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.
Today’s 5 Minute Friday is about something that does not sound very exciting.
The three meals I eat almost every day. ( I typically have 2 snacks as well)
Not because I think everyone should eat exactly like me. And not because I believe food has to be boring, bland, or miserable.
But because the longer I coach women through weight loss, the more convinced I am that most people are making this way harder than it needs to be.
They are looking for the perfect recipe, the perfect meal plan, the perfect macro split, the perfect “hack.”
Meanwhile, the women who actually get results are usually doing something much less dramatic.
They find a few meals that work. They repeat them. They stop negotiating with themselves every day. And then they give the process enough time to actually work.
This is what my client Dayna did.
Same 3 meals and 2 snacks for 6 months. Now I taught her how to make things taste differently and we introduced some easy substitutes a couple of months in, after she had developed some better habits, but take a look at what easy and consistent can do!
Dayna started my program 6 months ago. She had gained 30 pounds and wanted to lose it in a way that would last. She knew she needed to develop better habits as she wanted to not only lose the weight but she wanted to learn to keep it off.
Here’s what she said:
Text
Six months ago, I started working with Ruth and following her meal plan and workout guidance. Since then, I’ve lost 30 lbs and 39.5 inches, going from 150 lbs to 120 lbs at 5’2”. What I appreciated most was having someone there to answer questions, offer encouragement, and keep me focused when I needed it. I needed something that was realistic, sustainable, and actually obtainable in everyday life. Ruth’s approach fit into my lifestyle and helped me build habits I could stick with long term. I’m incredibly happy with my results and grateful for all of support. I highly recommend Ruth!
Dayna wasn’t always perfect when it came to her diet and exercise but it was the consistency and getting back on track right away if she fell off that got her these results.
If you are looking for a sustainable, practical approach to regaining strength and losing weight and could use some guidance and accountability consider applying here.
Our capacity is almost full, so availability will be limited. If you can’t find a time, reply here, and I’ll see if it’s a good fit.
Here is your 5 Minute Friday:
1. The three meals I eat almost every day
Is it healthy to eat similar meals every day?
I think this is where a lot of women get tripped up.
They think healthy eating means they need endless variety. New recipes. Different breakfasts. Creative lunches. Fancy dinners.
That can become exhausting.
There was a 2026 study that looked at people trying to lose weight and found that the people who repeated more of the same foods lost more weight than the people who had more variety in their diets.
That does not mean you need to eat chicken and broccoli until the end of time.
It means having a few simple meals you can repeat makes the whole process easier.
Fewer decisions. Less negotiating with yourself. Less wondering what to eat. Less grabbing whatever is easiest because you are tired.
And we see this in the real world too.
When you look at some of the longest-living populations, like Okinawa and Sardinia, they are not eating a brand-new recipe every night. They tend to have simple food patterns built around whole foods they eat again and again.
Same with a lot of fit people.
They are not constantly reinventing their meals. They have their basics. They know what works. They repeat it.
Now, I am not saying variety is bad.
A variety of vegetables, fruit, protein sources, and whole foods is a good thing.
But “variety” becomes a problem when it turns into constant snacking, processed foods, treats, bites, tastes, and little extras that somehow never feel like they count.
The goal is not to eat the exact same three things forever.
The goal is to build a rotation of meals you can rely on, especially when life gets busy.
Because for most women over 50, the problem is not that they need more food ideas.
The problem is that they need a simple structure they can actually stick to.
So yes, done right, eating similar meals every day can absolutely be healthy.
And for weight loss, it may be one of the most underrated tools there is.
Here’s what mine looked like this week…
Breakfast
This does not look beautiful.
But it tastes good, it keeps me full, and it works.
Here’s what I use:
100 grams low-fat Greek yogurt
1 scoop whey protein powder
1 of a seed mixture
100 grams frozen berries or frozen fruit
I mix it together in a bowl the night before and put it in the fridge.
By morning, the frozen fruit has thawed, the psyllium has thickened everything up, and breakfast is ready.
