What Happens When You Stop Fighting Your Body and Start Listening
For years, Nichole did what so many of us have done — she chased every “next big thing” that promised quick results. Fad diets, pills, injections… if it claimed to melt away the pounds, she gave it a try.
And for a while, some of them seemed to work. The number on the scale would dip for a few weeks. Her clothes would fit a little looser. But without fail, the results disappeared — and each time, she was left feeling more discouraged, more confused, and more convinced that her body was broken.
By the time Nichole reached her 50s, she’d quietly accepted the story so many women tell themselves:
“Maybe this is just how it has to be.”
She was living a mostly sedentary lifestyle and trying to find energy in a body that no longer felt like her own. When we first started working together, she wasn’t sure there was anything left to try.
But what Nichole discovered changed everything.
A Shift in Perspective: From Dieting to Fueling
The first thing we did was press pause on the dieting.
Instead of cutting calories lower and lower, we focused on what Nichole’s body truly needed — nourishment, stability, and trust. That meant moving her into what’s called a reverse diet, a structured phase where we gradually increase calories to restore metabolic function after long periods of restriction.
According to Harvard Health, chronic under-eating can slow your metabolism and make it harder to lose weight long term. When the body is constantly deprived, it adapts by conserving energy. In other words — it fights back.
Nichole had spent years in that fight. Her body didn’t trust that food would be available, so it held on tight.
By increasing her intake slowly and intentionally, her metabolism began to wake up again. Her energy improved. Her workouts became more effective. And for the first time in years, she stopped feeling hungry all the time.
She started to understand that fueling her body wasn’t the enemy of fat loss — it was the foundation of it.
Reconnecting with Her Body
Food tracking wasn’t new to Nichole, but this time, it had a different purpose.
Instead of tracking to stay under a number, she learned to track to understand. She started noticing patterns — what foods made her feel energized, which meals kept her full, and when emotional triggers tended to hit.
She began honoring her hunger cues and learning the difference between physical and emotional hunger. It wasn’t always easy, but with practice, she began to tune into her body’s signals instead of ignoring them.
This is one of the most powerful mindset shifts we can make. As Healthline.com notes, building a healthy relationship with food takes time, practice, and patience — not restriction or guilt.
Nichole took that message to heart.
The Power of a Reverse
For over six months, Nichole focused on eating enough to support her metabolism, build lean muscle, and balance her hormones. During that time, she didn’t lose much weight — and that was by design.
Reverse dieting can feel counterintuitive, especially when you’ve spent years being told that success equals eating less. But Nichole trusted the process.
That’s when the magic happened.
The Results
Over several months, Nichole lost 11 pounds and more than 30 inches overall:
7 inches off her chest
8 inches off her waist
12.5 inches off her hips
1.5–2 inches off her arms
2.5–4 inches off her legs
But here’s the best part:
Nichole didn’t just lose inches — she gained confidence, energy, and peace of mind.
In her own words:
“I believe that my body has strength. It may be under layers, but the more you learn, listen, feel, move, and feed it nutritional foods, it will do what you ask of it. This journey is not easy, but it is amazing. I’ve learned from Christi’s example and knowledge that by treating yourself with kindness, nurturing your mind and body, and having patience, success is reachable. This is a way of life, not a fad diet.”
Nichole’s story isn’t about perfection. It’s about patience. It’s about learning to trust the process — and yourself.
What Makes This Approach Different
There’s a reason fad diets fail: they focus on the short term.
They teach you how to restrict, but not how to live.
Nichole’s transformation was built on a completely different foundation: sustainability. She didn’t eliminate entire food groups, spend hours in the gym, or white-knuckle her way through deprivation.
Instead, she learned how to eat for her goals and move for her health — not out of punishment, but empowerment.
Here’s what we focused on together:
1️⃣ Protein and Muscle
Protein became a daily priority — not just for building muscle, but for balancing hormones and supporting recovery. Research from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that higher-protein diets help preserve lean muscle during weight loss, improve satiety, and support healthy metabolism — especially important for women over 40.
2️⃣ Strength Over Scale
We replaced endless cardio with strength training — simple, effective workouts designed to build muscle and improve function. Over time, Nichole began noticing her clothes fit better and her energy soared.
3️⃣ Mindset and Grace
Perhaps the most important shift of all was emotional. Nichole stopped measuring success solely by the scale and started focusing on how she felt. She began giving herself grace — understanding that one meal, one week, or even one setback didn’t define her journey.
The Deeper Transformation
Nichole’s story is powerful because it’s not just physical.
When she first came to me, she carried years of frustration — and underneath that, self-doubt. She had tried everything, and nothing seemed to work. But as she rebuilt trust with her body, something else began to heal too: her belief in herself.
She started showing up differently. More confident. More patient. More compassionate toward herself.
In her words:
“Hands down, this has been the best decision I have ever made. Yes, you can do this on your own, but why would you when you could get the results I have gotten?”
What Nichole’s Story Can Teach Us
If you take one thing from Nichole’s journey, let it be this:
👉 You are not broken.
If your progress has stalled, it doesn’t mean you’ve failed — it may just mean your body needs something different.
Sometimes that “something different” looks like:
Eating more, not less.
Resting instead of pushing harder.
Choosing consistency over extremes.
Learning instead of guessing.
When we stop punishing ourselves and start partnering with our bodies, everything changes.
Why This Matters for Women Over 40
Hormonal shifts, stress, and years of dieting can all impact metabolism, muscle mass, and energy levels. But that doesn’t mean progress isn’t possible — it just means it takes a smarter, more supportive approach.
Nichole’s journey is proof that lasting change isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing what matters — with the right strategy, structure, and support.
She learned that her health wasn’t a problem to be fixed; it was a relationship to be nurtured.
And when you care for your body that way — with nourishment, movement, and compassion — it begins to respond in ways that feel incredible.
You Can Have This Too
If you’re reading this and thinking, “That sounds like me,” I want you to know — you’re not alone.
Whether you’ve been stuck in diet cycles for years or you’re simply tired of not feeling like yourself, there’s another way forward.
One that’s not about restriction.
One that’s not about extremes.
One that’s about rebuilding trust with your body and creating a lifestyle that actually lasts.
If you’re ready to experience your own version of Nichole’s transformation — physically, mentally, and emotionally — I’d love to help you get there.
👉 Click here to book a free call with me.
You don’t have to do this alone. Let’s find the approach that finally works — for you, your body, and your life.
Because, as Nichole discovered:
You can do hard things.
And you can do them with kindness, confidence, and grace.
💛
Christi Counts Macros
