Glowgetter
Website: www.jaxstys.com
Free Newsletter & Guides in link in bio.
Soon to come glowgetter retreats in SC & CO.
Oh and remember it is never too late to create a life and lifestyle you love.
Live a life you’d want to live twice.
Love, Jax
#womenover40
#midlifereinvention
#glowupafter40
#transformyourlife
#midlifewomen
I lost 198 lbs in the last 4 years naturally as a single mom, working full time in corporate finance.
I was on weight loss medication for 3 months, got off it because of cost and side effects.
I have anther 90 lbs to go to reach my goal weight.
Back at the gym after 3 months off.
Hope this helps someone move their body today.
Follow for midlife wellness, lifestyle, & mindset inspiration and motivation.
Love, Jax
#midlifewellness #weightlossjourney #womenover40 #healthylifestyle #midlifereinvention
I lost 198 lbs in the last 4 years naturally as a single mom, working full time in corporate finance.
I was on weight loss medication for 3 months, got off it because of cost and side effects.
I have anther 90 lbs to go to reach my goal weight.
This is my meal plan for 9/14-9/18.
Hope this helps..
Follow for midlife wellness, lifestyle, & mindset inspiration and motivation.
Love, Jax
#midlifewellness #weightlossjourney #womenover40 #healthylifestyle #midlifereinvention
Your subconscious mind is always listening. Every thought you repeat becomes a belief. Every belief becomes your reality. If you keep focusing on what`s missing, the bank account, the age, the excuses, that`s exactly what you`ll keep creating more of.
These were my early morning thoughts this morning on my sunrise walk in the Metroparks here near Cleveland Ohio.
I hope you have an amazing day today.
Podcast - The Midlife Glowgetter
Website: www.jaxstys.com
Free Newsletter & Guides in link in bio.
Soon to come glowgetter retreats in SC & CO.
Follow to get inspired to transform and reinvent into the woman of your dreams.
It is never too late!
Love, Jax
#womenover40
#midlifereinvention
#glowupafter40
#transformyourlife
#midlifewomen
I lost 200 lbs in the last 4 years naturally as a single mom, working full time in corporate finance.
I was on weight loss medication for 3 months, got off it because of cost and side effects.
I have anther 80 lbs to go to reach my goal weight.
My supplements I take:
Loam Fiber Powder, Electroytes (sugar free), Pearl Powder in Water with Ice.
Lifecykel Mushroom Oils in black expresso
Vitamin D3K2
Omega 3
Fatty 15
NMN
Floraster Probiotic
Today’s Food
Breakfast: Homemade Protein Bars (27g protein, 12g finer, 6g sugar)
Lunch: Chipotle Chicken (Costco), cilantro lime cauliflower rice
Dinner: Factor Meal with Fresh Blueberries
Movement Today:
4:30am
Stretching
Vibration Plate
Arm-Dumbbells
Squats
Lunges
Disstastis Recti
Walk 35 min. (Japanese Style)
12:30pm After Lucnh
Walk 20 min. (Japanese Style)
6pm After Dinner
Walk 20 min. (Japanese Style)
8pm
Thigh Master 20 min. while reading/watching tv
Follow for midlife wellness, lifestyle, & mindset inspiration and motivation.
Love, Jax
#midlifewellness #weightlossjourney #womenover40 #healthylifestyle #midlifereinvention
I lost 200 lbs in the last 4 years naturally as a single mom, working full time in corporate finance.
I was on weight loss medication for 3 months, got off it because of cost and side effects.
I have anther 80 lbs to go to reach my goal weight.
My supplements I take:
Loam Fiber Powder, Electroytes (sugar free), Pearl Powder in Water with Ice.
Lifecykel Mushroom Oils in black expresso
Vitamin D3K2
Omega 3
Fatty 15
NMN
Floraster Probiotic
Today’s Food
Breakfast: Homemade Protein Bars (27g protein, 12g finer, 6g sugar)
Lunch: Chipotle Chicken (Costco), cilantro lime cauliflower rice
Dinner: Factor Meal with Fresh Blueberries
Movement Today:
4:30am
Stretching
Vibration Plate
Arm-Dumbbells
Squats
Lunges
Walk 35 min. (Japanese Style)
12:30pm After Lucnh
Walk 20 min. (Japanese Style)
6pm After Dinner
Walk 20 min. (Japanese Style)
8pm
Thigh Master 20 min. while reading/watching tv
Follow for midlife wellness, lifestyle, & mindset inspiration and motivation.
Love, Jax
#midlifewellness #weightlossjourney #womenover40 #healthylifestyle #midlifereinvention
I lost 200 lbs in the last 4 years naturally as a single mom, working full time in corporate finance.
I was on Zepbound for 3 months, got off it because of cost and side effects.
I have anther 80 lbs to go to reach my goal weight.
