Why You Keep Overeating After “Being Good” and How to Break the Restriction Cycle After 40 | 74

0:00 There's a moment so many women experience on their weight loss journey. It's the moment when you actually feel proud of yourself. You've been making better choices. You're eating more protein. You're planning your meals. You're saying no to the random snacks that usually sneak in. You feel like, okay, this time feels different. I'm finally getting back on track. And then life happens. You walk into a party, a family gathering, or a weekend event. The table is filled with foods that you love, the chips and dip, the appetizers, the desserts, the foods you've been trying so hard to avoid.

0:29 And suddenly, instead of being present and enjoying the people around you, your brain is having an entirely different conversation. Don't eat that. You've been doing so well. Don't ruin your progress. You can have it again when you reach your goal. You're not just standing in front of a plate of food. You're standing in the middle of a battle between what you want in that moment and what you believe you should do to be successful. And eventually your willpower is going to run out. You grab the food.

0:54 Maybe you eat more than you planned, and then comes the familiar spile, the guilt, the frustration, the disappointment, the thought, well, I already messed up. I might as well enjoy the rest of the today and start over again on Monday. And before you know it, one moment has turned into the entire weekend of feeling out of control. But here's what I want to hear today. The moment was never about the lack of discipline. It wasn't because you don't have enough willpower. It wasn't because you can't stick to anything.

1:21 It happened because your approach created a battle with the food in the first place. When we spend weeks restricting, labeling foods as off limits and trying to be perfect, our brains and bodies naturally start pushing back at us. And today we're going to talk about why that happens. And more importantly, how you can finally break free from the cycle of restriction, overeating guilt, and starting over. Because the goal isn't to become someone who never enjoys food or being perfect. The goal is to become someone who can enjoy food without losing control.

1:52 Someone who trusts herself, someone who knows that one meal or that one treat or that one imperfected choice doesn't define her progress or who she is. And that is the kind of consistency we're building here. So put those earbuds in, take a deep breath, and let's prioritize the best version of you.

2:11 Hey, beautiful, and welcome to Weight Loss in Midlife, where we ditch the diet cycle and finally lose fat, build muscle, and feel confident again. I'm Jennifer, a certified women's coach who's been where you are, stuck in the all-or-nothing cycle, navigating midlife changes and wondering why what used to work doesn't anymore. After years of restriction and burnout, I found a better way. Build on macros, mindset, and muscle. Each week, I'll share the strategies to help you lose fat, boost your metabolism, and build lasting strength and confidence.

2:42 Let's dive into today's episode.

2:48 Hey beautiful, welcome back to the Weight Loss in Midlife podcast, the show for busy women in midlife who want to finally lose fat, feel confident, and have the energy to live their best life. Before we dive into today's episode, I want to share a free resource that I created with you in mind. Because if you're tired of starting over every Monday, if you're exhausted from jumping from one diet to the next, and if you're wondering why you can't seem to make healthy habits stick, I want you to know there's another way.

3:12 That's why I created the break free from the diet cycle, seven podcast episodes to help you stop starting over, build healthy habits, and finally lose weight without another diet. This guide brings together seven of my most powerful podcast episodes to help you understand the pieces that truly create lasting weight loss, your mindset, your habits, your nutrition, and the way you support yourself through real life. And I didn't just give you episodes to listen to. Each one comes with coaching resources, reflection questions, and simple action steps to help you turn what you learn into real change because knowledge is important, but the magic happens when you take action.

3:47 If you're ready to stop the cycle of restriction, frustration, and starting over, grab your free copy today. Go to the link in the show notes and download Break Free from the Diet Cycle. I can't wait to help you create a healthy, stronger, more confident version of yourself. Or you can go to weightloss in midlife.kit.com backslash break the diet cycle for this amazing free resource. When I first started my weight loss journey years ago, I thought the hardest part would be knowing what to eat. I thought if I could just find the right plan, the right meal structure, the right amount of discipline, then everything would finally click and I would lose the weight.

4:23 But what I didn't realize at the time was the hardest part wasn't the food. I knew what to eat. It was my relationship with the food because I would have those stretches where I felt like I was doing everything right. I was eating healthier. I was being mindful. I was sticking to my plan. I was losing the weight. And I would feel so proud of myself because I thought, okay, this is it. I'm finally doing this. But then something would happen. I would have a stressful day at work. I would be around foods that I love.

