Midlife Glow Up: Simplifying Fitness, Nutrition and Healthy Habits for Women over 40

Think about all the major hormonal transitions we go through as women: puberty, pregnancy, postpartum, and perimenopause.

We spend so much time learning about and preparing for the first three, but when it comes to perimenopause, so many of us are left wondering…

Where the heck is the manual?!

Why are so many women entering this stage of life with so little understanding of what’s happening in their bodies?

In this episode of The Midlife Glow Up, Joan shares her personal experience navigating perimenopause, including the frustration of feeling dismissed by her doctor, the challenges of finding knowledgeable medical support, and what she learned about her own health along the way.

She also explores some of the historical gaps in women’s health research and education, why menopause symptoms are so often misunderstood, and how confusing and overwhelming it can be to sort through conflicting health information.

Most importantly, Joan shares why she’s become so passionate about helping women feel informed, confident, and empowered to advocate for their health.

Join Joan and Dr. Stephanie Elder for Midlife Reimagined!

If you’re in the greater Seattle area, Joan invites you to join her and menopause specialist Dr. Stephanie Elder for Midlife Reimagined: Hormones, Health & the Habits That Matter on Thursday, November 12, at Beaver Lake Lodge in Sammamish, Washington.

This special evening will bring women together for education, conversation, and connection.

You’ll learn more about the hormonal changes happening during midlife, how they can affect your health, what questions to ask your healthcare providers, and the fitness, nutrition, and lifestyle habits that can help you feel your best.

Whether you’re just beginning to notice changes, navigating perimenopause, or already postmenopausal, this conversation is for you.

Learn more and reserve your spot: https://www.joandandeneau.com/midlife-reimagined

Because every woman deserves to understand her body, feel heard, and have the information and support she needs to make informed decisions about her health.

Here's how we can stay connected:

Follow @joansfitzone on Instagram → for simple, sustainable fitness and nutrition tips for women in midlife to create lasting change.

Join Fit Zone → Come work out with me inside Fit Zone, with LIVE virtual strength-based classes plus a library of 800+ On-Demand workouts designed to help women in midlife build strength, improve fitness, and stay consistent from home.

Apply for 1:1 coaching with Joan → Ready to take your fitness, nutrition, and healthy habits to the next level with a customized plan and one-on-one support + accountability? Apply here!

The Midlife Glow Up Podcast is celebrating its first anniversary!

One year ago, Joan sat down behind a microphone with a passion for helping women in midlife take charge of their health, build strength and confidence, and recognize what’s possible in this next chapter of life.

Now, one year later, she’s reflecting on what she’s learned from showing up behind the microphone every single week.

And as it turns out, many of those lessons have very little to do with podcasting!

In this anniversary episode, Joan shares seven lessons from her first year, including the importance of being willing to be a beginner, embracing imperfection, practicing consistently, and following through even when motivation is nowhere to be found.

She also explores one of the most powerful things that happens when we stick with something long enough: consistency begins to change how we see ourselves.

Whether you’re working toward a fitness goal, learning something new, or exploring what’s next in this season of life, these lessons are a reminder that small efforts repeated over time can lead to meaningful change.

Let’s celebrate!

If you’ve been enjoying The Midlife Glow Up Podcast, Joan would love to hear from you! Send her a message on Instagram @joansfitzone and share how you found the podcast, what you’ve enjoyed, or what you’d love to hear more about in the coming year.

And if you’d like to help celebrate this milestone, consider sharing the podcast with a friend or leaving a rating or review so more women can discover it!

Here's how we can stay connected:

Follow @joansfitzone on Instagram → for simple, sustainable fitness and nutrition tips for women in midlife to create lasting change.

Join Fit Zone → Come work out with me inside Fit Zone, with LIVE virtual strength-based classes plus a library of 800+ On-Demand workouts designed to help women in midlife build strength, improve fitness, and stay consistent from home.

Apply for 1:1 coaching with Joan → Ready to take your fitness, nutrition, and healthy habits to the next level with a customized plan and one-on-one support + accountability? Apply here!

Taking care of our health in midlife can feel overwhelming with changing hormones, competing responsibilities, and an endless list of health advice.

In this episode of the Midlife Glow Up Podcast, Joan welcomes back Stephanie Elder, nurse practitioner, certified menopause provider, and owner of Evolve Menopause Clinic in Issaquah, Washington, for a conversation about the bigger picture of midlife health.

Together, they explore the questions women can bring to their medical appointments, the everyday habits that support their well-being, and the importance of having people around them who understand this stage of life. Stephanie shares her perspective on hormones and cardiometabolic health, while Joan explains how she helps women turn what they already know into habits they can follow through on consistently.

