Aging Fiercely

Here’s a banger for you: we don’t have to believe the hype that getting older means losing strength, power, or stamina. 👊 Life over 40 doesn’t mean we have to sit on the sidelines of life and watch Junior Jr. run his little tushy off on the soccer field while we wonder if the sunlight is catching any chin hairs in just the right light. And it sure as heck-fire doesn’t mean we have to hang the lib...

“I think being able to take control of one tiny thing that I was doing for myself gave me the desire to do the things that I love again.” Welcome to Mindful Mama Diaries ❤️, where we dive into the real stories of moms breaking the fitness mold and finding joy in movement. If you're new here, here’s a quick rundown of what to expect ! (Hint: it involves moms taking back their time, shedding their g...

If you’re a rule follower like me, you’re probably well-acquainted with the 150-minutes-a-week exercise mandate and the FDA-approved food pyramid (or plate, or whatever shape it’s in now). These guidelines, seemingly crafted in some stuffy government office—think citrine green walls, black-and-white tiled floors, and a filing cabinet filled with boring memos—don't exactly scream excitement. No won...

Think not of how many pounds you wish to shed but of the heights you will conquer as you embark on your family beach vacation this year. When once upon a time you couldn’t bear to think of the 137 steep steps you’d have to climb to the top of the lighthouse—this year you’ll finally make your way to the top without feeling like a Victorian maiden encased in a corset, unable to breathe. No dramatics...

“I hate the gym!” And with that, we’re underway! Welcome to the first installment of my new podcast and interview series called Mindful Mama Diaries ❤️ If you’re new here and not sure what’s going on… here’s a quick rundown of what to expect while here! (Hint: it has something to do with moms who… hate the gym—are sick of hearing ye stale old advice of “eat right and exercise more”—are done feelin...

I’ve spoken about the power of words before —such as “hard” and “but” —and today I’d like to introduce a word swap because clearly I don’t always listen to what I’m saying, and maybe you don’t either? Ever ramble on about how you “need to” do this and you “should” be doing that, while doing neither, and life continues to flow on as is and what’s another day of feeling the same as the last and the...

Don’t really be scared! I’m only half joking while not really joking at all. You are a powerful baddy who sometimes gets caught up in the lure of limited thinking because it’s easier to pass blame than to serve it to yourself on a charcuterie board. Let’s talk about you and all the power you truly hold. Whether you’re striving to change your body to fit into clothes you love, or wanting to create...

If you ever need an accountability coach or guidance on getting started working out or eating better, I’m here to help! Email me and together we can create a roadmap to get you from where you are to where you want to be!  Email me at am@amcostazo.com and you can get more tips and coaching from me on my substack at amcostanzo.substack.com Get full access to Aging Fiercely at amcostanzo.substack.com...

Ah, the elusive art of goal setting. For some, it’s a breeze, but for others (raising my hand here 🙋🏻‍♀️), it can feel like trying to hug a cactus. Today, I’m going to present a new way to set goals that invite more feeling and less to-doing! I’m calling out the typical SMART goals and the “what’s my why” approach and introducing the concept of setting deeper, more meaningful goals that resonate...

Do you dread stepping on the scale? Does that number make or break your day? I have insights that can change your perspective! Your weight is more than just a reflection of your fitness level or daily diet. It also mirrors where you are in life, the challenges you're facing, your stress levels, and even your sleep patterns. Before you step on the scale again, let's discuss how we can make this exp...

A trip to the veterinarian’s office reminded me why I no longer use a scale to track my health. For most people—unless advised by a doctor—stepping on a scale once a month is more than enough. The reason? It’s not a true indicator of how healthy (or unhealthy) you are. It's an unbiased number wrapped in a sushi roll of emotion! In this episode, we dive into the importance of tuning in to how you f...

Sometimes trauma waits for its perfect moment to wail on you when you least expect it! This was true for me this week—so stealth and unexpected, it rocked me. So what do you do when trauma doesn’t just knock at your door, it takes down the whole damn thing like a tsunami? Here’s what I did, and I think it worked. I'm starting a brand new series this month called Mindful Mama Diaries - it's about h...

