Aging Fiercely Podcast

AM Costanzo
  • 5.0 (8)
  • MENTAL HEALTH
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Welcome to the Aging Fiercely Podcast! 💋 Who says life over 40 means slowing down? We’re here to flip the script on aging! Forget the scale and the “summer body” obsession—it’s about building strength, changing the narrative, and experiencing more wild adventures! Midlife isn't a crisis - it's a comeback! 👊 amcostanzo.substack.com

  1. APR 30

    Your Body Can Heal: Gut Health, Hormones, and the Path to Pain-Free with Stacey Roberts

    Stacey Roberts has spent over 30 years looking at the body as a whole — and in this conversation, she breaks down why chronic pain is so much more than a physical problem. Stacey walks us through the connection between gut health and joint pain, why food sensitivities can show up as pain, skin issues, and fatigue, and how declining hormones during perimenopause and menopause remove the body's natural anti-inflammatory protection. She also gets into why conventional medicine tends to compartmentalize the body rather than connect the dots, why movement is still medicine even when you're in pain, and why "it's just your age" is simply not an acceptable answer. If you have been living with pain that won't go away and you're not sure where to start, this episode is for you. KEY TAKEAWAYS 1. Declining hormones remove your body's natural inflammatory protection. Estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone are anti-inflammatory. When they decline during perimenopause and menopause, that protection decreases, and adding alcohol and ultra-processed foods on top of that creates what Stacey calls a "perfect storm" for pain. 2. Food sensitivities can be a direct cause of chronic pain. If pain persists long after the original trigger is gone, food sensitivities may be contributing. Stacey recommends the ALCAT or MRT tests for accurate results. 3. Movement helps with pain, even when it is the last thing you want to do. Studies consistently show that movement significantly reduces pain. The key is finding a range of motion that is not painful and working from there. Connect with Stacey Roberts newyouhealthandwellness.com 🎙️ The Pain-Free Formula Podcast 📖 The Pain-Free Formula (available on Amazon) Free Resource Join my free Monthly Becoming Workshop, it's a live goal-setting session held the first week of every month. 👉 amcostanzo.com/free-goal-setting-workshop Connect with AM Instagram: am_costanzo YouTube: amcostanzowellness Facebook: amcostanzowellness

    1h 1m

  2. APR 17

    Micro-Adventures, Decluttering, and Why Your Brain Thrives on Change

    When you feel stuck, uninspired, lackluster, or like you've lost your sparkle, sometimes the smallest change in your environment can shift your entire mood. Seriously. Taking a different route to work. Moving a chair into a different room. Lighting a candle you forgot you had. It sounds almost too simple, right? But don't underestimate it. In this episode, I'm inviting you to take a mini-adventure. This morning I took a different route when dropping my kids to school school, came home, and recorded this podcast from my kitchen table in one of my new cozy chairs with my candle going. And something shifted. My brain noticed the new scenery and felt good to not be tied to my desk. My body relaxed and the words flowed! Today I'm talking about why your brain sometimes works better when there's a shift in your environment or routine. I also get into the shift that can occur when you let go of unneccesary clutter that may be affecting your nervous system without you realzing. Key Takeaways The American Psychological Association has found that your physical environment directly affects how creatively and expansively you think. New spaces open your mind, cluttered familiar ones close it down My nervous system, and yours, is constantly scanning the environment for safety cues. Clutter, noise, and overly familiar spaces can keep you in low-level stress mode without you even realizing it Small bursts of novelty, like a different route, a new café, a change in scenery, are what your brain is craving, and research shows subtle shifts are better for long-term happiness than saving it all for one big vacation Open your closet and you'll see how you see yourself. Your environment is a mirror, and clearing it creates a release that goes way beyond the physical Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way and the weekly artist date—taking yourself somewhere new, alone, with no agenda—can be used as a practice for sparking creativity and self-connection Free Resource Join me live for the Monthly Becoming Her Workshop. It's my free Substack goal-setting session to help you get out of your head and into the life you're building. Click here to join 👉 https://www.amcostanzo.com/free-goal-setting-workshop Book Your Breakthrough Session With Me You know something is off but can't quite name it yet. You wants to feel better—more fulfilled, more satisfied—but you're not sure where to start. A Breakthrough Session is the perfect entry point. One hour to gain clarity, find direction, and begin to see where more alignment is possible in your life. No big leap required. Just a first step. Click here and say yes! 👉 amcostanzo.com/breakthroughsessions Connect with Me Website: amcostanzo.comInstagram: @am_costanzoSubstack: Aging FiercelyYouTube: amcostanzowellness What's your mini-adventure going to be this week? Drop it in the comments! And if this episode resonated with you, please share it with your bestie or leave a five-star rating or a review. ❤️