The conversation also invites listeners to consider what they want their lives to look like in the years ahead, including the strength, energy, and independence to keep doing the things they love.

In this episode, Joan and Stephanie discuss:

• How Stephanie’s experience of feeling dismissed during perimenopause shaped her approach to caring for women.
• The role of hormone therapy within a broader conversation about midlife health, daily habits, and individualized care.
• What cardiometabolic health means and the questions Stephanie encourages women to discuss with their providers.
• How Joan helps women build consistency by starting with what is already working and creating systems that fit their lives.
• Ways to sort through overwhelming health advice and choose a manageable place to begin.
• How strength, nutrition, and movement connect to the life women want to enjoy in the coming decades.
• Why friendship, community, and a sense of belonging deserve space on the calendar.

Join Joan and Stephanie in person

Joan and Stephanie are bringing this conversation to an in-person event in the Seattle area on November 12: Midlife Reimagined: Hormones, Health, and the Habits That Matter.

The evening will include education about midlife health, practical approaches to everyday habits, connection with other women, and an opportunity to ask Joan and Stephanie questions.

Event details and registration: https://www.joandandeneau.com/midlife-reimagined

**Early Bird Pricing good through 10/22/26

Episode links and resources

Listen to Stephanie’s first interview: https://www.joandandeneau.com/podcast-blog/42-the-hormone-conversation-every-woman-over-40-needs-to-hear-interview-with-dr-stephanie-elder

Connect with Stephanie and Evolve Menopause Clinic: https://www.evolvelifeclinic.com/about-us

https://www.instagram.com/evolvelifeclinic/

Here's how we can stay connected:

Follow @joansfitzone on Instagram → for simple, sustainable fitness and nutrition tips for women in midlife to create lasting change.

Join Fit Zone → Come work out with me inside Fit Zone, with LIVE virtual strength-based classes plus a library of 800+ On-Demand workouts designed to help women in midlife build strength, improve fitness, and stay consistent from home.

Apply for 1:1 coaching with Joan → Ready to take your fitness, nutrition, and healthy habits to the next level with a customized plan and one-on-one support + accountability? Apply here!

What could actually change in your health in eight weeks?

Probably more than you think.

In this episode of The Midlife Glow Up, Joan breaks down what can happen when women stop trying to change everything at once and start consistently practicing a few habits that move them forward.

Two 20-minute strength workouts a week becomes 16 workouts. A protein-forward breakfast five days a week becomes 40 breakfasts. Ten minutes of planning each week becomes eight opportunities to practice a skill that can make taking care of yourself easier for years to come.

Joan also shares real stories from women who have completed The Midlife Glow Up and the progress they experienced, from getting stronger and improving their nutrition to learning how to adapt when life gets messy, prioritizing themselves again, and building confidence in their ability to follow through.

In this episode, Joan covers:

• Why we tend to overestimate what should happen quickly while underestimating what consistency can accomplish
• How small actions add up over 56 days
• How having a Plan B can help you stay consistent when life doesn’t go according to plan
• Why learning how to navigate real life is one of the most valuable skills you can build
• How eight weeks can create a foundation you continue building on long after the program ends

Eight weeks from now is coming either way. The question is what could change if you gave yourself 56 days to put what you already know into practice and let consistency do its job?

The next round of The Midlife Glow Up starts Monday, October 12, and registration closes October 9. If you’re ready for eight weeks of coaching, accountability, support, and a realistic plan for your fitness and nutrition, this is your last chance to join this round.

Learn more & join us https://www.joandandeneau.com/midlife-glowup

Here's how we can stay connected:

Follow @joansfitzone on Instagram → for simple, sustainable fitness and nutrition tips for women in midlife to create lasting change.

Join Fit Zone → Come work out with me inside Fit Zone, with LIVE virtual strength-based classes plus a library of 800+ On-Demand workouts designed to help women in midlife build strength, improve fitness, and stay consistent from home.

Apply for 1:1 coaching with Joan → Ready to take your fitness, nutrition, and healthy habits to the next level with a customized plan and one-on-one support + accountability? Apply here!

After taking nearly 50 women through The Midlife Health Audit, Joan had a unique opportunity to see what women in midlife are actually struggling with when it comes to their health.

And some very clear patterns emerged.

Most of these women weren’t starting from scratch. They were walking, lifting weights, drinking water, trying to eat enough protein and making healthy choices. Many of them already knew quite a bit about fitness and nutrition.

But there was still a gap between knowing what to do and actually doing it consistently.

In this episode, Joan shares three of the biggest themes she saw come up again and again during the Audit, including:

• Why more information often isn’t the answer, and how simple systems can help turn knowledge into consistent habits
• How unrealistic expectations and all-or-nothing thinking can get in the way of progress
• Why healthy habits have to work in real life, not just during the imaginary “perfect week”

She also shares some of the common opportunities women identified around progressive strength training, protein, meal planning and preparation, along with the surprising number of women who discovered that mindset was actually a bigger obstacle than fitness or nutrition.

