Coach Transformed Her Perimenopause with These 8 “Non-Negotiable” Habits

Have you struggled to lose weight but failed time and time again? You may have to shift your mindset, says one influencer. Ashley Hughes is a mother of four who regularly shares her weight loss journey. In a new video, she reveals that establishing three healthy habits was a core part of her slim-down success, ultimately helping her drop 40 pounds.

It’s Never Too Late to Reinvent Yourself, She Says

At the start of the clip, she explains that she wants to discuss “reinventing yourself” using her own story. “I think most of us at some point think it's too late to create changes, even if deep down we really want something,” she says in the video. She hit a point “where I felt I wasn't in control of so many areas of my life, and that I just needed to accept where I was physically, financially, emotionally, really, I just felt every aspect of my life just felt sad,” she said.

She Struggled to Lose Weight for Years

“Up until that point, I had done countless weight loss challenges in my life,” she continued, explaining that after having each of her babies, “the weight seemed just to be a little more difficult to get off. You know, I'd gain weight with each pregnancy and then not lose all of it. And then I was pregnant again, which meant more weight.”

She Hit Rock Bottom

She finally hit a bottom with her weight. “This was all me. And I could accept my past decisions of never finding time to exercise and not paying attention to my nutrition. I could have accepted that this is just who I am. So why bother even trying? For a while, I actually did feel that way because I had tried so many things in the past, yet I always found myself back here, back in the same routine of eating habits and having no physical activity, a part of my daily routine. This is where I ended up every single time.”

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A Discussion with Her Husband Sparked Change

However, on the last day of October, she sat down with her husband and talked about “all of the areas of my life that I wasn't happy with and that I really wanted to change,” she says. “What was interesting was the whole month of October when I was living in a state of acceptance, you know, accepting the fact that my past decisions had made up my life and that this was just who I was.”

She Decided She “Deserved More”

“When I sat down with my husband, and I had this conversation with him and just opened up about the fact that I wasn't happy and I wanted to change at that moment, I immediately felt better. I felt happier. I felt excited. It was like this moment of realizing, no, I am the creator of my life, and I get to decide what my next chapter looks like. That immediately lit a flame inside me. And I believe it takes this realization moment for all of us to decide we want more or deserve more finally, and we're far more capable of maybe what we are accomplishing,” she says.

She Committed to 6 Months

“On November 1st, I remember waking up with a new feeling inside of me that I wanted to change but wasn't sure how I was going to go about it,” she admits. She “stumbled across a little graphic on Instagram that said something along the lines of, if you committed yourself to six months of doing these things on this checklist — some of those items were working out four to five times a week, personal development, going for walks, getting eight hours of sleep, cutting out negativity — and I remember reading that and feeling a fire inside of me, and I knew that I had to do this. I had to commit myself to six months of really trying.”

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She Focused on Personal Development

And so she started “spending time daily in personal development, meditating and focusing on removing negativity from my life, which included negative thoughts or self-talk, this was literally the answer I needed to change my life and to reinvent myself completely,” she continues. She also stopped staying up late and eating unhealthy food. “Let me tell you something I really found to be true during this whole journey. The day you decide to change, and you wake up, and you're crossing things off your checklist that are helping you move the needle towards your goals, you will never be happier than when you are working towards something,” she says.

Habit 1: Immerse Yourself Into Your New Lifestyle

What are some different ways to apply this idea and create a new daily routine that you will stick to? Here are the three habits. The first is “to immerse yourself into the world of whatever it is you're trying to go after,” she says. “To really completely reinvent yourself, you've got to be eating, sleeping, breathing, this new lifestyle.”

She recommends “following accounts on social media that will inspire you every single day to stick to your new lifestyle, unfollow anyone who maybe causes you to have negative thoughts or will distract you from becoming this new version of yourself, find podcasts, YouTube, videos, books, eBooks, all things related to your topic,” she suggests. “Maybe you've heard of the power of proximity, who you surround yourself with, you become, and this can absolutely be virtual. You don't have to know these people to be inspired by them and for them to influence your daily decisions.”

Habit 2: Create Daily Action Step Goals

“I would also make a point to create daily action step goals. Make the action your goal. So, instead of saying, my goal is to lose 20 pounds, that can be your big goal, but your goal today is to get your workout in and to stick to your meal plan. When the day is over, you will feel so much more accomplished because you achieved your goal,” she says. “When you do this consistently, your big goal happens by default. This can be applied to any goal you have. Create action step goals on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis that are bringing you closer to your big goal.”

