The Well-Planned Plate with Coach Heather

02/06/2026

If you are a woman in midlife, strength training is no longer optional. It is essential.

As we move through perimenopause and menopause; we naturally lose muscle mass, bone density, and metabolic strength. That loss affects far more than the scale. It impacts balance, joint health, blood sugar regulation, confidence, and how capable we feel in our own bodies.

The good news is this: it does not have to be fancy.

You do not need a gym membership, complicated programs, or heavy equipment. A pair of dumbbells. Your body weight. Ten to twenty intentional minutes a few times a week. That is enough to begin signaling your body to hold on to muscle, protect your bones, and support your hormones.

Strength training is not about becoming bulky or chasing a certain look. It is about being strong enough to carry groceries, get up off the floor, protect your joints, and feel steady in your body as the years go on.

Start where you are. Stay consistent. Let strength be part of your self care, not another thing to feel pressure about.

Your future body will thank you for every small, faithful step you take today.

Share this to encourage another midlife momma!

02/04/2026

Sometimes you just want a peanut butter and jelly…

Here is what did:

I mixed some peanut four with optomized plant protein, salt, peanut butter extract, a tsp of fractionated coconut oil, gentle sweet, and almond milk to make the protein “peanut butter”.

I placed some frozen strawberries in a pot with a little water. I let those cool down and added gentle sweet, baobab, and a pinch of citric acid. You can add glucie if you want it thicker.

I sweetened the Greek yogurt just a tiny bit with gentle sweet and topped with the “peanut butter” and jelly.

So good and protein packed!

02/03/2026

Helping women nourish their bodies, support hormones, and walk in faith-one well-planned plate at a time.

02/03/2026

Probiotics are so beneficial to the gut microbiome.

Read more about what probiotics strains we recommend to support your body to process oxalate-rich foods (instead of simply shunning them) in Trim Healthy Wisdom.

02/02/2026

Behind The Well-Planned Plate is a heart shaped by lived experience, faith, and a deep commitment to steady, sustainable wellness in midlife.

Over the years, my own journey with food, hormones, and mindset has refined the way I support women- focusing not on perfection, but on nourishment, balance, and grace. That journey led me to become a Certified Trim Healthy Mama Lifestyle Coach and to recently obtain my Hormone Optimization Certification; allowing me to support women with both understanding and informed guidance.

I recently shared more of my story on the blog for those who’d like to get to know the heart behind this space and the why behind the work I do.

If you’d like to read, I’m sharing it here:

https://www.thewellplannedplate.com/blog/25296391-d67c-4e9a-a2ee-fe80eb442287

02/01/2026

A new month doesn’t need a fresh start-it simply invites a steady one.

February is a gentle reminder that nourishment is not about perfection or pressure. It’s about listening to your body, honoring your season, and taking small, supportive steps that build strength over time.

This month, my heart is centered on helping women in midlife find steadiness in their hormones, their nourishment, their mindset, and their faith; without overwhelm or extremes.

If you’re feeling tired, stuck, or unsure how to support your body well right now; you’re not behind. You’re being invited to slow down and move forward with intention.

If you are in need of some personalized support this season, I have 1:1 coaching spots available. Simply drop the word "steady" below, and we can have a conversation.

I’m grateful to walk this season with you.
Welcome, February.

01/31/2026

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by all the diet noise out there?
Keto. Low carb. Calorie deficit. Carnivore. Veganism. Fasting. And more.

Everywhere you turn, someone is promising the next answer.
Friend, I have walked through a lot in my own health journey, and I share this with tenderness and truth. I have lived through disordered eating, including bulimia. I have walked through seasons of restrictive eating, low carb, and lacto-ovo vegetarianism. I have struggled with emotional eating, bingeing, portion control, mindset battles, food noise, cravings, and not knowing how to listen to or trust my own fullness cues.

What I have learned is this. Diets DO NOT work for a sustainable future.

Diets are often quick fixes and bandaids applied to long-held patterns. They try to solve deep roots with surface solutions. They do not heal our relationship with food, restore trust in our bodies, or bring peace to the mind. Instead, they often swing us between extremes of restriction and gluttony, neither of which reflects God’s design for us.