Most importantly, this episode is an invitation to stop focusing on everything that could be better and instead ask:

What deserves my attention right now?

Joan also shares details about the next round of The Midlife Glow Up, her 8-week group coaching program for women 40+ who are ready to prioritize themselves, stop spinning their wheels with fitness and nutrition, and build sustainable habits that help them feel strong and confident in midlife and beyond.

The next round begins October 12, and enrollment is open through October 9.

Learn more about The Midlife Glow Up here:
https://www.joandandeneau.com/midlife-glowup

And if you have questions, hop over to Instagram @Joansfitzone and let's chat it out! I’d love to coach YOU through the holiday season so you can head into the new year feeling strong, confident, and already have the systems in place to support your healthy lifestyle.

Here's how we can stay connected:

Follow @joansfitzone on Instagram → for simple, sustainable fitness and nutrition tips for women in midlife to create lasting change.

Join Fit Zone → Come work out with me inside Fit Zone, with LIVE virtual strength-based classes plus a library of 800+ On-Demand workouts designed to help women in midlife build strength, improve fitness, and stay consistent from home.

Apply for 1:1 coaching with Joan → Ready to take your fitness, nutrition, and healthy habits to the next level with a customized plan and one-on-one support + accountability? Apply here!

What matters to you now that didn’t matter quite so much 10 or 20 years ago?

As Joan gets closer to 50, she’s realizing that getting older hasn’t magically made her stop caring what other people think. But it has given her a lot more clarity about what deserves her time, energy and attention.

In this personal episode, Joan shares some of the things she cares a whole lot less about at 48, from what her body looks like and how much she can fit into her days to figuring everything out on her own and keeping everyone around her happy.

She also shares how her recent knee injury has shifted her perspective on what it means to have a strong, capable body, and how this season of life is making her increasingly protective of her time, relationships and the things that matter most.

Because perhaps one of the gifts of getting older is realizing that we only have so much time, energy and attention, and we get to decide where we spend them.

Joan would love to hear from you: What do you care a whole lot less about as you’ve gotten older? Come find her on Instagram @Joansfitzone and share your biggest aha.

Here's how we can stay connected:

Follow @joansfitzone on Instagram → for simple, sustainable fitness and nutrition tips for women in midlife to create lasting change.

Join Fit Zone → Come work out with me inside Fit Zone, with LIVE virtual strength-based classes plus a library of 800+ On-Demand workouts designed to help women in midlife build strength, improve fitness, and stay consistent from home.

Apply for 1:1 coaching with Joan → Ready to take your fitness, nutrition, and healthy habits to the next level with a customized plan and one-on-one support + accountability? Apply here!

What does consistency with your health actually look like when life doesn’t go according to plan?

Maybe you’re in a great groove with your workouts, nutrition and daily habits…and then work gets crazy, you travel, someone in your family needs you, you get sick, or you get injured.

Suddenly, the routine that was working so well isn’t an option anymore. And that familiar thought creeps in: I need to get back on track.

But consistency doesn’t mean following the same routine week after week. Sometimes, consistency means learning how to adapt and keep going when your circumstances change.

In this episode, Joan shares what her recent knee injury is teaching her about consistency, flexibility and the mindset required to keep prioritizing your health when life looks different than you expected.

She explores why all-or-nothing thinking makes consistency so difficult, how having a “Plan B” for your healthy habits can help you keep moving forward, and why sometimes the biggest opportunity for growth isn’t another workout plan, nutrition strategy or piece of information. It’s learning how to consistently apply what you already know in the context of real life.

Because maybe you don’t need to keep starting over.

Maybe you need to get better at continuing differently.

Joan also shares details about her upcoming FREE 3-day training, The Midlife Health Audit, happening September 22–24.

Over three 30-minute sessions, you’ll take a closer look at your fitness, nutrition and mindset to recognize what’s already working, identify your opportunities for growth, and decide what deserves your focus next.

The Midlife Health Audit
September 22–24
5:00–5:30 PM PT on Zoom
Replays available

Register for the free training here: https://www.joandandeneau.com/midlife-health-audit

Here's how we can stay connected:

Follow @joansfitzone on Instagram → for simple, sustainable fitness and nutrition tips for women in midlife to create lasting change.

Join Fit Zone → Come work out with me inside Fit Zone, with LIVE virtual strength-based classes plus a library of 800+ On-Demand workouts designed to help women in midlife build strength, improve fitness, and stay consistent from home.

Apply for 1:1 coaching with Joan → Ready to take your fitness, nutrition, and healthy habits to the next level with a customized plan and one-on-one support + accountability? Apply here!

