Made for More — Holistic Health and Purpose for Women in Midlife

Karen Renaud

Made for More — the podcast for women navigating midlife who are ready to stop surviving & start thriving. I'm Karen Renaud, M.Ed., NBC-HWC, integrative health practitioner, positive psychology coach & personal trainer. If you're in perimenopause or menopause, feeling exhausted & not quite like yourself — you are in the right place. Blending midlife wellness, positive psychology & integrative health to help you reclaim your energy, rediscover your purpose & transform your life. I cover mindset, habits, stress, fitness, confidence & whole-person transformation. You were made for more.

Episodes

  1. 5d ago

    What Are You Training For? — How to Build a Body That Says Yes to Life (Strength Training for Women over 40)

    Whether you're looking to build muscle after menopause, improve your healthspan, support healthy aging, or simply create a stronger body for the life you want to live, this episode is for you. Most of us have been asking the wrong questions about our health. Did I lose weight? Did I hit my macros? What does the scale say? Did I earn dessert? Those aren't bad questions. They're just not the most important ones. What are you training for? Not for a number on the scale — but for the hiking trail, the dance floor, the spontaneous trip, the grandchildren on the floor. For the future you'll thank yourself for building today. In this episode you'll discover:— Why genetics are only one part of the story—and how your daily choices play a powerful role in shaping your future health.— The science behind sarcopenia — age-related muscle loss — and why strength training matters more in midlife than ever— How strength training supports bone density, metabolism, mood, and brain health— How getting stronger physically changes what you believe is possible in every area of life— Karen's personal story — from the Reebok National Aerobic Championships to training for future Karen— Why "I don't want my world to get smaller" is the philosophy behind everything Plus the challenge Karen wants you to answer in the comments:I'm training for ____________. 🌿 inspiredintegrativehealth.com — free inSPIREd Reset Guide + program info RESOURCES & REFERENCES Books:McGonigal, K. (2019). The Joy of Movement. Avery/Penguin Random House.amazon.com/Joy-Movement-Exercise-Happiness-Connection/dp/0525534946 Ratey, J. (2008). Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain. Little, Brown.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain/dp/0316113514 Research:Sarcopenia & resistance training in menopausal women — PMC (2023)pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10647115/ Resistance training & depression — Gordon et al., JAMA Psychiatry (2018)doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2018.0572 Scripture: Philippians 4:13

  2. Jul 13

    Your Next Chapter — What If Your Best Years Are Still Ahead? (Thriving in Midlife & Beyond)

    Eight weeks in — and there's a question many women quietly carry but rarely say out loud: Is this it? Have I missed my chance? In this episode of Made for More, Karen Renaud explores those questions directly — and offers something better than reassurance. She offers a practical path forward for living the changes you've started making long after the excitement of a new beginning fades. This isn't about completing a program. It's about building a life. A life that reflects who you are, who you're becoming, and what is still possible for you in this chapter. In this episode, you'll discover: • The real difference between being informed and being transformed • How to build minimum baseline habits, rituals, and reminders that hold up in real life • How to "restart without drama" when life inevitably disrupts your routine • The SPIRE model reimagined as an ongoing weekly life practice rather than simply a program framework • Why growth doesn't stop at midlife — and why your prime years may still be ahead of you • A personal story about building a graduate curriculum by leaning into strengths rather than relying on willpower alone • A final challenge designed to help you carry your growth forward into whatever comes next If you've been wondering whether your best years are behind you — this episode was made to answer that question. 🌿 Visit https://www.inspiredintegrativehealth.com/ to download your free inSPIREd Reset Guide and learn more about working together. Resources & References — Episode 8 Research: Lyubomirsky, S. (2008). The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want. New York: Penguin Press. (Source of the person-activity fit concept — the idea that the wellbeing strategies that work best are the ones that genuinely match a person's values, strengths, personality, and season of life.) Teaching Referenced from Karen's Training: Tal Ben-Shahar — concepts of informed vs. transformed learning and lasting change, referenced from Karen's positive psychology coursework and the Happiness Studies Academy curriculum. Maria Sirois — concepts related to change, resilience, and conscious choice, referenced from Karen's training through Wholebeing Institute and the SPIRE framework. Framework Referenced: The SPIRE framework (Spiritual, Physical, Intellectual, Relational, Emotional), developed by Tal Ben-Shahar, Maria Sirois, and Megan McDonough through Wholebeing Institute and taught as part of Karen's training and professional certification.

