Five Minute Friday

Welcome to 5 Minute Fridays, my weekly newsletter, where I reveal my latest tips to help you get lean, boost energy and live a long active healthy life in Midlife.

You can also read this at RuthSheridan.me​

What’s in store for today:

• Does your plan need an overhaul or just some tweaking?
• Start with the change that will make the biggest difference.
• My favourite thing this week

Hey friend!

It has been a whirlwind week in our house.

Reg and I have been talking about moving for a while. We already live in the country, but over the past few years, our little spot of heaven has become much busier.

Yesterday, we looked at a beautiful 30-acre property.

It had trails, total privacy and so much peace and quiet. It felt the way our current home felt seven years ago, before the area became so busy.

For a few hours, I could picture us living there.

But when we got home, we sat down and talked honestly about what everyday life would actually look like.

The winters would be hard. We could be isolated for weeks when the snow gets heavy. We would be farther away from our favourite coffee shop and all the other small things we enjoy doing.

Those are the little extras that add some fun and flavour to everyday life. The icing on the cake. You know what I mean?

So after all that house hunting, we decided to stay put.

It reminded me that the most exciting option is not always the best option.

Sometimes we become so focused on what could be better that we overlook everything that is already working.

That applies to our health too.

You do not always need a completely new plan, another diet or a dramatic fresh start. Sometimes the smartest move is to keep what is working, fix the parts that are not, and continue building from there.

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Here is your 5 Minute Friday:

1. Does your plan need an overhaul or just some tweaking?

When progress slows down, most women assume the plan has stopped working.

So they cut more food, remove more carbs, add more cardio or jump to something completely different.

But before you overhaul everything, ask a better question:

Is the plan really broken, or has your execution drifted?

Often, the foundation is still solid. You may just need to tighten up a few areas.

Take an honest look at the past two weeks.

Are you getting enough protein at each meal?

Have your portions slowly increased?

Are you adding bites, tastes, drinks or snacks that are not being counted?

Are your weekday meals consistent, but your weekends much looser?

Are you eating too little during the day and then struggling with cravings at night?

Are you following the plan most of the time, or only when life is calm?

These details matter. A few hundred extra calories here and there can be enough to stall fat loss, even when your meals look healthy.

The opposite can also be true. Some women immediately assume they need to eat less, when they are already under-eating protein, skipping meals and making themselves so hungry that consistency becomes impossible.

Instead of changing everything at once, choose one or two adjustments.

You might add 25 to 30 grams of protein at breakfast, measure your fats for a week, plan your weekend meals in advance or replace an unplanned evening snack with a high-protein option.

Then give each change enough time to work.

Do not judge your plan based on one meal, one weekend or one weigh-in. Look at your average over several weeks.

A good plan should not require constant restarting.

It should be simple enough to follow, flexible enough to fit your life and easy to adjust when progress slows.

Sometimes you do need a new plan.

But more often, you need to stop chasing a complete reset and make a few targeted changes to the plan you already have.

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2. Start with the change that will make the biggest difference.

Once you have identified where your plan is slipping, resist the urge to fix everything at once.

Choose the change that is most likely to move the needle.

For most women, that will be one of these areas:

Protein

Aim to include a solid source of protein at every meal. Protein helps preserve muscle, keeps you satisfied and makes it easier to control hunger later in the day.

If breakfast is toast, cereal or fruit on its own, start there. Building your first meal around protein can improve the rest of your day.

Portions

Healthy food still contains calories.

Nuts, cheese, dressings, olive oil, peanut butter and avocado can easily push your intake higher than you realize. You do not need to remove them, but measuring them for a week can show you whether portions have drifted.

Unplanned extras

A few bites while cooking, a drink in the afternoon, cream in several coffees or a snack while watching television may not feel significant on their own.

Added together, they can be enough to slow your progress.

Weekends

Many women are consistent from Monday to Friday, then become much more relaxed on the weekend.

One restaurant meal is rarely the issue. The bigger problem is when Friday night turns into an entire weekend of eating and drinking without much structure.

You do not need to avoid social meals. Decide ahead of time what you want to enjoy, then keep the rest of your meals simple and protein-focused.

Consistency

Sometimes the plan is fine, but you are only following it three or four days a week.

Before lowering your calories or making the plan more restrictive, see what happens when you follow the current plan consistently for two full weeks.

Pick one area and focus on it first.

A small change you can repeat will produce better results than a major overhaul you cannot maintain.

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3. My Favourite Thing This Week: The Strong & Lean Women’s Club Is Officially Open

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This week, I officially launched the Strong & Lean Women’s Club.​

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I created it for women who know they need a plan, but do not need another complicated program taking over their life.

Inside the club, members get:

✅ A nutrition tracker with the right calories and macros for their bodies
✅ A recipe library, meal swaps, and grocery lists
✅ A structured, easy-to-follow, 12-week dumbbell strength program with three workouts each week
✅ Demo videos for every workout so members can perform each movement correctly and safely
✅ Monthly group coaching calls where they can get all their questions answered
✅ All workouts and meal plans delivered through an app, so they can access everything at the gym or in their home workout area

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Members can choose from 2 strength training tracks….FOUNDATIONS if you are just starting or restarting after time off, and BUILD if you have been strength training for awhile.

There are also weekly accountability progress tracking, monthly group coaching, a supportive community to get your questions answered in, and a clear path forward after the first 12 weeks.

The goal is simple.

To help women stop guessing, stop starting over and finally build a routine they can actually stick with.

I am especially excited because this gives me a way to help more women get stronger, leaner and more confident without needing the cost or intensity of one-on-one coaching.

The founding member rate is $39 USD per month until July 15. After that, it increases to $49 per month.

You can cancel at any time.

If you have been looking for a practical plan with structure, support and accountability, this may be the right next step.

​You can get started HERE​

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Quote to end off your week right

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Coach Ruth

When you’re ready, here’s how I can help:

1. When you’re ready to lose weight and keep it off, Lean Body Platinum Coaching one on one coaching is the way to go. You can read about it here​
2. Doing all the right things but not seeing results? The Midlife Metabolic Audit is the roadmap to body recomposition after 50.
3. ​The Strong and Lean Women’s Club – A group program designed to get women strong and lean.
4. Looking for free resources? Make sure you join my free community on skool HERE​

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Disclaimer: This email is for general educational and informational use only. It is not intended as medical advice and does not replace professional medical services. The content should not be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any medical condition. For personal medical guidance, consult a qualified healthcare professional.

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