Does taking care of your health ever feel like one giant, never-ending to-do list?

Lift weights. Eat more protein. Get your steps. Prioritize sleep. Manage stress. Work on mobility. Take the right supplements. Support your hormones. And somehow keep up with the latest health advice showing up on social media.

In this episode of The Midlife Glow Up Podcast, Joan talks about why having access to more health information doesn’t always make getting healthy easier. In fact, it can leave women feeling overwhelmed, behind, and unsure what actually deserves their attention.

She shares a simpler way to look at health by recognizing the progress you’ve already made, identifying your current opportunities for growth, and choosing the area that makes the most sense to focus on in this season of life.

Joan also introduces her upcoming FREE 3-day Midlife Health Audit, happening live on Zoom September 22–24. Together, participants will take an honest look at fitness, nutrition, and mindset to uncover what’s working, where there’s room to grow, and what deserves their focus next.

Because improving your health doesn’t always require adding more.

Sometimes the most powerful next step is getting clear on what matters most right now.

THE MIDLIFE HEALTH AUDIT

Join Joan live September 22, 23 & 24 from 5:00–5:30 PM PT for this FREE 3-day training for women in midlife.

Over three days, you’ll assess your:

FITNESS: How are you moving?
NUTRITION: How are you nourishing yourself?
MINDSET: How are you following through?

You’ll recognize your wins, identify your opportunities for growth, and walk away with a clearer idea of where to focus next.

Replays will be available if you can’t attend live.

Register for The Midlife Health Audit here:
https://joandandeneau.com/midlife-health-audit

Here's how we can stay connected:

Follow @joansfitzone on Instagram → for simple, sustainable fitness and nutrition tips for women in midlife to create lasting change.

Join Fit Zone → Come work out with me inside Fit Zone, with LIVE virtual strength-based classes plus a library of 800+ On-Demand workouts designed to help women in midlife build strength, improve fitness, and stay consistent from home.

Apply for 1:1 coaching with Joan → Ready to take your fitness, nutrition, and healthy habits to the next level with a customized plan and one-on-one support + accountability? Apply here!

Have you ever felt like you’re doing a lot of the “right” things for your health, but something still isn’t clicking?

Maybe you’re consistent with your workouts, but nutrition feels all over the place. Maybe you eat pretty well, but your body isn’t responding the way it used to. Or maybe you know exactly what you should be doing, but consistency disappears as soon as life gets busy.

One of the biggest mistakes women make in midlife is assuming they just need to find the one thing that will finally make everything work: the right workout, the perfect diet, the ideal macro split or the routine that worked years ago.

But midlife health is much bigger than any one of those things.

In this episode, Joan shares the four pillars she believes create the foundation for feeling strong, healthy and supported in midlife: Move, Nourish, Mindset and Gather.

She explores why what worked 10 or 20 years ago may not be what a woman’s body and life need today, how these four areas work together, and why the biggest opportunity for growth might be in a completely different area than the one getting the most attention.

Joan also explains why connection and community deserve a place in the health conversation right alongside fitness and nutrition.

As you listen, consider this question:

What does the woman you are today need to feel strong, healthy and supported in the life you’re living today?

These four pillars are also the foundation of Joan’s signature group coaching program, The Midlife Glow Up.

The Midlife Glow Up is an 8-week group coaching program for women 40+ who are ready to prioritize themselves and want a simple plan, accountability and community to help them follow through with their fitness and nutrition goals.

The next round begins October 12, and while enrollment will not open until later this month, presale is officially open!

DM GLOW UP on Instagram @JoansFitZone to get all the details, save $100 with presale pricing and get first dibs on the limited spots before registration officially opens.

Here's how we can stay connected:

Follow @joansfitzone on Instagram → for simple, sustainable fitness and nutrition tips for women in midlife to create lasting change.

Join Fit Zone → Come work out with me inside Fit Zone, with LIVE virtual strength-based classes plus a library of 800+ On-Demand workouts designed to help women in midlife build strength, improve fitness, and stay consistent from home.

Apply for 1:1 coaching with Joan → Ready to take your fitness, nutrition, and healthy habits to the next level with a customized plan and one-on-one support + accountability? Apply here!

After nearly 30 years of coaching women around fitness, nutrition and healthy habits, Joan has seen a LOT of nutrition trends come and go.

Fat-free. Low-carb. Counting calories. Counting points. Keto. Intermittent fasting. Detoxes. Even the cabbage soup diet.

And after trying many of them herself and coaching women through decades of changing nutrition advice, she’s learned that eating well doesn’t need to be nearly as complicated as we’ve made it.

