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227. Break Through Overwhelm In Midlife To Find Your Focus and Energy

Pursue Your Spark: Fitness, Confidence & Clarity in Midlife

Release Date: 12/26/2024

251. Why Your Metabolism Isn’t the Main Villain in Midlife Weight Gain

Pursue Your Spark: Fitness, Confidence & Clarity in Midlife

Midlife weight gain can feel like a mystery—one day, everything works, the next, nothing does. You’re eating less, staying active, maybe even doubling down on healthy habits, but your body just isn’t responding. In Episode 251: Why your metabolism isn't the main villain in midlife weight gain, I dig into a hard truth most women haven’t been told: the weight gain, fatigue, and body changes you're feeling aren’t just about a slower metabolism. Yes, metabolism plays a role. But it’s not the whole story—and believing it is may be exactly what's keeping you stuck. What if the...

250. Midlife Skin, Decoded: What Women 40+ Really Need for Healthy, Glowing Skin / Dr. Mary Alice Mina

Pursue Your Spark: Fitness, Confidence & Clarity in Midlife

Is your skin changing — and not in ways you love? In episode 250 of Pursue Your Spark, titled “Midlife Skin, Decoded”, I sit down with dermatologist Dr. Mary Alice Mina to decode what’s really happening to your skin after 40 — and what actually works to care for it. If you’ve been doing “all the right things” but still feel frustrated with dullness, dryness, or a lack of results, you’re not alone. We’re talking about the hormonal shifts, collagen loss, and lifestyle factors that start showing up in your skin in midlife — and how to respond with science-backed,...

249. How to Ditch the All-or-Nothing Mindset and Set Goals That Stick

Pursue Your Spark: Fitness, Confidence & Clarity in Midlife

Tired of starting over every Monday? You’re not alone — and it’s not your fault. In How to Ditch the All-or-Nothing Mindset and Set Goals That Stick, I break down the real reason your workouts and nutrition plans don’t last: perfectionism disguised as discipline. So many midlife women believe if they can’t do it all — the perfect routine, the flawless food tracking, the six-day workout plan — then it’s not worth doing at all. But that mindset drains your energy and kills your progress. In this episode, I show you how to reframe the all-or-nothing fitness mindset into...

248. What Your Midlife Symptoms Are Really Telling You / Andrea Nakayama

Pursue Your Spark: Fitness, Confidence & Clarity in Midlife

Midlife symptoms have a way of turning up the volume on everything you’ve been ignoring—fatigue, restlessness, burnout, or that persistent feeling that “this just isn’t working anymore.” In Episode 248: What Your Midlife Symptoms Are Really Telling You, I’m joined by functional nutritionist and educator Andrea Nakayama for a powerful reframe: your symptoms aren’t failures—they’re feedback. Andrea brings a fresh lens to midlife wellness, one that goes far beyond quick fixes and trendy biohacks. She invites us to listen—to treat our midlife symptoms as messengers,...

247. Why Cardio Backfires in Midlife—and What to Do Instead

Pursue Your Spark: Fitness, Confidence & Clarity in Midlife

You're eating well, staying active, and doing everything that used to work—so why are you feeling tired, stuck, and frustrated with your results? In episode 247, “Why Cardio Backfires in Midlife—and What to Do Instead,” I break down why your once-trusted workout strategies may be failing you now—and what to do about it. If you’re still relying on cardio as your go-to solution, it’s time to reassess. Midlife changes everything, from hormones to muscle mass to recovery time. That means your fitness approach needs a serious upgrade. I explain why too much steady-state cardio...

246. When Childhood Trauma Reawakens: Stacey Hettes on Healing After Midlife

Pursue Your Spark: Fitness, Confidence & Clarity in Midlife

Have you ever felt like you were finally okay—only to be blindsided by a wave of emotion you didn’t see coming? In this episode of Pursue Your Spark, “When Childhood Trauma Reawakens: Stacey Hettes on Healing After Midlife,” I sit down with Dr. Stacey Hettes, scientist, college professor, and author of Dispatches from the Couch, to explore how deeply buried childhood trauma can resurface in midlife—and how we begin to heal truly. We dig into the ACEs framework (Adverse Childhood Experiences) and how Dr. Hettes used it to make sense of emotional shutdown, people-pleasing, and...

