Eating well isn’t about restriction — it’s about finding your rhythm and building habits that naturally become part of your life, not something you have to battle against. You don’t need a strict diet—just a few core habits centered on nourishment, consistency, and simplicity.
This is a reset rooted in respect — for yourself, your time, and how you want to feel each day.
You get to shape it — mixing and matching foods you enjoy, noticing what works for you, and discovering that eating well can be satisfying, flexible, and realistic.
Most of all, you won’t be hungry — you’ll be nourished.
It doesn’t have to be complicated — just consistent.
Small, sustainable changes support real shifts in energy, strength, and overall well-being.
You’ll be eating in a way that gently supports your hormones, metabolism, muscle, and mood.
Whenever possible, choose the highest-quality food you can — wild-caught, grass-finished, pasture-raised, organic. These options are more nutrient-dense, less inflammatory, and support your long-term health, energy, and vitality.
Real food is one of the best long-term investments you can make in your future health.
1. Build Meals Around Protein
Getting enough protein is one of the most powerful things you can do to support muscle, metabolism, hormone health,and long-term strength — especially as you age.
Aim for 1–1.2 grams of protein per pound of your current or target body weight per day.
That typically means:
- 4–7 palm-sized servings of protein per day
- Spread across 3 meals and 1–2 snacks, depending on your activity level
🖐️ What’s a palm-sized serving?
About 3–4 ounces cooked (or 85–113g) — roughly the size and thickness of your palm (excluding fingers).
Each serving provides 25–30g of protein.
Examples:
- 1 chicken breast or thigh
- 1 piece of salmon, tuna, or steak (deck-of-cards size)
- ¾ cup Greek yogurt or cottage cheese
- 2 eggs + egg whites
- 1 scoop of protein powder (check the label for grams per scoop)
Most women do well with 1 palm per meal, and may need 1.5–2 palms at times — especially post-workout or during strength-focused phases.
The goal is to fuel your body with enough high-quality protein to feel stronger, more energized, and more satisfied throughout the day.
Animal-Based Options:
- Chicken breast, rotisserie chicken, turkey, steak
- Boneless pork, ground beef (grass-finished if possible)
- Salmon, tuna, black cod, sole, halibut (preferably wild)
- Shrimp, scallops, mussels, clams, oysters (rich in zinc + B12)
- Sardines or canned mackerel (great source of calcium + omega-3s)
- Eggs (pasture-raised if possible; yolks provide choline, vitamins D and B)
- Greek yogurt, cottage cheese
- Liver (beef or chicken)— packed with iron, vitamin A, and B12
🌱 Plant-Based Sources:
- Lentils, chickpeas, black beans
- Tofu, tempeh, edamame
- Hemp hearts, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds
- Protein powder (great in smoothies or oats)
Note: Plant proteins can be lower in certain essential amino acids—so aim to vary sources or combine with grains to round out your intake.
📅 Protein Delivery Tip: Try ButcherBox (meat) and OceanBox (seafood) for high-quality, direct-to-your-door proteins
2. Eat the Rainbow
Eating a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables is one of the simplest ways to load your meals with essential nutrients.
Each color brings its own set of health-supportive plant compounds—like antioxidants, polyphenols, and fiber—that help protect your cells and support your immune system, digestion, hormones, and overall well-being. The more variety you include, the better your gut — and your body — will feel.
Think of color as a shortcut to nutrient diversity. Aim for 3–5 colors a day—not perfection, just variety.
Vegetables: Fiber, Volume, and Daily Nutrient Insurance
Vegetables are one of the easiest ways to get fiber, volume, and protective nutrients into your day. They support gut health, hormone balance, immune function, and help you feel full and energized without excess calories. Batch roast on Sundays or keep chopped veggies on hand for easy meals during the week.
The more color and variety you include, the more nutrient coverage you get — without overthinking it.
🍎 Bell peppers, tomatoes, red cabbage, radishes, beets
🍊 Carrots, orange peppers, sweet potatoes, pumpkin
💛 Yellow squash, bell peppers, corn
🥬 Spinach, kale, broccoli, bok choy, cucumbers, Brussels sprouts
🔵 Eggplant, purple cabbage, purple carrots, beets
⚪ Cauliflower, mushrooms, garlic, onions, parsnips
Fruit: Sweet, Supportive, and Best with Balance
Fruit is nutrient-dense, satisfying, and packed with fiber, antioxidants, and natural sugars.