4:52 I or honestly, sometimes I would just get tired of feeling like I had to be so controlled all the time around food. And I would give in. Maybe it was chocolate chip cookies. Maybe it was grabbing a bag of mini chocolate chips and eating way more than I had intended to. Maybe it was stopping at the store and buying a Milky Way because I just wanted something sweet and chocolate to eat. And here's the part that was so frustrating for me. It was never just about the food. The food isn't what the problem was, it was what happened afterward.

5:20 The guilt, the shame, the disappointment in myself, the voice in my hand head saying, Why did you do that? You were doing so well. You ruined all the progress that you just made. And then came the thoughts that kept me stuck for years. And I mean years. Well, I already messed up, so I might as well just eat whatever I want and start again on Monday. And that one decision would turn into an entire spiral. I would eat whatever I wanted for my next meal or meals. I would snack on everything and didn't care what I ate because of course I had to eat it all before I started again on Monday.

5:53 I stopped caring about what I ate or how much I ate because my mind, I had already failed. So what did it matter? The worst part was how I felt about myself. I remember so many times thinking, maybe this just isn't meant for me. Maybe some women have a treat and move on, but I can't do it. Maybe some women can enjoy birthday cake or ice cream or a night without it turning into a weekend or overeating. But that's just not who I am. I wanted it so badly to feel normal around food. I wanted to enjoy a snack without feeling like I had lost control.

6:25 I wanted to have a piece of birthday cake with my kids and actually be present in the moment and not stress about the calories or the macros. I wanted to enjoy ice cream after dinner without spending the rest of the night feeling guilty and promising myself that I'm going to do better tomorrow. I was so tired of this cycle. And what was frustrating was that I had tried everything. Different diets, different plans, different rules, different ways of eating. And no matter how hard I tried, I just kept ending up in the same exact place.

6:55 This cycle of restriction, cravings, overeating, guilt, starting over until I finally realized something. The problem wasn't that I needed a stricter plan or a meal plan to follow or cutting out specific foods or intermittent fasting. The problem was that I was trying to create a healthy lifestyle through restriction and through punishment. And that is only going to work for so long before it doesn't. This realization is a big part of why I started this podcast because I know what it feels like to be stuck in that awful cycle and feeling so negative and shameful and guilt about yourself.

7:34 I know what it feels like to feel the frustration with yourself and wonder why I can't I just get it together? Why can't I be good enough to do this? But I also know what it feels like to finally break free. So today I can enjoy a treat without guilt. I can have foods that I love and move on. I can go on a vacation to Maui and Kauai and enjoy food and not feel guilty and not be stressed about getting home and starting all over again. It was great. I can celebrate birthdays, go out to dinner, enjoy the vacations, and live my life without feeling like one choice is going to derail everything that I work so hard for.

8:12 And honestly, that freedom is something I never thought I could have. And it's something I want so deeply for you. I am so passionate about getting other women to the same exact place. Because I don't want you to lose weight by creating a life that you can't maintain or that you lose weight while still enjoying the life that you want to live. Because if the way you lose weight doesn't allow you to live the life that you want to live and that you love, it's not going to last. Sustainable weight loss isn't about being perfect.

8:40 It's about building habits that fit into your real life, the one that you're actually living. It's about learning how to nourish your body, make calories, choices. I'm sorry, choices that support your goals and still enjoy the foods and experiences that are going to bring you happiness and bring you the memories and allow you to be present in that moment. And especially in midlife, this matters so much because this season of life is too important to spend constantly feeling frustrated with yourself.

9:07 You deserve to feel strong. You deserve to feel confident. You deserve to feel proud of the woman you are becoming. Because this just isn't about weight loss. It's about having energy for the things that you love, like the hikes up a summit. It's about feeling good in your body. It's about showing up for your family, your friendships, your passions, and your life. I want you to step into this next chapter feeling strong, feeling confident, feeling happy and free. Not because you followed another set of rules, not because you cut out certain foods, but because you finally learned how to take care of yourself in a way that actually works for your life.

9:43 For so many years, I thought the problem was me. I thought that I just needed more discipline, more willpower, more control. I thought if I could just be stronger around food, I wouldn't struggle the way that I always did. But what I eventually realized was something that completely changed the way I looked at weight loss. The struggle was not because I was broken. It wasn't because I was weak or that I lacked the motivation I needed to lose weight. The struggle was actually a predictable response to the way I approached food.

