Feeling extra tired lately? Waking up and… feeling old?? In today’s episode, I’m breaking down the biggest drivers behind your energy, vitality, stamina, and resilience. You’ll learn the five key areas that shape how young or old you feel, how to tell the difference between true aging and reversible symptoms, simple shifts to restore your energy, and where to start if you’re feeling completely wiped out.

First things first—if you’ve been saying “I feel old” or “aging is the worst,” stop! Instead, get curious: What exactly makes you feel that way? Better yet, ask yourself what habits might be making you feel that way. Blaming age lets us off the hook—and keeps us stuck.

Here are five truths about feeling old and ways to combat those feelings:

1. Symptoms vs. Signs of Aging

Many so-called “aging” symptoms (fatigue, brain fog, low energy) are actually reversible. Mitochondrial function plays a big role here.

2. Exercise & Circulation

Not all movement is equal. Real exercise, like steady cardio, intervals, and strength training, boosts circulation and energy. Use heart rate tracking to make sure your workouts count.

3. Sleep Quality > Quantity

Sleep is a skill. Things like caffeine, alcohol, and lack of strength training can wreck your sleep. Focus on improving quality, not just getting more hours.

4. Balanced Nutrition

If you’re dragging, start with food. Stabilizing blood sugar with balanced meals (protein, veggies, high-fiber carbs) can quickly boost energy and fat metabolism.

5. Strength Training

Feeling stiff, achy, or “old”? You likely need more muscle, not less movement. Strong muscles protect joints, reduce fatigue, and carry you through your day. Build strength progressively, and aim to leave workouts feeling better, not more drained.

There’s no one-size-fits-all exercise plan. What matters is recognizing the season you’re in and choosing to work with your body, not against it. Let's redefine what getting older really feels like!

You can get FREE access to my 4-week Strength Without Stress program right now! This program will help you reduce the systemic inflammation that’s caused by overly intense or lengthy workouts. It’ll help you build and maintain valuable lean muscle without the fatigue from other programs

To get free access to Strength Without Stress, post a Review wherever you’re listening. Grab a screenshot of your review before you post it and upload at: https://www.hollyperkins.com/review

This is a limited-time offer before it sells for $197–grab it while you can for lifetime access.

Be sure to Follow and Subscribe so you'll know exactly when new episodes are available on Tuesdays.

Topics covered

● [01:35] Age is a mindset, not a number

● [07:49] Blaming your age for your struggles is disempowering you

● [09:25] Fatigue is a reversible symptom related to mitochondrial function

● [12:53] Exercise stimulates circulation, which gives you more energy

● [16:12] Not all cardio is the same! Walking usually isn’t a workout

● [19:11] Great quality sleep comes from smart exercise

● [26:43] Changing your nutrition can give you more energy today

● [34:15] Strength training is the best way to reduce aches and pains

● [39:49] The exact steps for lifting heavier weight loads

Resources Mentioned

● Research about the effect of chronic exercise on energy and fatigue states

● Research about how resistance exercise training alters mitochondrial function

● Research about how resistance training improves sleep quality

● Research on metabolic dysfunction in ageing and age-related diseases

● Research on the mitochondrial basis of aging

● Transcripts can be found on the official...

Want to burn more fat, feel more energized, and stop pesky cravings? But here’s the twist: not by changing what you eat but by when you eat it!! In this episode, you will learn how what you eat impacts your blood sugar, cravings, and metabolism, why skipping meals often backfires, the three daily eating windows to reset your metabolism, and how to time your meals to boost fat burning.

So many women obsess over what foods to eat for burning fat, completely overlooking food pairing and meal timing. I debunk the myth that some foods are better than others for losing weight and explain why calories are what matter. But remember, food quality and your hormonal response to it also matter!

How you fuel your body in the morning truly impacts how it performs the rest of the day. I share heaps of research to back this up. I explain how by providing your brain, muscles, and body with their desired fuel, they burn fat throughout the day, eliminating cravings and excess fat. There’s a time and place for intermittent fasting, but it's not every day nor for everyone. Instead, I provide an alternative.