It’s a great way to nourish your body and satisfy your sweet tooth — especially when paired with protein or healthy fats.
To support steady energy and avoid blood sugar spikes, enjoy fruit after or alongside a balanced meal, not on its own.
🟢 Lower-Glycemic Fruits – Best for steady energy and blood sugar support
🍓 Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries
🍎 Green apples, red apples
🥝 Kiwi, avocado
🍐 Pears, white peaches
🍒 Cherries
🍊 Oranges, apricots
🍋 Limes
🟡 Moderate-Glycemic Fruits – Still Nourishing—Best Paired with Protein and/or Fat
🍉 Watermelon
🍇 Plums, grapes
🍈 Cantaloupe
🍑 Golden kiwifruit, bananas
🥭 Mango
🍍 Pineapple
🍠 Cooked pumpkin
🔴 Limit or Use Strategically – Higher Glycemic; Best Eaten Post-Workout or with Extra Awareness if Insulin Resistant
🍇 Grapes (especially red or seedless)
🥭 Tropical fruits (like mango, pineapple)
🍬 Dried fruit (dates, raisins, dried mango, etc.)
💡 Tip: If you’re managing blood sugar or insulin resistance, stick with lower-glycemic fruits and pair them with protein or fat to help keep energy steady and glucose levels stable.
3. Include Healthy Fats
Healthy fats are essential for hormone production, brain health, blood sugar stability, and satiety. They help you stay full longer and absorb key nutrients like vitamins A, D, E, and K.
Eating enough fat isn’t what makes you gain weight—it’s often what helps you stop overeating later.
🍳 Use for Cooking:
- Avocado oil
- Ghee
- Grass-fed butter
- Tallow
(Avoid seed oils like canola, soybean, corn, and sunflower—they’re highly processed, inflammatory, and disruptive to metabolic health.)
🥑 Add for Flavor + Nutrients:
- Olive oil
- Avocado
- Seeds: hemp, pumpkin, sunflower
- Nuts: walnuts, almonds, macadamia
- Nut butters: almond, cashew, peanut (check for added sugar/oils or make your own)
- Tahini
🧀 Optional Dairy (if tolerated):
- Full-fat Greek yogurt
- Cottage cheese
- Cheddar, mozzarella, goat cheese
Tip: If you’re dairy-sensitive, try removing it for 2–4 weeks and see how your digestion, energy, and skin respond.
🥜 On-the-Go Options:
- A small handful of nuts or seeds
- Nut butter packets (look for ones with clean ingredients)
- Single-serve guacamole cups or mini avocados (great with veggies or protein on the go)
4. Add Flavor & Digestion Boosters
Small additions can have a big impact — not just on taste, but on digestion, nutrient absorption, and inflammation.
Herbs, spices, acids, and broths can all support your gut, enhance flavor, and turn simple meals into something you actually enjoy eating.
- Lemon or lime juice (stimulates digestion and brightens flavor)
- Garlic, onion, fresh ginger (anti-inflammatory and gut-friendly)
- Himalayan salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper (mineral-rich and flavor-enhancing)
- Fresh herbs: cilantro, parsley, basil, mint
- Bone broth (supports gut lining, joint health, and hydration)
- Nutritional yeast (adds a cheesy umami flavor + B vitamins)
- Chili oil or jalapeños (boosts metabolism and adds heat)
Think of these as your meal’s personality—bold, bright, and entirely your own.
5. Simple Complex Carbs (If They Work for You)
Complex carbohydrates can support energy, recovery, sleep, and hormone health—especially when paired with protein and eaten at the right times. They’re most beneficial around workouts or earlier in the day, when your body is more insulin-sensitive and better able to use carbs for fuel.
This isn’t about cutting carbs—it’s about using them strategically, based on your energy needs.
Smart picks:
- Sweet potatoes, quinoa, oats
- Sprouted-grain bread
- Cooked-then-cooled potatoes or rice (resistant starch)
- Beans, lentils
- Berries, green apples, pears
Portion Tip:
- Start with ½ cup per meal and adjust based on your activity level and how you feel.
