When we organize and completely transform clients' homes, we get to see what a difference a reset can make. This year I have been able to experience a very personal reset that has been more transformative than I ever could have imagined.
I have lost over 30 pounds, about 20% of my body weight, and (last I checked) my body fat percentage was at an all time low of 12.5%. This is lower than when I was teaching 12+ group fitness classes a week, and lower than when I was training for marathons in my 20s before I had kids.
I know what it feels like to be doing all the things that are supposed to "work" and see no progress and my hope is that in sharing my journey I can help other 40+ women who are having similar frustrations. The change wasn't from any one magical solution, but here are 10 things that have made the biggest difference in my health journey to reset my body.
Disclaimer: This blog post was written to share my personal opinions and experiences for informational purposes only. I am not a licensed doctor or health professional, please consult a medical professional for medical advice.
10 Ways I Reset My Body
1. Having a Plan
For me, this looks like planning out my workouts each week and putting them in my calendar, prepping smoothies and healthy options for busy days when I don’t feel like making myself lunch (which is pretty much every day), laying out my workout clothes the night before, and having a great alarm clock that goes off every morning at 5:30 am.
When the decision has already been made, it’s so much easier to go along with the plan. That being said… I am not counting calories or macros or perfectly regimented. I just have routines in place that make the healthy decision an easy one.
2. Home Organization
I’ve always had an organized home, but refreshing spaces so it's easy and natural to make healthy choices has helped me so much. I created zones in my kitchen for drinks and smoothies where all the supplements I use are in consistent containers and labeled, a basket in my locker for all my hot yoga items, and systems throughout my house that make it easy to go to the gym and make healthy meals.
Clearing clutter in my home helps me to manage my stress and when my home is put together I never feel guilty leaving for “me time” because I “should” be cleaning up the mess that's waiting for me at home.
Tip: When I find myself forgetting or running out of time for my healthy habits, I reorganize my home and my schedule to create systems so it's easier to make it happen moving forward.
3. Mindset Shift
I went from saying there was never enough time to telling myself that I am someone who exercises at 6:00 AM no matter what. I went from being the person who didn’t have enough time to eat all day long to someone who prioritizes nutritious meals. I shifted my mindset from body hate to gratitude for what it can do and hope for what it will continue to be able to do. I shifted from a focus on weight loss to body fat percentage. I shifted from what is my pant size to how do I feel in my pants… and how much can I lift ;). Shifting my mindset to truly believe that the time is now and I AM that person I've always wanted to be has changed everything for me.
4. Practice Yoga
Hot yoga has become one of my favorite things. I sweat, my body feels so good, and I feel like it's therapy for my soul. Yoga has helped me manage my stress levels and it's been truly healing. On particularly stressful days, instead of working through dinner or late into the night, I now prioritize yoga during the late afternoon or evening and trust that things are not going to completely fall apart because of that choice.
5. Prioritize Protein
This takes a lot of intentional effort and I'm still working on it. Some weeks I do great, other weeks... not so much. I don't food journal or track macros, but I do try to get protein at every meal. I follow a handful of people on Instagram who have great, easy, high protein meal ideas.
I have my go-to's for breakfast: eggs, cottage cheese, chia seed pudding, high protein oatmeal, or smoothies. For lunches, I love salads and never tire of them. I try to either prep high protein salads for the week or have the ingredients prepped so it's easy to throw everything together. I meal plan for the week and place a Walmart grocery order every Sunday. I make sure that every family dinner is full of veggies and high in protein.
6. Prioritize Sleep
Again, I'm not perfect, but I try to get 7 hours of sleep every night. Also… I got a sunrise alarm clock last year and I LOVE IT. It starts to slowly light up my room like a sunrise around 20 minutes before my alarm actually goes off (which is birds chirping and so pleasant). My body never feels jarred awake and it has made my early mornings feel doable.
I have also loved reading Why We Sleep by Mathew Walker, a professor of neuroscience and psychology. This book has helped me understand sleep more and given me an intrinsic motivation to prioritize my sleep.
7. Weight training
I was a cardio junkie my whole life. Focusing on strength has been incredible for my muscle tone. I love group fitness classes and I lift HEAVY. I am always pushing myself and trying to lift to failure. I have found some group fitness strength training classes I love and try to get 3 to 4 strength training workouts in every week.
8. Whole foods
I have always loved my veggies and tried to stay away from processed foods, but this last year I have taken it to the next level and it has made me feel a lot better about what I am putting in my body. I try to read the labels on anything I buy and really try to avoid any seed oils, vegetable oils, sugar syrup, corn syrup, and any ingredients I can’t pronounce.
