The 'M' Effect

05/30/2026

I had the privilege of speaking with an incredible group of women this past week about one of the most important and often overlooked stages of women’s health.

We talked about breaking down common myths and fears surrounding perimenopause and menopause, and why this transition does not have to mean losing muscle, bone density, strength, vitality, or quality of life. We discussed the critical role nutrition plays in supporting both everyday health and long-term wellness, the importance of strength training, evidence-based supplementation, and an introductory look at menopausal hormone therapy.

Most importantly, we talked about why these conversations matter.

The more we educate ourselves, the better equipped we are to advocate for our own health - not just for us, but for the women coming behind us: our daughters, granddaughters, friends, and even our husbands and sons, because their support and understanding is needed. Knowledge creates change, and change starts with conversation.

If you’re looking for support, want to gather a group of friends for an educational session, or have an upcoming event where these topics would benefit your audience, I’d love to be part of the conversation. Reach out anytime, because it’s never too early, and it’s never too late, to start investing in your health.

05/26/2026

Women are constantly being told to eat less, do more cardio, work harder, push harder, and somehow just accept feeling exhausted, frustrated, and disconnected from their bodies.

The truth? Most of us were never taught how to properly fuel our bodies. We were taught how to diet. How to shrink ourselves. How to chase smaller numbers instead of better health.

I want women to feel strong.
I want women to have energy.
I want women to build muscle, support their metabolism, protect their bone health, and feel confident in the body they live in every single day.

And if you’re reading this thinking you’ve waited too long, you haven’t.

It is never too late to start.

Whether you’re 35, 45, 55, or beyond, your body can still adapt, get stronger, and thrive when you give it the support it deserves.

The body composition changes you’re chasing? Those often become the byproduct of consistently taking care of yourself.

One meal won’t make or break your progress.
One workout won’t transform your body.
And one off day certainly doesn’t erase all the work you’ve done.

The women who see lasting results aren’t perfect. They’re consistent - read that one again!!

They keep showing up.
They keep building habits.
They keep laying one brick at a time.

One protein-rich meal.
One walk.
One workout.
One reinforced habit.

We live in a world that wants instant results, but health doesn’t work that way. Real change is built slowly, through small actions repeated over and over again.

So if you’re in a season where you’re rebuilding your health, navigating perimenopause, or simply trying to feel like yourself again, keep going.

Trust the process.
Stay consistent.
Keep stacking those bricks.

You might not notice the wall being built every day, but one day you’ll look back and be incredibly proud of what you’ve created.

If you aren’t sure where to start, I am always here to have a conversation!

Love you, mean it!

Coach Jen ✌🏻

05/17/2026

As women in perimenopause, movement becomes so much bigger than “working out.”

It’s stress management.
It’s mood support.
It’s helping regulate blood sugar, improve sleep, protect muscle mass, support our bones, and honestly…sometimes it’s the only thing standing between us and losing our minds by 10am. 😂

This morning’s Pilates date with my girl was a reminder that taking time for ourselves isn’t selfish, it’s necessary.

And no, movement doesn’t have to mean crushing yourself in the gym for 2 hours. Sometimes it’s Pilates, a walk, lifting weights, dancing in your kitchen, or stretching while wondering why your hip suddenly sounds like bubble wrap.

Move your body because you love it, not because you’re punishing it. Especially in this season of life. 🤍

05/13/2026

For YEARS… like 15 of them… I was terrified of going to the dentist. Not “a little nervous.” TERRIFIED. The kind where I needed medication beforehand and no, not Ativan 🤣 Ask Brent for video proof - flamingos & french fries 🤤

And because I believed it, it became part of my identity.

Yesterday, I had a dentist appointment that I seriously considered cancelling. Even while driving there, I was questioning whether I should turn around. But when I booked it, I made a promise to myself that I was going to TRY to do it drug-free.

I did. I know this sounds absolutely ridiculous, I see this but to me this was HUGE!

Not because I magically became fearless overnight, but because I no longer wanted to keep believing the same story I had been telling myself for years. Also… huge shoutout to the dentist at Scotsburn Dental Centre and his assistant (hygienist?) because they were absolutely incredible!!

Then, ONE HOUR later… still frozen 🤣… I headed out for my longest run to date.