I then share my top three strategies for eating within an hour of waking. Not to be missed! Lastly, I recommend the optimal time to leave between meals, depending on how active you are. These are all subtle shifts that may mean you need to wake up earlier or meal prep the day before, with a healthy dose of experimenting too, but try it for 10-15 days, and I promise you will feel the shift!

Ready for a great night’s sleep? Try Beam’s best-selling Dream Powder and get up to 40% off for a limited time. Visit shopbeam.com/HOLLYP and use code HOLLYP at checkout.

You can get FREE access to my 4-week Strength Without Stress program right now! This program will help you reduce the systemic inflammation that’s caused by overly intense or lengthy workouts. It’ll help you build and maintain valuable lean muscle without the fatigue from other programs.

To get free access to Strength Without Stress, post a Review wherever you’re listening.

Grab a screenshot of your review before you post it and upload at: https://www.hollyperkins.com/review

This is a limited-time offer before it sells for $197–grab it while you can for lifetime access.

Be sure to Follow and Subscribe so you'll know exactly when new episodes are available on Tuesdays.

Topics covered

• Stop overlooking the impact of food pairing and meal timing
• Why what you eat in the morning is so important
• My history of extreme cravings and how I overcame them
• The importance of three anchor meals a day
• How fasting in the morning forces your body to catch up all day
• Avoid exercising at all costs in the morning!

Resources Mentioned

• Research on how the timing of food intake impacts weight loss
• Research on how the timing of daily calorie intake affects appetite
• Research on early time-restricted feeding and glycemic control
• Research on social prescribing to support people living with and beyond cancer

Struggling to find the motivation to work out and eat right? Today, I’m sharing my biggest tips for sustainable motivation and willpower! Knowing all the best strategies won’t make any difference without taking action to improve your health and fitness. Let’s look for that sweet spot of motivation and discipline so you enjoy taking action!

I share some of the biggest bugbears to motivation, including connecting to one’s life purpose and getting into cycles of self-judgment. Learning the skills of discipline and willpower is the antidote! I explain the key mindset shifts needed to break difficult habits, how that prepares you to master anything, and how to create nourishing habits instead.

One way to stay healthy, look great, and feel energized is strength training! When you feel good in your body and mind, it's easier to make healthy, disciplined decisions. For the times when mustering up the energy for that workout is just too hard to find, I share journal prompts that can help reconnect you to your why. Practicing self-love deepens your wellspring so that you can harness the power of sustainable motivation!

Ready for a great night’s sleep? Try Beam’s best-selling Dream Powder and get up to 40% off for a limited time. Visit shopbeam.com/HOLLYP and use code HOLLYP at checkout.

You can get FREE access to my 4-week Strength Without Stress program right now! This

program will help you reduce the systemic inflammation that’s caused by overly intense or

lengthy workouts. It’ll help you build and maintain valuable lean muscle without

the fatigue from other programs

To get free access to Strength Without Stress, post a Review wherever you’re listening. Grab a

screenshot of your review before you post it and upload at: https://www.hollyperkins.com/review

This is a limited-time offer before it sells for $197–grab it while you can for lifetime access.

Be sure to Follow and Subscribe so you'll know exactly when new episodes are available on

Tuesdays.

Topics covered

• The viscous cycle of self-judgment when motivation is hard to find
• Why a strong life purpose improves your health
• Difference between motivation, desire, and willpower
• Learning the practice of delaying gratification
• How to get honest about hard-to-break habits
• The link between strength training and motivation
• Journal prompts for connecting to your way and cultivating self-love

Resources Mentioned

• Research on the link between life purpose and mortality
• Research about willpower and self-control
• Transcripts can be found on the official blog page for this episode at hollyperkins.com/blog

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Find me on Instagram: @hollyperkins

Learn more on my website: hollyperkins.com

Connect with me on Facebook: facebook.com/HollyPerkinsFitness

Disclaimer: Content and information as part of The Holly Perkins Health Podcast is for general interest, education, and entertainment purposes only. The use of information on this podcast or materials or products linked from this podcast or website is at the user’s own risk. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a...