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Check in with Yourself Nightly

“A very important step is to check in with yourself every single night. Reflect on your day and the decisions you made. Did you make decisions based on your old past self, or did you make choices? This renewed higher version of yourself would make the simplest way to stay on track when it comes to reinventing yourself is to consider your highest self in every decision you make each day. Is this the choice the higher version of you would make? If not, don't do it, and eventually, you will become this person. In fact, the decisions that used to be so hard or uncomfortable for you to make will become uncomfortable for you not to make them because this is just who you are now. This is the new you,” she concludes. And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.

Are you in your late thirties or early forties and struggling to lose weight? You may need to update a few simple habits, says one expert. Gabrielle Carolyn is a hormone and cortisol coach who specializes in helping women over 40 “lose fat” and “gain energy” in the “natural” way. In a new social media post, she discusses her own journey of losing 12 pounds leading up to 40 and getting in the best shape of her life. “Curious how I finally broke through my fat loss plateau?” she writes in the post, going on to reveal the four game-changing habits that enabled her to do it.

She Struggled to Lose Baby Weight in Her Mid-30s

“Turning 40 in July has me feeling amazing! But last year? It was a different story. After having my kids in my mid-30s, I struggled to lose that extra weight. It felt impossible… until I found a routine that really worked for me. Now, I’m so excited to share what made the difference!” she writes in the post.

Cortisol Was the Culprit, She Claims

Cortisol, the “stress hormone,” can “make fat loss—especially around the belly—super frustrating,” she continues. “Getting a handle on healthy cortisol is what changed everything.” Here are the four key changes she made to help her lose weight and keep it off.

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1. She Switched Up Her Workouts

The first thing she did? “Switched up my workouts,” she revealed. “I moved from cardio to strength training, which boosted my metabolism and helped burn more calories.”

Strength Training Is Great for Weight Loss

The Mayo Clinic supports strength and weight training to help reduce body fat, preserve and increase lean muscle mass, and burn calories more efficiently. Strength training may also help you:

• Develop strong bones
• Manage your weight
• Enhance your quality of life
• Manage chronic conditions
• Sharpen your thinking skills

2. She Prioritized Sleep

She also stresses the importance of getting enough rest. “Prioritized sleep,” is her second healthy habit for losing weight. “Getting consistent, quality rest balanced my hormones and improved how I felt overall,” she says.

Other Benefits of Sleep

According to the Sleep Foundation, weight loss is one of the many benefits of getting enough sleep. Others are, it is a mood booster, promotes heart health, regulates blood sugar, improves mental function, restores your immune system, helps relieve stress, and aids in weight loss.

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3. She Hydrated

Drinking liquids was also key in her journey, she claims. She explains that she “stayed hydrated,” and it was very beneficial. “Upping my water intake and adding electrolytes with trace minerals helped me stay energized and balanced,” she says.

Benefits of Hydration and How Much Water You Should Drink

What is so important about hydration? The Mayo Clinic explains that water helps get rid of waste through urination, perspiration, and bowel movements, keeps your temperature normal, lubricates and cushions joints, and helps protect sensitive tissues. According to the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, men should drink about 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids a day and women about 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids.

4. She Took the “Right” Supplements

To compensate for nutritional deficiencies, she took “the right supplements,” she continues. “My Cortisol Combo was the game-changer in managing stress and staying on track.”

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The “Small Changes” Made a Big Difference

Bottom line? She claims that incorporating a few key habits was a huge game-changer in her weight loss journey. “These small changes have helped me keep off those 12 pounds for over a year, and I’ve never felt better,” she writes. And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.

You've tried every diet, hit the gym religiously, and still watch the numbers on your scale refuse to budge. The frustration of feeling stuck despite your best efforts is all too familiar. When 26-year-old content creator and fitness enthusiastHailey Gamba hit this same wall, she discovered an approach that helped her lose 31 pounds without intense workouts or complicated meal plans. Here's how she transformed her body and mindset with a few key changes that might work for you, too.

The Wake-Up Call That Changed Everything

"I remember reading my chart and seeing next to my weight and height the word 'obese,' and I remember being floored," Hailey shares in her post. At 186 pounds, this medical assessment became her turning point. "I erased it out of the chart and wrote, I am not obese," she recalls, highlighting her initial denial. Despite maintaining an active lifestyle and regular gym attendance, she realized her approach wasn't working.

