Hi Friend,
If you’ve been eating less, moving more, and wondering why the scale won’t budge — you’re not alone.
As a health coach for women over 50, I see the same three mistakes over and over again. They’re rooted in outdated diet advice that doesn’t fit the hormonal and metabolic shifts of menopause and beyond. The good news? Once you understand what your body needs now, everything starts to change.
Mistake #1: Eating Less Instead of Nourishing More
The old “eat less, move more” mantra doesn’t work after 50 — and often backfires.
When calories drop too low, your metabolism slows to conserve energy. Hunger hormones like ghrelin spike, while leptin (which signals fullness) drops. Add in the natural rise in cortisol from stress or poor sleep, and your body becomes more likely to store fat — especially around the belly.
What works instead is nourishing your body with enough real food — especially high-quality protein, colorful vegetables, and fiber. Protein helps maintain muscle, the biggest driver of your metabolism. Fiber stabilizes blood sugar and supports gut health. Think of it as feeding your body to burn fat, not starving it.
Mistake #2: Skipping Meals (Especially Breakfast)
Skipping meals might feel like discipline, but it often backfires later in the day. When you go too long without food, insulin and cortisol rise to keep blood sugar stable — leaving you wired, tired, and craving sugar or carbs later.
Instead, eat a balanced breakfast within an hour of waking. Eat meals every 4- 6 hours with a source of protein, healthy fat, and fiber. This steadies your energy, reduces cravings, and helps balance hormones that control appetite and mood.
Your body does need a 10 to 12-hour window without food, so close the kitchen around 7 pm and eat a balanced breakfast within an hour of waking. This gives your body a chance to repair without keeping morning cortisol high for too long.
You don’t have to count calories or track macros — focus on consistency and quality.
Mistake #3: Overexercising — or Undermoving
Exercise is vital after 50, but not for the reason most of us think. Research shows exercise alone doesn’t drive weight loss — but it does protect muscle, bone, brain, and hormone health.
The key? Ditch marathon workouts and focus on strength and metabolic movement.
Lift weights at least 3x a week.
Add SITs (short interval training) — like a 20-minute session of warming up, alternating 30 seconds of hard bursts on a rower, bike, or walk, with 2 minutes of active recovery, and repeat 4 times, then cool down for 5 minutes.
Move often throughout the day — walking, stretching, gardening, air squats, or any movement counts. Move after meals for 10 minutes to reduce blood sugar spikes by 30%.
Movement keeps your metabolism flexible and your body’s hormone systems humming.
The Bottom Line
Most women think they need to lose weight to get healthy — but the truth is, when you focus on getting healthy, that’s when lasting fat loss happens.
To your vibrant health,
Jacqui
P.S. If you’ve been nodding along and thinking “this is me,” I have something special to share. I just opened two 1:1 coaching spots for women who are ready to stop dieting and start truly nourishing their bodies.
Here’s what Kathy, one of my recent clients, shared:
“Working with Jacqui, I not only lost pounds (10+) and inches (16 total) but I gained something even more valuable—a sustainable, healthy lifestyle. While I had tried all kinds of diets and tricks to lose my middle-aged middle, the temporary losses only lasted as long as my 30-day willpower. Jacqui taught me how to eat, exercise, and sleep for wellness, which created a permanent shift in my mindset that will last a lifetime. One-to-one coaching with Jacqui has been the best gift I have ever given myself.”
— Kathy I.
If you’re ready to feel lighter, stronger, and more confident in your skin — without restriction or exhaustion — let’s talk.
👉 Click here to join my waitlist or reply “READY” and I’ll send you the details.