In this episode, Joan looks back at how nutrition advice has changed over the past 30 years and shares the lessons that have most influenced the way she eats and coaches women today.

She talks about why so many of the approaches women have been taught around dieting and weight loss can make eating well harder than it needs to be, why midlife is a good time to rethink how we fuel and care for our bodies, and how simple strategies can make healthy eating much easier to maintain in real life.

Joan also gets personal about how her own relationship with food has evolved from dieting, restriction and focusing heavily on how her body looked to thinking much more about strength, energy, longevity and enjoying her life.

If you’re overwhelmed by conflicting nutrition advice or simply want healthy eating to feel easier, this episode will help you step away from all the noise and focus on what really matters.

If you’re tired of wondering whether you should fast, cut carbs, avoid certain foods or follow another set of nutrition rules, this episode will help you come back to the basics and build an approach to food that supports your health AND the life you want to live.

Joan also shares how these lessons became part of the foundation for Joan’s Kitchen, her monthly food prep membership for busy midlife women who want to make healthy eating simpler and more sustainable.

Doors to Joan’s Kitchen are open through August 31.

👉 LEARN MORE + JOIN JOAN’S KITCHEN https://www.joandandeneau.com/joans-kitchen

Here's how we can stay connected:

Follow @joansfitzone on Instagram → for simple, sustainable fitness and nutrition tips for women in midlife to create lasting change.

Join Fit Zone → Come work out with me inside Fit Zone, with LIVE virtual strength-based classes plus a library of 800+ On-Demand workouts designed to help women in midlife build strength, improve fitness, and stay consistent from home.

Apply for 1:1 coaching with Joan → Ready to take your fitness, nutrition, and healthy habits to the next level with a customized plan and one-on-one support + accountability? Apply here!

In this episode, Joan is taking you behind the scenes of Joan’s Kitchen, a food prep membership for women in midlife, to share what it is, who it’s for, and how it works.

If you’re tired of winging it with your nutrition and want a simpler, more sustainable way to plan, prep and eat well, this episode is for YOU!

Three months after launching the membership, Joan shares what Joan’s Kitchen has become, what happens each month, and how women are using the tools, recipes and support inside the program to make healthy eating easier in their everyday lives.

You’ll hear about:

• Who Joan’s Kitchen was created for
• What you receive each month as a member
• How the live food prep sessions work
• Joan’s PREP Method for planning and preparing food around your real life
• The 4x4 Fist Method for simplifying protein
• How recipes are customized for different preferences, allergies and household sizes
• What members have been cooking and learning so far
• What’s coming this fall inside the membership

If you know what healthy eating looks like but struggle to consistently make it happen, this episode will give you a peek inside Joan’s Kitchen and help you decide whether it might be the support you’ve been missing.

Doors to Joan’s Kitchen are open through August 31.

LEARN MORE + JOIN JOAN’S KITCHEN:
https://www.joandandeneau.com/joans-kitchen

Here's how we can stay connected:

Follow @joansfitzone on Instagram → for simple, sustainable fitness and nutrition tips for women in midlife to create lasting change.

Join Fit Zone → Come work out with me inside Fit Zone, with LIVE virtual strength-based classes plus a library of 800+ On-Demand workouts designed to help women in midlife build strength, improve fitness, and stay consistent from home.

Apply for 1:1 coaching with Joan → Ready to take your fitness, nutrition, and healthy habits to the next level with a customized plan and one-on-one support + accountability? Apply here!

After 30 years in the fitness industry, Joan has seen a lot of trends come and go, from step aerobics and Tae Bo to fasted cardio, boot camps, P90X, HIIT, and everything in between.

But after decades of coaching women, she’s realized that the things that actually matter for staying strong, healthy, and active haven’t changed nearly as much as the fitness industry would have women believe.

In this episode of The Midlife Glow Up Podcast, Joan shares five of the biggest fitness lessons she’s learned throughout her career and her own evolving relationship with exercise.

She talks about why consistency matters so much, how strength training changes the way women experience their bodies, why fitness needs to work within the realities of midlife, and how her own definition of being “fit” has dramatically changed since her 20s and 30s.

Most importantly, Joan encourages women to start thinking beyond the mirror and the scale and consider a bigger question: What do you want your body to allow you to do for the next several decades?

Because the best fitness results aren’t always the ones you can see. They’re the ones you experience when your body can keep up with your life.

Want support building a fitness routine that works in real life?

Fit Zone is Joan’s LIVE virtual workout program and on-demand workout library for women over 40 who want to build muscle, improve bone density, and be part of a supportive community of midlife women.

Come try a FREE Fit Zone class and see for yourself.

Learn more at https://www.joandandeneau.com/fitzone or follow Joan on Instagram @joansfitzone.

