Health Doesn’t Have to Look Like a Fitness Ad

June 5, 2025

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What does optimal health look like for women over 40?

If we believe what Instagram, wellness magazines, and those terrifying before-and-after infomercials tell us, the answer is: it looks like being 22 with zero cellulite, a green juice in one hand, and a Pilates instructor boyfriend in the other.

Here’s some real life: I’m 56. My green juice is usually coffee. My abs have gone into early retirement. And I once sprained my neck reaching for my dog’s ball under the couch. So yeah, no Pilates instructor boyfriend here. (My partner is more of a taco guy.)

But seriously – this is what we’re up against. We’ve been fed this idea that optimal health means looking a certain way, moving a certain way, eating a certain way. And if we can’t keep up? It must mean we’re doing something wrong.

But here’s the thing most women figure out after 40 (often around the same time our knees start making suspicious noises): health isn’t one-size-fits-all.

Especially in midlife.

Optimal health doesn’t look like a magazine cover. It looks like your life – the real one, with stress, hot flashes, family chaos, joint pain, grocery store wine, and that one rogue bra that still pinches even though you’ve worn it for a decade.

And yet… even knowing all that, you still want to feel better.

More energy. Less brain fog. Better sleep. Clothes that fit your current body – without rage shopping. You’re not trying to win an award. You just want to feel good in your own skin. Like yourself again.

If that sounds familiar, keep reading. Because I’m not here to sell you six-pack abs. I’m here to help you redefine what “optimal health” means for you – and how it might be closer than you think.

The Problem With One-Size-Fits-All Wellness

Let’s just name it: most of the health advice out there was written by (and for) 28-year-olds who:

Have all the time in the world to exercise and prep their perfectly portioned quinoa bowls on Sundays,
Only have themselves to think about when deciding between hot yoga or a 5k,
And genuinely believe that journaling by candlelight is the secret to inner peace.

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but in midlife? Candlelight is for power outages and hot yoga is just… menopause.

If you’ve ever tried to apply that kind of advice to your real, messy, gloriously complicated life, you know how absurd it is. You’re not just managing you. You’re managing the emotional needs of your grown kids, your aging parents, your team at work, and the fact that your body now needs a user manual and a troubleshooting guide.

You’re juggling a lot. Health isn’t just one more thing on the to-do list – it is the to-do list.

But here’s the problem: the wellness world keeps holding up a gold star standard that doesn’t account for your age, your schedule, or your season of life. So of course you feel like you’re failing. Because the rules were never written for you.

Redefining wellness for real life means giving yourself permission to write your own rules.

Your version of healthy might include takeout and a walk around the block. It might look like choosing rest over reps. It might sound like turning off the podcast and sitting in silence for five minutes without solving anyone else’s crisis.

Individual wellness isn’t a performance. It’s a series of choices that honor your actual life – not some fantasy lifestyle from a Pinterest board.

And when you finally stop measuring yourself against someone else’s highlight reel? That’s when real health becomes possible.

Real Health Takes Real Life Into Account

If you’re a woman in midlife, here’s what you already know: your body doesn’t care what your calendar says.

You could have a color-coded meal plan, a brand-new fitness tracker, and the best intentions – and still end up eating a protein bar in the car while crying into a voice memo about how tired you are.

Health, in this stage of life, isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing smarter.

Realistic health goals for busy women don’t involve waking up at 5am to train like a Navy SEAL. They look like packing a lunch so you don’t get hangry between Zoom calls. They look like choosing the salad and the fries. They look like one glass of wine instead of three because sleep is your love language now.

If you’re a caregiver – whether that’s your job title or just your reality – you already spend your energy taking care of everyone else. So when people talk about “wellness routines,” it’s easy to feel like it’s just another thing you’re failing at.

But healthy routines for real life? They’re flexible. Forgiving. Grounded in your priorities – not a 30-day challenge.

Because health should make your life easier, not more overwhelming. It should create energy, not demand it. It should fit into your world – not force you to build a new one.

And if that’s not the vibe you’ve been given so far, don’t worry. You’re about to get the checklist that actually gets it.

The Basic Habits for Good Health

Here’s the thing no one tells you: healthy aging doesn’t require a cleanse, a macro app, or a color-coded smoothie schedule.

