I’ve worked in health and wellness over 30 years. I’ve grown up with the industry, its methodology, solutions and marketing; I’ve learned what works and doesn’t. I’m especially attuned to what doesn’t work for midlife women because I am one.

Being blunt, the health and wellness industry is not serving us at all—in fact, it’s creating barriers to well-being.

The current wellness industry promotes a youthful health image that does not reflect a mid-life woman’s reality. The young, slender, fit Caucasian woman with a physique that has not experienced child-bearing, life years and aging does not represent most people, particularly any woman over 30. It’s not achievable.

The whole field of “anti-aging” cosmetics and medicine says it all. Why be against aging? No one can stop/prevent aging. I am now older as I write this sentence than I was when I wrote the preceding one. Aging is reality. Aging is natural. In America’s youth oriented society, respect, appreciation and celebration of life experience is lacking. The health and wellness industry’s relentless chase of youthfulness is demoralizing.

Where has the health and wellness industry let us down most?

#1: IGNORING THE TRUTH—WE’RE CHANGING!

Research has largely ignored the unique challenges facing mid-life women. Hormones change. Bodies and minds change. 

As mid-life women, the transition out of one’s child-bearing age is as powerful as when we entered puberty and child-bearing years. This sacred life passage deserves respect and honor.

As we leave childbearing years, we experience grief and loss. As we grieve for what’s no longer possible, however, we can simultaneously celebrate the potential of what’s to come. Now that we’re no longer part of a fluctuating rhythmic hormonal cycle, we enter our Third Act—the wisdom phase. New stability and strength are ours.

 #2: LACK OF TAILOR MADE SOLUTIONS

Mid-life women require tailor made solutions. Nutritional needs, the body, movement needs—all change. The body requires more time for restoration and repair so it’s not as tolerant of extreme training. This requires respect and patience.

#3: PSYCHOLOGICAL DAMAGE

The notion that Youth and Health are equated has done the most damage to our psyches and to the way in which we approach our well-being. I call this Toxic Wellness! If we’re trying to re-create the body that we had at 20, we will fail. It’s simply not possible. If we want to have the skin tone that we had in our 20s, we will fail. There is a way to age and be beautiful. Wisdom and experience are also very sexy. Are they valued?

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We’ve been ignored, devalued, cast aside. In response, we must forge our own path and choose for ourselves.

• Let’s embrace the sexual and sensual power we possess from our years of experience, we are now unfettered by the requirements of childbirth. There’s a freedom in that experience! Let’s celebrate it.

• Let’s value the road we have traveled, cherishing those hard-earned life lessons and taking pride in our age and accomplishments as a result of years on Earth. That’s fantastic!

• Let’s value our bodies and our wisdom. We can feel energetic, we can look great, we can have strength and power – all of it is achievable.

• Let’s identify what it is that is authentically important to each of us personally in our health and wellness journey.

• Let’s get in touch with our unique, heartfelt desires.

I know what I want for myself personally. But, what I want is not necessarily what you want.

For myself, I want to have energy. I want to wake up with a bounce in my step and look forward to my day ahead. I want to have the energy, strength and flexibility to hike, to walk, to travel and go places and do things. I want to be able to lift and carry items easily. I want to not experience pain in my back, neck or knee or if pain is unavoidable, I want to minimize the pain.

I want to eat foods that make me feel energized and refreshed not sluggish and heavy. I want to fuel my body optimally, train to keep in shape, sleep to restore and refresh, and enjoy time with friends and family so that I can live my life fully.

The health and wellness industry, of which I’ve been a member for a long time, does not serve us in our midlife. I’m here to change that. 

I’m here to celebrate us and share how to love ourselves healthy every day.

Let’s start here: 

What we want to celebrate is healthy, radiant aging. We want to optimize the aging experience and support our bodies and minds as we experience life’s natural rhythms.

In following posts, I want to shine a light on a path we can all travel together. United we are stronger. Understanding you’re not alone is an important first step. We will arm ourselves with knowledge, honor our inner wisdom and act with confidence to create a lifestyle of loving ourselves healthy. Please join us. It’s my honor and privilege to walk alongside you.

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