  3. Jul 6

    Remembering Yourself: Why Confidence Comes From Action, Not Before It (Identity & Courage for Women in Midlife)

    Have you ever looked in the mirror and thought: "What happened to me?" It’s not always that you don't recognize your face—sometimes, you don't recognize your life. Maybe during a stressful season, health changes, or navigating menopause symptoms, you lost touch with the woman who used to trust herself, take risks, and speak up. If you are trying to find yourself again in midlife, you are not alone.In this episode of Made for More, Karen Renaud explores how to build self-confidence, close the gap on your goals, and step into a more purposeful life. This isn't about becoming someone new. It's about remembering who you are, reconnecting with your personal strengths, and taking courageous action before you feel ready. 📌 Key Takeaways From This Episode: How to Build Self-Confidence: Why bravery is built through physical action, not just positive thinking.Albert Bandura & Self-Efficacy: How "mastery experiences" give your brain the data it needs to believe you can do hard things.The 4-Minute Mile Mental Barrier: What Roger Bannister’s historic 1954 run teaches us about challenging our limiting beliefs.The "As If" Principle: How changing your posture, breath, and movement signals your nervous system to shift your emotional state.Shifting Your Identity: Moving away from "I'm trying to change" to leading from an identity-driven framework.VIA Character Strengths: Reclaiming the core parts of your personality that got buried under years of responsibility. 🌿 Free Midlife Wellness Resource: Visit inspiredintegrativehealth.com to download your free inSPIREd Reset Guide and explore midlife coaching. 📚 Deep Dive & References From This EpisodeWant to explore the positive psychology research, history, and mind-body science discussed in today's show? Check out the resources below: William James & The "As If" Principle: In Segment 2, we discussed William James's revolutionary 1884 theory of emotion ("What Is an Emotion?", published in Mind). James argued that our physical actions and physiological responses occur before our conscious emotions. If you want to experience an emotion like confidence, you must act habitually as if that feeling is already present. For a fantastic modern extension of James's work on how behavior shapes our minds, check out psychologist Richard Wiseman’s book, As If: The Radical New Approach to Changing Your Mind. Learn more about James via his Britannica Biography.Albert Bandura & Self-Efficacy: We looked at Bandura's foundational 1977 study, Self-efficacy: Toward a Unifying Theory of Behavioral Change. His research proves that confidence isn't a personality trait; it grows primarily through "mastery experiences"—moments where you take a risk and see that you are still standing. Review his framework via the APA Human Agency Summary.Sir Roger Bannister’s Four-Minute Mile: On May 6, 1954, Roger Bannister shattered a collective psychological barrier by running a mile in 3:59.4. While he possessed incredible mental fortitude, he was also an Oxford medical student who achieved this feat by pioneering scientific physiological pacing and interval training. Once he proved it was possible, 15 other runners matched the feat within three years, proving that the barrier was psychological, not physical. Read the story on the Guinness World Records Hall of Fame.VIA Character Strengths Framework: Created by Dr. Martin Seligman and Dr. Christopher Peterson, this framework emphasizes focusing on your core character traits to build authentic self-trust. Referenced from Karen's graduate coursework in positive psychology.Identity-Based High Performance: The concepts of identity-driven change mentioned in Segment 3 are associated with the public work of Tony Robbins and Brendon Burchard, focusing on who you need to become in order to make sustainable life changes.

  4. Jun 29

    How to Build Habits That Actually Stick — Stop Starting Over and Finally Stay Consistent

    Are you tired of starting over? You begin the week with the best intentions — and by Wednesday the habit is gone. You're not lazy. You're not broken. You just need a system built for your real life, not your ideal one. In this episode of Made for More — the podcast for women in perimenopause and midlife who are ready to stop surviving and start thriving — Karen Renaud breaks down exactly why healthy habits fall apart for women over 40, and what to do instead. No more all-or-nothing thinking. No more waiting for motivation. No more guilt when life gets in the way. Just simple, sustainable habits that work even on your hardest days. In this episode you'll discover:— The real reason most habit attempts fail (hint: too much too fast won't last)— Why motivation is unreliable and your environment is everything— The neuroscience of habit formation — and why falling off doesn't mean starting over— The minimum baseline — the smallest version of a healthy habit you can keep on your worst day— Habit stacking — how to attach new habits to ones you already do automatically— Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar's four types of reminders that make healthy routines stick — daily, specific, ever-present, and mini— How to design your environment so the healthy choice becomes the easy choice— How Karen — a certified meditation and mindfulness instructor — still needed a system to make daily meditation stick (and exactly what that system looks like)— How to create a fall-back plan so you never have to start over again— Why identity-based habits outlast motivation-based ones every time Plus a four-step challenge to help you design a complete sustainable habit system starting today — without overhauling your life. If you're a woman over 40 or 50 navigating perimenopause, menopause, midlife transitions, low energy, or the exhausting cycle of starting over — this episode will change how you approach healthy habits for good. 🌿 Free inSPIREd Reset Guide + program info: www.inspiredintegrativehealth.com RESOURCES & REFERENCES: Clear, J. (2018). Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones. Penguin Random House.https://www.amazon.com/Atomic-Habits-Proven-Build-Break/dp/0735211299 Ben-Shahar, T. — Happiness Studies Academy.https://www.happinessstudies.academy