10:09 Because when we spend our days trying to be good, when we create a long list of foods we can't have, and when we believe success means never ever making a mistake and messing up, we unintentionally create this battle with food. And that battle is so exhausting. It takes up so much mental space that could be used for so many other things. It makes us think about food so much more. It makes us crave things. It makes us feel like we're constantly making choices between being successful and actually enjoying our lives.

10:43 And that's hard. It's exhausting, it's tiring and it's stressful. And this is something I see so many women experience, especially in midlife. They're incredibly capable women. They are so successful in so many things. They show up for their families, they manage these careers, they handle responsibilities, they take care of everyone around them. But when it comes to food, they feel like they just can't trust themselves. They wonder, why can't I just eat one cookie and just move on? Why does one treat turn into a weekend of overeating and binging?

11:14 Why do I feel like I have to start over every single Monday? And friend, if you've ever felt this way, I want you to hear this. There's nothing wrong with you. This is the reason this cycle happens. And once you understand what is happening inside your body and in your brain, you can finally stop fighting against yourself and start working with yourself and stopping this diet cycle. Because sustainable weight loss isn't about having more rules. It's actually about understanding how your body works, how your brain responds, and how to create a relationship with food that actually is going to support the life that you want to live, the life that you want to enjoy.

11:50 So let's talk about why restriction creates more cravings. One of the biggest things I wish I understood earlier in my weight loss journey was this. The more I tried to control my food, the more I thought about food, the more I told myself I couldn't have something, the more I wanted it. The cravings came. And I thought that meant I had a problem. I thought I lacked discipline. I thought I had no self-control. But what I learned is that this is actually a very normal response from both your brain and your body.

12:17 Restriction is going to create cravings. Not because you're weak, not because you're addicted to certain foods, but because your brain and body are designed to protect you. Let's talk about what happens. This is called the forbidden food effect. Have you ever told yourself, I can't have chocolate this week? I'm cutting out sugar. I'm not eating bread anymore. And then suddenly, this is all you can think about. It's like your brain starts bringing that food to the front of your mind. You weren't even thinking about chocolate before, but now chocolate, you see it everywhere.

12:46 You crave it more. You start imagining what it tastes like. This is called the forbidden fruit effect. When we tell ourselves something is off limits, our brains naturally place more importance on the thing that we're trying to restrict. And that food becomes more exciting. The food becomes something we feel deprived of. And the harder we try not to think about it, the more mental space it takes up. It's the same reason that if you tell yourself, do not think about pink elephants, suddenly you're thinking about a pink elephant.

13:16 The same thing happens with food. So another thing that happens with restriction is that it creates a mental battle. You create rules. I can't eat the dessert. I have to be perfect this week. I need to stay on track. At first, those rules feel like they're motivating. They're going to help you be disciplined, but eventually they can start to feel exhausting because you're not just managing your food choices, you're constantly fighting with yourself. And when you feel restricted for too long, our brains are going to push back.

13:44 This is where the familiar thought comes in. Forget it. I already messed up. I'll just enjoy it today and then I'll start again tomorrow. And suddenly one cookie becomes the whole bag. One treat becomes an entire weekend. Not because you don't care about yourself, and um, but because restriction created that feeling of deprivation. And then many women experience what we call the what the heck moment. We have a food you weren't planning on eating. Maybe it's the cookie, maybe it's the piece of cake, maybe it's grabbing fries at lunch.

14:12 And instead of thinking that was enjoyable, I'll continue with my normal routine, my next meal. Your brain says, Well, I already blew it. I'll start over Monday. This is where guilt takes over. And guilt often creates more overeating. Because once you believe you failed, you stop making the choice choices that are going to support your goals. The problem was never the cookie, the problem was the story you told yourself after you ate the cookie. So your body is trying to protect you. Now let's talk about what happens physically.

14:43 Your body is so smart. When you consistently restrict food or eat too little or eliminate an entire category of food like sugar or breads, your body doesn't know you're trying to lose weight. It doesn't know that you have a vacation coming up. It doesn't know you want to feel better in the clothes that you want to wear. Your body simply recognizes food is limited. And when your body senses restriction, it's going to start protecting you. Your hunger hormones can increase. Your cravings become stronger.