Here's how we can stay connected:

Follow @joansfitzone on Instagram → for simple, sustainable fitness and nutrition tips for women in midlife to create lasting change.

Join Fit Zone → Come work out with me inside Fit Zone, with LIVE virtual strength-based classes plus a library of 800+ On-Demand workouts designed to help women in midlife build strength, improve fitness, and stay consistent from home.

Apply for 1:1 coaching with Joan → Ready to take your fitness, nutrition, and healthy habits to the next level with a customized plan and one-on-one support + accountability? Apply here!

Summer has a way of making life feel a little freer. But as August arrives, something shifts. Calendars start filling, routines begin changing, and before you know it, the holidays are right around the corner.

In this episode, Joan shares why August is one of the most powerful times of year to establish - or re-establish - a fitness routine. Instead of waiting for January or hoping life will slow down, she explains how to use this season to build momentum that carries you through fall and beyond.

You’ll learn why consistency doesn’t have to look perfect, how to make fitness fit into your real life, and why small actions today can make the busiest months of the year feel so much easier.

In this episode:

• Why August creates the perfect opportunity for new habits
• How to build momentum before fall gets busy
• The biggest mindset shift around consistency
• Why shorter workouts still count
• How to make fitness a non-negotiable part of your schedule
• A behind-the-scenes look at how Fit Zone helps women stay consistent through every season of life

If you’ve been waiting for the “right time” to get back into a routine, this episode is your reminder that the best time might actually be right now.

Ready to join Fit Zone?
Come try your first class free and discover how simple consistency can feel when your workouts are planned for you.

Learn more about Fit Zone: https://www.joandandeneau.com/fitzone

Come try a FREE class: https://www.joandandeneau.com/store/p/fitzone-free

Here's how we can stay connected:

Follow @joansfitzone on Instagram → for simple, sustainable fitness and nutrition tips for women in midlife to create lasting change.

Join Fit Zone → Come work out with me inside Fit Zone, with LIVE virtual strength-based classes plus a library of 800+ On-Demand workouts designed to help women in midlife build strength, improve fitness, and stay consistent from home.

Apply for 1:1 coaching with Joan → Ready to take your fitness, nutrition, and healthy habits to the next level with a customized plan and one-on-one support + accountability? Apply here!

In this episode, Joan shares one of the most meaningful client transformation stories she's told on the podcast: the story of AM, a longtime one-on-one client who came to her through a referral from menopause clinician Stephanie Elder. AM had recently gone through a divorce and was learning to cook for one for the first time in her adult life.

She was already fit and eating healthy, so this wasn't about weight loss. It was about building a system that took the daily stress out of breakfast, lunch, and dinner, one that could hold up through travel, caregiving, and even a move.

If you're newly divorced, a new empty nester, or navigating any shift that's changed how you cook and eat, this one is for you.

Together, Joan and AM built a kitchen system around her real life, so she now has sustainable nutrition habits that last even during the chaos of midlife.

Ready for your kitchen to finally work for the life you're living now? Joan's one-on-one coaching program has a couples spots open, so check out the link below to learn more and apply.

https://www.joandandeneau.com/coaching

Here's how we can stay connected:

Follow @joansfitzone on Instagram → for simple, sustainable fitness and nutrition tips for women in midlife to create lasting change.

Join Fit Zone → Come work out with me inside Fit Zone, with LIVE virtual strength-based classes plus a library of 800+ On-Demand workouts designed to help women in midlife build strength, improve fitness, and stay consistent from home.

Apply for 1:1 coaching with Joan → Ready to take your fitness, nutrition, and healthy habits to the next level with a customized plan and one-on-one support + accountability? Apply here!

For years, Joan believed the goal was balance. Equal time for work, family, health, and everything else life demands. But the more she chased it, the more she felt like she was falling short in every area.

In this episode of The Midlife Glow Up Podcast, Joan shares the mindset shift that changed everything: stop striving for balance and start creating harmony.

You’ll discover why harmony is a much more realistic approach for women in midlife, how your daily habits shape your identity, and why your health deserves to be one of the “big rocks” in your life instead of something you squeeze in when there’s time.

If you’ve been feeling stretched thin, overwhelmed, or like you’re constantly trying to keep all the plates spinning, this episode is for you.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why balance is an unrealistic goal in midlife
• The difference between balance and harmony
• How your identity influences your daily habits
• Two simple rituals that reinforce a healthy lifestyle
• Why your health needs to become a non-negotiable
• A practical question to help you realign your priorities this week

Ready for more support?

If you’re ready to stop putting your health on the back burner and want personalized fitness, nutrition, and accountability, learn more about Joan’s 1:1 Coaching here:
https://www.joandandeneau.com/coaching

Here's how we can stay connected:

Follow @joansfitzone on Instagram → for simple, sustainable fitness and nutrition tips for women in midlife to create lasting change.

