The Fit Positive Podcast

In Part 2 of this mindset series, we move beyond what you want to change and focus on how to make change last — without burnout, overwhelm, or all-or-nothing thinking.
This episode breaks down the psychology behind sustainable habits and why stress management is not optional in midlife health. You’ll learn how to build habits that actually stick, how to work with your nervous system (not against it), and why flexibility — not perfection — is the key to long-term success.
In this episode, we cover:
Why mastering the art of showing up matters more than intensity

How to size your habits so they’re sustainable on your worst days, not just your best

How habit stacking removes decision fatigue and builds momentum

Why your environment and community matter — and how to build a supportive tribe

How to reconnect with your why and focus on what truly matters

Why enjoyment and fun are essential for consistency

How to adjust habits to your current season of life, especially in midlife

The role of stress, the nervous system, and mindfulness in habit formation

How resonance breathing can calm the stress response, improve sleep, and support recovery

This episode is for you if you’re tired of starting over, feel overwhelmed by “doing everything,” or want a calmer, more sustainable approach to health and fitness in midlife.

Resources Mentioned:
Atomic Habits by James Clear

Help us spread the word!
If you enjoyed this episode, it would mean the world if you follow the podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and share this episode with a friend who might find it helpful!

Get in touch!
If you have questions for next week’s Q&A, you can always drop us an email at [email protected]

Join Fit Positive
Get your personalised calorie & macro targets, strength training program, 150+ high-protein recipes, tracking tools, coaching support, and our wonderful community:
 ⁠www.fitpositive.ie⁠

In this episode of The Fit Positive Podcast, we kick off Part 1 of a two-part series on mindset — because while nutrition and training matter, they only work when your mindset supports them.

This episode focuses on the mental side of midlife health: the beliefs, thought patterns and pressures that quietly get in the way of consistency & success — even when you know what to do.

We talk about:
Why mindset matters
How self-limiting beliefs form — and how they hold us back
How to start shifting the story you tell yourself
Why overwhelm is so common, and how to simplify your focus
Essentialism as a tool for managing your time

Helpful links mentioned:
⁠Blog: 6 Steps to Overcome Self-Limiting Beliefs⁠⁠Essentialism by Greg McKeown⁠
🎧 Part 2 will build on this foundation and dive into habits, consistency, stress, and creating change that actually lasts.

Thanks for listening - I appreciate you!
Cx

In this episode of The Fit Positive Podcast, we answer one of the most common questions I get from women in midlife:
“I want to lose 10lbs, keep my muscle, and feel more energised — without falling for another diet trend or fad. How do I do this sustainably?”
If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing all the right things but still struggling with energy, hunger, or consistency, this episode will give you clarity and reassurance.

In this episode, we cover:
Why most weight-loss approaches stop working in midlife
What a sustainable calorie deficit actually looks like
Why protein is non-negotiable for fat loss and energy
How daily movement (steps) supports fat loss without burnout
Why strength training is essential for preserving muscle and metabolism
How fibre and food volume help control hunger and cravings
The role of sleep, recovery and stress in fat loss
The mindset shifts that make results stick long-term
Exactly how we put all of this into practice inside the Fit Positive membership

Links & Resources Mentioned

Fit Positive Membership
All-in-one support for midlife women — including workouts, nutrition guidance, recipes, mindset coaching and community.
👉 www.fitpositive.ie

Free Calorie & Macro Calculator
Find your personalised calorie and macro targets to support fat loss without under-eating.
👉 https://stan.store/fitpositive/p/free-calorie-and-macro-calculator

My Full Day of Eating
A real example of how to hit your calorie and protein targets with normal, satisfying meals.
👉 https://stan.store/fitpositive/p/a-full-day-of-eating-recipes-1400-calories

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the show, share it with a friend or pop it on your Instagram stories — it really helps more women find the podcast.

Thanks so much for listening!
Cx

In this week’s episode of The Fit Positive Podcast, we’re talking about one of the biggest — and most underestimated — reasons women gain weight over Christmas:
👉 Mindless snacking and grazing.
This episode was inspired by a reel I recorded this week, where I tracked what felt like “just a few snacks” across the day — a biscuit with tea, a handful of crisps, some cheese and crackers, a few chocolates and a glass of wine.
📊 Total? 1,540 calories — just from snacks alone.
No judgement. No guilt. Just awareness.