15:13 Your brain becomes more focused on finding food. This is survival biology. Your body is not trying to sabotage you, it's trying so hard to keep you safe because that's the way it was designed. Another reason cravings become stronger is because your body is looking for energy. When you aren't eating enough or you're cutting out certain foods that your body actually relies on for fuel, like those carbs, your brain starts searching for the fastest source of energy. That's why foods like sweets and those highly processed foods like donuts and cookies suddenly feel more impossible to resist.

15:47 Your body isn't saying, I need this because I have no willpower. Your body is just simply saying, I need energy. Understanding this changes everything because instead of being angry at yourself, you can start becoming more curious. For many uh years, many women have been taught that success means having more control, more rules, more restriction, more discipline. But what if the answer wasn't more control or more restriction or more rules? What if the answer is creating a relationship with food where your body feels supported?

16:19 When you eat enough, when you prioritize protein and fiber, when you build balanced meals, when you allow yourself to enjoy foods without feeling guilty, foods lose their power. And that is so powerful. You don't have to spend all day thinking about what you can't have. You can make choices from a pay place of confidence instead of a place of fear. And that is freedom we're working toward. Because the goal is not to become someone who never wants chocolate or cookies or dessert. That's impossible.

16:49 The goal is to become someone who can enjoy those foods without feeling like they have lost complete control. This is where true consistency can is going to come from. All right, number two, this is not a willpower problem. I want to spend some time talking about something that I think so many women need to hear. Your struggle with food is not because you don't have enough willpower. For years, I believed that was my problem. I thought, if I were just stronger, I would be able to say no. If I had more discipline, I wouldn't struggle with these cravings.

17:19 Other women seem to have more control over food. Why can't I have that same control? But the truth is, weight loss is not simply a test of how disciplined you are because your body is not just responding to your thoughts. Your body has a powerful biological system that is designed to keep you alive and safe. And when you try to lose weight through extreme restriction, your body does not understand that you're trying to reach a health goal. Your body is simply responding to what perceives as a threat to you.

17:48 Think about this. Your body does not know that you want to fit into your favorite genes. It doesn't know that you want to feel more confident on vacation. It doesn't know that you want more energy or to feel stronger in midlife. Your body's main job is survival. And when food becomes limited, your body starts making adjustments to protect you, to keep you safe. This is where many women get frustrated because they think, why am I craving so much food? Why am I constantly thinking about eating, which is that food noise that you're constantly hearing in your brain?

18:19 Why can't I just stick to the plan that I have? But those cravings are not a character flow. They're just biology. That's your body responding to the restrictions that you are choosing to have. Your hunger hormones are going to change. When you do this, when we restrict food for long periods of time, our hunger and our fullness signals can change. This is why you should never be on a diet full time. You should only cut calories below your maintenance level for no more than 12 weeks because your body can't handle longer than that.

18:54 One hormone involved in hunger is called ghrelin. Ghrelin sends signals that encourage you to seek out food. When your body senses that you're not getting enough energy, those hunger signals can become stronger. And at the time, that signals that help you feel satisfied become less effective. So you're not satisfied and satiated like you should be. So now you're trying to rely on willpower while your body is literally increasing the signals, telling you to please eat. We need to survive, we need to live.

19:23 This is going to be a very difficult battle for you to win. Another thing that's happening during these restrictions is that your body becomes more efficient. Your metabolism is going to slow down because your body is trying to conserve that energy. Your body is so smart, it knows what to do. It's thinking energy is coming in less often. So I need to protect what I have. But this is where many women blame themselves. They think my metabolism is broken. I just can't lose the weight. I need to try harder.

19:50 But often the problem is not that you're not trying enough. The problem is that your approach is creating a fight between you and your body. So when your metabolism slows down because you've been restricting for so long, you're not going to continue to lose weight. You're actually going to gain weight. And when we add real life, especially in midlife, you have work, family responsibilities, you have your relationships, your busy schedules, your kids, your aging parents, changing hormones, a million things are pulling at your attention every single day.

20:20 When stress is high, your body produces more cortisol, a stress hormone that can increase your appetite and make those comfort foods that you're craving feel even more appealing. So when you have a stressful day and you suddenly find yourself craving chocolate, chips, or something sweet, that doesn't mean you have no self-control. It means your brain is just looking for the relief from the stress. Food is not just fuel, food is also connected to emotions, to comfort, to memories, to enjoyment. Here's something I want you to think about.