Breaking Free from Hidden Anxiety

What started as simple habits - staying in the car while others went into stores or avoiding certain social situations - revealed deeper issues. "I was developing social anxiety due to my weight, and I didn't even realize it," Hailey reveals. "I had internal body hatred, but I was constantly tricking myself, saying 'you're confident, you're happy.'"

The Turning Point at 26

"I remember saying to myself, I want this year to be intentional. I want to feel the most Haley this year," she shares about her decision to change. "I want to feel like I love myself through and through. I feel sexy, and I feel seen because I love who I am on the inside."

The Fasting Strategy That Worked

Following her mother's guidance, Hailey adopted a new approach to eating. "I would fast until probably three o'clock, and then I'll eat my first meal," she explains. Her typical meals included simple combinations like tuna, rice, and avocado for lunch, followed by a lighter dinner of soup or lean fish with vegetables. "The first week, the second week was the hardest weeks of my life," she admits.

Key Changes Beyond Fasting

The transformation went beyond just meal timing. "No more Starbucks, no more sugary drinks at all," Hailey states. She eliminated alcohol, bread, pasta, and potatoes from her diet. "I must have had some sort of allergic reaction or inflammation issue due to what I was eating," she reflects. "Although I was working out every day, it didn't matter because the diet was not matching."

Managing Food Obsession

"The constant obsession with food was the issue for me. Some people really do obsess over food all day," Hailey shares. "The food noise was bothering me. I was thinking about food all the time." Her solution involved staying busy with work and other activities to avoid focusing on food.

The Results and Lifestyle Shift

The impact was dramatic and quick. "I lost 10 pounds in the first two weeks," Hailey shares. Beyond weight loss, she experienced significant improvements in comfort and confidence. "There's something about sitting down and not feeling my stomach hanging over... The confidence it has brought me - no food will ever feel as good as this type of skinny feels for me."

A New Approach to Exercise

"I started implementing low-impact workouts," Hailey explains. "I started walking, guys, walking, walking, walking, walking. Does the body wonder? And I'm not talking about walking a mile. I'm talking about putting your watch on and walking 5, 6, 7 miles." She also incorporated Pilates and lightweight training, noting, "Bar will have you punching the air a hundred million times with two-pound weights, and it tones you up."

Sustainable Success Tips

For maintaining results, Hailey emphasizes the importance of progress photos and clothing fit as accountability tools. "Look at pictures of yourself week by week," she advises. "My clothes held me accountable when I saw my clothes coming out to here... nothing fits me." She emphasizes that moderation is key: "When people say eat in moderation, this is what they meant. Eat mostly good. But when you go out with a friend, you can have a piece of bread. You won't die."

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The Hormone Connection

"It was a reset for me. But everybody's body is different. Everyone's hormones are different. Everyone's cortisol levels are different," says Hailey. The role of hormones in weight management cannot be overlooked. "There are five main hormonal imbalances that impact women as they go through perimenopause that directly impact their ability to lose weight," explainsSarah Gibson, MPAS, PAC, HWC, an expert in weight loss and hormones. These include adrenal fatigue, sex hormone imbalance, vitamin D deficiency, thyroid dysfunction, and insulin resistance.

Why Your Exercise Strategy Matters

Hailey's switch to low-impact exercise aligns with expert recommendations. "The two biggest mistakes that women make when trying to lose weight after the age of 40 are starving themselves and over-exercising," Gibson notes. She advises to "limit exercises that increase cortisol, like running, HIIT, and intense workouts," and instead focus on activities like walking, cycling, or swimming.

The Stress Factor

"Every high-functioning female deals with stress on a constant basis. The problem is that stress was meant to be just a short-term response!" Gibson explains. This chronic stress can lead to hormonal imbalances that make weight loss more challenging. Hailey's approach to managing stress through lifestyle changes and avoiding inflammatory foods addresses this crucial aspect of weight management.

Nutrition for Hormone Balance

While Hailey found success through fasting, experts emphasize the importance of balanced nutrition. "At our practice, we teach 'food freedom,' where no foods are off-limits. Instead, we help clients focus on hitting protein and fiber goals to fill in dietary gaps," says Gibson. This approach helps balance blood sugar, control hunger hormones, and promote healthy estrogen levels.

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Understanding Your Body's Signals

"Weight gain is just a symptom of something deeper happening in your body," Gibson emphasizes. This insight mirrors Hailey's experience of discovering how certain foods were causing inflammation in her body. Finding an approach that works for your individual needs and staying consistent with it is key to achieving lasting results. And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.