My upcoming series called Mindful Mama Diaries is where I'll be interviewing moms at all stages of motherhood to discover how they're uncovering ways to make the time to care for themselves despite being pulled in all directions! Get full access to Aging Fiercely at amcostanzo.substack.com/subscribe

Fun fact: Your stories matter! Why is that fun? Because it means that what you tell and believe to be true about yourself shows up in your life in one form or another... and that means... you have more control over your life situation than you ever knew you had! And when it comes to changing things—like that number on the scale or how you feel about yourself—your level of success is encoded in the...

To learn more about AM check out her substack at amcostanzo/substack.com Get full access to Aging Fiercely at amcostanzo.substack.com/subscribe

Do you ever find yourself reacting to certain situations in a predictable manner? Our reactions tend to follow the path of familiarity, and oftentimes, those reactions don’t make us feel good—we’re uncertain and anxious, sweat is pooling around our armpits, and we feel like we have no control! Today I’ve got a whopper of a mantra helping me discover a different way to deal with certain situations...

Want to know how to meditate in a way that works for you? While there are many ways to meditate, I’ve found that by incorporating guided meditations, singing bowls, and binaural beats into my practice, I can achieve a deeper state of meditation. By using guided meditations I can calm my mind and slow down the steady stream of thoughts I’m typically plagued by. In turn, this slowing down allows me...

During my yoga session the other morning, the instructor encouraged us at the end of shavasana to remain in the pose if we had more time and not to be afraid to rest. Immediately, I found that statement peculiar. Why would rest provoke fear? The answer became apparent as soon as I posed the question: many of us struggle with the idea of rest. Considering our perpetual busyness and lack of time, it...

Tell me, how do you deal with a repeating problem? How big is your to-do list? And do you know what real self-care looks like? Today we’re tackling recurring life problems like career moves or health changes that aren’t getting done. I’ve created a two-step approach to help us reframe and refocus so we can move forward and make some real changes! Get full access to Aging Fiercely at amcostanzo.sub...

Welcome to the rollercoaster ride of goal-setting and self-discovery! As a personal trainer, I spent years preaching the gospel of clarity and goal-setting to my clients. But here's the twist: while I'm great at setting goals, I'm not so hot at actually reaching them. It's like I'm stuck in a Groundhog Day loop of my own making! One day, I finally decided to confront the culprit behind my perpetua...

From the freak-out moment of realizing I’d let myself get a little too comfy, to the peaceful allowing in of change, here’s a breakdown of how I’ve come to widdle my middle over the past four months and feel more comfortable in my clothes. It’s nothing sexy, glamourous, drastic, or fast-acting—it’s a slow, concentrated process that ANYONE can do as long as they allow themselves the grace to take t...

Open up, it's time for some truth serum! Today I took a rant on an age-old topic of why it’s so hard to achieve goals, and I put our perception of ourselves—who we identify as—as the main culprit of why we never seem to get to where we want to go. It’s because we block the path. We are the roadblock. Who we think we are, and what we think we’re capable of achieving based on data we’ve collected ov...

The looping “but”. Ah, it’s the reason why we go back and forth, around and around, inevitably always landing in (never leaving?) the same spot. I want to lose weight, I want to eat better, I want to run a marathon, a 5k, 100 meters - can I even run? - BUT… … and that’s where it ends. A litany of real-world problems enters stage right and the curtain thunderously drops on our hopes and desires as...

Ah, the new year… the most motivational time of the year. How we launch ourselves into the year can significantly influence its course. Are you diving in with an ambitious list of 20 things to tackle? Or perhaps, you're opting for a more calculated and practical approach? While change is on the brain, I propose a strategic rollout. Let's sidestep the inevitable burnout and frustration that accompa...

Welcome to the radio of our minds, where every station broadcasts a unique narrative. Have you found yourself flipping through the channels lately? Are you tuned into the "My Life is Filled with Drama" station, or perhaps the "Emotional Baggage" frequency? Maybe it's the channel that incessantly replays stories from your past or the one that forecasts a worrisome future filled with the chaotic noi...