20:51 How much mental mental energy do you spend trying not to eat certain foods? How often are you thinking, I shouldn't have that? I can't eat that. I need to be better tomorrow. That constant battle in your mind is so exhausting. I've been there. I've been so frustrated by that battle. I've been so tired of having that battle with myself and wanting to not feel like that and just feel normal around food. And eventually your your willpower runs out. Not because you're weak, but just because you're human and your body is doing what it was designed to do.

21:25 You're asking your brain to constantly override hunger signals, those cravings, stress, and your environment, and that's a lot. So there is good news. You don't need more willpower. That's good to know. The answer is not trying harder either. The answer is to create a strategy that supports your body, a strategy where you eat enough nourishing foods, prioritize protein, fiber, balanced meals. Stop creating unnecessary restriction that isn't going to help you lose weight. Build habits that actually fit your real life when things don't go as planned or you're stressed.

21:58 It's just busy. Learn how to handle stress without always turning to food to comfort or numb your the stress and the feelings that you're feeling. And practicing consistency instead of focusing so much on perfect meals, perfect workouts, perfect days, perfect weeks. Because lasting weight loss does not come from constantly fighting with yourself. It's going to come from understanding yourself and what your body needs. So focusing on what your body needs, your habits, your environment, and creating a way of eating that you can actually live with and actually enjoy life.

22:34 The goal is not to become someone who never struggles because that's impossible. The goal is to become someone who knows how to support herself through those struggles. That is where confidence comes from. That's where consistency comes from. And that's where sustainable weight loss comes from. All right, number three, the problem with being good or bad with food. So one of the biggest mindset shifts I had to make on my own journey was changing the way that I actually looked at food. For years, I didn't see food as just food, as fuel.

23:02 I saw food as a reflection of who I was. I ate a salad, drank my water, and stuck to my plan. I was good. If I ate cookies, chips, desserts, or something that was labeled as bad food, I was bad. And this seems like a small thing, but it actually creates a lot of stress and pressure around eating and making food choices. Because when you start attaching morality to food, we stop simply making a choice. Instead, every food becomes a decision, it becomes a judgment. Was I good today? Did I mess up?

23:33 Do I have enough discipline? Can I trust myself around this food? And that is an exhausting way to live. Food is not a measure of your worth. Eating a cookie does not make you unhealthy. Choosing vegetables does not make you a better person. Having dessert does not mean you lack discipline. Your food choices are simply choices. They are not a reflection of your character. When we label foods as good and bad, it often creates an all or nothing cycle. Because when food is considered bad, we tend to think we have to avoid it completely.

24:05 I can't have cookies in the house. I can't eat dessert if I want to lose weight. I need to be so perfect this week. But the more we tell ourselves that we can't have something, the more power that food starts to have over us. The food becomes exciting. The food becomes something we look forward to. The food becomes something we think about constantly. And eventually, when we do eat it, we may feel like we already failed. So we continue eating it. Well, I already ruined today. I'll just start again Monday.

24:35 And this is how one choice turns into that spiral, that binge eating, that guilt and that shame. Not because the food was the problem, but because the meaning we attached to the food created that guilt and shame after eating it. One of the most freeing realizations is understanding that food has more than one purpose. Yes, food nourishes your body, protein helps protect your muscles, fiber supports digestion, fruit and vegetables provide important nutrients. Balanced meals help you feel energized and satisfied.

25:07 But food is also part of being human. Food connects us, food creates memories, food is part of our celebrations, our birthdays, our weddings. Food is part of our culture and the holidays that we celebrate. Food brings enjoyment, and there's nothing wrong with that. The goal is not to remove pleasure from eating, the goal is to create a balance. For example, maybe you love birthday cake. You don't have to tell yourself cake is bad, I shouldn't eat it. You can say cake is something I enjoy. I can have a peace, savor, and continue taking care of myself.

25:38 That is a completely different relationship with food. One that is not built on fear, one that is actually built on trusting yourself around food. Another important shift is remembering that your health is not determined by one meal. It's not determined by one snack. It's not determined by the one dessert that you ate, or one weekend that maybe you overate or ate things that you felt like you shouldn't eat. Your body responds to your overall patterns, your consistency over a long period of time, the meals you eat most of the time, the habits that you practice consistently, the way you take care of yourself day in and day out.