What it does require? A set of simple (but not always easy) habits that work with your life, not against it.

There are 8 habits that I’ve found in the 20+ years of working with women that I base my coaching practice on. They’re the foundation of good health, and the opposite of trendy. They’re boring in the best way. And if you can master them, you’ll be healthier than 90% of the people you know – without ever doing another diet again.

Here’s a sneak peek at a few:

1. Eat When You’re Hungry. Stop When You’re Satisfied.

Not when the clock says so. Not when the plate is clean. Not when the app gives you permission. This one sounds easy – until you try it.

2. Move Your Body Daily.

Doesn’t have to be a workout. Just move. A walk. A stretch. A spontaneous living room dance-off. It all counts.

3. Prioritize Sleep Like It’s a Superpower (Because It Is).

This one alone will change your life. Fewer cravings. More patience. Better decisions. Oh, and not feeling like a zombie.

4. Drink Water.

Yes, I know you’re tired of hearing it. But hydration is sexy. And your midlife hormones are thirsty.

The other four habits? That’s where the magic really happens – especially if you’re trying to ditch the diet mindset and finally feel in control around food again.

Want the full list?
Download the 8 Basic Habits That Healthy People Do Guide + Checklist and start building your own sustainable, no-nonsense health routine – one that actually lasts.

Why the Basics Work – Even When Life Doesn’t

Life doesn’t wait until things calm down so you can get your health together.

There’s always something – a work crisis, a sick kid, a broken appliance, or a week where your body feels like it’s been possessed by a gremlin. This is why complicated health routines never stick.

But the basics? They work because they’re simple, flexible, and forgiving.

These are gentle health practices that don’t punish you when you miss a day. They don’t require you to overhaul your life, quit your job, or pretend you love kale.

Instead, they give you a steady rhythm. A way to take care of yourself without the guilt spiral. They create a baseline so that when everything else hits the fan, you still have something to fall back on.

Because that’s what real health is: health on your terms. Not all-or-nothing. Not perfect or nothing. Just consistent-ish.

And that’s the secret: consistency beats intensity. Every time.

You don’t need to meditate for 30 minutes in silence. You need to find five minutes to breathe while your coffee brews. You don’t need a perfect week of food tracking. You need to notice when you’re full.

That’s how these habits work. Quietly. Steadily. In the background.

Until one day you look up and realize – you feel better. You’re not obsessed. You’re not burned out. You’re just living your life. And that’s your version of healthy.

Redefine Your Version of Optimal Health

Let’s be honest: optimal health for women over 40 doesn’t look like it did in our 20s – and thank goodness for that.

Back then, we chased skinny. We counted calories. We thought “healthy” meant punishment and self-denial and trying to be someone we weren’t.

But now? Now we know better.

Health looks different for everyone. For you, it might mean more energy so you can walk the dog without dreading the stairs. It might mean fewer headaches, better sleep, or finally being able to wear pants with a zipper without a backup pair of leggings in your purse.

This isn’t about shrinking. It’s about showing up. For yourself. For your people. For your life.

Authentic wellness doesn’t come from willpower or rules. It comes from knowing yourself – what you need, what works, and what you’re willing to do consistently.

It’s okay to not want six-pack abs. It’s okay to not be perfect. It’s okay to want peace more than progress some days.

Because the real flex is feeling good in your body, in your mind, and in your life.

And that starts with redefining what success actually looks like – for you.

Ready to Ditch the Overwhelm and Start Feeling Better?

If you’re ready to simplify your health and ditch the guilt, the 8 Basic Habits Healthy People Do Guide & Checklist is your next best step.

These habits aren’t part of a diet. They’re the foundation of a non-diet approach that actually works – for real women, in real life. No tracking. No extremes. Just doable shifts that support healthy aging and help you feel more like you.

This isn’t a 47-page manual or a wellness overhaul. It’s a simple, straightforward tool that will help you figure out what actually matters – and where to start.

👉 Download the 8 Basic Habits Healthy People Do Guide & Checklist and take the first step toward health that feels good, fits your life, and lasts.Because you don’t need more rules. You need a routine that works with you – not against you.