Join Fit Zone → Come work out with me inside Fit Zone, with LIVE virtual strength-based classes plus a library of 800+ On-Demand workouts designed to help women in midlife build strength, improve fitness, and stay consistent from home.

Apply for 1:1 coaching with Joan → Ready to take your fitness, nutrition, and healthy habits to the next level with a customized plan and one-on-one support + accountability? Apply here!

Women are often told their symptoms are simply part of getting older.

They’re tired.
Their joints hurt.
They can’t sleep.
Their anxiety is through the roof.
They’re gaining weight despite doing “everything right.”

But what if there was more to the story?

In this episode, Joan sits down with Stephanie Elder, founder of Evolve Menopause Clinic, cardiometabolic specialist, and Menopause Society Certified Practitioner, for an honest conversation about what really happens during perimenopause and menopause.

Stephanie shares her own frustrating journey of searching for answers before realizing hormones were at the root of so many symptoms - and why she built a practice dedicated to helping women finally feel heard.

Together, Joan and Stephanie discuss why so many women dismiss their symptoms, how hormone changes impact far more than hot flashes, and what women can do to advocate for themselves and protect their long-term health.

Whether you’re just beginning to notice changes or have been struggling for years, this conversation will leave you feeling informed, encouraged, and empowered.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why perimenopause symptoms often begin years before menopause
• The surprising symptoms many women never realize are hormone-related
• What hormone therapy actually looks like today - and why it’s very different from decades ago
• The connection between estrogen, bone health, heart health, and brain function
• Why normal lab work doesn’t always tell the whole story
• How to become a stronger advocate for your own health
• Lifestyle habits that work alongside hormone therapy to help you feel your best

Resources Mentioned

• The New Perimenopause Dr. Mary Claire Haver
• The Perimenopause Survival Guide by Dr. Heather Hirsch
• The Menopause Moment by Dr. Kelly Casperson
• Unbreakable by Dr. Vonda Wright
• The New Menopause by Dr. Mary Claire Haver
• Estrogen Matters by Avrum Blooming

Connect with Stephanie Elder: Evolve Menopause Clinic

Menopause Society Providers

If you are ready to focus on your health and wellness during this time, Joan has a couple 1:1 spots opening soon. Learn more and apply: https://www.joandandeneau.com/coaching

Here's how we can stay connected:

Follow @joansfitzone on Instagram → for simple, sustainable fitness and nutrition tips for women in midlife to create lasting change.

Join Fit Zone → Come work out with me inside Fit Zone, with LIVE virtual strength-based classes plus a library of 800+ On-Demand workouts designed to help women in midlife build strength, improve fitness, and stay consistent from home.

Apply for 1:1 coaching with Joan → Ready to take your fitness, nutrition, and healthy habits to the next level with a customized plan and one-on-one support + accountability? Apply here!

Have you noticed that your shoulder suddenly hurts when you reach overhead? Or your hip aches when you sleep on your side? Maybe your feet hurt with those first few steps in the morning, and you’re left wondering…

“Is this just what happens after 40?”

The answer might surprise you.

In this episode, Joan explains why so many women begin experiencing aches, pains, and injuries during perimenopause and menopause, and why it’s about much more than simply “getting older.”

You’ll learn:

• Why these common injuries become more common in midlife
• The surprising role estrogen plays in keeping your muscles, joints, tendons, and bones healthy
• The most common aches and injuries women experience after 40
• Five simple habits that can help protect your body for years to come

If you’ve ever worried that your body is starting to fall apart, this episode will leave you feeling informed, empowered, and equipped with practical steps you can start today.

Ready to get stronger?

Check out Fit Zone, Joan’s LIVE virtual workout program and on-demand workout library for women over 40 who want to build muscle, improve bone density and join a supportive community of midlife women.

Inside you'll have access to LIVE strength training workouts Monday-Friday with modifications for every fitness level and minimal equipment needed paired with a complete library of workouts to watch on your own time.

Learn more & Join here:

https://www.joandandeneau.com/fitzone

Here's how we can stay connected:

Follow @joansfitzone on Instagram → for simple, sustainable fitness and nutrition tips for women in midlife to create lasting change.

Join Fit Zone → Come work out with me inside Fit Zone, with LIVE virtual strength-based classes plus a library of 800+ On-Demand workouts designed to help women in midlife build strength, improve fitness, and stay consistent from home.

Apply for 1:1 coaching with Joan → Ready to take your fitness, nutrition, and healthy habits to the next level with a customized plan and one-on-one support + accountability? Apply here!

You got your workout in this morning… so you’re good for the day, right?

Not necessarily.