  5. Jun 22

    Your Body Is Not Your Enemy — The Mind-Body Connection, Movement, and Mindfulness

    Are you exhausted from fighting your own body? Frustrated that nothing seems to work no matter how hard you try? What if the problem isn't your body — but your relationship with it? In this episode of Made for More — the podcast for women in midlife who are ready to stop surviving and start thriving — Karen Renaud explores the science of the mind-body connection and offers a reframe that changes everything: your body has never been your enemy. It has been responding to your life all along. If you're a woman over 40 dealing with low energy, brain fog, perimenopause or menopause symptoms, or a complicated relationship with your body — this episode is for you. In this episode you'll discover:— Why Western medicine taught us to see the mind and body as separate — and how that's been costing us— How your posture, breath, and movement send constant signals to your brain — and how to use that to your advantage— The science of "hope molecules" — why just 3 minutes of movement can shift your brain chemistry and fight anxiety and depression— Why what you believe about your body and exercise changes your physical outcome (Dr. Alia Crum's groundbreaking Stanford research)— How movement is literally medicine for your brain — mood, memory, focus, and resilience (Dr. John Ratey)— A simple introduction to mindfulness and nervous system regulation for women in midlife— A guided deep breathing exercise you can use anytime to reduce stress and shift your energy Plus this week's challenge: one daily question and one daily breath practice that takes less than 60 seconds and can change how you feel in your body starting today. Stop punishing your body. Start supporting it. This episode will show you how. 📩 www.inspiredintegrativehealth.com🌿 Free inSPIREd Reset Guide + program info: inspiredintegrativehealth.com RESOURCES & REFERENCES: McGonigal, K. (2019). The Joy of Movement. Penguin Random House.https://www.amazon.com/Joy-Movement-Exercise-Happiness-Connection/dp/0525534946 Ratey, J. (2008). Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain. Little, Brown and Company.https://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain/dp/0316113514 Wiseman, R. (2014). The As If Principle. Free Press.https://www.amazon.com/If-Principle-Radically-Approach-Changing/dp/1451675097 Crum, A.J. & Langer, E.J. (2007). Mind-set matters: Exercise and the placebo effect. Psychological Science, 18(2), 165–171.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17425538/ University of Minnesota (2020). What Is the Mind-Body Connection? Takingcharge.csh.umn.edu.https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/what-is-the-mind-body-connection

  6. Jun 15

    You Were Made For More — How to Reconnect With Purpose in Midlife | Ep. 4

    Have you ever had that persistent feeling that there's more for you? More energy. More meaning. More of a sense that you're living the life you were actually made for? It may be a signal. In this episode, Karen Renaud introduces the SPIRE model of whole-being happiness — developed by Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar, Dr. Maria Sirois, and Megan McDonough at the Wholebeing Institue in Massachusetts— and explains why fixing just one area of your life never creates the lasting transformation you're looking for. She also covers the research on meaning, character strengths, and why this season of life can be your most powerful chapter yet. In this episode: The research on meaning and why it's a fundamental human need (not a luxury) Viktor Frankl and what concentration camp survivors teach us about purpose The SPIRE model — Spiritual, Physical, Intellectual, Relational, Emotional Why fixing just one thing never creates lasting change Your character strengths — and how they point toward your purpose The Best Possible Future exercise — and the research behind it How to take your next step toward the woman you were made to be Resources & links mentioned: 📖 Dr. Martin Seligman 📖 Man's Search for Meaning — Viktor Frankl 🔗 VIA Character Strengths free assessment: www.viacharacter.org 📩 Free inSPIREd Reset Guide: https://www.inspiredintegrativehealth.com/free-reset-guide 💼 I Was Made For More program: https://www.inspiredintegrativehealth.com/program 📋 Apply for the program: https://www.inspiredintegrativehealth.com/forms/2149591591 Connect with Karen: 🌐 Website: www.inspiredintegrativehealth.com 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inspiredintegrativehealth 👥 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/inspiredintegrativehealth 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenrenaudiih 🎙️ Made for More is the podcast for women in their Prime Years who are ready to stop surviving and start thriving — body, mind, and soul.