    22 min

  3. APR 10

    Perimenopause, Hormones & How to Advocate for Yourself in the Doctor's Office with Dr. Dana Culp

    If you've ever left a doctor's appointment feeling dismissed, confused, or handed a prescription that didn't feel right, this episode on perimenopause and women's hormonal health is for you. I'm joined by Dr. Dana Culp, a physician with 25 years of experience who now exclusively specializes in perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause care. Dr. Culp shares her own deeply personal experience of being dismissed by multiple providers while navigating perimenopause herself, despite being a doctor, and how that journey lit a fire under her to transform her entire practice. We talk about how to advocate for yourself in medical settings, the three questions every woman should bring to her next appointment, hormone testing, HRT myths, and how to find a qualified provider. If you've ever felt like you're not being heard, this conversation will change how you walk into your next appointment. Key Takeaways1. You Are Part of the Medical Team Dr. Culp introduces the concept of shared decision-making and why women need to walk into their appointments as equals, not passive recipients of care. Knowing what questions to ask—including what training your provider has in this specific area, how they individualize care, and how they monitor progress—can completely shift the dynamic and the outcome of your care. 2. Hormones Aren't the Cause of Everything, But They Deserve a Seat at the Table Hormone levels are rarely screened as a standard part of women's healthcare, and Dr. Culp makes the case for why they should be. She walks through how she approaches hormonal health alongside other foundational lab values, and why "normal labs" doesn't always mean the full picture has been examined. 3. Outdated Medical Thinking Is Still Affecting Women's Care Today From providers who are unfamiliar with current HRT research to blanket advice like "eat less, move more," Dr. Culp breaks down how old protocols are still being applied to women today and what you can do about it. She also explains how telehealth and menopause-specialized directories (like the Menopause Society registry) are expanding access to care no matter where you live. Free ResourceReady to start feeling good? Join me for my Monthly Becoming Her Workshop: my free monthly goal-setting session on Substack Live, designed for women who are done playing small. 👉 Sign up here: Becoming Her Workshop Connect With MeWebsite: amcostanzo.com  YouTube: amcostanzowellness  Instagram: am_costanzo Connect with Dr. Dana Culp:   Website: thrivemidlifemed.com (includes a free perimenopause quiz) 📱  Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Let's Continue the ConversationIf this hit home for you, I'd love it if you'd leave a quick 5-star rating or just drop a ❤️ in the comments. Or hit that follow button so we can keep spreading the word that midlife isn't a crisis — it's a comeback!