No cooking. No thinking. No standing at the fridge wondering what to eat.
This gives me a high-protein, high-fiber breakfast that keeps me full for hours.
The Greek yogurt gives me protein and active cultures.
The protein powder helps bring the meal up to around 50 grams of protein, which is huge for women in midlife who want to maintain muscle while losing fat.
The psyllium husk adds soluble fiber, which helps with fullness and supports gut health.
And the frozen fruit adds sweetness, fiber, and micronutrients without making breakfast complicated.
It takes less than three minutes to make.
And that is the point.
A good meal does not need to be fancy.
It needs to be easy enough that you will actually eat it on a regular Tuesday when life is busy.
Lunch
Lunch is simple. Its whatever protein I had the night before and a side salad. If I am having a high activity day I will add in a half a cup of sweet potato or squash.
Dinner
Dinner is usually some version of this:
3.5 to 5.5 ounces of protein, depending on whether I lifted that day
A big serving of vegetables
A single-ingredient carb like potato, sweet potato, or legumes
For protein, I keep it simple.
Striploin, salmon, chicken, lean ground beef, or whatever moderate-to-lean protein I have on hand.
For vegetables, I usually go with things like broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, or a big salad.
Nothing fancy. Just real food that fills the plate and keeps me satisfied.
And then I add a carb if it makes sense that day. If it’s a rest day I’ll leave out the starchy carb.
This is the part I think a lot of women miss.
You do not have to eat the exact same amount every day.
Your food can move a little based on your activity.
On days you lift, your body can use a bit more fuel. On days you are less active, you may not need quite as much.
I am usually just cooking for me and Reg now, so dinner does not need to be complicated.
And honestly, I like the ritual of it.
A simple protein. A vegetable. Maybe a smart carb.
That is it.
I also use the air fryer a lot because it makes dinner faster and easier. Chicken, salmon, steak bites, even lean burgers can all work really well in there.
And if I want the meal to feel bigger without adding a lot of calories, I may add something like konjac noodles.
They are very low in calories and contain a fiber called glucomannan, which helps add volume to the meal.
And when you are trying to lose fat, volume matters.
You want meals that make you feel like you actually ate.
Because nobody sticks to a plan that leaves them hungry and miserable.
I recently tried this recipe.
Chicken Asparagus Stir Fry
I’m always looking for different ways to cook chicken. Asparagus is in season here so its a perfect summer meal for us.
But boring meals are often the reason people finally get results.
Because the problem for most women is not that they do not know enough recipes.
The problem is that every day becomes a negotiation.
What should I eat? Do I feel like cooking? Is this healthy? Did I get enough protein? Should I have carbs? Did I already mess up today?
That is exhausting.
And when you are tired, stressed, busy, or hungry, your brain usually does not choose the option that gets you closer to your goal.
It chooses the easiest option.
That is why a simple meal plan works.
Not because it is magic.
Because it removes decisions.
You know what breakfast looks like. You know what lunch looks like. You know what dinner looks like. You know where your protein is coming from. You know how to build your plate.
And once you stop making food decisions all day long, consistency gets much easier.
This is what I see over and over again with women I coach.
The women who get the best results are not the ones trying to make every meal exciting.
They are the ones who actually follow the plan.
They repeat the basics. They hit their protein. They eat real meals. They stop grazing. They stop treating every day like a fresh start. And they give the process enough time to work.
Dayna is a perfect example.
She has lost 30 pounds in 6 months.
Not because she found some secret food combination.
Because she became consistent.
And that is the part no one wants to hear, but everyone needs to understand.
Your meals do not have to be exciting.
Your results will be.
❤️ My Favourite Thing this Week
I announced in my free community that starting next week we will do a guided 7 day reset! If you’re looking for some guidance and some community accountability to get things moving again you can join in the fun HERE
Thats it for today!
Coach Ruth
When you’re ready, here’s how I can help:
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
Doing all the right things but not seeing results? The Midlife Metabolic Audit is the roadmap to body recomposition after 50.
Looking for free resources? Make sure you join my free community on skool HERE
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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