My supplements I take:
Loam Fiber Powder, Electroytes (sugar free), Pearl Powder in Water with Ice.
Lifecykel Mushroom Oils in black expresso
Vitamin D3K2
Omega 3
Fatty 15
NMN
Probiotic/Prebiotic
Today’s Food
Breakfast: Homemade Protein Bars (27g protein, 12g finer, 6g sugar)
Lunch: Chipotle Chicken (Costco), cilantro lime cauliflower rice
Dinner: Factor Meal with Asparagus
Movement Today:
4:30am
Stretching
Vibration Plate
Arm-Dumbbells
Squats
Lunges
Walk 35 min. (Japanese Style)
12:30pm
Walk 20 min. (Japanese Style)
6pm
Walk 20 min. (Japanese Style)
8pm
Thigh Master 20 min. while reading/watching tv
Follow for Midlife wellness, lifestyle, & mindset inspiration and motivation.
Love, Jax
#midlifewellness #weightlossjourney #womenover40 #healthylifestyle #midlifereinvention
High-protein breakfast bars that don’t taste like cardboard? Say less. 🍫✨
I’ve been perfecting these homemade protein bars for a long time and I’m finally sharing the recipe — 25g protein, 12g fiber, and 5g creatine per bar, made with clean ingredients like peanut butter, cashew butter, and no added sugar. Basically breakfast met dessert and they had a baby.
Perfect for busy mornings, post-workout fuel, or when you need a midlife-metabolism-friendly snack that actually keeps you full. No fancy equipment, no baking — just mix, press, chill, and go.
Follow me for more high protein recipes, gut health tips, and midlife wellness hacks (minus the boring stuff nobody asked for).
Comment “RECIPE” below and I’ll send you the full tecipe with all ingredient links! 💌
#womenover40 #CleanEatingRecipes #ProteinSnacks #MidlifeWellness #healthylifestyle
✨ Make Midlife Your Best Chapter!
Daily glow chat...
How I make midlife my best chapter yet.
Here are my tip for you:
Be more spontaneous 🎉
I am here to be a light in a season that can be looked at as stressful and lonely and depressing.
This should not be the case.
These tips are a field guide for the empty-nest, midlife, reinvention-ready woman.
🌸 Let`s glow in midlife together...
Love, Jax
#midlifewomen
#transformyourlife
#womenover40
#emptynest
#midlifejourney
✨ Make Midlife Your Best Chapter!
Daily glow chat...
How I make midlife my best chapter yet.
Here are my tip for you:
Redesign your home 🏡
I am here to be a light in a season that can be looked at as stressful and lonely and depressing.
This should not be the case.
These tips are a field guide for the empty-nest, midlife, reinvention-ready woman.
🌸 Let`s glow in midlife together...
Love, Jax
#midlifewomen
#transformyourlife
#womenover40
#emptynest
#midlifejourney
#travelandlifestyle #traveldiaries #midlifelifestyle #over40lifestyle #midlifetravel
I lost over 190 lbs, paid off $45K in debt, and completely rebuilt my life starting at 44, as a single mom, working full time in corporate finance.
…Why follow me
Real talk on health/weight loss after 40 that isn`t extreme or unsustainable
Money and debt payoff strategies that work on a real income, not a trust fund
Mindset and self-development tools from actual coaching training, not just platitudes
A peek into real estate/investing as you build that path too
A little style, beauty, and confidence-building along the way
The podcast and newsletter (The Midlife GlowGetter) and blog as the deeper-dive home base - check out my link in bio.
Follow along — this is just the beginning of my best chapter, and I want you to have yours too.
Love, Jax
#midlifewomen
#transformyourlife
#womenover40
#emptynest
#midlifejourney
Make Midlife Your Best Chapter!
Daily glow chat...
How I make midlife my best chapter yet.
Here are my tip for you:
1 Guard your calendar 📆
I am here to be a light in a season that can be looked at as stressful and lonely and depressing.
This should not be the case.
These tips are a field guide for the empty-nest, midlife, reinvention-ready woman.
Let`s glow in midlife together...
Love, Jax
#midlifewomen
#transformyourlife
#womenover40
#emptynest
#midlifejourney
Down 199 lbs naturally in my 40’s.
Paid down $45k in debt.
This is how I transformed my midlife.
Now empty nester & single. I’m still not done. 80 more lbs to go. Want to create a community of like minded midlife women wanting to transform their life into the life of their dreams.
Podcast - The Midlife Glowgetter
Website: www.jaxstys.com
Free Newsletter & Guides in link in bio.
Soon to come glowgetter retreats in SC & CO.
Follow to get inspired to transform and reinvent into the woman of your dreams.
It is never too late!
Love, Jax
#womenover40
#midlifereinvention
#glowupafter40
#transformyourlife
#midlifewomen