In this episode, we cover:
🎄 Why Christmas snacking feels harmless — but adds up fast
• How grazing sneaks calories in without ever triggering fullness
• Why snacks don’t register as “real food” in our brains
• Why this happens even to very health-conscious women

🍽️ The real problem: under-eating at main meals
• Why “saving calories” at breakfast or lunch backfires
• How low protein meals lead to blood sugar crashes and cravings
• Why you can feel like you’re eating nothing — and still gain weight

🥩 The solution: proper, balanced meals
• How protein and fibre at meals reduce snack cravings naturally
• What a Christmas-friendly balanced plate actually looks like
• Why eating enough earlier in the day gives you more flexibility later

🧠 Mindset matters
• This is not about willpower or being “good”
• It’s about giving your body what it needs so snacking doesn’t spiral
• Progress over perfection — especially at this time of year

🎯 Practical, realistic Christmas tips
• How to enjoy festive foods without constant grazing
• When to plan snacks vs when to avoid them
• How to stay in control without tracking obsessively or restricting
Key takeaway:
Eating less at meals rarely prevents weight gain at Christmas.
Eating better meals usually does.
Balanced meals > endless grazing.
If you’ve been feeling frustrated, hungry, or confused about why things feel out of control at this time of year — this episode will bring clarity and relief.

This week on The Fit Positive Podcast, we’re talking about heart health in midlife — why our risk rises, what markers actually matter, and how the habits inside the Fit Positive Method directly protect your cardiovascular system.

In this episode, we cover:
1️⃣ Why women’s heart disease risk rises in perimenopause & menopause
2️⃣ The biggest cardiovascular risk factors for women
3️⃣ The blood markers that matter for your heart — and my own recent results
4️⃣ How the Fit Positive Method protects your heart
5️⃣ A quick note on HRT and cardiovascular protection
6️⃣ Sauna for heart health

⭐ Resources & Links
🔗 Sauna Episode
🔗 ⁠Sleep Episode
🔗 Free Calorie & Macro Calculator
🔗 Fit Positive Empowered Membership (nutrition, strength, tracking tools & recipes to support both fat loss and heart health)

Scientific studies that support this episode...
⭐ 1. Menopause & Increased Cardiovascular RiskDecline in oestrogen and increased heart disease risk🔗 ⁠https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4591897/⁠
Oestrogen’s protective role on blood vessels⭐🔗⁠https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.119.315400⁠

⭐ 2. Strength Training & Cardiovascular Health
Strength training improves insulin sensitivity🔗 ⁠https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5485200/⁠
Strength training reduces visceral fat🔗 ⁠https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/92/4/1736/2597231⁠
Strength training reduces cardiovascular risk in women🔗 ⁠https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.119.014567⁠

⭐ 3. Steps / Physical Activity & Heart Health
Even simple walking reduces cardiovascular risk🔗 ⁠https://www.bmj.com/content/347/bmj.f5588⁠
Daily step count & mortality🔗 ⁠https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2763292⁠

⭐ 4. Nutrition & Heart Health
Fibre reduces LDL cholesterol and CVD risk🔗 ⁠https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3257631/⁠
Diets high in ultra-processed foods increase CVD risk🔗 ⁠https://www.bmj.com/content/365/bmj.l1451⁠
Protein, whole foods & cardio-metabolic health🔗 ⁠https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/101/6/1320/4564490⁠

⭐ 5. Stress & Sleep as Cardiovascular Drivers
Chronic stress increases heart disease risk🔗 ⁠https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5579396/⁠
Poor sleep increases blood pressure & inflammation🔗⁠https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.116.309356⁠

⭐ 6. HRT & Cardiovascular Protection (when started early)
The Timing Hypothesis (benefits when started within 10 years of menopause)🔗 ELITE Trial:⁠ https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmoa1505241⁠
WHI re-analysis — younger women had reduced CHD risk🔗 ⁠https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3986473/⁠

⭐ 7. Sauna & Cardiovascular Health
Finnish sauna study — reduced cardiovascular mortality🔗⁠https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2130724⁠
Sauna improves blood pressure & arterial stiffness🔗 ⁠https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5941775/⁠

⭐ If you enjoyed this episode…
Please share it on your Instagram stories or with a friend who needs to hear it.
Every share genuinely helps more midlife women access evidence-based support.

And if you want to take the next step, join us inside Fit Positive Empowered — where we pair science-backed training and nutrition with daily support, coaching, and community so you can feel your strongest, healthiest, most confident self in midlife.