    49 min

  4. APR 2

    You're Not Stuck. You're Scared of What Becoming Her Will Cost You

    You've done the vision boarding. You've written about her. You've built her up in your mind—the version of you who shows up confidently, runs the business, lives the life. But there comes a point when planning for her isn't enough anymore. In this episode about embodying your future self and building self-trust in midlife, I share what happened when I decided to stop waiting and start being her today. Just me, showing up, trusting myself to figure it out. We talk about why we're not stuck so much as we are scared, how we use the "good" things in life to avoid the things that matter most, and the soccer field concept from the book Happy Pocket Full of Money that completely changed how I think about my future self. She's not far away. She's already here on the field. It's just a matter of claiming her. If you're a woman over 40 who's ready to stop futurescaping and start living as the woman you're becoming, this one's for you. Key Takeaways1. There Comes a Point When You Have to Stop Planning and Start Being Vision boarding, journaling, crafting the future version of yourself, all of that work is valuable. But at some point you have to rip the bandaid off and just decide: I'm going to be her now. Not when conditions are perfect. Not when you feel ready. Now. It's what separates the women who transform from the ones who stay in the planning phase indefinitely. 2. We Use the "Good" Things to Avoid the Things That Matter Workouts. Laundry. Grocery runs. Tied-up loose ends. We tell ourselves we'll get to the important work once everything else is done. But that list never ends, and using genuinely good things as avoidance is still avoidance. Don't cheat yourself. The hard thing you keep sidestepping? That's the thing she would do. So do it first. 3. You're Not Stuck, You're Just Scared of What Changing Will Cost You Feeling stuck isn't really about being stuck. It's about not knowing what life looks like on the other side of becoming her. What changes? Who do you disappoint? What does your day look like when you start prioritizing yourself? That uncertainty is what's keeping you frozen, not a lack of ability or readiness. Your future self is already here, already on the field. You just have to claim her. Free ResourceJoin me for the Monthly Becoming Her Workshop. It's my free monthly live goal-setting session on Substack! Set your goals in real time, speak them into life, and come back at the end of the month to reflect on how far you've come. 👉 https://www.amcostanzo.com/free-goal-setting-workshop Connect With MeWebsite: amcostanzo.com YouTube: amcostanzowellness Instagram: am_costanzo Let's Continue the ConversationWhat's one thing she would do that you've been putting off? Start there this week. Find me on Instagram or Substack and let me know — let's hold each other accountable. If this hit home for you, I'd love it if you'd leave a quick 5-star rating or just drop a ❤️ in the comments. Or hit that follow button so we can keep spreading the word that midlife isn't a crisis, it's a comeback!

    14 min

  5. MAR 26

    You’re doing all the right things, so why is nothing changing?

    You think you're doing all the right things. You started the podcast, launched the business, wrote the emails nobody asked for. But what if you're still only going halfway? In this episode, I share how The Mel Robbins Podcast with Seth Godin made me call myself out. I'm doing the things, but I create something, throw it out there, and run back to safety. It's a deep fear of being truly seen, and it's been running the show. I talk about what it really means to put yourself on the hook, why your body is one of your best signals for where you're playing it safe, and the practice one woman in my accountability group does every week that made me realize I had work to do. Honest, a little uncomfortable, and exactly the conversation women over 40 need to have. Key Takeaways 1. Doing the Thing Halfway Still Feels Like Doing the Thing, Until You Look Closer Starting a podcast, launching a business, writing emails nobody asked for, these feel brave. And they are. But there's a difference between doing something uncomfortable and truly putting yourself on the hook. If you're creating and then detaching entirely, "it's out there, people can find it," that's not non-attachment. That might just be a sophisticated form of hiding. Ask yourself: where am I stopping right before it gets really real? 2. Your Body Knows Before Your Brain Does That tightness in your chest, the fidgety energy, the sudden constriction when you think about stretching past your comfort zone, that's not a stop sign. That's a signal. Get curious instead of backing away. Ask: what just shifted? What am I afraid of here? The growth lives right past that edge. 3. Putting Yourself on the Hook Builds Self-Trust One woman in my accountability group goes somewhere new every week and starts a conversation with a stranger. She walked into an art gallery and ended up connecting with the head of the Chamber of Commerce, because she did something that scared her, on purpose. Treat discomfort as a growth experiment. Just do it once. See what happens. Free ResourceJoin me for the Monthly Becoming Her Workshop. It's my free monthly live goal-setting session on Substack! 👉 https://www.amcostanzo.com/free-goal-setting-workshop Links Mentioned Mel Robbins + Seth Godin Podcast Episode Connect With Me Website: amcostanzo.com  Substack: amcostanzo.substack.com YouTube: amcostanzowellness Instagram: am_costanzo Let's Continue the ConversationAre you putting yourself on the hook, or just going halfway? I'd love to hear where you're playing it safe and what one scary thing you're committing to this week.  If this hit home for you, I'd love it if you'd leave a quick 5-star rating or just drop a ❤️ in the comments. Or hit that follow button so we can keep spreading the word that midlife isn't a crisis — it's a comeback!

