Let’s talk about something that doesn’t get said enough.
Sometimes, even when you’re doing everything you can to take care of yourself, it still feels like nothing is changing. It can feel like you’re stuck in an in-between place, not where you were before but not quite where you want to be either. That space can feel discouraging, frustrating, and even a little lonely.
You’ve been eating more intentionally, moving your body, and trying to prioritize your health. But the results you’re hoping for just aren’t showing up.
If that’s where you are right now, I want you to know two things: you’re not alone, and it doesn’t mean you’re failing.
When it feels like nothing is working
You’ve been putting in effort. You’ve been consistent. You’ve been showing up. And when the results don’t come quickly, it’s natural to start second-guessing everything.
Thoughts like:
• Why can’t I figure this out?
• Maybe I need to push harder.
• What’s the point if nothing is changing?
Those thoughts can lead straight into all-or-nothing mode. One off day becomes a week of giving up, and suddenly it feels like you’re starting over again.
This happens to so many women
Especially in midlife, there’s constant pressure to get quick results. We are told that if change isn’t dramatic and immediate, we must be doing something wrong.
But real, sustainable change doesn’t usually look like that.
Some of my clients have described feeling stuck for weeks, sometimes months. One woman doing pelvic floor therapy didn’t notice any improvement at first. Then one day, she realized she had slept through the night without needing to get up. Progress had been happening quietly in the background.
This is how behavior change works. It builds slowly, in ways that are sometimes invisible at first, before showing up in big, obvious ways.
If progress feels stalled, here are a few areas you might reflect on
This isn’t about pushing harder or doing more. It’s about gathering information, staying curious, and looking at your health journey through a wider lens.
1. Could this be a plateau?
Sometimes what feels like being stuck is actually your body adjusting to the changes you’ve already made. A plateau can be discouraging, but it often means your system is recalibrating.
Think of it as data, not failure. Your workouts might feel easier even if the scale hasn’t moved. Or your energy might be steadier even if clothes fit the same. These are clues that progress is happening beneath the surface.
In coaching, this is where we review the process, not just the outcomes. What’s working well? What small cracks might be showing up? What invisible wins have you been overlooking?
It’s also an opportunity to notice and reframe unhelpful thoughts like “I’m not doing enough.” Bringing awareness to those thoughts helps you shift to more supportive ones, such as “Consistency itself is progress.”
And here’s the important part: sticking with your habits through a plateau is a success worth celebrating. It shows you’re building resilience, patience, and self-trust, skills that matter as much as any outcome.
2. How are the basics feeling?
When things feel off, it can help to check in with the foundational habits that influence everything else: sleep, hydration, food patterns, stress, movement, and social connection.
It’s not about perfecting them. It’s about awareness. For instance, you might notice that late nights have been affecting your energy, or that hydration has slipped without you realizing. These observations are valuable because they point to small, practical places for adjustment.
In coaching, we often track these basics together to see what’s consistent and what’s changed. Even simple observations like realizing you’ve been more regular with meals than you used to be become data worth celebrating.
Reflection on the basics often sparks moments of insight and highlights skills you’ve been developing without even noticing, like planning ahead, saying no, or listening to your body more closely.
3. What are you using to measure progress?
If the only markers you’re tracking are the scale or clothing size, you might be missing the bigger story.
Progress can show up in many ways, including:
• Quantitative health metrics such as blood pressure, cholesterol, or blood sugar trending in a healthier direction
• Behavioral observations like reaching for water instead of soda, cooking at home more often, or pausing before snacking out of stress
• Skill development such as getting better at setting boundaries, practicing mindfulness tools, or planning meals in a way that actually works for your life
• Adherence to goals, meaning you’re showing up more consistently than before even if it’s not perfect
• Process goals like eating vegetables at most meals, walking three times a week, or going to bed at a regular time
Outcome goals like weight loss, finishing a race, or hitting a target lab number are still important, but they are not the whole story. Tracking process goals alongside outcomes gives you more opportunities to celebrate progress and stay motivated.
In coaching, we often shift the conversation from “Did I hit the goal?” to “What am I learning, how am I growing, and who am I becoming?” That broader lens makes the journey more sustainable and rewarding.
4. Is there something small you’d like to try?
When motivation feels low, sometimes energy returns by experimenting with something new. Not a big overhaul, but a small, short-term trial, what I often call a micro-challenge.
This might look like:
• Adding one extra glass of water each day for a week
• Stretching for five minutes in the morning
• Journaling one helpful thought before bed
• Dancing in the kitchen while cooking dinner
Micro-challenges give you quick feedback. They help you notice what feels supportive and what doesn’t. And most importantly, they provide opportunities to celebrate small achievements, which build confidence and momentum.
In coaching, these experiments often become stepping stones. Even if the outcome isn’t dramatic, the process strengthens skills like self-awareness, consistency, and resilience, the very skills that keep you moving forward over time.
You might be thinking
“I know what I should be doing. I just can’t seem to make it stick when life gets busy.”
This comes up all the time, and it makes complete sense. Knowing what to do doesn’t automatically make it easy to do, especially with the responsibilities and demands that come with midlife.
That’s why, in coaching, we often shift the conversation from “I should be doing more” to “What feels realistic and supportive right now?” That reframing creates space for progress without adding more stress to your already full plate.
A quick recap
If it feels like your healthy habits aren’t paying off, it might be helpful to reflect on:
Whether ou’re in a plateau, and what that pause might be showing you
• How the basics, sleep, hydration, food, stress, movement, and connection, are supporting you right now
• The ways you’re measuring progress, including behaviors, skills, adherence, process goals, and outcomes
• Whether a small experiment could bring back energy and self-awareness
A quick recap
If it feels like your healthy habits aren’t paying off, it might be helpful to reflect on:
- Whether you’re in a plateau, and what that pause might be showing you
- How the basics, sleep, hydration, food, stress, movement, and connection, are supporting you right now
- The ways you’re measuring progress, including behaviors, skills, adherence, process goals, and outcomes
- Whether a small experiment could bring back energy and self-awareness
You don’t need to start over or overhaul your life. Sometimes what makes the biggest difference is pausing, reflecting, and celebrating what’s already in motion, even if it feels small. Those small wins add up, and they build the foundation for lasting change.
Ready to keep the momentum going?
If you’ve been nodding along while reading this, you probably realized that a plateau isn’t failure, that the basics matter more than perfection, and that progress can be measured in many different ways. That clarity is powerful — and it’s the perfect moment to take the next step.
Inside Hobby Health Reset, my 1:1 coaching program for women in midlife, we take exactly these kinds of reflections and turn them into action. Together, we’ll review your current processes, track your progress in ways that feel meaningful, work through unhelpful thoughts, and celebrate every achievement, big or small.
When you apply, we’ll connect to talk about what has been feeling stuck for you, what changes you’d love to see, and how this program can support you step by step.
Here’s what I recommend next: apply today so we can keep building on the momentum you’ve already started by reading this post.
👉 [Click here to apply]