245. What To Eat After 40 To Boost Energy

Pursue Your Spark: Fitness, Confidence & Clarity in Midlife

Do you find yourself dragging through the afternoon, reaching for coffee or snacks just to stay awake? You’re not alone. After 40, those 2 p.m. crashes become more common—and it has nothing to do with motivation. It’s your hormones and nutrition working differently now, and midlife nutrition plays a much bigger role than it used to. In Episode 245: What To Eat After 40 To Boost Energy, I explain how hormone shifts, stress, and sleep all affect your energy. As estrogen trends down, your body becomes more sensitive to carbs. Add cortisol spikes from stress and poor sleep, and...

244. Aqua Yoga for Midlife Strength / Christa Fairbrother

Pursue Your Spark: Fitness, Confidence & Clarity in Midlife

Struggling with stiff joints, low energy, or feeling unsure how to move your body without hurting it? You’re not alone—and in Episode 244: Aqua Yoga for Midlife Strength, we explore how the pool might just be your new best friend. I talk with Christa Fairbrother, a former farrier turned aqua yoga teacher, who shares how a painful autoimmune diagnosis changed her path—and how movement in the water gave her strength, balance, and confidence again. We go deep into why aqua yoga is one of the best low-impact workouts for midlife bodies, especially when arthritis or chronic illness...

243. How to Reset After Summer Without Diets or Guilt In Midlife

Pursue Your Spark: Fitness, Confidence & Clarity in Midlife

After a season of rosé, ice cream, and skipped workouts, many women feel the urge to “start over.” But here’s the truth: restriction and guilt aren’t the answer. Instead of punishing yourself for summer indulgences, you can embrace a different approach—one that feels empowering, sustainable, and kind. That’s exactly what I share in my new post, Reset After Summer: A Midlife Healthy Eating Guide. This isn’t about diets, detoxes, or a perfect Monday plan. It’s about creating a realistic reset for midlife women—one rooted in food freedom, energy, and confidence. A healthy...

242. Holistic Psychology for Stress Relief: Bridging Eastern and Western Healing/ Tatiana Miller

Pursue Your Spark: Fitness, Confidence & Clarity in Midlife

Ever been told “it’s all in your head” when you know your body is asking for help? That disconnect is more than frustrating—it’s often the very thing that deepens our stress, amplifies burnout, and keeps us stuck. In Episode 242: Holistic Psychology for Stress Relief: Bridging Eastern and Western Healing, I sit down with holistic psychologist Tatiana Miller to explore what happens when we stop chasing symptoms and start listening to our whole selves. Tatiana’s story is powerful—from years of being dismissed by Western doctors to discovering healing through yoga,...

More Episodes

Feeling overwhelmed and stuck in midlife? You’re not alone. For many women over 50, juggling commitments and trying to keep up with wellness trends can feel like an uphill battle. The good news? Overcoming overwhelm doesn’t require big resolutions or drastic overhauls—it’s about starting small and focusing on what truly matters. That’s exactly what we explore in episode 227: Tiny Shifts to Beat Overwhelm in Midlife.

We explore why feeling stuck is common and how recognizing it is the first step toward change. Whether repeating the same routines or saying yes when you want to say no, identifying what’s draining your energy helps you move forward.

From there, we explore the power of tiny, consistent actions—like adding a 5-minute habit—that creates momentum without adding stress.

This episode also helps you challenge limiting beliefs, like “It’s too late for me,” and reframe your mindset to make space for growth. We’ll even tackle guilt, a familiar but surprising sign that you’re breaking old patterns and prioritizing what truly matters.

If you’re ready to get unstuck and gain clarity, this episode offers actionable tips to help you shift from overwhelmed to thriving—one small step at a time. Start today by picking just one insight to apply this week. Progress isn’t about perfection but building habits that fit your life and goals.

Big changes start with small, consistent actions. If you’re ready for more support in overcoming overwhelm and gaining clarity, my Pursue Your Spark Blueprint will guide you. Starting January 6th, we’ll take it step-by-step, making it simple, achievable, and tailored to your busy life.

Here is the link to see if you’re a good fit for the program.

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