    19 min

  6. MAR 20

    Your 3 A.M. Wake-Up Call: How to Use Sleepless Nights to Live More Intentionally

    What if your 3 a.m. wake-up wasn't something to dread — but one of the most powerful moments of your day? In this episode on living intentionally and breaking free from autopilot in midlife, I share how I turned my own middle-of-the-night restlessness into a personal prayer practice—and the insight it gave me: I'm playing a role I no longer resemble. I discuss how most of us live 90% of our lives on autopilot, quietly losing ourselves in the roles we play — wife, mother, daughter, colleague — while our actual gifts go unused. I break down why that low-level hum of overwhelm you feel isn't a flaw, it's a signal. We also dig into Gay Hendricks' upper limit problem and why self-sabotage shows up the moment you start to grow. If you've been feeling unfulfilled, like something is missing, or like you're waiting for permission to finally use your gifts — this episode is your invitation to stop waiting.  Key Takeaways1. Autopilot Is the Enemy of Expansion — And Intention Is the Antidote Most of us aren't asking ourselves how we want to show up — we're just moving through the schedule. Being intentional isn't about goals or routines; it's about pulling yourself off autopilot long enough to feel what you want, how you want to respond, and who you want to be today. That kind of awareness is what builds real momentum — and it can start at 3 a.m. with one hand on your heart and one on your belly. 2. You're Not Lost — You're Buried in Roles Wife. Mom. Daughter. Colleague. We play all of these simultaneously, and over time we disappear into them. That quiet feeling of emptiness at the end of the day isn't a mystery — it's what happens when you've spent all your energy responding to everyone else's fires without ever checking in with yourself. Your gifts are still there. The work is becoming aware of the roles you're playing so you can consciously choose which ones still fit. 3. The Upper Limit Problem Is Real — and It Explains Everything When you start to grow and suddenly everything falls apart — the inconsistency, the pullback, the kids getting sick, the stress piling up — that's not bad luck. Gay Hendricks calls it the upper limit problem: we hit the ceiling of what we believe we're allowed to have, and we self-sabotage without realizing it. The move isn't to blow through that ceiling — it's to expand it incrementally, ask questions, journal on it, and let your head and heart work together. That's coherence. That's where the magic lives. Free ResourceEvery month, I host a free workshop on Substack. It’s part teaching, part workshop, and it’s where we speak life into our goals by becoming intentional. If you want to change your life, you have to show up differently, and this is how.  Click here to become a free subscriber and join me! Connect With MeWebsite: amcostanzo.com  Instagram: am_costanzo Substack: amcostanzo.com Let's Continue the ConversationWhat was your biggest takeaway from this episode? I'd love to hear from you! If this hit home for you, I'd love it if you'd leave a quick 5-star rating or just drop a ❤️ in the comments. Or hit that follow button so we can keep spreading the word that midlife isn't a crisis — it's a comeback!

    22 min

  7. MAR 6

    Why You Keep Falling Off Track with Your Fitness Goals (It's Not a Discipline Problem)

    If your goals keep falling apart a few weeks in, it's not a discipline problem — it's a pattern problem. In this episode about goal setting for women over 40, I break down the three most common reasons your goals flatline and what to do instead. After 15+ years as a personal trainer and accountability coach, I've watched these same blocks show up again and again — and they're so common. We're talking about why you lose connection to your feelings and get buried in effort, how old identity stories hijack your momentum on autopilot, and why winging it without a plan almost guarantees you'll quit. This isn't about grinding harder. It's about nervous system regulation, embodiment, and self-trust — tuning into your body, questioning the stories running in the background, and building a backup plan that keeps you in the game. If you're ready to stop repeating the same cycle and start building real momentum, this is for you. Key Takeaways1. You're Losing Touch with the Feeling and Getting Stuck in the Effort That fire you felt when you first set your goal? It wasn't just motivation — it was emotional connection. When your focus shifts to the grind (the early mornings, the meal prep, the heavy weights), everything starts to feel like deprivation. The fix: reconnect to the feelings your goal will create — confidence, energy, aliveness — and start embodying them now. Your body needs to get comfortable living in those emotions before the external results show up. This is embodiment and nervous system work. 2. Your Old Stories Are Running the Show on Autopilot The moment you hit a wall, your brain pulls up every past attempt that didn't work and serves you a story: "I never follow through," "Something always gets in the way." That triggers a familiar sense of relief in your nervous system and you're back to old programming. This isn't a willpower failure. It's an identity issue. The fix: question those stories. Journal on them. Ask yourself, "Is this really true, or is this a repeated pattern I'm playing out again?" Start separating old narratives from who you are becoming. 3. You Have a Wish But You Don't Have a Plan Wanting to eat healthier or get stronger isn't enough if you haven't set up support systems, boundaries, and backup plans. The fix: an if-then plan: if something disrupts your routine, then you do this instead. It doesn't have to be intense — it just has to happen. Every time you follow through on a backup plan, you're building self-trust. JOIN MY FREE DREAM IT, DO IT CLUBJoin my Dream It Do It Club on Substack — completely free! At the start of each month, we come together and set goals for the next four weeks. This is how you live intentionally! 👉 Join Here: amcostanzo.substack.com Connect With MeWebsite: amcostanzo.com YouTube: amcostanzowellness Pinterest: acostanzo Instagram: am_costanzo If this hit home for you, I'd love it if you'd leave a quick 5-star rating or just drop a ❤️ in the comments. Or hit that follow button so we can keep spreading the word that midlife isn't a crisis — it's a comeback!

