The Excuse I Hear Most: I Don’t Have Time

If I had a dollar for every time someone told me they just don’t have time to focus on their health, I’d probably have enough for my own personal chef by now. It’s the number one excuse I hear, and to be honest, I’ve used it myself.

Life is busy. Work deadlines, family commitments, appointments, errands - there’s always something tugging at our schedule. But here’s the hard truth: waiting for life to slow down before you start taking care of yourself means you’ll be waiting forever.

When I went through my own setbacks, time always felt scarce. Between the everyday demands of work and family plus add an illness or injury, there was never a “perfect time” to focus on my health. What I learned is that small, intentional choices matter more than perfect timing.

You don’t need hours a day to overhaul your life. You need minutes. Thirty minutes to prep some protein and veggies for the week. Twenty minutes to do a strength workout at home. Ten minutes to step outside for sunlight and a reset. Even five minutes to pause, breathe, and shift your mindset. These little deposits add up.

The truth is, when women tell me they don’t have time, what they usually mean is that they don’t know where to start. And that’s where coaching changes everything. With the right strategy, you stop wasting energy on guesswork and start using the time you do have more effectively.

So instead of asking yourself, “Do I have time for this?” try asking, “How can I make this work with the time I have?” Because you are never too busy to take care of yourself - you’re too important not to.

Try This Mini Time Audit
Grab a piece of paper or your phone’s notes app and jot down three things you did today that took less than 20 minutes. It could be scrolling social media, watching part of a show, or running a quick errand.

Now imagine if just one of those blocks of time had been spent on your health - prepping a protein, going for a walk, or doing a short strength workout. Over the course of a week, that small shift could make a big difference.

You don’t need more time. You need to use the time you already have with intention.

Why Seeing Chris Botti at Jimmy’s Jazz Club Was the Best Yet

There’s something special about seeing a favorite artist live, and for us, that’s Chris Botti. What started years ago with the purchase of one CD (yes, we’re old school like that) has turned into a bit of an obsession. His shows are always a mix of incredible music, stories, and humor, plus he has a way of showcasing the talent of the artists who perform alongside him.

This summer, we saw him for the third time, but for the first time in the U.S., at Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues Club in downtown Portsmouth, NH. And let me just say, it was the best venue yet. My husband actually gets the credit for this date night. He spotted the tickets as soon as they went on sale and secretly bought them, planning a surprise. A couple of weeks later, I stumbled across the listing and said, “Hey, we should go see Chris Botti again.” Little did I know, the plan was already set.

Jimmy’s itself is a gem. Intimate, lively, and designed for music lovers, the acoustics are phenomenal, the seating is cozy, and the vibe makes you feel like you’re part of something special. We went to the late show and skipped dinner service, opting instead for mocktails. I ordered the Pomegranate Dream (pineapple, pomegranate, and Earl Grey simple syrup) served in a martini glass - it was fun and refreshing.

The show was a full house with a lively audience that was just as engaged as the band. Chris Botti knows how to connect, blending his trumpet mastery with storytelling and humor. One of the highlights of the night was their performance of What a Wonderful World. Every performer joined in, the drummer’s solo was incredible, and the entire audience sang along while waving phone flashlights like old-school lighters. It was one of those goosebump, can’t-forget moments.

This wasn’t our first Chris Botti adventure. We first saw him in 2015 at the Shenzhen Concert Hall in China, which still feels surreal! We somehow managed to buy tickets, navigate a foreign city we'd only been living in for a few months, and not get lost along the way. The second time was in Hong Kong in 2018 at the Cultural Centre overlooking Victoria Harbour - much easier place to navigate. Both performances were amazing, but this one at Jimmy’s topped them. The intimate seating, historic building, and perfect acoustics made it unforgettable.

Where should we see him next??

The Stress and Cortisol Hacks Most People Completely Ignore

When most women think about stress management, the usual tips come to mind: exercise it out, meditate, have a glass of wine, try to sleep better. Some even swear by bubble baths, binge-watching reality TV, or stress-cleaning the pantry at 10 p.m. (hey, no judgment). All of those can help in their own way. But if you’re in the peri-to-post wellness season, your body’s relationship with stress is shifting and it takes a little more strategy.

What many people don’t realize is that cortisol - the body’s main stress hormone - starts in the brain. Your outlook, your daily rhythms, even your first choices in the morning all influence whether your body prepares for fight-or-flight or for calm and balance.

Here are a few of the most overlooked hacks that can make a big difference:

1. Get sunlight in the morning
Natural light tells your body it’s daytime, helping regulate your cortisol rhythm so it peaks when it should (early in the day) and tapers off at night. This simple step can improve sleep, energy, and mood.

2. Hydrate before coffee
Many of us reach for caffeine first thing, but your body actually needs hydration to support cortisol’s natural morning rise. Try drinking water or electrolytes before your coffee, or wait a little while before that first cup. It helps your system wake up naturally.

3. Eat foods that support hormone balance
Whole foods rich in protein, fiber, and healthy fats help stabilize blood sugar and prevent cortisol spikes. On the flip side, processed foods and excess sugar can send cortisol on a rollercoaster that leaves you drained and craving more.

