Niki Woods Best Midlife

The Audible version of my book The Man's Guide To Menopause: Everything You Need To Know But Were Afraid To Ask is a year old today 🥳

You might not remember the dreadful snow of January last year but I certainly do as that's when I had to drive across Yorkshire to get to a recording studio 😅

Reading your own book for a recording is a humbling experience that makes you want to re-edit the book & makes you realise that you're quite inconsistent about how you pronounce some words! 🙈

And listening back to the recording makes you realise how much your voice changes throughout the day and from one day to the other! - When I listen back to the recording I can tell where we were in each day by my voice, and when I was ready for food😅

The Audible version was made possible by sponsorship from - not only do they make my favourite magnesium spray, they also really walk the walk when it comes to being menopause allies and I'm eternally grateful to them for supporting the existence of the audiobook 🙏

All profits from sales of the book (paperback, kindle & audible) go to my CIC, Best Midlife CIC, to support our work supporting women in midlife to have better health, fitness, & a more informed menopause

If you haven't already read it/listened to it here's a link https://amzn.to/4cx21hv (and if you have read/listened to it please leave a review as it helps it get recommended to others who might need it) - and PS it's actually been found very helpful by women too

2 years ago today my book The Man's Guide To Menopause was published, and wow the time has just flown by!

One of my own personal 'pinch me' moments was when Dr Kelly Casperson made a post about it, but in addition to that I've been really moved by the messages, reviews, and posts that men (and women) have made after reading it talking about the positive impact the information had on them and on their relationships - as of course that's why I wrote it!

When I look at the stats I can't believe that people as far away as Japan, India, Australia & Brazil have bought it - which really gives me hope that people all over the world are committed to better understanding menopause and how they can support the women in their lives

As we continue on with our work to better understand perimenopause and menopause - and how it affects us in our lives, relationships, and work - it can often still feel like we're fighting an uphill battle in an ever-busier (ever more mad) world. But I firmly believe that the more we understand ourselves and each other, and the better we communicate, the easier it becomes to navigate life

So on behalf of women everywhere, thanks to every man who's taken the time to educate himself and support us - at work and at home - because it does make a difference!

And if you haven't yet read the book, here's a link! https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mans-Guide-Menopause-Everything-Afraid/dp/B0D122WVV1/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0

A common pattern I see with women in their 40s & 50s is thinking things like:
“I’ve had a stressful day, I deserve a treat”
“I’ve been good all week, I’ll reward myself at the weekend”
“I got through that, now wine”
And it’s creating a cycle that’s working against you…

🔁 You link relief/reward to food or alcohol
🔁 Which often leads to overeating or drinking more than intended
🔁 Which disrupts sleep, energy, & bloodsugar the next day
🔁 Which makes consistency harder so so you feel like you need another ‘treat’

It’s a habit loop, & in peri/menopause the cost of that loop is higher:
😫 poorer sleep
😫 more cravings
😫 easier fat gain
😫 harder recovery

💡So what’s the alternative?
You don’t need to remove food or alcohol entirely, but you do need to stop relying on them as your primary reward system

🔑Start by separating reward from relief
Most ‘treats’ at the end of the day aren’t about reward, they’re about switching off.
And food & alcohol are just one (not very effective) tool for that

🎯Build a wider reward system:
Ask yourself: what actually helps me feel better, not just distracted?
For example:
• Going for a walk alone
• Getting to bed earlier
• A proper workout
• Time away from everyone else
• Even something simple like a quiet coffee
None of these give the same instant hit, but they don’t come with the same downstream cost either!

🔑Then be intentional with food/alcohol
If you’re choosing it, make it a conscious decision not an automatic response to stress or to ‘being good’

The goal’s not to remove enjoyment, it’s to stop outsourcing your reward/de-stress system to something that leaves you worse off the next day

If you’re honest, you already know when that’s happening but lack the tools/accountability to fix it
💡Which is where my coaching comes in

❓NEED HELP?
➡️DM me NOW to find out more about my coaching specifically designed to help women in midlife get lighter, fitter, stronger, with effortless better habits & higher energy while understanding your hormones & perimenopause

Easter can knock women already struggling to manage their weight off track for weeks. Often they feel like they’ve only just got back ‘on track’ when the next school hol comes!

The change in routine 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘴 & 𝘰𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘶𝘱 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘺

💡Instead, think in terms of two plans:
Plan 1 = normal working week
Plan 2 = holiday version
So you’re not ‘off track’, you’ve just switched plans.
🔑That shift alone removes the feeling of failure (which is what usually derails consistency)

In our 40s/50s consistency doesn’t come from rigid routines – it comes from having a structure that can flex when life does – & from maintaining momentum so you’re not constantly feeling like you’re stalled then restarting

1. Have a plan (even a simple one)
A bit of upfront thinking => something you can reuse every holiday.

2. Keep your key anchors:
✅ Protein-rich meals
✅ Daily movement
✅ Regular eating times
✅ Sleep routine (as much as possible)
These create stability & support energy levels & metabolism

3. Adjust your training, don’t drop it!
If time/energy is limited, we think in terms of ‘𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙢𝙪𝙢 𝙚𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙨𝙚’ - some more frequent & shorter workouts, or 2 rather than 3 standard workouts

Because muscle matters more now, and doing something consistently beats stopping altogether!