  7. Jun 8

    Why You Feel Stuck — And How to Start Moving Forward Again | Ep. 3

    Feeling stuck is one of the most frustrating experiences there is. You know what you want. You know what you need to do. And you cannot make yourself do it. But here's what most people don't understand — feeling stuck is almost never about capability or discipline. It's about self trust. And self trust can be rebuilt. In this episode, Karen Renaud breaks down the neuroscience of why we get stuck, what's actually happening in your brain when you can't move forward, and a research-backed approach to building momentum again — without overhauling your entire life overnight. In this episode: Why feeling stuck is almost never about capability The self trust account — and what's been draining yours The neuroscience of stuck and why your brain resists change How small kept promises rebuild momentum The identity shift that changes everything (James Clear's Atomic Habits) The "As If Principle" — faith it till you make it Your one-promise challenge for this week Resources & links mentioned: 📖 Atomic Habits — James Clear 📖 The As If Principle — Richard Wiseman 📩 Free inSPIREd Reset Guide: https://www.inspiredintegrativehealth.com/free-reset-guide 💼 I Was Made For More program: https://www.inspiredintegrativehealth.com/program Connect with Karen: 🌐 Website: www.inspiredintegrativehealth.com 📩 Free inSPIREd Reset Guide: https://www.inspiredintegrativehealth.com/free-reset-guide 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inspiredintegrativehealth 👥 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/inspiredintegrativehealth 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenrenaudiih 🎙️ Made for More is the podcast for women in their Prime Years who are ready to stop surviving and start thriving — body, mind, and soul.

  8. Jun 2

    Why You're Exhausted All the Time — What Your Body Is Actually Trying to Tell You

    If you feel tired all the time — even after a full night's sleep — this episode is for you. Most women assume exhaustion is about sleep, diet, or discipline. But what's actually happening in your body is far more interesting — and far more fixable — than that. In this episode, Karen Renaud breaks down the science behind chronic exhaustion, what cortisol is actually doing to your body, and why the answer is not to push harder or do more.In this episode: Why exhaustion is almost never just a sleep problemHow your stress response works — and why it's keeping you depletedThe cortisol rhythm your body was designed for (and what disrupts it)The Rain Barrel Effect — and why your barrel may be overflowingSurprising research from Dr. Kelly McGonigal that will change how you think about stressThe missing piece most women never address — recoveryThree practical tools to start feeling better this week Resources & links mentioned: 📖 The Rain Barrel Effect — Dr. Stephen Cabral📖 The Upside of Stress — Dr. Kelly McGonigal Connect with Karen: 🌐 www.inspiredintegrativehealth.com 📩 Free inSPIREd Reset Guide: https://www.inspiredintegrativehealth.com/free-reset-guide 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inspiredintegrativehealth 👥 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/inspiredintegrativehealth 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenrenaudiih Made for More is the podcast for women in their Prime Years who are ready to stop surviving and start thriving — body, mind, and soul.

  9. May 22

    Why Midlife Women Keep Starting Over — And the Missing Piece Nobody Talks About

    Do you remember when you used to show up for your life without second guessing every decision? In this first episode of Made for More, host Karen Renaud gets raw and real about the moment she chose fear over faith — and how that one decision quietly became a pattern that lasted years. If you're a woman in midlife who feels stuck, exhausted from the cycle of starting over, and wondering why nothing ever sticks — this episode was made for you Karen breaks down the real reason so many women in perimenopause and menopause feel stuck and disconnected from the woman they used to be. Spoiler — it's not a willpower problem. It's a system problem. And today she's giving you the missing piece. Topics covered:— Why high achieving women in midlife lose their courage and confidence— How the menopause transition adds to the chaos of feeling lost and stuck— The willpower vs waypower framework that explains why you keep starting over— Karen's personal journey through menopause and finding her way back— How to rebuild self trust and momentum one small promise at a time— Your weekly Made for More courage challenge Grab your free inSPIREd Reset Guide at www.inspiredintegrativehealth.com

  • 9 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Made for More — the podcast for women navigating midlife who are ready to stop surviving & start thriving. I'm Karen Renaud, M.Ed., NBC-HWC, integrative health practitioner, positive psychology coach & personal trainer. If you're in perimenopause or menopause, feeling exhausted & not quite like yourself — you are in the right place. Blending midlife wellness, positive psychology & integrative health to help you reclaim your energy, rediscover your purpose & transform your life. I cover mindset, habits, stress, fitness, confidence & whole-person transformation. You were made for more.

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