For years, I also told myself:
“I’m not a runner.”
“Running is too hard.”
“This just isn’t who I am.”

Yesterday, I ran just over 47 km.

FORTY-SEVEN.

And somewhere along the way, I realized… maybe the problem was never that I couldn’t. Maybe it was that I had accepted old stories about myself as truth.

How many stories are we carrying into perimenopause and menopause that simply are not true anymore?

“I’m too old.”
“My body is broken.”
“I could never do that.”
“I’m not disciplined.”
“I’m not athletic.”
“I’m just an anxious person.”

Says who?

What if this season of life is actually the time we stop believing every limitation we once attached to ourselves?

What if the question becomes…

“Why NOT me?”

Because maybe you’re not who you were 10 years ago.
Maybe you’re stronger.
Maybe you’re braver.
Maybe you’re finally ready to stop introducing yourself to the world through fear, limitations, and old stories.

And maybe… just maybe… you’re capable of so much more than you think.

What do YOU want to do, but you’ve held back because of the stories you’ve told yourself, and have come to believe? 👇🏻

05/12/2026

Hills I’ll absolutely die on as a Health & Wellness Professional + Nutrition & Strength Coach ✨👊🏻

✔️ Fat loss requires a calorie deficit.
Not starvation. Not cutting out carbs. Not detox tea. A calorie deficit.

The reality is most people are eating more and moving less than they think they are. Which means they’re not actually in the deficit required for their body to lose fat.

If you feel like you’re “doing everything right” but have no clue how much you’re eating… you’re not tracking facts, you’re tracking feelings. (Oofta - gut 🤜🏻)

Awareness changes everything.

✔️ Tracking food is a tool, not a punishment.
When used appropriately, food tracking isn’t obsessive. It’s information. It’s education. It teaches you what’s actually in your food and helps connect habits to results.

You don’t need to track forever, but if you have a specific goal, having data matters. Most people don’t accidentally “intuitively eat” their way to long-term fat loss.

✔️ Maintenance is just as important as the fat loss phase.
If you only know how to lose weight, but not maintain it, you’ll keep living in the cycle of starting over.

This is one of the biggest mistakes I see. Reverse dieting and bringing calories back up after a fat loss phase is part of the process, not failure. Your hormones, metabolism, energy, relationship with food, and long-term results all benefit from it.

✔️ GLP-1s and hormone therapy can be supportive, but they are not magic.
For many women, these tools can be life-changing and incredibly helpful. But they do not replace foundational habits.

Strength training, nutrition, movement, sleep, stress management, those things still matter. Medication can support the process, but it can’t outwork poor habits forever.

✔️ Muscle is non-negotiable. 💪🏻
Building and maintaining muscle becomes MORE important as we age, not less.

Muscle supports metabolism, blood sugar regulation, hormone health, strength, mobility, and how your body physically looks and feels.

Every woman should be prioritizing it for both healthspan and lifespan. I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again, our bodies were made to move - no matter the age! PS it’s never too late to start moving your body!

And lastly…

Perimenopause does not mean your body is broken.

It means your body requires a different strategy than it did 10 years ago.

You are not failing, you are not broken, you just need an approach that matches this phase of life.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, stuck, unsure where to start, or just tired of trying to figure it all out on your own, reach out. I offer free consultations where we can talk through your goals, struggles, and create a realistic plan that works for your life and this season you’re in!

Coach Jen ✌🏻

05/08/2026

05/07/2026

Everyone is screaming about PROTEIN & FIBER right now…and honestly, me too!!!

This is one of those things that becomes MORE important as we age, and most people are still not getting enough of it in their day.

We track protein like it’s our full-time job, meanwhile fiber is quietly sitting in the corner going:
“Excuse me… I help too.” 🥲😂

Fiber is SO important for:
✨ Keeping you fuller longer
✨ Supporting digestion & regular bowel movements (yes, we’re talking p**p)
✨ Helping stabilize blood sugar & energy levels
✨ Supporting heart health
✨ Feeding healthy gut bacteria
✨ Helping support hormone balance during perimenopause & menopause
✨ Reducing risk of things like insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes & metabolic syndrome

And ladies… if you’re constantly hungry, craving sugar, feeling bloated, or your digestion feels all over the place… low fiber intake could absolutely be playing a role.