26:15 Think about it this way: a single workout doesn't transform your health, but a consistent movement routine, it's going to make a difference. A single healthy meal doesn't create results, but constantly nourishing your body the right way does. The same is true with food choices. One treat doesn't define your progress. For many women, years of dieting, having disconnected from their own internal signals, instead of asking, what does my body need? We ask, what does this diet allow me to eat? Instead of listening to hunger and fullness cues, we follow rules.

26:47 But your body has wisdom. It's so smart. Learning to listen again is a skill. It means noticing, am I actually hungry? Am I satisfied and not overeating? How does the food make me feel? What choices help me feel energized? What choices allow me to enjoy my life? This is never about eating foods you love. It's about creating a relationship with food where you feel confident and you feel in control. So instead of asking, is this food good or bad? Try asking, does this choice support how I want to feel?

27:18 Instead, I can't have that. Try, I can enjoy what I choose while still caring for myself. And instead of saying I ruined everything, try to tell yourself, this is one moment in my overall journey. So I was faced with this the other day. I was in ShopRite and checking out, and there are my Albanese gummy bears, my absolute favorite thing to just sit and eat. And I feel like it reduces my stress. I don't know why. And I went to grab them and I pulsed and thought, how am I going to feel after I eat them?

27:50 And lately, whenever I eat these gummy bears, my heart races and I just, it doesn't make me feel good because my heart is pounding. And I thought to myself, the last time you ate them, it made your heart pound. You did not feel good after you ate them. And I did not pick them up. And guess what? I felt perfectly fine. I didn't feel like, oh, I still need those or I wish I would have got them. I actually felt perfectly fine because I knew after I ate them, my heart was going to race and I was going to be annoyed with myself because I had that feeling again.

28:21 So think about those times when you're in that those moments and ask yourself these questions. Does this choice support how I want to feel? I can enjoy that without when I choose to, and I'm still going to be caring for myself. Or that this moment is not going to ruin my overall journey. So think about those things and replace those thoughts when you go to eat something. The goal is to become someone who can enjoy those foods without losing trust in herself. That is a true freedom around food. So I made the choice not to get the gummy bears, but it would have been okay if I did make that choice to get them because it was something that I wanted in the time.

29:00 It just wasn't, I didn't like the way my heart felt after I eat them. And that's the kind of relationship with eating that allows weight loss to actually last. Because the that same night, my son said, Hey, can we go get ice cream? And I got a hot fudge Sunday. I ate half of it, put the other half in the freezer for the next day, and I had it over the next two days. And I was perfectly fine with that. So I didn't get the gummy bears because the way they made my heart race, but I did go get the ice cream with my son because I wanted to spend time with him.

29:27 And I was okay with eating it without any guilt. So do what do we do instead? How do we lose weight without constantly feeling like we're fighting ourselves? Here are three shifts that I really want you to start practicing. So instead of asking, is this food good or bad? Try asking how does this food help me feel? Some foods are going to give you energy, some foods help keep you feeling full, some foods are going to bring you enjoyment and connection. Some foods are going to make your sugar drop and you're going to be craving foods.

29:52 All of these things matter. So for example, maybe you love ice cream and you have to decide ice cream is bad and I can never have it. Instead, I want you to think, I love ice cream. I'm going to joy a portion that makes me feel good afterwards. And stopping when you're full instead of eating all of it. Like I said, I felt full, so I put half of it away in the freezer. And then the next day I was like, oh, I have my ice cream from last night. So this is a completely different mindset than saying I can't have it because it's bad.

30:22 One restriction, one is feeling restricted, the other one is empowerment. All right, shift number two, add more instead of taking away. Most diets focus on what you need to remove: no carbs, no sugars, no treats, no desserts, no eating after a certain time. But what if instead we focused on adding protein to your meals or adding more fiber to your meals, or just adding fruits and vegetables to meals, adding balanced meals that keep you feeling satisfied. When your body is nourished, cravings often become more manageable.

30:51 They're easier to resist. You're not constantly fighting with your hunger. You're not, you're thinking about, you're not thinking about the food all day. You're creating a body that feels supported when you're adding healthy things instead of focusing on what should I take away. All right, shift number three, change the way you talk to yourself. Pay attention to the conversations that are happening in your head. Are you saying I have no self-control? I always mess this up. I can never stick with anything because those thoughts matter.