The goal isn’t perfection over holidays, it’s avoiding the stop-start cycle that makes everything harder!

❓NEED HELP TO IMPROVE YOUR BODY IN MIDLIFE?
➡️DM me NOW to find out more about my coaching specifically designed to help women in midlife get lighter, fitter, stronger & have higher energy while understanding their hormones & perimenopause

You didn’t ‘ruin everything’ by not being perfect with your diet over Easter… But if you keep treating it like you did, you might

Hormonal shifts during peri/menopause mean a few days of higher sugar & disrupted routine hits harder

Here’s 5 things NOW:

1️⃣More sugar? Less protein? More alcohol? Poor sleep? Reflect & learn what was worth it & what wasn’t.
💡My clients don’t have to deny themselves all pleasure to get & keep progress – they just understand how to include ‘worth it’ pleasures AND keep on track

2️⃣ Get your energy levels back on track & lose the sluggish feeling
✅Protein (25-35g/meal)
✅Extra fibre (veg) & water
✅Meals not snacking

3️⃣Resistance train: put to the extra cals to good use by lifting weights to support your metabolism

4️⃣Prioritise getting sleep back on track to avoid experiencing energy crashes & cravings all week

5️⃣Get back to structure NOW
Not under-eating or extreme dieting, which’ll cause lower energy, cravings & rebound. Structure, regular meals, movement, training, hydration.
🔑‘I’ve ruined this week’ & ‘I’ll start again on Monday’ is what turns a few days into weeks/months of wheelspinning

Bottom line: You’re not struggling to manage your weight because of Easter or any other event… you’re off track cos you don’t course-correct immediately (and maybe also cos you don’t even understand what you should actually be doing to start with)

It’s a key skill I support my clients with: they can go away for a weekend, or have a celebration without it ‘ruining progress’ or sending them off course

❓NEED HELP TO IMPROVE YOUR BODY IN MIDLIFE?
➡️DM me NOW to find out more about my coaching specifically designed to help women in midlife get lighter, fitter, stronger & have higher energy while understanding their hormones & perimenopause

Women come to me wanting fatloss & to be more toned...
But they’re constantly battling energy dips & cravings - and they think willpower's the issue...

But when I look at their nutrition
❌ Protein is low
❌ Snacks are high
And that combination's working against them

Increasing your protein intake can be a gamechanger for fatloss, stable weight, & the firm, toned look most women want in midlife

Cos if you want to manage your weight you want to do so without feeling hungry all the time!

Here’s 5 ways protein helps:

✅ Keeps you fuller for longer
Your body works harder to break protein down vs carbs, so you stay satisfied & are far less likely to snack between meals

✅ Burns more calories just being digested
Protein has the highest thermic effect of food—so you’re using more energy just processing it

✅ Helps stabilise blood sugar
Pairing protein with carbs slows sugar release, so fewer crashes & less "I need something sweet” a few hours later

✅ Supports the 'toned' look
You don’t get toned from dieting alone. You need muscle, and that requires enough protein to recover & build it
More muscle = slightly higher calorie burn at rest

✅ Helps you stay active & consistent
Protein supports recovery, immune function, & overall energy, so you can actually keep showing up & not feel wiped out

❓NEED HELP?
If you want my free Simple Portion Guide for Fatloss Over 40 , drop PRECISION in the comments & I’ll send that over to you

❓WANT MORE PERSONALISED HELP?
My coaching’s specifically designed to help women regain control of what’s going on with their bodies in midlife - lose excess fat, gain strength, get fitter, more toned, & FEEL GREAT❤

We cover training, nutrition & mindset for results that last LONG TERM, all within the context of better understanding & supporting your menopause transition

If you're eating healthily but struggling to lose weight then knowledge is power and a few smart swaps can make a BIG difference
For example, fish is a great source of protein, but did you realise your choice of fish can make a big difference to your calories?

➡️➡️➡️SWIPE & SAVE to understand why

This is the sort of 'knowledge is power' we cover in my coaching, to empower clients to make choices they enjoy in accordance with their goals

It's an example of why I say you don't need a diet you need a nutrition strategy for life

❓NEED HELP?
My coaching’s specifically designed to help women regain control of what’s going on with their bodies in midlife - lose excess fat, gain strength, get fitter, more toned, & FEEL GREAT❤

We cover training, nutrition & mindset for results that last LONG TERM, all within the context of better understanding & supporting your menopause transition

I've space for TWO more people to start in April
DM me NOW to find out more