We were not created to fear food or eliminate entire food groups out of control or shame. And we were not created to overconsume out of emotional need or disconnection. God calls us to something better. He calls us to stewardship, wisdom, balance, and discernment. Food is meant to be received with gratitude, enjoyed, and used to nourish our bodies; not to control us or comfort wounds it was never meant to heal.

And truly, lasting change does not start with a plan. It starts with the Lord.

For me, real healing began when I stopped trying to white-knuckle my way through change and started handing my battles and strongholds over to Him. When I invited God into my relationship with food; my body, my mindset, and everything began to shift. Freedom came not through more rules; but through surrender, truth, and grace.

True, lasting change comes through a permanent lifestyle shift.
A lifestyle change is slower and gentler. It teaches us how to fuel our bodies well, listen to hunger and fullness cues, navigate cravings with wisdom, work on mindset issues, and quiet the food noise over time. It restores trust between mind and body and builds rhythms that support us through every season of life.

As I approach my fifth year in a lifestyle that became a permanent change for me; my heart is filled with gratitude. Not because it has been perfect, but because it has been freeing. I no longer live trapped in cycles of restriction and bingeing. I no longer fear food. I no longer feel disconnected from my body. I have clarity, confidence, and peace around eating that I once thought was impossible.

I have freedom now.
This is what I want for other women too.

Freedom from diet hopping.
Freedom from food noise.
Freedom from guilt and fear around eating.
Freedom to nourish your body with confidence, peace, and faith.
True health is not built in 30 days. It is built through daily choices that honor your body, your story, and your walk with the Lord.

When you choose lifestyle over diet, rooted in surrender and stewardship; you are choosing something that can heal deeply and last for a lifetime.

If you are tired of the noise, you are not alone. And if you are ready for something different, something steady and sustainable, there is a better way forward.

01/30/2026

Such a great explanation!

Simply because of one main reason - Insulin.

When insulin (our fat storing hormone) is elevated after consuming carbohydrates, our ability to burn fats is suppressed and insulin promotes fat storage.

On the other hand, low levels of insulin allows the triglycerides from fat to be broken down and used for energy instead of stored.

And science supports this.

This is why we created S meals (meals that are higher in fats and lower carbs) to promote fat burning for energy.

And E meals (meals that are higher in gentle, whole food carbohydrates and lower in fats) to promote carb burning for energy.

When we combine this method by centering both meals on protein and by cutting out processed sugar, this explains why THM has worked so beautifully as a way for many women and families to lose weight without counting calories.

But here is one important thing that we want to clarify - fuel separation is a tool, not a rigid rule. We used to teach that XO (crossover meals that pair both fats and carbs together) are just for maintenance. We feel a bit differently about that now. Some people burn XO meals wonderfully, and if that’s you, they can be a part of your journey to achieve your healthiest weight.

01/30/2026

Quick fish tacos, big hormone wins 🧠✨

This lunch comes together fast even using frozen tilapia, but every bite is working with my hormones, not against them.

🐟 Blackened tilapia
Lean protein = blood sugar stability, which is huge for hormone balance. Keeping blood sugar steady helps reduce cortisol spikes and supports healthier estrogen and progesterone signaling. Translation: fewer crashes, better energy, less hanger.

🥬 Red cabbage
A hormone MVP. Red cabbage contains compounds that support estrogen detoxification in the liver, helping your body process and eliminate excess estrogen instead of recycling it. Plus, the fiber feeds your gut another key player in hormone balance.

🍅 Salsa
Tomatoes bring lycopene (great for inflammation), while onions and peppers support liver detox pathways. A happy liver = happier hormones, especially in midlife.

🌿 Cilantro
This little herb punches above its weight. Cilantro supports detoxification and may help bind and remove heavy metals that can interfere with hormone signaling. Don’t skip the garnish-it’s functional food.

🥒 Crunchy veggies on the side
Fiber slows digestion, supports gut health, and helps es**rt excess hormones out of the body. Less estrogen dominance, more balance.

Fast. Filling. Hormone-friendly.
And yep-I only needed two tacos because protein + fiber = real satiety 🙌

Real food really can be this simple 💚

01/30/2026

I pray this comforts you in this cold season!

This comforting soup is like a warm hug in the midst of winter.

01/29/2026

Too fun not to share! That is some skill!

01/29/2026

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