I have cut out all aspartame (goodbye Diet Coke), and sucralose (goodbye to a lot of protein drinks and bars). I make all my salad dressings from scratch and have learned how to make sourdough which has been a fun treat. I still allow myself treats and I'm not crazy when enjoying date night or a dinner with my friends, but I try to be very moderate.
9. Advocating for Myself
I knew my hormones were messed up, so I got help. In January of 2022 I got started on a very low dose of testosterone and progesterone as well as some other vitamins that were recommended based on my blood work. It was helpful to go to someone who was willing to give me help. I spent a year being vigilant with the hormones, supplements, fitness, nutrition, water, and sleep. The hormones didn’t help with weight loss but they did help with my mood, anxiety, and sleep.
After a year of living "perfectly" and seeing no weight loss results, I did more research. In February of 2023, I started a low-dose of semaglutide. For the next seven months, while I felt nauseous even on a low dose, I finally started to lose some weight. I felt that the semaglutide was the catalyst for my body to learn how to change.
10. Tirzepatide
For the past year, I've been on Tirzepatide, which is a weight loss drug. Tirzepatide has definitely made the biggest impact for me on the scale and I have loved it. I think it's unfair when talking about this journey NOT to share the reality that losing weight after 40 is HARD and after years of trying, this was finally the answer for me.
This is the part of the journey that I want to be really upfront about. There is NO SHAME in getting help! I had to reach out for help, and now Tirzepatide is a tool I have that has changed my life. I feel strongly that the other components were just as necessary for my healthy weight loss journey so I could have lasting change, but my body did not truly change until I took this step.
I feel like Tirzepatide has finally made my body look and feel how I treat it. Because it's a financial investment, it's also made me much more committed to change. My dedication to exercising, fueling my body with protein and nutritious foods, getting more sleep, investing in self-care, and going to yoga has only increased since starting Tirzepatide.
Tirzepatide has helped me from a medical standpoint to lower my blood sugar levels and not feel hungry, but it has also shifted my mindset. For the first time in my life, I have invested in myself. In the research I've done, I haven't found evidence of any long term side effects. (Again, I'm not a medical professional, I'm just sharing what I've found. Please do your own research and speak to a medical professional for your own health journey.)
Tirzepatide has been great for me and I've had few side effects. One thing I have experienced at times is constipation. I have not felt that it was a challenge in the last several months. A few things I do to stay regular are:
Drink a ton of water
Add a TBSP of MCT oil and 2 tsp of fiber to my morning collagen and mushroom drink
Eat a lot of vegetables and foods with high fiber
Once a month, I have a cup of ‘Smooth Move’ tea to clear things out
If you are interested in where I get my Tirzepatide, I go to G.O.A.T. Athletic Spa. The NP I worked with is darling and has been on her own health journey with Tirzepatide and she is so relatable. You can book your first month and appointment online at tinyurl.com/goatappt and if you use the code ResetYourNest they will give you $255 off the full price for the first month ($100 off the member price). You can also call in for virtual appointments. I have loved working with them and have found them much more helpful, transparent, and informative than the first place I started with.
Thanks for joining me on this journey of wellness. I’ve always seen and understood the value of decluttering, transforming, and creating easy to maintain systems in the home. Going through the process of resetting my entire body from the inside out has been life changing and I will never go back to not prioritizing my health. I spent so many years not seeing how there was enough time in the day to do it all. What I've learned is there will never be enough time in the day to do it ALL. But taking time for me and my wellness has helped me to show up better for my family, my business, my community, and my life. I have started to make efforts for little luxuries that also benefit my wellness. Whether that is a massage every six weeks, getting my nails done, or THE BEST one yet... a scalp facial from The Scalp Facial Lounge. If you want total luxury AND to learn how to make your hair grow faster and thicker, this is an incredible experience.
I hope you have found this information helpful. Please let me know what questions you have. Make sure you're following me on social media because I'll be sharing my routines, how I organize my home to make healthy habits easy, my favorite recipes, meal prepping tips, and more!
Jen is the founder of Reset Your Nest, a Professional Home Organizing Business in Utah (servicing Salt Lake City, Park City, Ogden, Alpine, Highland, Mapleton, and St. George). She loves creating order and systems out of chaos and is known for bringing a beautiful aesthetic as well as easy to maintain function to any space. She shares her tips and tricks on Instagram @reset_your_nest.