    28 min

  8. FEB 27

    The Secret Gateway to Change? It's Self-Trust — and Here's How to Build It

    Some of the most important things you'll ever do for yourself will happen when nobody's watching. No applause, no recognition, no validation — just you, choosing yourself. In this episode, we're talking about showing up for yourself in the quiet, unglamorous moments that don't make the highlight reel but absolutely build the foundation of who you're becoming. I share what happened when I went live on Substack and nobody showed up — and why it was one of the most meaningful things I've done for my growth. We dig into nervous system regulation and identity work, and why your body's resistance to doing the scary thing isn't a stop sign — it's the exact place where self-trust gets built. If you've been waiting for someone to notice your effort, validate your path, or give you permission to keep going, this episode is your reminder that the most powerful thing you can do is show up for yourself — consistently, bravely, and without needing an audience to make it count. This is how we age fiercely. Key Takeaways1. Your Body Resists Change Before Your Mind Does — and That's Normal That physical feeling of wanting to run, hide, or make cookies instead of showing up? It's not weakness — it's your nervous system doing its job. Recognizing it as resistance rather than a sign to stop is the first step in breaking through fear and building self-trust. 2. You Need a Body-Based Tool, Not Just Mindset Pep Talks Reasoning your way through resistance only gets you so far. I share my personal secret weapon — a specific song that helps me shift from anxious overthinking into my body — and why getting somatic before doing something scary is a game-changer for nervous system regulation and personal growth. 3. Nobody Showing Up Is Not a Sign to Stop — It's a Sign You're Building When you do the brave thing and the world doesn't immediately applaud you, that is not failure. That is momentum. Showing up for yourself, even when no one is watching, is how you create the energetic shift that changes everything over time. Free Monthly Goal-Setting & Reflection ClubEvery month I host two free live sessions on Substack — one at the beginning of the month to set your intentions, and one at the end to reflect on how far you've come. It's interactive, it's real-time, and it's free to join. All you need is a free Substack subscription to get access. 👉 Join me here: amcostanzo.substack.com Connect With MeWebsite: amcostanzo.com  YouTube:@amcostanzowellness  Pinterest: acostanzo  Instagram: am_costanzo 💬 Let's Continue the ConversationWhat was your biggest takeaway from this episode? I'd love to hear from you!  If this hit home for you, I'd love it if you'd leave a quick 5-star rating or just drop a ❤️ in the comments. Or hit that follow button so we can keep spreading the word that midlife isn't a crisis — it's a comeback! 👊

    18 min
See All (122)

5
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

Welcome to the Aging Fiercely Podcast! 💋 Who says life over 40 means slowing down? We’re here to flip the script on aging! Forget the scale and the “summer body” obsession—it’s about building strength, changing the narrative, and experiencing more wild adventures! Midlife isn't a crisis - it's a comeback! 👊 amcostanzo.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    AM Costanzo
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    122
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 AM Costanzo
  • Show Website
    Aging Fiercely Podcast