Now let’s talk CHICKPEAS 👏🏻

Did you know 1 cup of chickpeas has roughly 12–15 grams of fiber?! That is HUGE considering most women are only getting about half of the recommended daily intake. PS 15g PROTEIN in that cup of chickpeas - so really win win!

Which brings me to WHY you’re really here… the FOOD 😉😂

This “Marry Me Chickpeas” recipe is INSANELY good. Like scrape-the-pan, lick-the-spoon, eat-it-with-naan-standing-over-the-stove good 🤤

Seriously…you need to make this ASAP! Comment FIBER and I will send the recipe your way!

04/23/2026

Ever taken something in the name of ‘getting lean’ and the outcome had you running to the bathroom and/or having to change your pantaloons IYKYK….read on, I promise you don’t want to miss this one…..

If you grew up in the 80s and 90’s, you probably remember the Magic 8 Ball.

You’d shake it, ask a very serious life question, like “Should I say yes to the boy who just asked me out?” and wait for your answer to magically appear.

Fast forward to today, and not much has changed… except now the “Magic 8 Ball” is Google, social media, and quick-fix solutions promising to solve our symptoms overnight.

Feeling tired? Take this.
Hormones off? Try that.
Not sleeping? Here’s the answer.

And to be clear, there are some great products and knowledgeable people out there. But there’s also a lot of noise. And a lot of it is directed at women who are simply trying to feel better in their own bodies.

The amount of money I’ve spent over the years on quick fixes? It makes me cringe a little (actually, a lot) There’s been moments of frustration, exhaustion, and yes… vulnerability… where clicking “add to cart” felt like the easiest answer. Especially when it was someone I “knew” online sharing her success, telling me she took X or did X and now feels incredible.

But what often isn’t shared is the full picture; changes to nutrition, medical support, therapy, coaching and consistency behind the scenes.

And when that one thing doesn’t “work,” it can leave you feeling discouraged… and reaching for the next solution.

Ask me about the pills I took years ago…that literally made you sh*t your pants. A few of us girlfriends tried them together; calling each other and laughing (crying inside) about actually sh*tting our pants…..”soya, soya sh*t your pants did ya”, was said over and over as we laughed and changed our pants! FUN!

Lasting change comes from the basics:
Fueling your body consistently
Eating enough protein and fiber
Paying attention to how foods actually make you feel

And that’s exactly why your approach needs to be individualized.

You don’t need a magic answer.
You need the full picture.

No shaking required.

04/22/2026

A year ago yesterday, I had a rhizotomy between my C4/C5 vertebrae, a procedure where the nerves that are being crushed and causing pain are targeted and ‘burnt’ to reduce chronic pain signals.

There were days my back pain was so severe I needed help just to do something as basic as getting to the bathroom.

That was my reality.

Yesterday, I carried 105 lbs on a 5K ruck.

Same body. Different chapter.

And let me be clear, my long runs and heavy rucks are what I choose to do. They matter to me.

But your version of movement?
Your strength training, your walks, your workouts, that matters, and that is what you choose.

This has never been about comparison, with anyone!
It’s about showing up for your body, in a way that challenges and supports it.

Here’s what changed:
I stopped waiting to “feel ready” and started working with my body instead of against it.

I listened when it needed rest.
I pushed when it was capable of more.
And I stayed consistent with the unsexy basics - movement, strength, patience.

Your body is always adapting. The question is: to what?

Especially for women moving through perimenopause, menopause, and beyond - this matters even more.

Muscle becomes non-negotiable.
Strength becomes protection.
Movement becomes medicine.

We are not meant to shrink with age.
We are meant to build, maintain, and keep showing up.

Because the goal isn’t just to “be fit” right now, it’s to be capable for life.

To lift your groceries.
To travel.
To run, hike, carry, play, live.
To play with your grandchildren.
To go to the washroom unassisted.

Age is not the reason to slow down.
It’s the reason to double down on taking care of yourself.

Do the work now…so you can keep doing the things later.

Your body is listening. Make sure you’re giving it something worth adapting to.

PS it’s NEVER too late to start!