31:20 Your brain is listening and you are training your brain to think that way. So change the story, change the narrative instead of practice replacing them with thoughts that are both kind and true. Try. One choice does not define my progress. I can make my next decision a healthy one. Consistency doesn't mean perfection, or I'm learning how to take care of myself. This isn't about pretending everything is easy. It's about giving yourself grace that you deserve. It's about creating a mindset that actually supports the change.

31:49 So I want to give you a simple challenge. The next time you find yourself overeating or making a choice you didn't plan on, don't immediately jump into guilt or shame. Don't decide the day is ruined. Instead, pause and ask yourself, what happened before this moment? Before you ate what you felt like you shouldn't have eaten? Were you overly hungry? Maybe you need to check what you ate earlier in the day. Did you eat enough? Were you restricting? Again, making sure, did you skip breakfast? Did you skip lunch?

32:17 Were you stressed? Were you tired? Were you telling yourself you couldn't have this food again? Because the answer is usually not, I just have no discipline. There's always a reason why you ate what it is that you ate. And you need to pause and you need to think and be very intentional about why did you eat what you ate, getting to the root cause of what's causing you to eat something that maybe you know that you shouldn't be eating. And when you understand the reason, you can change that pattern or that habit.

32:47 All right, friend, I want you to remember this. Your goal is not to become someone who never eats foods you enjoy. Your goal is to become someone who trusts herself around food and has the freedom to eat what they enjoy. Someone who can go to the party, enjoy the chips and dip, have a dessert, and move on. Someone who doesn't have to earn the food, someone who doesn't have to start over every Monday because sustainable weight loss is not built on restriction. It's built on learning how to care for yourself consistently, even when life isn't perfect and it's stressful and it's hard.

33:16 All right, before you go, I want to share something I've been working on that I'm so excited about. If you've been listening to this podcast for a while, you probably noticed something. We don't just talk about food here because deep down, I don't believe your biggest struggle is knowing what to eat. You probably are already know that eating protein is a good idea, eating your vegetables is important. You know moving your body matters. The hard part is not knowing what to do, it's doing it consistently when life gets busy.

33:41 It's navigating stressful days, emotional eating, weekends, vacations, family dinners, and changing hormones without feeling like you failed every time life gets in the way. That's exactly why I've been creating something brand new. It's called Stronger in Midlife, and it's an eight-week coaching experience designed to help busy women over 40 stop starting over and finally build healthy habits that actually fit in their real life. This isn't another diet or diet plan. It's not about chasing perfection or cutting out the food you love.

34:07 It's about becoming the kind of woman who knows how to take care of herself, even on the busiest stressful days. We'll work on simple nutrition, balanced meals, mindset, stress, emotional eating, confidence, healthy routines, and creating an environment that makes healthy choices feel easier instead of harder. Because lasting fat loss isn't just about changing what's on your plate. It's about changing the way you think, the habits you build, and the way you show up for yourself every single day.

34:32 My goal is that by the end of those eight weeks, you're going to feel stronger, more energized, more confident, and you're finally going to trust yourself around food instead of feeling like you're always one bad weekend away from starting over. I'm opening the door soon, but right now I'm creating a priority wait list. The women on the wait list will be the first to hear all the details, get early access when enrollment opens, and receive a few special bonuses I'm putting together. If this sounds like exactly what you've been looking for, head to jenniferpeak.com and join the wait list today.

34:59 I'm absolutely would love to help you become stronger in midlife, inside and out. And if you enjoyed today's episode, I would really appreciate you taking a moment to leave a rating and review. It helps this podcast reach more women who need to hear this message and remind them that they're not alone in their journey. I am so, so passionate about helping women feel strong, feel confident and healthy in midlife so they can live a life they truly love. Thank you so much for listening and for being here with me.

35:25 Thank you for listening and for choosing to invest in your health and in your future. These small moments of care are what build real confidence and lasting strength so you can live your best life. All right, ladies, remember that you are beautiful and you are strong. Until next time, keep showing up for yourself. Keep celebrating those small wins. Remember, one choice, one change, one meal at a time. I hope you have an amazing week.

35:51 Before you go, I have one quick favor to ask. If this episode empowered you, it would mean so much if you could help me work.