“Running fashionably late, but on my way, Reader!"

Friends often get this text from me.

Inevitably, I try to do everything for all the reasons, and occasionally my body battery runs out sooner than I'd like.

Limited capacity is real!

Many of us have limited capacity to do “all the things” compared to when we were in our 20s and 30s.

Despite good intentions, dropping the ball on behavior-based intentions is easy.

Not because you don't try hard enough.

Because your body's battery has less capacity thanks to hormone fluctuations during perimenopause.

Here's a conversation I had with a client recently:

Jill: After the holidays, I decided to be more intentional with my food choices, and I want to move my body more. So, I just started.

Me: Oh! Say more!

Jill: I realized I'm not eating enough protein at breakfast and lunch. I started adding hemp seeds to my oatmeal and smoothies for breakfast, and I add more supporting characters of protein at lunch in a salad or grain bowl.

I've also been more consistent with movement, walking most days, and mountain biking on the weekends.

Me: Awesome! How's your energy?

Jill: I feel great with the small changes I've made! But I still have limited capacity and energy to do everything.

So, I decided to be more intentional with how I spend the limited energy I have. I want to move my body. I want to cook more. Now I need to figure out what other balls need to drop so I have the time and energy for movement and cooking.

Me: amazing! You experienced the snowball effect. Starting with a simple goal (to eat more protein), being consistent with it, and then feeling motivated to add another goal - to move more.

It's easy to get stuck in the contemplation stage of change - knowing what you want/need to do, but not doing it yet.

Then one day…

You take a step forward. You do the behavior. You do it again the next day. Eventually, you're like a snowball rolling downhill, picking up speed as you go!

How's your body battery feeling these days, Reader?

Try these 3 unexpected ways to get the snowball rolling on your behavior-based intentions:

1. Shift your mindset to compassionate curiosity instead of self-judgment.

2. Aim to practice behaviors, not perfect them

3. "Simplify to amplify” your behaviors to make them work with your low-body battery days

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Here's an example: Dark-Medium-Light Roast Vegetables

If eating more vegetables or fiber is one of your behavior-based intentions, try this roasted vegetable strategy. Roast a couple of pans of veggies on the weekend and add them to lunches, dinners, or a savory breakfast during the busy week.

​Dark-Med-light roast veg 2026.pdf​
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What's your favorite roasted veggie combination, Reader?

Hit reply! I'm crowd-sourcing new batch-cooking ideas 😎

Have a delicious weekend savoring food and your body,

Amanda

PS: It's easy to get stuck in the contemplation stage of change - knowing what you want/need to do, but not doing it. Especially when your body battery is feeling low during this season of life, try these 3 unexpected ways to get the snowball rolling on your behavior-based intentions. If eating more vegetables is one of your behavior-based intentions, scroll up for a cheat sheet on roasted veggies.