- Always pair carbs with protein to support blood sugar stability and sustained energy.
💡 Pro tip: Low-glycemic fruits like berries are ideal — especially after a protein-rich meal.
6. Hydrate Well 💧
Water supports digestion, brain function, joint health, and cellular repair—especially as we age. But hydration isn’t just about drinking more water. It’s about keeping your electrolytes in balance.
When you overdo plain water or rely on sugary drinks, you dilute essential minerals like sodium and potassium. The result? Brain fog, muscle weakness, and low energy.
Daily Hydration Tips:
- Sip water consistently—not just at meals
- Use a water bottle you enjoy
- Add a pinch of sea salt or squeeze of lemon to boost absorption and maintain mineral balance
➕ Support with Electrolytes:
During workouts, hot weather, or travel—or anytime you’re feeling depleted
Try a clean, sugar-free option like LMNT—my go-to for years
Optional Beverages to Enjoy:
- Herbal, green, or black tea (unsweetened)
- Coffee (ideally black or with unsweetened nut milk)
- Sparkling water (no added sugars)
- Bone broth (bonus: supports gut and joint health)
7. Limit Sugary Drinks, Juice & Alcohol
Hydration is essential—but what you drink matters just as much as how much. Sugary beverages, fruit juice, and alcohol can disrupt blood sugar, impair recovery, interfere with sleep, and drain energy—especially during hormonal shifts.
Even seemingly harmless habits—like fruit juice with breakfast or a nightly glass of wine—can stall progress and leave you feeling depleted.
Cut back on:
- Soda and sweetened iced teas
- Fruit juices (even 100% natural)
- Alcohol (wine, cocktails, beer)
- Flavored lattes or energy drinks with hidden sugars
Try this instead:
Sparkling water with citrus or herbs, unsweetened tea, or a mocktail made with an electrolyte mix and fresh lime.
Remove completely if you’re doing a 30-Day Reset or actively working to rebalance hormones.
8. Try a 10-Hour Eating Window ⏰
Eating within a 10-hour window (like 9am–7pm) gives your body time to digest, stabilize blood sugar, and support cellular repair overnight.
It’s a gentle, sustainable way to reduce late-night snacking, improve sleep, and align with your natural circadian rhythm.
Dr. Stacy Sims and other women’s health experts recommend front-loading meals earlier in the day, when your body is most insulin-sensitive and metabolically active.
How to ease into it:
- Start with a 10-hour window (example: 8am-6pm or 10am–8pm)
- Adjust as needed — shorten to 8 or 6 hours only if it feels supportive
- Focus on 3 balanced meals and skip the grazing
Note: Fuel before workouts—especially in the morning.
Fasted training can increase stress hormones and work against your goals, particularly for women in midlife and beyond.
This isn’t about restriction — it’s about creating space for digestion, recovery, and metabolic health.
What Balanced Meals Can Look Like 🍽️
You don’t need to follow a rigid plan — just build meals around a few simple elements:
protein, vegetables, healthy fats, and carbs or fruit if needed.
Start with protein and produce first, then layer in fats and carbs as needed based on your goals and activity level. This combo supports energy, hormone balance, satiety, and stable blood sugar throughout the day.
Examples:
- Grilled salmon + roasted Brussels sprouts + olive oil drizzle + small scoop of quinoa
- Turkey lettuce wrap + avocado + carrot sticks
- Scrambled eggs (cooked in ghee) + sautéed spinach + ½ sweet potato
- Greek yogurt + chia seeds + berries + walnuts
- Cottage cheese + flax + cinnamon + blueberries
- Sardines or canned mackerel + arugula salad + olive oil + boiled potato (optional)
Keep it simple, satisfying, and sustainable. The goal is to feel nourished — not restricted.
This Isn’t a Diet
It’s a return to self-care.
When you eat like you respect yourself, everything shifts — energy, mood, mindset, and momentum.
It doesn’t need to be perfect. Just keep showing up — one real choice at a time.
Ready to reset? Start where you are. Choose one small step today.
📍 Recipes & Fuel Ideas
📍A 30-Day Reset
📍Feel to Heal
“Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.” — Jim Rohn