4. Mindset matters most
This one is easy to overlook, but it may be the most powerful hack of all. How you perceive your daily stress tells your body whether it should brace for a fight or relax into safety. A positive, resilient mindset, combined with practical strategies, helps regulate cortisol and sets the tone for how your body responds to everything else.

Why this matters
When cortisol is balanced, you feel calmer, sleep better, have more energy, and see less stress-related weight gain. When it’s not, you may feel anxious, wired but tired, and stuck in cycles of cravings and belly fat.

The good news? Small, intentional habits can reset that rhythm and bring you back into balance.

And if you’re ready to put these hacks into practice but want some guidance, join me for the 5-Day Cortisol Reset happening August 18–22. It’s a chance to experience my coaching program for yourself, with a special focus on managing cortisol through food, movement, and mindset. Click here to learn more.

Meet Cortisol: Your New Frenemy After 40

If you’ve been feeling more anxious, wired at night but dragging all day, or watching belly fat creep in even when you’re eating healthy, you’re not imagining it. Something is shifting and for many women in perimenopause and menopause, that something is cortisol.

Let’s break it down.

What Happens in the Peri-to-Post Transition
As estrogen and progesterone levels begin to decline, the body’s stress response changes. Progesterone, in particular, is known as a calming hormone. It plays a big role in keeping cortisol (your main stress hormone) in check. But when progesterone drops, the body often leans harder on cortisol to manage energy, blood sugar, and inflammation.

Estrogen also has a hand in regulating your nervous system. So as it fluctuates, things like sleep, mood, and temperature regulation can all feel disrupted. This adds more stress on the body and the cycle continues.

What That Feels Like

• Waking up between 2 and 4 a.m. and not being able to fall back asleep

• Feeling “tired but wired” all day

• Gaining weight, especially around your middle

• Experiencing more mood swings, brain fog, or anxiety

• Noticing hot flashes and fatigue get worse when you’re under more stress

If any of that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. These are common symptoms that show up when cortisol is elevated or out of rhythm. And the tricky part is, most women are still being told to just eat less and move more, which can actually make things worse.

What You Can Do
In this season of life, managing cortisol becomes just as important as managing calories or workouts. In fact, it’s the key to everything else working.

That’s why my coaching focuses on:

• Smart workouts that support metabolism without overtraining

• Blood sugar balance through whole food nutrition and intermittent fasting

• Recovery and hydration with tools like magnesium, sleep support, and active rest

• Consistency over perfection so you can sustain results without burnout

When you learn to work with your hormones and nervous system, everything starts to shift. Energy improves. Sleep becomes more restorative. Fat loss gets easier. And you feel like yourself again.

Curious what it’s like to work with a coach who actually gets what your body is going through?

Join me for the 5-Day Cortisol Reset, August 18–22. It's a chance to try my proven coaching program with a special focus on managing cortisol in the peri-to-post wellness season.

You'll learn how to:

• Regulate cortisol and feel calm, clear, and in control

• Cut cravings and increase steady energy

• Build strength with short, effective workouts

• Reduce stress-related weight gain

• Feel empowered with a plan that supports your hormones and your lifestyle

Learn more and register here!

How to Build a Day That Supports Your Hormones (Without Overhauling Your Life)

Some days, things just click and you don’t even realize it until later.

Not long ago, I finished the day feeling calm, satisfied, and surprisingly energized. No crashes, no cravings, no mid-afternoon slump. That’s when it hit me…I had built a day that was super supportive of my hormones, especially cortisol.

And the best part? It wasn’t anything extreme.

Here’s what that day looked like and how you can build your own:

☀️ Morning light + movement: Start your day with a short walk outside if you can. Morning sunlight helps regulate cortisol and gently wakes up your body’s natural rhythm (bonus: it supports better sleep later too).

💪 Strength workout (not stress overload): A 30 minute strength session can go a long way. It helps build muscle and supports healthy hormones without overtaxing your system the way long cardio sessions might. This is a core part of the plan I follow...and coach.

🥤Hydration before caffeine: Yes, coffee still happens, but water with minerals comes first. It rehydrates your body after sleep and helps reduce the cortisol spike that can come from going straight to caffeine.

🍽️ Protein-forward meals: Build your meals around protein and fiber. This keeps blood sugar stable, helps control cravings, and supports steady energy. Grazing on snacky carbs all day? That’s what throws your hormones off track.

⏱️ Fasting window (with intention): If you practice intermittent fasting, be sure to break your fast with a nourishing, balanced meal. The timing matters, but so does what you eat and how much. Under-eating can backfire in midlife.

🧘‍♀️ Downtime matters: Little pockets of rest throughout the day help calm your nervous system and keep cortisol in check. Even five minutes without your phone or to-do list can make a difference.

The truth is, you don’t need a perfect routine. But you can build small habits into your day that support your hormones and help your body feel safe, strong, and steady.

When you do? That’s when things start working again.

P.S. Interested in more information on how I structure my days for hormone support? Click here to see my program,