In this episode, Joan explores why prolonged sitting may be quietly undoing some of the hard work you’re putting into your health. She explains why movement throughout the day matters just as much as your scheduled workout and shares a few simple ways to make it happen without overhauling your routine.

If you spend most of your day at a desk, in the car, or on the couch, this episode is for you.

In this episode:

• Why sitting is more harmful than most of us realize
• The surprising reason one workout doesn’t tell the whole story
• The two forms of movement every woman over 40 should prioritize
• Simple ways to move more throughout your day

Remember: your body doesn’t need perfection. It needs regular movement.

And if you know you need to add in strength training and regular movement, but you are not sure where to begin, come try Fit Zone - my online live and on-demand workout membership specifically for women over 40. You can learn more and try a free class by visiting https://www.joandandeneau.com/fitzone

Cheers to lifting and walking...NOT sitting all day long.

Here's how we can stay connected:

Follow @joansfitzone on Instagram → for simple, sustainable fitness and nutrition tips for women in midlife to create lasting change.

Join Fit Zone → Come work out with me inside Fit Zone, with LIVE virtual strength-based classes plus a library of 800+ On-Demand workouts designed to help women in midlife build strength, improve fitness, and stay consistent from home.

Apply for 1:1 coaching with Joan → Ready to take your fitness, nutrition, and healthy habits to the next level with a customized plan and one-on-one support + accountability? Apply here!

Sleep isn’t a luxury - it’s one of the most powerful foundations of health, especially during midlife.

In this episode, Joan shares her personal experience with severe night sweats during perimenopause and how they became the catalyst for prioritizing her sleep. She explains what happens inside the body during sleep, why getting enough quality sleep is essential for women over 40, and the simple strategies that have made the biggest difference in her own life.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why sleep is foundational to overall health - not something to prioritize only after everything else is done
• How poor sleep impacts the brain, muscle recovery, immune function, and emotional well-being
• Why sleep disturbances become so common during perimenopause and menopause
• The role deep sleep plays in protecting brain health and supporting muscle growth
• How sleep deprivation can affect cravings, patience, stress, and recovery
• Joan’s favorite sleep tools and habits, including:

• Eight Sleep cooling mattress cover
• Oura Ring
• Contoured sleep mask
• White noise machine
• Dyson Air purifier
• Side sleeper body pillows

You don’t need to change everything at once. Even one small improvement to your sleep routine can have a ripple effect on your energy, mood, workouts, recovery, and overall health.

Here's how we can stay connected:

Follow @joansfitzone on Instagram → for simple, sustainable fitness and nutrition tips for women in midlife to create lasting change.

Join Fit Zone → Come work out with me inside Fit Zone, with LIVE virtual strength-based classes plus a library of 800+ On-Demand workouts designed to help women in midlife build strength, improve fitness, and stay consistent from home.

Apply for 1:1 coaching with Joan → Ready to take your fitness, nutrition, and healthy habits to the next level with a customized plan and one-on-one support + accountability? Apply here!

"Sweetie, that's just part of being a woman and getting older."

A doctor actually said that to Joan - and it lit a fire in her that motivated her to seek a different path, and to help other women advocate for themselves too. If you're doing everything right and your body still isn't cooperating, here's what you need to know: there is nothing wrong with you. It's hormonal, it's biological, it's chemical. AND it's NOT your fault. You deserve to feel better, and you deserve to be taken seriously.

In this episode, Joan breaks down what's actually happening inside your body in midlife - in plain English, no jargon, no overwhelm - so you can stop blaming yourself and start working with your body instead of against it.

She walks through the five hormones running the show in this season:

• Estrogen
• Progesterone
• Testosterone
• Cortisol
• Insulin

…plus the lifestyle levers you can pull. You have so much control over how you feel, and there's a lot in your power still!

Joan is a health and wellness professional, not a physician. This is general education, not medical advice.

Coming in July: her very first guest interview - a female menopause clinician and hormone & cardiometabolic specialist for women in midlife. She's going to answer the questions you didn't even know to ask!

👉 Speaking of which, Joan wants YOUR questions! What do you want to know about your hormones, your symptoms, or your next appointment?

DM her on Instagram @joansfitzone or send her an email (joandandeneau@gmail.com), and she'll bring your question into the interview.

Here's how we can stay connected:

Follow @joansfitzone on Instagram → for simple, sustainable fitness and nutrition tips for women in midlife to create lasting change.

Join Fit Zone → Come work out with me inside Fit Zone, with LIVE virtual strength-based classes plus a library of 800+ On-Demand workouts designed to help women in midlife build strength, improve fitness, and stay consistent from home.

Apply for 1:1 coaching with Joan → Ready to take your fitness, nutrition, and healthy habits to the next level with a customized plan and one-on-one support + accountability? Apply here!