Your Must-Read Healthy Roadmap for 2026
How to strength train & eat better this year?
It’s the final countdown—the New Year is just two days away!
Is one of your goals for 2026 to be “as strong and healthy as possible”?
I hope so!
Prioritizing the care of your body has a cascading effect on so many other areas of your life:
✨ Your mental health
✨ Your relationships and ability to care for those you love
✨ Your ability to participate fully in life, without hesitations
✨ Your self-confidence — no more fear!
The good news is that no matter how old you are — 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and beyond.It’s NEVER too late to improve your health and get stronger!
Let this newsletter be your go-to resource all year long for the advice and inspiration you need to keep showing up for your body.
Why This Matters
Investing in your future health and ability to live a full, independent life as an elderly woman starts NOW. While it’s truly never too late to start, just remember that it’s far easier to PREVENT health issues than to REVERSE them.
FITNESS SIMPLIFIED
Do you recall the bold statement I made at the end of last Friday’s newsletter?
👉 Prioritizing strength training over other types of workouts (like cardio or yoga/Pilates) will be the best use of your time.
Fitness Tip to Enhance Healthy Longevity
Prioritize Strength Training
WHY?
With each passing year, it becomes increasingly important to create strong bones and muscles, maintain your joint mobility, flexibility and build a healthy heart.
Fortunately, you do NOT need separate workouts for each of these goals.
A well-designed strength training routine can help you accomplish each one of those 👆 important targets in one workout.
“But, where do I start?”
I’m glad you asked!If you’re new to strength training…
Or it’s been a looonngg minute since you’ve done any strength moves…
Start with targeted and intentional bodyweight-only exercises.
This gives you the best opportunity to establish good technique and lay a solid foundation of movement to continue building upon with more resistance, like weights and/or bands, later on.
Here’s a GREAT strength training routine to get you started:
Beginner-Friendly, Bodyweight Strength Moves
- Chair Sit-to-Stand (10 reps): Hold arms in front of body and sit down on a chair, then stand up again. A taller chair will make this easier to begin. Try staggering feet a little to work muscles differently, switching feet midway.
- Wall Push Ups (10 reps): Place hands on wall in line with your shoulders and align body into a straight plank position. Lower down with your head higher than your hands, then press back to starting position.
- Chair Bear Crawls (5 reps): Place forearms on the seat of a chair. Lift knees to hover over floor for length of one exhale, then set down to rest and repeat.
Extra tip: Do these exercises as a circuit 2-4 times through and you’ll be working all your major muscle groups — upper body, lower body and core!
Did You Know...
- Strength Training is any type of exercise that builds your strength by moving your muscles again some kind of resistance: a dumbbell, resistance bands, weight machine or even your bodyweight against the pull of gravity.
- It’s possible to get more flexibility and joint mobility through strength training. Do your strength training exercises through the fullest, deepest ranges of motion possible and you’ll enhance mobility. You can also add dynamic stretches into your warm-up and static stretches into your cool-down.
- You’ll get much better results if you follow a well-designed workout plan, rather than by trying to “figure it out” on your own. 🎉 My signature Jumpstart 30 Program is the perfect starting point that will gradually build your strength, mobility and balance over 30 days. ON SALE THIS WEEK ONLY!
NUTRITION SIMPLIFIED
Just like it’s a good idea to establish the basics with strength training, this approach is useful on the nutritional side as well.
Focus on this:
Eat for a strong, healthy body - not a skinny body.
Nutrition Tip to Enhance Healthy Longevity
Fuel Your Body with Nutrition
As you spend this year investing in the body you want in the future, learn to prioritize fueling well.
Just like a car that is often breaking down, running on empty or poor inputs does not create a well-oiled machine.
Where to begin?Shift to thinking MORE, not less.
✔️ More water
✔️ More PROtein
✔️ More PROduce
✔️ More whole grains
✔️ More healthy fats
When you’re 80, you’ll be so thankful that you didn’t spend these decades restricting and depriving your body of the key nutrients it needs to function fully.
Ready for a recipe that checks all those boxes?
Try this one—it’s SO good!
Nourish Bowls with Bacon Dressing
More ideas to Nourish Yourself
- Get creative with bowls. Got leftover roasted potatoes and veggies? Add some cooked protein and drizzle a honey mustard vinaigrette on top.
- Make a taco bowl with shredded cabbage as a base to add extra crunch and nutrients. Top with ground beef, pinto or black beans, tomatoes, avocado, salsa and a dollop of sour cream.
- Mix 1/2-1 scoop of your favorite protein powder into Greek yogurt, then top with berries and a spoonful of nuts and/or seeds.
MINDSET SIMPLIFIED
One of our favorite mottos around here is this:
Be Strong 💪
In today’s world, “health and fitness” can mean so many different things.
But as a woman, when your goal is to be strong, it helps you get laser-focused on what matters most.And what your priorities need to be.
As we wrap up 2025, and turn the page to 2026, consider the ways that you felt strong this past year.And think of all the ways that you want to be strong in the year to come.
I’m excited to be on the journey with you!
Mindset Tip to Enhance Healthy Longevity
Be Strong
THE TAKEAWAY
As this year comes to a close, remember that no matter where you’re starting from, it’s never too late to reset. Use the foundation blocks that we’ve discussed in this issue to set realistic goals, with intention and a long-term vision in mind. Midlife is not a time to take a backseat to your health; it is a time to step fully into your strength and vitality. Your next chapter starts with the choice you make today.
- Prioritize Strength Training
- Fuel Your Body with Nutrition
- Be Strong
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Self Care Simplified podcast
320. Outsmarting Self-Sabotage: Avoid These Mistakes for Sustainable Results this Year!
228. The Shocking Truth About Weight Loss
247. Feeling Discouraged About Your Body? How to Fight the Mental Battles
SPECIAL RESOURCE
Don’t let fear or uncertainty hold you back! This easy at-home routine is perfect for the absolute beginner. If you need help getting started with strength training and have NO CLUE what to do or how to do it properly (you don’t want to hurt yourself!) — then this quick workout is for you.
Strength Training for Beginners || 15 MIN Follow Along
Until next week... Be strong
